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This novena is a collection of prayers, both traditional and original, to help prepare the young Church for the upcoming school year! It's meant for you to begin the novena NINE DAYS BEFORE YOUR FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. So, for example, if you begin school on August 29, you'll begin your novena on August 20 so your last prayer falls on the day before school begins. We'll call upon some amazing Saints of the Church to help us prepare our hearts and minds for the upcoming year. Our faith needs to permeate every aspect of our lives- education included. I hope that this novena will help and encourage you to bring your faith into the school year, no matter what it looks like. Please note that the prayers in this novena are (unusually) short. This is to keep our prayers short, sweet, and to the point so that we can focus on them without feeling too overwhelmed in the busy days before school starts. Feel free to add on any extra prayers you'd like- it'll be like a mini-retreat before school!! 😉 Please like and share this post with other Catholic Teens! I'd love to hear if you pray the novena on your own or within a group. May God bless you and keep you as you begin this school year! In His mercy, ~ Catholic Teen DAY ONE (Insert name of patron Saint here), I ask that you would be with me and guide me to Jesus in a special way as I begin this school year and this novena. Please intercede for me and bring all my intentions to Jesus. Thank you for your intercession and witness to Christ. Our Lady of Studies, please pray for me! Amen. DAY TWO Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati and Bl. Chiara Badano , I come to you to ask for your intercession as I prepare my heart for the school year. You both were young people who had to juggle school, sports and activities, and social lives, all while trying- and succeeding- to keep your faith first. Please help me keep my dear Jesus at the forefront of my mind and heart. Intercede for me as I try to shine His light, glorify His mercy, and offer up my sufferings to Him. I want to be an instrument of God's mercy, a light to all that I meet, and be fully open to the will of God! Thank you for your intercession and witness to Christ. Our Lady of Studies, please pray for me! Amen. DAY THREE St. John Baptist de La Salle , you were a great teacher and had a notable influence on modern education. Please intercede for my teachers this year. I pray for their health and safety and that they'll always keep TRUTH as the focus of their lessons. Please ask our Lord to help and guide them through this year and help them teach clearly and with impact, keeping their students' best interests in mind. Please also help me to be open to the will of God for my life. Thank you for your intercession and witness to Christ. Our Lady of Studies, please pray for me! Amen. DAY FOUR St. Isidore of Seville and Bl. Carlo Acutis , I ask for your intercession in my technology this year. Please help all of my technological issues to be quickly solved. Guard my eyes against anything evil or impure on my devices. Please protect me and all those who take part in social media and help us regulate our use of it. May all we do bring glory to God! Blessed Carlo, please also guide me to our Eucharistic Lord and help me to recognize His true presence. Thank you for your intercession and witness to Christ. Our Lady of Studies, please pray for me! Amen. DAY FIVE St. Gianna Molla , you were a doctor and a mother, I beg you to intercede for me before God and keep me healthy and protected from all illness and disease this school year. If I do get sick, please help me to be brave and have a speedy recovery. I surrender myself to the will of God. Thank you for your intercession and witness to Christ. Our Lady of Studies, please pray for me! Amen. DAY SIX Saint John the Beloved Disciple , I ask that you, the patron saint of friends, would intercede in my friendships this year. Help me recognize and accept who my true friends are and kindly and gently let go of unhealthy friendships or those that are leading me away from Christ. Please help me be a beautiful example of friendship with Christ, just as you were. Thank you for your intercession and witness to Christ. Our Lady of Studies, please pray for me! Amen. DAY SEVEN St. Thomas Aquinas , we pray the prayer that you wrote so many years ago and ask that you'd intercede for us and bring our prayers to Jesus as we pray: "Creator of all things, true source of light and wisdom, origin of all being, graciously let a ray of your light penetrate the darkness of my understanding. Take from me the double darkness in which I have been born, an obscurity of sin and ignorance. Give me a keen understanding, a retentive memory, and the ability to grasp things correctly and fundamentally. Grant me the talent of being exact in my explanations and the ability to express myself with thoroughness and charm. Point out the beginning, direct the progress, and help in the completion. I ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." Thank you for your intercession and witness to Christ. Our Lady of Studies, please pray for me! Amen. DAY EIGHT Pope Saint John Paul II , I rely on your love for youth and ask that you'd intercede for me! Please beg Jesus to make me holy and transform my heart throughout the school year. Help me to"be taken over with the light of Christ and shine that light wherever we are" (JP2 World Youth Day 2002). We love you! Thank you for your intercession and witness to Christ. Our Lady of Studies, please pray for me! Amen. DAY NINE Our Lady of Studies , I ask for your intercession as I begin this school year tomorrow. I pray: "O Mary, Seat of Wisdom, so many persons of common intellect have made through your intercession admirable progress in their studies. I hereby choose you as guardian and patron of my studies. I humbly ask You to obtain for me the grace of the Holy Spirit, so that from now on I could understand more quickly, retain more readily, and express myself more fluently. May the example of my life serve to honor you and your Son, Jesus. Amen." (Written by St. Thomas Aquinas) Mamma Mary, I love you and I give myself totally to you for your Son's glory! Amen.

