A Prayer for Today

O God, worthy of infinite love,
I have nothing which can
adequately measure your dignity,
but such is my desire towards you,
that if I had all that you have,
I would gladly and thankfully
give it all to you.
O Love, O God,
you loved me first,
grant that with my whole heart,
and with my whole soul,
and with my whole strength,
I may love you. Amen.

- St. Gertrude the Great

A Letter to Read

Thankfully through the Internet we can really get access to a lot of things that we might not have been able to before the net came about. I have subscribed to receive e-letters from the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal and I will share one of the letters as it was wonderful and really makes you think about life.
Here is their link ( Franciscan Friairs of the Renewal) and I encourage you to sign up and enjoy the words of comfort and wisdom that they send out!



Letters of hope and consolation # 3

Imagine if you had the opportunity to watch a slide show of your life from your birth up

until the present moment. As all the moments of your life pass before you what do you think

you would learn? Have you arrived at the place you are right now in your life because of

coincidence, your own abilities, or gifts? The truth is God has been with you your entire life.

He has always been with you, helping you to walk when you believed you couldn’t, opening

your eyes when you felt unable to see and opening your heart to believe when you felt that life

was empty.


The rest of the slide show, beginning now until the last day of your life, is not available

yet. However, the question remains, how will you live the rest of your life? If God has been

with you in the past, will you allow him to be with you in the present and in the future? Or will

you live as if you are in control and spend the rest of your days trying to “be” God, instead of

living in the freedom that belongs to you as one of his children?


Whether it is the past, present or future God is in control. There is only one God and

there is no need for us to try and be Him. He has done a good enough job on his own and does

not heed our help!

God bless you,
Fr. Jeremiah Myriam Shryock CFR
St. Felix Friary, Yonkers, NY
Posted by C.F.R. Vocations eLetter at 7:27 PM

Fifth Sunday of Lent

Book of Jeremiah 31:31-34.


The days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers the day I took them by the hand to lead them forth from the land of Egypt; for they broke my covenant and I had to show myself their master, says the LORD.



But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD. I will place my law within them, and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer will they have need to teach their friends and kinsmen how to know the LORD. All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the LORD, for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more.





Psalms 51(50):3-4.12-13.14-15.


Have mercy on me, God,

in your goodness;

in your abundant compassion

blot out my offense.


Wash away all my guilt;

from my sin cleanse me.
A clean heart create for me, God;

renew in me a steadfast spirit.



Do not drive me from your presence,

nor take from me your holy spirit.
Restore my joy in your salvation;

sustain in me a willing spirit.
I will teach the wicked your ways,

that sinners may return to you.





Letter to the Hebrews 5:7-9.


In the days when he was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.
Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered;
and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.





Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 12:20-33.


Now there were some Greeks among those who had come up to worship at the feast. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, "Sir, we would like to see Jesus." Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.



Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me. I am troubled now. Yet what should I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it and will glorify it again."



The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder; but others said, "An angel has spoken to him." Jesus answered and said, "This voice did not come for my sake but for yours. Now is the time of judgment on this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself." He said this indicating the kind of death he would die.

Fourth Sunday of Lent

2nd book of Chronicles 36:14-16.19-23.


Likewise all the princes of Judah, the priests and the people added infidelity to infidelity, practicing all the abominations of the nations and polluting the LORD'S temple which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.

Early and often did the LORD, the God of their fathers, send his messengers to them, for he had compassion on his people and his dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, despised his warnings, and scoffed at his prophets, until the anger of the LORD against his people was so inflamed that there was no remedy.

They burnt the house of God, tore down the walls of Jerusalem, set all its palaces afire, and destroyed all its precious objects. Those who escaped the sword he carried captive to Babylon, where they became his and his sons' servants until the kingdom of the Persians came to power.
All this was to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah: "Until the land has retrieved its lost sabbaths, during all the time it lies waste it shall have rest while seventy years are fulfilled."

In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD inspired King Cyrus of Persia to issue this proclamation throughout his kingdom, both by word of mouth and in writing: "Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia: 'All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD, the God of heaven, has given to me, and he has also charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever, therefore, among you belongs to any part of his people, let him go up, and may his God be with him!'"





Psalms 137(136):1-2.3.4-5.6.


By the rivers of Babylon we sat
mourning and weeping when we remembered Zion.
On the poplars of that land we hung up our harps.
There our captors asked us for the words of a song;


Our tormentors, for a joyful song:
"Sing for us a song of Zion!"
But how could we sing a song of the LORD in a foreign land?
If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand wither.


May my tongue stick to my palate
if I do not remember you,
if I do not exalt Jerusalem
beyond all my delights.





Letter to the Ephesians 2:4-10.

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ (by grace you have been saved), raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so no one may boast. For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.





Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 3:14-21.

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil.


For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

A Prayer from St. Patrick

A day late but always in effect a lovely prayer from St. Patrick.

May the strength of God
guide me this day,
and may God's power preserve me.

