Homily For Friday Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 23rd June, 2023

Reading: 2Cor 11:18.21-30; Ps.34; Matt. 6:19-23

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

WHY HAVE YOU MADE THEM THE ULTIMATE TREASURES OF YOUR LIFE?

 

Everyday under terrible scourges of the sun and noisy street, people struggle to acquire things that they value as treasures of life. The quarreling and fighting, the early morning rush, the traffic jam, the aggressive words all just to acquire things of this life and people are never tired of acquiring properties for themselves and their generation yet to come, forgetting that all these things sooner or later passes away as we ourselves expire from this world.

 

Thus, in our Gospel passage today we are called to reflect on what should be our ultimate treasure and how we can acquire it. For Jesus said: Do not store up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moths and woodworms destroy them and thieves can break in and steal. But store up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where neither moth nor woodworms destroy them and thieves cannot break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

 

Here, Jesus knowing how humanity are so attached to the things of this passing world and have made them their ultimate treasures, calls how attention to what should be our ultimate treasure. He made us to know that GOD and His kingdom is the greatest and ultimate treasure anyone can and should acquire. For it will be a waste of time trying to store up our treasures in this world, because the world as we know is passing away likewise the things in it. The world is not a safe place to store one’s ultimate treasures. The safest place to store up our treasures is in God our heavenly Father. For heaven itself is the ultimate treasure that cannot be compared to anything whatsoever we have in this world. And it is so precious and great, that it is worth more than our entire life and our worldly possessions and treasures.

 

Little wonder, St Paul in our first reading tells us that it is a waste of time boasting about our worldly possessions and achievement. For there is nothing to boast about in this passing world. And if there is anything to boast at all, it should be the things that show our weakness. Therefore, we must do all that it takes to ensure that our focus is on things of heaven  and how to acquire it. Because losing it over the temporal pleasure, joy, glory, fame, power and influential things of this passing world will be complete foolishness. For none of them last forever and what good is it for us to gain the whole world but loses our soul out of God’s kingdom.

 

Dear friends, the questions we need to ask ourselves today are: where and what is our ultimate treasure in this life? Why have we made the things of this passing world our ultimate treasure? If the Lord should give us opportunity to make request of what our heart desires, what will be your request? How many of us are paying attention to ultimate heavenly treasures? How many thinks and search for the ultimate treasure of our souls? How many desires to personally discover God in our lives knowing that he is the ultimate treasure anyone can acquire in this world?

 

How I wish we will understand the shortness of this life, the emptiness of this passing world and the danger of losing our soul out of greediness for the things of this passing world. Then, we will sincerely desire to experience God personally, because in him lies the ultimate treasure of life. And discovering God personally is the greatest treasure one can ever have.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, the world is full of distractions coming from false treasures of this passing world, give us a wise and discerning hearts in order to give up all our attachment to worldly possessions in pursue of the heavenly and ultimate treasure of your kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

Homily For Thursday Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 22nd June, 2023.

Reading: 2Cor 11:1-11 ; Ps. 111; Matt. 6:7-15

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

THE SEVEN GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF ALL PRAYERS

 

The key to success is rooted in the understanding of the principles that guides any project or things that one embraces in life. Without a good understanding of the principle guiding any project one will struggle more with little or no success. Hence, it is important to struggle to understand the principle guiding any thing we do in order to be successful.

 

Little wonder, Jesus knowing how important the act of prayer is to humanity, taught his disciples the principle and pattern of all prayers as we have it in our Gospel passage today, when he said: “Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we also have forgiven all who trespassed against us. And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from evil one”.

 

Here, Jesus knowing that prayer is an essential part of our faith through which we grow in our relationship with God, and become more connected to Him, gave us seven principles that should guide all our prayers. This prayer contain series of statements and petitions in which we affirm our relationship with God, with the people around us and with the world in general. In it contains a statement of faith, obligations and commitment as the foundation through which these seven principles are fulfilled.

 

The first principle is to acknowledge God as “Our Father”. A call for unity that requires faith, obligation and commitment. Here we acknowledge God not just as my Father, but as Our Father and the ‘our’ includes every single person who lives or has ever lived on this earth. The second principle calls us to reverence the name of the Lord as we say: “Hallowed be thy name “ yes, God’s name is holy no matter what we say or think. However, we make this prayer for our sake more than for His. Because from the holiness of His name comes the root of our faith and strength, so we are praying that God’s name be held in  deepest respect by people everywhere.