"How do I keep praying when it seems like God isn't listening?" All of us have asked this question at some point in our lives. I certainly have. Sometimes life gets hard and it doesn't seem like anything you do makes it better and you're not getting any comfort or answers from prayer. So how do you keep praying? And WHY should you even bother? Friend, Jesus went through this exact same thing. In the Garden of Gethsemane, the night before He died, Jesus felt abandoned. He KNEW in His head that His Father was still with Him, but in His Heart, He felt alone. When we are in situations in which we feel like God is far or isn't listening, we have the unique opportunity both to run to our Father and console Jesus' Heart. It all comes down to TRUST. When you pray and pray and pray, and it seems like nothing's happening, maybe the best thing you can do is just stop. To pray means "to ask." So maybe, for a moment, stop asking. Stop asking and just be with your Father. Run to Him. When a child is afraid of something, they simply run to their parent to be protected and held. No, the fear doesn't go away immediately, but the embrace of the parent comforts and consoles the child while the parent resolves the problem and takes away whatever the child is afraid of. The child then TRUSTS their parent and can be at peace. The only thing we need to do when we are unsettled and begging for answers is to run to God. Be still. Let Him hold us and TRUST that He is. The fear and pain might not go away immediately, but we can rest in our Father's embrace. We also have the opportunity to console Jesus' heart. His entire mission was to bring us to the Father. Jesus wants us to run to the Father, empty our burdened hearts, and jump into His arms. When we TRUST, we console Him. We can also begin our prayers by saying, "God, I know you're real. I know you're listening to me and working in my life." Then proceed in prayer and finally just run to Him and give everything to Him. The most basic answer to your question is TRUST. Let go and let God. Run to Him. Your problems might not be fixed right away, but you will be consoled and Jesus will be consoled by your trust ❤️

Anyone who's ever gone to a Steubenville Youth Conference will tell you that the weekend brings a full range of emotions and experiences from person to person. This year was my third and last Steubenville Conference of high school. I attended Steubenville Main Campus 4 with a group from my area. The experience overall was a bit different from the previous years, but still a truly spiritually and emotionally uplifting weekend! Side Note: I also officially became a Marian Missionary of Divine Mercy this weekend! Feel free to message me to learn more. I'd like to do another post about it sometime soon. (PS: Were you at Main Campus 4?? Did you find a Catholic Teen Life Blog Rosary?😉) Here are some things I learned... Friday Night: (Keynote Speaker, Adoration, and Small Groups) God has had a plan for our lives- more marvelous than we could ever dream of- since before the beginning of time. Fear keeps us from living the lives we were meant to live. Just like it did for Adam and Eve! "Who told you you were naked" - Genesis 3 God does not TELL us we are shameful, unforgivable, unlovable, unhealable, etc, He HEALS us from those lies! Shame is hiding from God out of fear. Guilt comes from our conscience but can turn into shame if we don't give it to God and confess. It's okay to be broken sometimes. Even Jesus was broken in order to make the world whole again. Saturday: (Mass, Women's Session, Confession, Focus Session about Family, Chastity Talk, and Adoration) To be a Woman of God is to be a woman in love. When women are in love, we literally radiate that love and joy. God is the source of all the love that is in the world. Being a woman, we are ready to fight for and defend those we love. We don't ask, "What will happen to me if I take care of/ defend/ speak up for/ comfort my loved one?" We instead say, "What will happen to them if I DON'T?" It is more difficult for women when they suffer WITH someone than when they suffer on their own. It's a total self-gift. We, as Christians, are called to be a different sort of friend... committed and strong enough to speak the truth in love, even if it means offending a friend. If you don't care what the world thinks you will be less likely to SIN because you are living totally for God, know WHO you are, and WHOSE you are. Give the Lord all of your past, present, and