Sunday, June 12, 2016

St Francis of Assisi - San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy


St. Clare of Assisi - San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy


Clare of Assisi

With thanks to wikipedia.org

St Francis of Assisi; San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy



St Francis of Assisi - Brother Sun and Sister Moon

With thanks to youtube

Olive Trees in Remembrance of Gethsemane, San Giovanni Rotondo Italy [3]



Gethsemane - Claire Ryann at 3 years old


With thanks to youtube

Olive Trees in Remembrance of Gethsemane, San Giovannie Rotondo, Italy [2]


Gethsemane

Matthew 26:36-46

Gethsemane

36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed,“My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”
43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

Olive trees of Gethsemane among oldest in world: study
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-trees-idUSBRE89I0ZQ20121019

With thanks to youtube and reuters.com

Olive Trees in Remembrance of Gethsemane, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy


Gethsemane



Matthew 26:36-46

Gethsemane

36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed,“My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”
43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

Olive trees of Gethsemane among oldest in world: study
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-trees-idUSBRE89I0ZQ20121019

With thanks to youtube and reuters.com

Christ Crucified; San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy


Christ Crucified; San GIovanni Rotondo, Italy



Crown of Twelve Stars of Our Lady of Mercy. Statue of Our Lady and Jesus, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy


Crown of Twelve Stars of Our Lady of Mercy

Chaplet of Twelve Stars of Our Lady of Mercy
An ancient devotion of the Order of Our Lady of Mercy based on the Book of Revelation (12:1): "And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars."
V. Let us praise and give thanks to the most holy Trinity, who has given us to Mary, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
R. Now and forever, Amen.
V. O most holy Virgin of Mercy!
R. Queen of heaven and earth, you neither abandon nor reject anyone, kindly look upon us with your eyes of mercy. Obtain for us from your Divine Son the forgiveness of our sins, so that we may honor you both, here on earth and later in the heavenly homeland. Amen.
God our loving Father, we praise you for the wonders you have accomplished in Mary, our Mother. Grant that we may be your faithful children. 
(Our Father; Glory Be.)
The first distinction of your crown of glory, O Queen of heaven, is being the Father's highly favored one.
(Hail Mary)
The second distinction of your crown of glory; O Queen of heaven, is being the Mother of God the Son.
(Hail Mary)
The third distinction of your crown of glory, O Queen of heaven, is being the sanctuary of the Holy Spirit.
(Hail Mary)
The fourth distinction of your crown of glory, O Queen of heaven, is being immune from the stain of original sin.
(Hail Mary)
O most merciful God the Son, in all our needs grant us the grace to be able to call upon Mary, our Mother of Mercy, with strong hope.
(Our Father; Glory Be.)
The fifth distinction of your crown of glory, O Queen of heaven, is to be the handmaid of the Lord.
(Hail Mary)
The sixth distinction of your crown of glory, O Queen of heaven, is being the most eminent and totally unique member of the Church.
(Hail Mary)
The seventh distinction of your crown of glory, O Queen of heaven, is being the sublime daughter of Zion.
(Hail Mary)
The eighth distinction of your crown of glory, O Queen of heaven, is being the Mother of all Christ's members.
(Hail Mary)
O God the Holy Spirit, grant us the grace to be able to respond with childlike love to all the gifts that we have received from Mary.
(Our Father; Glory Be.)
The ninth distinction of your crown of glory, O Queen of heaven, is being the teacher and model of all virtues.
(Hail Mary)
The tenth distinction of your crown of glory, O Queen of heaven, is being associated with the Lord at the foot of the Cross.
(Hail Mary)
The eleventh distinction of your crown of glory, O Queen of heaven, is being assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.
(Hail Mary)
The twelfth distinction of your crown of glory, O Queen of heaven, is that you are exalted by the Lord as Queen of all creation.
(Hail Mary)
V. Let us greet Mary, who has done great things for us and say:
R. Hail, Mother of Mercy,
Comfort of the afflicted,
Redemptress of captives.
You are the glory of Jerusalem,
You are the joy of Israel,
You are the honor of our people.
V. O blessed Virgin, the Lord has clothed you with holiness
R. Mother of God, intercede for us.
V. Let us pray.
God the Father of mercies, You sent Your Son into the world
As Redeemer of the human race;
Grant that we who honor His Mother
as Our Lady of Mercy
may faithfully protect
and seek to spread to all peoples
the true liberty of Your children,
which Christ has merited by
His sacrifice.
We ask this through
our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You and the
Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.
R. Amen
V. For the Church,
for the spread of the Faith,
for peace among all peoples,
and for the freedom of captives.
R. (Hail, holy Queen)

Ange lumineux


Christ Crucified - San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy


St Francis of Assisi, San Giovanni Rotondo Italy


St Francis of Assisi

Prayer of St Francis; Make me a channel of your peace

With thanks to wikipedia and youtube

Crucifix, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy


Padre Pio Biography

With thanks to padrepiodevotions.org

Column capital; San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy


Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy - San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy


Prayer to Our Lady, Mother of the Son of God
"Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, hail, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve: to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus, O merciful, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Amen."

