Abandoned By Other Friends, We Still Hope In The Lord Our Friend

My relatives and friends are gone,
Those who were guests in my houses have forgotten me;
My servant girls treat me like a stranger and a foreigner.

When I call a servant, he doesn't answer -
even when I beg him to help me.
My wife can't stand the smell of my breath,
and my own brothers won't come near me.

My closest friends look at me with disgust;
those I loved most have turned against me.

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But one thing I know for sure,
There is someone in Heaven,
Who will come at last to my defense.

(Job 19: 14-19, 25)

A Modern Psalm For the Very Tired Modern Man

I like things to be simple and easy, as in the old days when I was still young, naive in every way. I wish I could go back, a child again. Now things are no longer simple, some things are to be avoided, some to be considered, and some to be accepted.

When I look at the sky, I wonder if God is watching me, I try to do what I can, I try to do what is right.

Yet I know that I am weak, often faltering in my effort to be good, a broken creature, sustained by a thread of faith, hoping to be perfect someday.

Maybe I care too much about what others may say, and maybe I don't care enough about them, no one knows what it's like to be me, except those in similar situation, maybe. There's a prayer in my heart that says to God I want to do Your will but it is so difficult.

I have learned to cope with the reality of life, I have tried to be positive about my situation, and have also tried not to fear the unknown future, will I make it or will I fall, only God knows. All I can do now is keep on going and leave everything in His hands.

Author: Susanna C. Chung from her book "A handful of sands"

Prayer For The Souls of The Faithful Departed, DE PROFUNDIS (Ps. 129)

One of the works of charity that can be performed during this Lenten season, is to pray for the souls in Purgatory. How many souls have been forgotten...once the three days after death is over, once the requiem mass is over, once the mourning is over...do the living Roman Catholics, family members, relatives and friends continue to offer prayers (and penances) for the souls of their beloved? In most cases, HARDLY...the crises in the church have affected the spirituality and mindset of the living faithful. Souls in Purgatory, who rely on the prayers of the living faithful, have been deprived of the many masses especially the 'True Mass', that should have been easily requested and offered for the release of these souls from their state of infirmities.

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Out of the depths I have cried to Thee, O Lord: Lord, hear my voice.

Let Thy ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.

If Thou, O Lord, wilt mark iniquities: Lord, who shall stand it?

For with Thee there is merciful forgiveness: and by reason of thy law, I have waited for Thee, O Lord.

My soul hath relied on His word: my soul hath hoped in the Lord.

From the morning watch even until night, let Israel hope in the Lord.

Because with the Lord there is mercy: and with Him plentiful redemption.

And He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

V. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

R. And let perpetual light shine on them.

V. O Lord hear my prayer.

R. And let my cry come unto thee.

LET US PRAY

O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant to the souls of Thy servants and handmaids the remission of all their sins, that through our devout prayers, they may obtain the pardon which they have always desired. Thou who art God, living and reigning forever and ever. Amen.

Close with an 'Our Father' and a 'Hail Mary' for the intentions of the Holy Father.

Prayer to St. Joseph (Patron of workers)

O glorious St. Joseph, model of all who are devoted to labour, obtain for me the grace:

To work in a spirit of penance, for the expiation of my many sins; To work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my inclinations;

To work with gratitude and joy, considering it an honour to employ and develop by means of labour, the gifts received from God;

To work with order, peace, moderation, and patience, never shrinking from weariness and trials;

To work, above all, with purity of intention, and with detachment from self; having ever before my eyes the hour of death and the account I must give of time poorly spent, talents unused, good omitted and vain complacency in success.

All for Jesus, all through Mary; all after thy example, O Patriarch Joseph; such shall be my watchword in life and in death. Amen.

Inspirational Quote

The patient and humble endurance of the cross whatever nature it may be is the highest work we have to do - Saint Katherine Drexel

Prayer for the Pope

Let us pray for our Most Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI, May the Lord preserve him, and give him life, and make him blessed upon the earth and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies. Amen.

V. Thou art Peter
R. And upon this Rock I will build My Church.

Let us pray

O God, the Shepherd and Ruler of all the Faithful, graciously look down upon Thy servant Pope Benedict XVI, whom Thou hast been pleased to appoint Pastor over the Church, grant, we beseech Thee, both by word and example, he may edify those over whom he is set and together with the flock committed to his care, may attain eternal life, through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for Priests

O Almighty, Eternal God, look upon the face of Thy Christ and for love of Him, Who is the Eternal High Priest, have pity on Thy Priests. Remember, O most compassionate God, that they are but weak and frail human beings. Stir up in them the grace of their vocation which is in them by the imposition of the Bishop's hands. Keep them close to Thee, lest the enemy prevail against them, so that they may never do anything in the slightest degree unworthy of their sublime vocation.