future. That's the most precious thing He could ever desire. Give it all up to His control. Sin is a matter of intention. Trust sometimes means being a child who jumps into their parent's arms when they're afraid... the fear doesn't immediately go away, but they still know they're being held. God sees us. He knows our hearts. He knows that we try to Love. He loves us. JESUS IS THE ONE WHO GIVES US ABSOLUTION IN THE SACRAMENT OF CONFESSION!!!!!! When we trust we are given our true identity back. Unhealed wounds sprout sin. There is healing from sexual sin... It's still just sin. It’s boring. It’s not special. God wants to heal and redeem you- purify your heart. He loves you deeply and endlessly. Your worth and dignity- and that of everyone else- are found in Him alone. God chooses to use families for His purposes. (ie: The Holy Family, Adam and Eve, Noah and His family, etc.) Families are the first place of life-giving and nurturing love. The family is the basis of the church and of society. The family is the DOMESTIC CHURCH! Never choose not to do something out of love because you're afraid of what other people might think. NEVER DISCOURAGE PURE, HOLY, LOVE. Teenagers long for acceptance and love, and to be understood and listened to instead of shut down. YOU do not have to stop doing what is good, true, and beautiful just because it makes someone else uncomfortable. Sunday: (Mass, Music, Vocational Call-outs, Bus ride home) To be in love with Christ is to be in love with His Church. JOY is the fullest expression of Catholicism. As a bride should not be afraid of her husband, so we should not be afraid of God. When you are open to the Holy Spirit, even if you haven't "felt" anything for a while, He will do great things. It's okay to cry. It's okay to laugh. It's okay to let go and let God move. It's okay to pray as you feel comfortable. There ARE still SO MANY young people being called to the priesthood and religious life!! Oh yeah, and Steubenville music is the best. Just Sayin. Any questions?? Want some more info about any of the points listed above? Would you like the link to a FREE Catholic Teen Life Blog online Rosary guide ‌you can share with friends? Feel free to contact me or comment below and I'll get back to you!! I’d love to hear about YOUR Steubenville experience this year! I’m very curious to see what you thought of it compared to other years. “ I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.” ~ John 16:33

I just finished a book that some would call life-changing. It's one that you read super quickly to see which gold nugget of advice comes next..... And then reread a month later and rediscover each and every word. I Wasn't Dead When I Wrote This (NO! This book is not as morbid as the title makes it sound 😉) was written by Lisa-Marie Calderone- Stewart, a Catholic woman, youth minister, and mother who worked with and mentored youth throughout her entire adult life, specifically focusing on encouraging leadership skills in young people. She died at the age of 53 after battling cancer for over two years. When she was a few weeks from death, Lisa-Marie was asked to write a book for the teens she would never meet or get to encourage on their journey. I Wasn't Dead When I Wrote This is that book. I truly believe that this is one of the most valuable books that anyone could read. Catholic or non-Catholic, teenager or adult, whoever you are, this book will change the way you view living the life that you were meant to live. I'd say this book is for everyone- because it is. But I would especially recommend it for Catholic Teens. Christ came that we may have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10). That includes our earthly lives. This book is like a Catholic teen's graduation speech, long conference session at a youth conference, mentorship, and pep talk for abundant life all rolled into one. But it's manageable. And it's beautiful. And it's one book that I will read and read again. It's also unexpected. Lisa-Marie does not mention Catholicism in her book. I believe that's because she wanted to reach everyone. As many teens as possible, no matter who they were. I think she knew and hoped that if any teen who read her book lived their lives following the lessons she shared, they would find Christ and be with Him in Heaven forever. This will now be my graduation gift. So, if you're someone I know who hasn't graduated yet and you're reading this- prepare yourself 😉😊. Here's the link if you'd like to try it out!