 

The third principle calls us to have the vision of God’s kingdom, hence we pray saying: “Your kingdom come”, that is, we pray that humanity should consciously and willingly embrace the love and kingship of God which He is offering us. The forth principle invites us to dispose ourselves to embrace the will of God as we pray saying: “Your will be done on earth, as in heaven”. This is very important for it helps us to discern and be disposed to pray and live in accordance with the will of God.

 

The fifth principle calls us to learn how to be contented with what we have against all forms of selfishness and greediness as we say: “Give us today our daily bread,” of which God surely provides. The sixth principle calls us to make an examination of conscience and to seek reconciliation knowing how weak we are, hence we pray saying: “And forgive us our trespasses, as we have forgiven those who trespassed against us”.

 

Here we make a serious commitment and obligation, asking that the condition for God’s forgiveness of our sins should be based on our readiness to forgive those who have offended us. Finally the seventh principle calls us to have total confidence in God’s providence, protection and guidance as we pray saying: “And do not put us to the test, but save us from evil”, here we acknowledge our weaknesses and our total dependence on God’s help against all the evil forces of this world.

 

Dear friends, I have no doubt that we know our Lords prayer, but knowing it is not enough, we have to pray it devotedly, but praying it is not enough, we have to believe in what we pray for, but believing is not enough, we must put it into practice in our daily lives. This is because, often time we treat prayer wrongly when we consider prayer as a means to only achieve what we desired, without considering what God desires for us. Some of us spend lots of time reciting the prayers and yet we did not mean what we say because we have wrong disposition born from unforgiving heart which must be redirected before we can get a positive response from God. 

 

Therefore, it’s time for us to embrace these seven principles and change our perspective and wrong disposition towards prayers. It is time for us to spend more quality moment in prayer and be connected with God. We must let our prayers to be meaningful and genuine from our hearts. It is time for us to  improve the quality of our prayer life by imitating Jesus, who always prayed to his heavenly Father at every possible opportunities.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, in prayer we communicate more closely with you, please teach us how to pray for we really do not know how to pray as we ought, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a favourable day.

Homily for Wednesday Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 21st June, 2023. The Memorial of St. Aloysius Gonzaga

Reading: 2Cor 9:6-11 ; Ps. 112; Matt. 6:1-6.16-18

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

LEARN TO PRACTICE YOUR RELIGIOUS PIETY AND HUMANITARIAN SERVICES SECRETLY

 

There are three principle disciplines that guide all our religious pieties, this disciplines include: almsgiving, prayer and fasting. They can be rightly extended to every act of righteousness and services rendered to humanity. These disciplines have not been properly understood or implemented by people, for most people see this disciplines as an opportunity to display their piety in order to gain cheep human popularity and admiration.

 

The negative attitude towards these religious discipline has been greatly adopted by many people including religious leaders who should know better. Therefore, it is this ugly and negative attitude that Jesus is addressing in our Gospel passage today, when he warns his disciples not to indulge in any form of outward display of their religious pieties so as to attract the admiration of others. Here Jesus presented how we should properly carryout our religious pieties and obligations, and any service we render for the sake of humanity.

 

Using each of these three spiritual disciplines, he gave us the basic formula saying: That we should not blow trumpets in the streets to draw the attention of everyone when we give alms to the poor. We should not say our prayers in the most conspicuous places so that people will marvel at our holiness and when fasting, we should not put on gloomy and drawn looks so that everyone will know that we are fasting. Then he calls us not to be like the hypocrites who displays their charitable deeds, for they have received their reward. After which he instructed us regarding the secret practice of piety and promise us that God will reward us for any piety practiced in secret.

 

Thus, Jesus calls us to carryout our religious pieties and obligations to humanity secretly, for when it is done in the secret we will receive great reward from God and as recipients of these rewards, we will be surprised, because we have no idea that we did anything remarkable or that anyone noticed our charitable acts. For we certainly did not perform the charity to gain rewards. Rather, it is the combination of our selfless, sacrificial and unassuming attitudes that opens the channel by which God dispenses His blessings upon us.

 

Little wonder St. Paul tells us in our first reading today saying: “Do not forget: thin sowing means thin reaping; the more you sow, the more you reap. Each one should give what he has decided in his own mind, not grudgingly or because he is made to, for God loves a cheerful giver”. This is exactly what we see in the life of St. Aloysius Gonzaga whose memorial we celebrate today. Though born into a wealthy family, he renounced the world’s riches and honour in order to live a life of service, simplicity, holiness and piety. For we are called to humbly look into our lives and identify all those ugly attitudes of pride in us and get rid of them.

