A Season of Joy and Rebirth!
The earth awakens from its long slumber of winter and a new springtime of life bursts forth. In the same way, the Easter Season is also wonderful time for us to renew and re-energize our spiritual lives!
Spiritual reading is such a wonderful and simple way to deepen our understanding of God. In addition to the Bible, the following books are a sample of ones that have been very helpful to me:
-The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower of Jesus
-The Imitation of Christ by Thomas A' Kempis
-Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales
-My Daily Bread by Anthony J. Paone, SJ, Confraternity of the Precious Blood
-The Way of the Pilgrim by Helen Bacovcin
(The following daily Home Mission prayers are taken from the original
Glenmary Book of Prayer:)
Let us pray,
O God of love and holiness, hear, I beseech Thee, my prayer for our Holy Father, for our devoted patrons, for all thy priests, brothers and sisters and for Thy whole Church spread throughout the world. Bless the labors of Thy missioners at home and abroad and bring to pass the conversion of all people still languishing in unbelief outside the Fold of Christ Thy Son. Amen.
Pour down Thy blessings, O Lord, upon my parents, relations, friends, and enemies, living and dead. Give everlasting happiness to our deceased Glenmarians who have spent their lives in Thy service. Help the poor and the sick, the suffering and the oppressed and those who are in their last agony. Have compassion, O Lord, on the souls of the faithful in Purgatory. Put an end to their pain and grant them eternal light, rest, and peace. Amen.
Be mindful, O God, of the welfare of all Glenmarians- priests, brothers, sisters, and students- who are called to carry Thy gospel of charity and truth to neglected souls. Give us the strength to turn our backs on human consolations and to suffer and endure for Thy name's sake. Give to us the spirit of martyrdom as Thou gavest to Thine own Peter, John, and Paul. Reward our labors with goodly harvests of souls, among whom may our own be mercifully included. Spread far the spirit of the Home Missions in America and other lands; care for our kind benefactors both living and dead; give success to our promotional labors, to provide our daily living and a constant supply of worthy vocations to advance our work for souls.
We pray in particular for vocations, that many courageous young men will follow your call to spread Your holy gospel in the American Home Missions. For these and all the intentions of our Father Superior and our members, we pray: (Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory Be.)
O Almighty Lord, Who didst raise our Founder, Father Bishop, to the dignity of thy priesthood, grant we beseech Thee, that he may be joined in fellowship with thine Apostles forevermore. Amen.
May Our Dearest Lord continue to bless you now and forever! Amen!
+Christ the Good Shepherd and Mary, Our Lady of the Fields pray for us!+
