[Salvation]

Vultus Christi

Praying One Abbot for the Healing of Another

By

Father Mark

 on September 25, 2012 11:35 AM |

 

Dom Pietro Vitorelli, Abbot of Monte Cassino

Last June I learned of the serious illness of the young and gifted Abbot of Monte Cassino, 51 year old Dom Pietro Vitorelli. Nothing could be more fitting, it seems to me, than to seek the intercession of another Benedictine Abbot, Blessed Columba Marmion, to obtain Abbot Pietro's complete restoration to health. The liturgical feast of Blessed Abbot Marmion is October 3rd. Beginning today, please join with me in making this novena. If you leave a comment indicating that you too are praying for Abbot Pietro, I will be sure to let him know that prayers are rising heavenward from all over the globe on his behalf.

Feel free to post this novena on your own blogs and sites and to diffuse it widely among Catholics the world over, who treasure the spiritual patrimony of Monte Cassino and desire to see its Father Abbot strong and healthy again.

Novena to Blessed Abbot Columba Marmion,O.S.B.

O Holy Spirit, Love of the Father and the Son,
establish Thyself as a furnace of love in the centre of our hearts
and bear constantly upwards, like eager flames,
our thoughts, our affections, and our actions
even to the bosom of the Father.

V. Pray for us, Blessed Columba Marmion.
R. That our lives may be hid with Christ in God.

Let us pray.

O God, Almighty Father,
who, having called the blessed abbot Columba
to the priesthood and to the monastic way of life,
wonderfully opened to him the secrets of the mysteries of Christ,
grant, in Thy goodness,
that, strengthened by his teachings
in the spirit of our adoption as Thy sons,
we may pray to Thee with a boundless confidence,
and so obtain, through his intercession,
the full restoration to health of Dom Pietro Vittorelli,
Abbot of Monte Cassino.
We ask this grace for the joy of Thy Church,
for the consolation of the community of Monte Cassino,
and for the praise of Thy glory,
through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son,
who liveth and reigneth with Thee,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God forever and ever.
R. Amen.

[Salvation]

Regnum Christi

We Too Wish to See Jesus

| SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

Tuesday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Father Barry O’Toole, LC

Luke 8:19-21

The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you." But he said to them, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it."

Introductory Prayer:Lord, you are the author of life and the giver of all that is good. You are the Prince of Peace and my mainstay. You are my healer and the cure itself. I need you, and I need to give you. I love you and commit myself to you entirely, knowing you could never let me down or deceive me. Thank you for giving me your very self.

 
Petition: Lord, help me hear your word and do it.

1. “We Wish to See Jesus.” Today, as two thousand years ago, mankind longs to see the face of Jesus. Each one has his own reason: some are in need of healing –– like Bartimaeus, the blind man of Jericho who shouted after Jesus until he took pity and cured him (Mark 10:46-52); some out of curiosity –– like Zacchaeus, who climbed a tree to see Jesus because he was short in stature (Luke 19:2-10); some to hear his word –– like the crowd that pressed in on him to hear the word of God by the Lake of Gennesaret (Luke 5:1-10); some out of love and to look after him – like the Blessed Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene (Mark 15:41).

2. Christ Is Not Easily Conquered: “They could not reach him because of the crowd.” Though we may seek Christ with the purest of intentions, it is not always easy to achieve our goal. There are bound to be obstacles along the way, and we have to be prepared for them. Satan always tries to separate us from God through sin, even putting the fear of confession in our hearts so we don’t receive God’s healing grace. The world also attempts to keep us as far from God as possible, offering a thousand distractions and amusements to lead us away from prayer, reflection and conversion. And of course sometimes we ourselves are so little inclined to piety, service to others and a virtuous life. Laziness and indolence can overcome even the best of us. We need to let him know we are seeking him.

3. Jesus Rejects His Closest Friends? What counts for Jesus are “those who listen to the word of God and do it.” He came to preach to and save everyone. And contrary to the first impression given by his words, this does not exclude his mother and his relatives. Christ doesn’t lower them but rather elevates us –– and them –– to a degree of intimacy greater than blood ties. This is the beauty of God’s love: He calls us to an ever greater dignity and intimacy with him.

Conversation with Christ:Lord, I want to see your face in all the events and happenings of this day. Drive away all my enemies and spiritual tepidity. Cure my spiritual blindness, for you alone can help me. Without you I can do no good. Help me to live up to this dignity you have bestowed upon me.

Resolution: I will reserve five minutes this evening to do a thorough examination of conscience and perhaps prepare for confession. I will eliminate the obstacles I have to seeing God’s face and thank God for the graces he has given me.