Salve Regina 'Hail Holy Queen'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLMeHBkLQJo

With thanks to Youtube

Padre Pio, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy


Padre Pio Biography

With thanks to Wall poster artist San Giovanni Rotondo
and padrepiodevotions.org

Woman Clothed with the Sun - Mary and the Child Jesus, Son of God


"A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days." (Revelation 12:1-6 )

Jesus Crucifixion - San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy


DO YOU KNOW JESUS CHRIST?
He was crucified on a cross to bear our sins and pay our sin price.
Two criminals were also condemned, and were crucified on either side of Him.
One man hurled insult and abuse at Him.
The other acknowledged His Messiahship and Kingdom.
Jesus said to him, 'Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise." [Luke 23:43]

One or Two?
Was Jesus saying you in the singular, or the plural?
Is is possible - nay, probable - that he was speaking to both the suffering condemned; the one who respected and acknowledged the Christ, and the one who didn't?
Both were most probably welcomed into Paradise; as the Christ had died for THEM BOTH.

Descendents of The Fall versus the Image of God
Are the two criminals in some way an allegory of many, if not most, of us? At times we are disobedient, blind to the dictates of GOD, suffering at the whims of our fallen nature.
At times like these, we do not live up to the Imago Dei within ourselves, but reflect our fallen ancestors.
At other times, we rise above ourselves, are true to our original nature, and are inspired to good and noble deeds.
At these times, we reflect the man who, acknowledging his fallen nature and bad actions, humbly asked the Christ for remembrance.

Christ - the Spiritual Doctor
Christ came not to reward the healthy and morally strong, but to support and heal the spiritually broken and weak. 'It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." [Luke 5:31 to 32]. 

This man,  descended from his human mother and Incarnation energised from His Divine Father, is far greater than we can understand.
He comes, not only to heal the morally bankrupt, but to bless indeed the very hands that tortured, degraded and killed Him.
"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do". the Messiah prayed in His dying moments. [Luke 23;34].

Do you know Jesus Christ?
Have you felt His forgiving Love?
Why not give yourself to Him today?

Online Chapel; Receive Jesus as your personal Saviour
Visit the following link and find the service to dedicate yourself to JESUS CHRIST
http://churchinterfaith.blogspot.ie/2016/06/how-to-receive-jesus-christ-as-your.html

Jesus - Crucifixion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NS6ykxX-9Dk

With thanks to Youtube.com


Grief; San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy


With thanks to the glass artist

Crucifix San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy


Padre Pio Biography

With thanks to padrepiodevotions.org

St Anthony of Padua with the Child Jesus, San Giovanni Rotondo Italy


St Anthony of Padua with the Child Jesus 

Nine Day Novena to St Anthony

With thanks to ewtn.com


St Michael the Archangel, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy

Franciscan Crucifix; San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy


Padre Pio Biography

With thanks to padrepiodevotions.org

Holy Lantern [2]


Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Saint Joseph and the Child Jesus


WHY NOT PRAY A HOLY HOUR? Sacred Heart of Jesus and St Margaret Mary Alacoque


The concept of the heart being the seat of love is an old one. We hear phrases such as 'you break my heart'; 'she won my heart'; 'I give my heart to you.'
  This concept merely means that we feel intense love at times within ourselves, and this is symbolised as the heart.
  Margaret Mary Alacoque, a French nun born in 1647, received heavenly visitations from Jesus in which He showed His heart, with symbols of his death such as thorns and crucifix. 
  From the heart radiated flames of love, symbolising  Jesus' the Son of God's intense love for humanity.

Jesus asked Mary to pray in reparation for the sins of those who cause pain and suffering to the Heart of GOD.
  It is a wonderful thing to have devotion to Jesus. 
Why not spend an hour in prayer from time to time in reparation to GOD for insults offered to His Majesty?
  If at all possible, pray in a Church or Chapel.
Otherwise pray in the sacred space of your room.
  This form of devotion is called a 'Holy Hour.'
Find a link to a 'Holy Hour of reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus' at the following link;
http://www.sacredheartlegion.com/downloads/Holy_Hour.pdf

With thanks to sacredheartlegion.com


Padre Pio Chapel


Padre Pio Chapel

With thanks to padrepiodevotions.org

Padre Pio's Chair and Table


Padre Pio; A Short Biography

With thanks to padrepiodevotions.org

Holy Lantern


Padre Pio's Confession Box



With thanks to padrepiodevotions.org