Ash Wednesday

Another season of Lent is upon us. I pray you all have a blessed and fruitful one. May you seek the Lord and grow in love for Him. And may He do a mighty work in you!

I like what Pope Benedict had to say in his General Audience:

In our conversion, the Pope explained, we shoot for the "highest measure of the Christian life” as we put our trust in the "living and personal Gospel" of Jesus Christ.

"His person is the final goal and the deep meaning of repentance... he is the road by which all are called to walk in life, letting ourselves be illuminated by his light and sustained by his strength that moves our steps."

I also just discovered another blog in which they are using the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola as a daily meditation, The Spiritual Exercises blog. Although I have heard about these exercises, I have never read them. I think this may be a good introduction for me.

I'm hoping I can persevere this Lent so that I may truly experience the glorious Resurrection and Easter season to come! I wish the same for all of you!

Have a blessed day!

The Parent's Prayer

We were given this prayer at a parent meeting at school recently.

The Parent's Prayer


O Heavenly Father, make me a better parent.

Teach me to understand my children, to listen patiently to what they have to say and to answer all their questions kindly. Keep me from interrupting them or contradicting them.

Make me as courteous to them as I would have them be to me. Forbid that I should ever laugh at their mistakes or resort to shame or ridicule when they displease me.

May I never punish them for my own selfish satisfaction or to show my power.

Let me not tempt my child to lie or steal. And guide me hour by hour that I may demonstrate by all I say and do that honesty produces happiness.

Reduce, I pray, the meanness in me. And when I am out of sorts, help me O Lord to hold my tongue.

May I be ever mindful that my children are children and I should not expect of them the judgment of adults. Let me not rob them of the opportunity to wait on themselves and to make decisions.

Bless me with bigness to grant all their reasonable requests and the courage to deny them privileges I know will do them harm.

Make me fair and just and kind. And fit me, O Lord, to be loved and respected and imitated by my children.
Amen.

Gary C. Myers

Sacrament of Reconciliation

The Archdiocese of Boston has a great site for information about the Sacrament of Reconciliation. They are trying to encourage a greater use of this sacrament, especially during Lent. They have great handy lists for an examination of conscience according to your state in life.

Take a look at The Light Is On For You!