 

Dear friends, we are called to cultivate the right attitude towards our religious pieties and carry them out with the right intention and purpose, and not just for any selfish purpose.  Therefore, it is important that we have the right disposition and direction towards our religious pieties and shun all forms of worldly interest or rewards, so as not to be distracted by the vanity of the things of this passing world. Let humility, faithfulness, sacrificial love be the driving force towards all our religious pieties and every other things we do for the good will of humanity.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, strength of those who hope in you, graciously grant us through the intercession of St. Aloysius the gift of humility and sacrificial attitude towards our family, religious and societal obligation and responsibilities. May we carry them out faithfully and selflessly with right attitude and good intentions. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed day.

Homily For Tuesday Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 20th June, 2023.

Reading: 2Cor 8:1-9; Ps. 146; Matt. 5:43-48

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

IS IT POSIBLE TO LOVE OUR ENEMIES AND PRAY FOR THOSE WHO PERSECUTE US?

 

Naturally people desires to love and be loved, to relate and be in the company of those whom they love. No body enjoy being among those who detest them and cause them pain and sorrows. That is why people naturally sacrifice for those whom they love in order to keep their friendship and companion. But it takes great love and sacrifice to do good to people who detest us and caused us sorrows and pain since it is difficult and unnatural to sacrifice for such people.

 

This sacrificial life of love is what Jesus calls us to embrace in pursuit of the life of perfection. Little wonder he says in our Gospel passage today: “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. If you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect”. 

 

Here Jesus emphasis that though it is natural and universal for human beings to love those who love them. But what makes his disciples different from other people is the ability to love not just everyone, but to love their enemies and not take vengeance or bear grudges against one another. For by so doing they will be imitating the perfection of God our heavenly Father, who shows equal love to all and calling us to a greater life of sacrificial love and virtue towards perfection.

 

Hence, St Paul in our first reading today says: “It is not an order that I am giving you; I am just testing the genuineness of your love against the keenness of others. Remember how generous the Lord Jesus was: he was rich, but he became poor for your sake, to make you rich out of his poverty”. Such is God’s kindness, mercy, compassion and love for each and every one of us, without exception, even to the worst and most wicked of sinners.

 

Dear friends, is it possible to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us especially in our society today? This is very difficult, it is like a suicide mission. But it is possible for those who have the heart of the Master. It is possible for those who understands the power of God’s grace and love.  Hence, today we are called for a sacrificial life of love and perfection, we are called to choose love over hatred and forgiveness over vengeance. For hatred breeds violence and other things that weakens the human soul, but love unites and heals. The fact is that, God desires peace for humanity and this peace is what Jesus came to bring in the world, to restore the peace that God intended for all creation from the first day of creation.

 

Today all of us are called to offer this peace to the world full of hatred, greed and violence. This instructions we are called to accept and live out day by day in every way we can. Therefore, it’s time for us to stretch out the hands of friendship and peace to everyone both friends and enemies alike, by investing more resources on things that bring about peace and friendship with one another, rather than building nuclear weapon that breeds more violence and hatred in the world. For by so doing the world will become more peaceful and loving.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, the cross of sacrificial life of love is so heavy, give us the grace to truly forgive our enemies and strive towards the life of perfection that offers peace, mercy, compassion and love to distressed humanity through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

Homily For Monday Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 19th June, 2023

Reading: 2Cor 6:1-10; Ps.98; Matt. 5:38-42

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

CAN RETALIATION SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF INJUSTICE, WICKEDNESS AND PERSECUTIONS IN OUR SOCIETY?

 

In his third law of motion, Isaac Newton one of the most influential scientists states that: "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." This law describes what happens to a body when it exerts a force on another body. Forces as we know always occur in pairs, so when one body pushes against another, the second body pushes back just as hard and in equal magnitude.

 

This law truly explains the fragile and selfish nature of the human person, that makes it natural and common for human beings to react positively or negativity to things that hurt them. A hot slap given to anyone whether out of anger for the bad thing he/ she has done or just as an act of wickedness and intimidation will naturally trigger in our consciousness an equal magnitude of retaliation and this has been the force behind the law that says: ‘ an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’

 

This principle was the basis for justice in the Ancient Near Eastern. It was put in place to restrain unlimited blood vengeance. It limited what damages one could expect to what was considered proportional, equal and fair to any unjust act. However, in our Gospel passage today, Jesus offers a new dimension that calls for deeper virtue towards this law when he says: “You have learnt how it was said: Eye for eye and tooth for tooth. But I say this to you: offer the wicked man no resistance. On the contrary, if anyone hits you on the right cheek, offer him the other as well; if a man takes you to law and would have your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone orders you to go one mile, go two miles with him.”