O Jesus, I pray Thee for Thy faithful and fervent Priests; for Thy unfaithful and tepid Priests; for Thy Priests labouring at home or abroad in distant mission fields; for Thy tempted Priests; for Thy lonely and desolate Priests; for Thy young Priests; for Thy aged Priests; for Thy sick Priests; for Thy dying Priests; for the souls of Thy Priests in Purgatory.

But above all I commend to Thee the Priests dearest to me, the Priest who baptized me; the Priests who absolved me from my sins; the Priests at whose Masses I assisted and who gave me Thy Body and Blood in Holy Communion; the Priests who taught and instructed me, or helped me and encouraged me; all the Priests to whom I am indebted in any other way particularly,

(Names : ..................................................................)

O Jesus, keep them all close to Thy Heart and bless them abundantly in time and in eternity. Amen.

O Mary, Queen of the Clergy, pray for us and send us many and holy priests. (three times)

Inspirational Quote

Hold on tightly to the Rosary. Be very grateful to the Madonna because it was she who gave us Jesus. - Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

Litany for the Poor Souls in Purgatory

Litany for the Poor Souls in Purgatory

O Jesus, Thou suffered and died that all mankind might be saved and brought to eternal happiness. Hear our pleas for further mercy on the souls of:

My dear parents and grandparents,	|
My brothers and sisters and other near relatives,	|
My godparents and sponsors of Confirmation,	|
My spiritual and temporal benefactors,	|
My friends and neighbors,	|
All for whom love or duty bids me pray,	|
Those who have suffered disadvantage or harm through me,	|
Those who have offended me,	|
Those whose release is near at hand,	|
Those who desire most to be united to Thee,	|
Those who endure the greatest sufferings,	|
Those whose release is most remote,	|
Those who are least remembered	|
Those who are most deserving on account of their services to the Church,	|
The rich, who are now the most destitute,	|
The mighty, who are now powerless,	|
The once spiritually blind, who now see their folly	| M
The frivolous, who spent their time in idleness,	| y
The poor who did not seek the treasures of heaven,	|
The tepid who devoted little time to prayer,	| J
The indolent who neglected to perform good works,	| e
Those of little faith, who neglected the frequent reception of the Sacraments,	| s
The habitual sinners, who owe their salvation to a miracle of grace,	| u
Parents who failed to watch over their children,	| s
Superiors who were not solicitous for the salvation of those entrusted to them,	|
Those who strove for worldly riches and pleasures,	| M
The worldly minded, who failed to use their wealth and talent for the service of God,	| e
Those who witnessed the death of others, but would not think of their own,	| r
Those who did not provide for the life hereafter,	| c
Those whose sentence is severe because of the great things entrusted to them,	| y
The popes, kings, and rulers,	|
The bishops and their counselors,	|
My teachers and spiritual advisors,	|
The priests and religious of the Catholic Church,	|
The defenders of the Holy Faith,	|
Those who died on the battlefield,	|
Those who fought for their country,	|
Those who were buried in the sea,	|
Those who died of apoplexy,	|
Those who died of heart attacks,	|
Those who suffered and died of cancer,	|
Those who died suddenly in accidents,	|
Those who died without the last rites of the Church,	|
Those who shall die within the next twenty-four hours,	|
My own poor soul when I shall have to appear before Thy judgment seat,	|

PRAYER Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them: For evermore with Thy Saints, because Thou art gracious. May the prayer of Thy suppliant people, we beseech Thee, O Lord, benefit the souls of Thy departed servants and handmaids: that Thou mayest both deliver them from all their sins, and make them to be partakers of Thy redemption. Amen. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine on them. Amen. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Prayer to the Holy Ghost

Come, O Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.

R. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created.

V. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth

V. Let us pray --- Oh God Who didst instruct the hearts of the faithful, by the light of the Holy Ghost, grant that by the gift of the same Spirit, we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolations, through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

The Wrath of God

"When the insolence of men obstinately rejects God,

God will say to man: 'Thy will be done',

Then we know what God's wrath is like.

Not the wrath of pestilence, nor famine, nor wars,

But men being delivered to man."

(Louis Veuillot)

Kemurkaan Tuhan

“Apabila kebiadaban manusia terus-menerus menolak Tuhan, Tuhan akan mengatakan: ‘Terjadilah Kehendak mu’, Barulah manusia akan melihat kemurkaan Tuhan yang sebenar. Bukan kecelakaan dari wabak penyakit, bukan dari kebuluran makanan, bukan juga dari peperangan, Tetapi umat manusia diserahkan kepada seorang manusia.”

(Louis Veuillot)