We are living in an incredible time of history. This past week has shown us, once again, that despite the pandemic, despite the political strife, and amidst the lies and deception and death, both physical and spiritual, our God is still good. Jesus is still risen. He still has power over evil, and good will always win. Life will always win. What a time to be alive- our generation has witnessed so much evil, but also so much goodness, truth, and life. We are called to be witnesses to God's mercy and love, and the Truth that life will always triumph over death. This week, on June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade Decision. This established abortion laws as decisions to be made by state legislatures and not by the federal government. Friends, this means that in some states in the United States of America, abortion is illegal! There are children who were scheduled to die this week that will live! Those babies will have birthdays. Those moms will not have to live with the pain, both mental and physical, that stay with them for years after they have an abortion. God is so good! Friends, as Catholics, we are called to be pro-life. Pro-ALL life. Every single human being on this earth, no matter their beliefs, circumstances, location, or level of development, is made in the image and likeness of God and thus, is worthy of love and deserves the right to live. The fight for all human beings to have the basic right to live is not over. Abortion is not totally illegal (yet!!). In the states that do still allow abortion, we must keep voting for, working for, and praying that life will win. In the states that have outlawed abortion, our main job is to support the women and their children who will be most affected by this decision and to keep voting for pro-life politicians. It's not enough to simply say we're pro-life- we have to live like we're pro-life. That means supporting the moms who were/are considering abortion financially, spiritually, physically, and just by being with them to listen. It's our job to be the voice of love- of life- and to let them know how precious they, and their babies, are. Mercy is performed by word, deed, and prayer. My challenge for you today is to resolve to show mercy to moms and their babies. How will you show them mercy through your words? It could be in person or through social media. How will you show them mercy through your actions? Will you join a pro-life group? Donate your time or resources to a pregnancy care center? Offer to babysit for a mom in need? How will you show mercy through your prayers? Will you spiritually adopt an unborn child? Pray in front of an abortion clinic? Offer up your Rosary or Chaplet of Divine Mercy for moms and their babies? What an amazing time to be alive. Truth is on our side, love is winning, and LIFE is winning. We can never back down and we must not be afraid, no matter what comes our way. The pro-life generation will continue to work for the safety and protection of all human life until every man, woman, and child, born and unborn, is treated with the dignity and protection they deserve. We ARE the post-Roe generation! *If you (or someone you know) are considering an abortion, have had an abortion, need some help dealing with your pregnancy or getting resources, want to know more about the pro-life movement, or just aren't quite sure what you believe, click here to view Live Action's Resource page! Also, please contact me (click the link and scroll to the contact form) with questions, if you'd like more resources, or if you need some pro-life apologetics help! Also, this is the 200th post on the Catholic Teen Life blog! I'd love if you'd subscribe if you haven't already done so. 😊 God bless!

Isn't confession amazing? At a moment's notice, you can walk into a Catholic Church or walk up to a priest, and He will hear you confess your sins. Then, if you are truly sorry, God forgives you. Through the ministry of the Church, you are granted pardon and peace. You are absolved from your sins. Your soul is whiter than snow. You have come clean. You are pure. You are beautiful. And God loves you the same as before!! But now you can more fully recieve and live that love. Today, let's pray for our confessors. Pray for our priests who minister God's mercy to the world! Pray for anyone in mortal sin, in desperate need of reconciliation. And pray for eachother- we all need forgiveness, mercy, and the pardon and peace of God. Friend, if you haven't been to confession for a while, consider this your invitation. : ) Jesus loves you! He wants more than anything else for you to come back to Him with your whole heart. Give Him all that separates you from His love, goodness, and mercy, and allow Him to penetrate deep within your soul, heal your wounds, and give you peace.

The novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus begins today! Jesus, through His Sacred Heart, shows us what it means to be Catholic. Pope Leo XIII wrote, "There is in the Sacred Heart the symbol and express image of the infinite love of Jesus Christ which moves us to love in return.” The Sacred and Eucharistic Heart of Jesus best shows what it means to live as a Catholic. As the Sacred Heart is burning with passion for souls, so should we, as Catholics, burn with love for Christ and for one another. The rays of light show that Christ is the light of the world, and we are called to shine that light to all (Mt. 5:14). The arrows represent our sin, which wounds Christ’s heart. We must recognize this and strive to avoid and repent of sin so as not to wound His heart any further. The crown of thorns shows Christ’s triumphant victory over sin and death. We, too, must accept our crowns of thorns in our own lives and humbly carry within us the knowledge that Christ, our King, has won the victory and we have no need to be afraid. The cross on His Sacred Heart reminds us that just as Jesus carried His cross out of love, so must we strive to carry our own with dignity and total trust in God. St. Therese of Lisieux once wrote, “Let us love, since that is what our hearts were made for.” To be Catholic is to fully love and be loved by Love Himself. It is to be so burning with love for Christ that our faith spills out into our everyday lives and is not confined to a church pew. Best of all, when we live out what it means to be Catholic- when we live out of love for God and for others- we console Jesus’ Sacred, wounded heart. I have a special devotion to Jesus' Sacred Heart. My favorite book on the topic is Consoling the Heart of Jesus by Fr. Michael Gaitley. He is the author of the 33 Days to Morning Glory Marian Consecration book and 33 Days to Merciful Love Divine Mercy consecration. All of his books center around this "consoling" spirituality. The basis is that Jesus loves so much and yet is loved by so few. We, as consolers, try to love Jesus and console his wounded heart by trusting totally in Him, in His mercy, and by letting Him do what He'd like with us. It is distrust that winds His hear the most, and He thirsts for souls!! When we trust in His Sacred Heart, and being others to Him, we are consoling the Heart of Jesus. How amazing is that?! I encourage you all to pray the novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. St. Padre Pio prayed it every day and it is well known and loved by thousands upon thousands of people. This is the prayer: Efficacious novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. A novena is simply 9 days of prayer leading up to a feast day. In this case, a simple prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus! It's a beautiful devotion and a participation in the life of the Church and one of the greatest devotions. The Sacred Heart of Jesus- His Eucharistic Heart which beats with love for us- is here for you. During these next nine days leading up to the Feast of the Sacred Heart, would you be here for Him?

Today is the Church’s birthday! 🎉On this day- 50 days after Easter Sunday- the Holy Spirit descended upon the Church and transformed the world forever. Today was the day that the Apostles were emboldened to carry out Christ’s mission of beginning the Gospel to all nations. I was so blessed to attend the Confirmation Mass for some young people I’ve known for a few years now. Even in the few minutes after Mass that I spoke to some of them, it was evident that they were different somehow- filled to the brim with the Holy Spirit! In Father’s homily, he spoke of how Confirmation is just the beginning. It’s not the end of learning about the faith. It’s not the end of going to Mass or praying. When the Apostles received the Holy Spirit, they could have just said, “Okay, cool, that’s what Jesus said would happen. Now let’s go fishing.” But they didn’t. After the Apostles received the Holy Spirit, they were emboldened to share the faith and the Truth of Jesus Christ. They received wisdom and knowledge, were able to understand more fully the things that Christ had taught them, and could more effectively minister to others and train them in the faith. In short, the Holy Spirit transformed the Apostles and set them on fire for God! To all the teens who have been (or will be) Confirmed this year… You are no different from those Apostles. The same Holy Spirit that came down upon those first leaders of the Church has come (or will come) upon you to bring to complete the work He began in you at your Baptism. He wants to give you those same gifts- wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. And, friend, I guarantee, if you lean into the Holy Spirit’s embrace, and if you ask for those gifts, He will freely give them. Your life will be transformed. You might not have "felt anything" while you were being Confirmed. You might still feel like your life is the same. You might even be unsure what the Sacrament you just received is all about. Despite all of that, I promise you- the Holy Spirit is alive and well in your soul! He is working through you, in you, and for you, to give you those gifts so that you can bear the fruits of the Spirit to the world. Even when you can't feel Him, the Holy Spirit will never stop working in you. Friend, You are no different from those Apostles. Lean into the Holy Spirit’s embrace. Ask His spouse, Mamma Mary, to intercede for you. You, as the Apostles were, will be filled with the Holy Spirit and set on fire with love for Christ and for the world. 🔥 ~Please share this post with anyone who's recently been Confirmed!~ Happy Pentecost, everyone! God bless you all ❤️️ ~ Catholic Teen