 

Here Jesus declares that the law had no reference to private revenge, that it was given only to regulate natural human conduct, but the Jews had extended it to private conduct, and made it the rule by which revenge is taken. They considered themselves justified by this rule to inflict the same injury on others just the way they had received it. Jesus then showed another aspect of the law which is more sacrificial and requires a deeper virtue, in which the old interpretation of the Law will no longer be valid.

 

 So Jesus reversed the attitude of conniving to see one’s adversary suffer, with the sacrificial attitude of love for enemies. An attitude that does not seek for what one can get for retaliation but what one can sacrifice for the sake of peace and love. For this attitude makes the disciples of Jesus different from other people since they will have to love not just everyone but also their enemies and not take vengeance or bear grudges against one another. And by so doing they will be imitating God their heavenly Father, who shows equal love to both the good and the bad, because his love knows no bounds.

 

Dear friends, can retaliation solve the problems of injustice, wickedness and persecution? Can retaliation bring peace and harmony in our homes and societies? I don’t think so, for it will only cause more harm to the situation. So, today we are called to embrace a life of deeper virtue. A life of sacrificial love, for when Jesus told his disciples to offer their other side cheek to be struck, their cloak when asked for tunic and to go even one mile further, he is calling us all to a new life of sacrificial love, one that is filled not with revenge or selfishness. Little wonder St. Paul in our first reading says: We do nothing that people might object to, so as not to bring discredit on our function as God’s servants. Instead, we prove we are servants of God by great fortitude in times of suffering: in times of hardship and distress; when we are flogged, or sent to prison, or mobbed; labouring, sleepless or starving.

 

Yes we prove we are God’s servants by our purity, knowledge, patience, holiness and kindness. Though looking most miserable and poor, yet we make others rich, and even when it appears we are having nothing, yet we have everything in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore, we are to reject all forms of violence, retaliation and vengeance, but focus all our attention on forgiveness, mercy and peace in a sacrificial way so that through our sacrificial love the world will become more peaceful and loving.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, it is really difficult to live a life of non retaliation in a world full of wickedness, persecution, and violence, give us the grace to resist all forms of violence but focus all our attention on the sacrificial love of forgiveness, mercy and peace. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed week.

Homily For Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 18th June, 2023

Reading: Ex. 19:2-6; Ps. 100; Rom. 5:6-11; Matt.9:36-10:8

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

WHY ARE WE HARASSED AND HELPLESS LIKE SHEEP WITHOUT RESPONSIBLE SHEPHERDS?

There is no doubt that humanity is constantly in need of one thing or the other, we are never tired of searching for things that will satisfy our desires for physical and spiritual well being. This is even worse with the ugly situation in our country today where people are hungry and angry, confused, sick and completely broke as a result of some greedy and selfish individuals in our society.

Today in our country we are all suffering like sheep without responsible shepherds, no enough fund in circulation, fuel is not affordable, no light, no food, no good roads, no basic human social amenities, no much things to be proud of in this country, because we have constantly failed to do the right things or elect people of goodwill to manage public offices. This can be likened to  the situation and condition of the people in the time of Jesus as we have in our Gospel passage today. For when Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion for them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest’. 

Here, Jesus reveals God’s compassion towards humanity who were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. He then says to his disciples that there is a huge harvest waiting to be reaped. Calling on us to pray for God to send labourers into his harvest. And he then called his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to cast them out and to cure all kinds of diseases and sickness.

By this action, Jesus fulfills his role as the expected messiah who is to liberate his people from all kinds of diseases and ugly situations. The teaching and healing touch of Jesus reveals to us that God is faithful to his promises. This healing and wholeness are offered as a sign of the presence of God’s kingdom among his people. And it also constitutes the basis of the Church’s liberating missionary activity, which is meant to spread throughout the world, thereby calling us into action. Hence, more labourers are needed, for Jesus sees how humanity are harassed and dejected, wandering aimlessly like sheep without a guiding shepherd. And because the souls of everyone in the world are so precious to God, he needs many more labourers to propel this mission. 

Little wonder in our society, today, the harvest is getting  bigger as never while people are getting lost and clueless as never before. But who are these labourers? They are not just the bishops, priests, or religious men and women. But every baptized person is called in different capacity to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with those around him/her. So each of us has a vocation, a call to save souls and build the Kingdom of God together, just as we heard in our second reading today that we were still helpless when at his appointed time Christ died for us sinners in order for him to save us and make us instrument to reach out to others. For we heard the Lord through Mosses in our first reading saying: if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you will be my own possession among all the people; for all the earth is mine. I will make you a kingdom of priests, a consecrated nation.