May the wisdom of God instruct me:
the eye of God watch over me;
the ear of God hear me;
the word of God give sweetness to my speech;
the hand of God defend me;
and may I follow the way of God.

Christ be with me, Christ before me,
Christ be after me, Christ within me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ at my right hand, Christ at my left.
Christ where I lie, Christ where I sit, Christ where I rise.
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
- St. Patrick

A Couple of Prayers for Today

Heavenly Father,
maker of heaven and earth,
we praise you for your glory.
Bless us as we continue to do our work,
and bless all that we do for you.
Help us to carry out all our activities
for your honor and glory
and for the salvation of your people.
Guide us in all we do,
and help us build your kingdom
and come to our reward
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Lord Jesus, as I prepare for the coming of Easter during this Lenten season, I turn to you in prayer. You have been merciful to me. Many times you have pardoned the great debt I owe. I trust in your merciful love and wish to transmit your love to many others faithfully. Here I am, Lord, ready to learn from your tender heart.

Third Sunday of Lent

Book of Exodus 20:1-17.


In those days, God delivered all these commandments : "I, the LORD, am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery. You shall not have other gods besides me.



You shall not carve idols for yourselves in the shape of anything in the sky above or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth; you shall not bow down before them or worship them. For I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God, inflicting punishment for their fathers' wickedness on the children of those who hate me, down to the third and fourth generation; but bestowing mercy down to the thousandth generation, on the children of those who love me and keep my commandments.



You shall not take the name of the LORD, your God, in vain. For the LORD will not leave unpunished him who takes his name in vain. Remember to keep holy the sabbath day. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD, your God. No work may be done then either by you, or your son or daughter, or your male or female slave, or your beast, or by the alien who lives with you. In six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the LORD has blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.



Honor your father and your mother, that you may have a long life in the land which the LORD, your God, is giving you. You shall not kill. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male or female slave, nor his ox or ass, nor anything else that belongs to him."





Psalms 19(18):8.9.10.11.


The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul.

The decree of the LORD is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple.

The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart.



The command of the LORD is clear, enlightening the eye.

The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever.

The statutes of the LORD are true, all of them just;



More desirable than gold, than a hoard of purest gold,

Sweeter also than honey or drippings from the comb.





First Letter to the Corinthians 1:22-25.


Brothers and sisters: Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.



For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.





Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 2:13-25.


Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money-changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables, and to those who sold doves he said, "Take these out of here, and stop making my Father's house a marketplace."



His disciples recalled the words of scripture, "Zeal for your house will consume me." At this the Jews answered and said to him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?" Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up."



The Jews said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?" But he was speaking about the temple of his body. Therefore, when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they came to believe the scripture and the word Jesus had spoken.



While he was in Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, many began to believe in his name when they saw the signs he was doing. But Jesus would not trust himself to them because he knew them all, and did not need anyone to testify about human nature. He himself understood it well.

A Prayer for Today

A prayer for this Sunday the second Sunday in Lent.

Lord Jesus, you revealed to Peter, James and John a glimpse of your future glory in order to strengthen them for the cross. I know that you also wish to strengthen me with your presence so that I may carry my cross well and one day see you face-to-face. I entrust myself to you now through this prayer, seeking to love you with all my mind, heart, soul and strength.

Second Sunday of Lent

Book of Genesis 22:1-2.9a.10-13.15-18.


Some time after these events, God put Abraham to the test. He called to him, "Abraham!" "Ready!" he replied. Then God said: "Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. There you shall offer him up as a holocaust on a height that I will point out to you."



When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. Next he tied up his son Isaac, and put him on top of the wood on the altar. Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.



But the LORD'S messenger called to him from heaven, "Abraham, Abraham!" "Yes, Lord," he answered. "Do not lay your hand on the boy," said the messenger. "Do not do the least thing to him. I know now how devoted you are to God, since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son."



As Abraham looked about, he spied a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. So he went and took the ram and offered it up as a holocaust in place of his son. Again the LORD'S messenger called to Abraham from heaven and said: "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you acted as you did in not withholding from me your beloved son, I will bless you abundantly and make your descendants as countless as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore; your descendants shall take possession of the gates of their enemies, and in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing--all this because you obeyed my command.'





Psalms 116(115):10.15.16-17.18-19.


I kept faith, even when I said,

"I am greatly afflicted!"
Too costly in the eyes of the LORD

is the death of his faithful.



LORD, I am your servant,

your servant, the child of your maidservant;

you have loosed my bonds.
I will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving

and call on the name of the LORD.



I will pay my vows to the LORD

in the presence of all his people,
In the courts of the house of the LORD,

in your midst, O Jerusalem. Hallelujah!





Letter to the Romans 8:31b-34.


What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him?



Who will bring a charge against God's chosen ones? It is God who acquits us. Who will condemn? It is Christ (Jesus) who died, rather, was raised, who also is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.





Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 9:2-10.


Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.



Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus.
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, "Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified.



Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; then from the cloud came a voice, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him." Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them.



As they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what rising from the dead meant.