Dear friends, the Lord is calling us on a mission, for sin and greediness have harassed us and made us helpless like sheep without responsible shepherd. So today we are called to be that good and responsible Shepherd. But how are we carrying out this mission and mandate of Christ? How strong is our compassion towards others? Do we know people who are harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd? Let us look at them for a moment and imagine Jesus looking at them and saying something to them. Do we feel harassed and helpless as a result of what we are passing through in life? Do we feel the need of Jesus’ help in some part of our life? Then let us turn to him and be restored.

Yes, it is obvious that the hopeless and ugly situations in our country today are good indications that we are just floating in this world like sheep without responsible Shepherds. Thus, we need to come to Jesus our true and Good Shepherd. We must make sure that nothing comes between us and the love of Jesus our Lord, even if we are troubled or worried, or being persecuted, or lacking food or clothes, or being threatened or even attacked, we must remain focused towards achieving our greater goal through goodwill. For these are the trials through which we triumph, by the power of him who loved us so much. So, we must ensure that neither death nor life, no angel, no princes of this world, nothing that exists, nothing still to come, not any power, or height or depth, nor any created thing, can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord who is our true Shepherd. 

Therefore, let us come to Jesus our Good Shepherd and embrace his love and compassion. Let us have goodwill for one another. Let us be good leaders in any level we find ourselves.  Let us pray for good leaders especially this transition period. Let us appoint good and credible leaders in every sector and offices in our societies, not just president, governors and senators. Let us know those we are entrusting with the responsibility of managing public offices. By so doing, our prayers and desires for good leaders will be granted. 

So, today, each one of us are called to reach out to people at any particular corner of the field of harvest where we find ourselves. For we may be the last and only person who may have access to evangelize the people, starting from our families, neighbours, colleagues in the office and others who we encounter in life. The truth is that, we may be the only person who can brings the healing and compassion of Jesus into their lives. Remember, you received without charge, give without charge.’

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are lost in this passing world, as we come to you in need of your love and direction both physically and spiritually, give us the grace and courage to be faithful labourers in your vineyard. Guide us once again towards the path of truth, love and fulfilment even in the midst of all the confusion in our country, societies and families. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed Sunday celebration.

Homily For Saturday Tenth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 17th June, 2023. The Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Reading: 2Cor. 5:14-21; Ps. 103; Luke 2:41-51

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

 IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY A MODEL FOR ALL HEARTS

 

One of the most important organ of the human person is the heart, for the heart plays an important role in understanding the human body. The heart is the seat of intelligence, motion, and sensation, it is the three-chambered organ at the center of vitality in human body. Little wonder yesterday we celebrated the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Heart where we embrace God’s infinite love and mercy for humanity and His will for universal salvation. And today we are celebrating the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary the Mother of Jesus.

 

Hence, the liturgy today invites us to contemplate and venerate the Immaculate Heart of Mary. As we know the Immaculate Heart of Mary is a devotional name used to refer to the interior life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, her joys and sorrows, her virtues and hidden perfections, and, above all, her virginal love for God the Father, her maternal love for her son Jesus, and her compassionate love for humanity. Here we recall Mary’s great love for God, her faith and piety, her commitment to serve the Lord wholeheartedly, and how she loved her Son dearly from the moment before he was born, his finding in the Temple and even up to the way to the Cross, when Mary followed her Son faithfully as he picked up his Cross and bore that burden of the Cross to Calvary, she bears and pondered all this sorrows deep within her Immaculate Heart.

 

This is the event we celebrate today, of which our Gospel passage tells us how Mary having struggled to understand the mysterious events in the life of her Son Jesus, stored up all these events in her heart. A heart that is propelled by love and filled with genuine faith in God, a heart so pure and contemplative. For such is the immaculate heart of Mary having been conceived without sin and pure from any taints of evil and wickedness.

 

Yet, this loving and caring Immaculate Heart has to endure great sorrows and in the midst of these sorrows she did not stop being loving, compassion and caring to her Son and also to all of us, as she fulfills the mandate entrusted to her by Jesus at the Cross of Calvary saying: Mother behold your son and son behold your mother. By this mandate all of us are blessed to have been placed under the maternal care of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, a great saint and our role model.

 

Dear friends, today we are called to imitate and embrace the Immaculate Heart of Mary as a model for hearts. For Jesus at the Cross of Calvary commended us into her maternal care. We are truly fortunate to have received such abundant love and compassion from the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary his mother, who is also our loving mother. Let us therefore cultivate a heart that mirrors that of our mother, let us imitate the purity of her heart, let us be caring, loving, contemplative and compassion in our relationship with one another.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we imitate the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, graciously grant that through her intercession we may be a worthy temple of your glory and make our hearts a loving, caring and compassionate vessel for all through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful weekend.