I keep seeing a post circulating around social media. Something about "Yes, you might die for your children, but would you live for them?" The post then goes on to talk about the need for parents to take care of their own mental, spiritual, and physical health so that they can truly LIVE for their children, instead of merely surviving. Today's Mass readings for the Memorial of Saint Charles Lwanga and companions (Read their story here!) made me think of Jesus asking each of us, " Yes, you might say you'll die for me, but would you live for me? " “You might say you'd be martyred for your faith, but would you die to your desire to daydream during Mass and instead focus on me?” “You might say you'd accept persecution, but would you be kind to everyone you meet, no matter their religion or beliefs?” “Would you die to yourself and follow my teachings instead of your own thoughts and feelings?” “You might oppose immorality, but would you counter it with love instead of hatred?” “You might be made fun of for wearing a t-shirt with a Bible verse on it, but would you live out the message of the verse on your shirt?” “Would you live like you know you are loved?” “Would you live like you're a member of my body, the Church?” “Would you live like a son or daughter who is unafraid, knowing their Father will take care of them no matter what?” “Yes, you might die for me, but would you live for me?” Yes, we must pick up our crosses. Yes, we must make sacrifices. But, friend, you are the child of a King! You were not created for death- you were created for life! Abundant life! God did not create us for death. We were created to live! Created to love! The martyrs did not die because they wanted to die. They died because they knew that by sacrificing their lives for Christ, they would be brought to the fullness of life in Heaven with Him. Christ, Himself, is Life. Choosing to live for Him means choosing Him. Choosing His will. Choosing the Good. Not all of us will be called to martyrdom. But Christ is asking you the same question: “Yes, you might say you would die for me, but will you choose to live?” How will you answer?

Note: This was a follower-requested topic. Thank you to the person who requested this! I learned a lot and I hope you will, too Pope Saint John Paul II once wrote, In the inner heart of every person the voice of God and the insidious voice of the Evil One can be heard. The latter seeks to deceive the human person, seducing him with the prospect of false goods, to lead him away from the real good that consists precisely in fulfilling the divine will. There is a battle going on right now for your soul. There’s a disturbing trend in Christianity right now. Some people are questioning, or even insisting, that the devil isn’t real. (The devil IS real.) Now, we shouldn’t be afraid of the devil- that would give him more power- Jesus has already defeated him and he has no power over you unless you allow it, However, that doesn't mean that he doesn’t try and work in the world to get you away from God. The devil’s ultimate goal is to get you to separate yourself from God. Throughout our lives, we will experience many temptations. Some will be physical- temptations to sexual sin, lying, cheating, gossiping, etc. Others will be mental and spiritual- temptations to despair, scrupulosity, spiritual leniency, lukewarmness… Spiritual warfare involves fighting against these works of the devil with the help of Christ. We can’t do it on our own, but Jesus can! Ephesians 6:11 says, “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” How do we put on this spiritual armor? This is explained in Ephesians 6: 10-18. St. Paul tells us that to put on the Armor of God for the spiritual battle is to: 1. Gird (belt) your loins with the truth Remember the truth. God is just. God is merciful. He loves you. He has a plan for you. 2. Put on the breastplate of righteousness Live each day in a way that is honorable to God. Follow the commandments! 3. Readiness of the Gospel of peace Accept God’s peace as your own. He’s offering it to you- you’re allowed to take it! (John 16:33) 4. Take the shield of faith “...with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” (Ephesians 6:16) Faith in God and His promises leaves the devil powerless. 5. Take the helmet of salvation Yep, that’s right. Remember that God does not take away your salvation. As a Baptized Christian, only YOU do that (by mortally sinning) and that’s exactly what the devil wants to happen. 6. Take the sword of the Spirit (the Word of God) Know Scripture. Know God’s Word. Know Jesus, who is the Word of God made flesh. (Hebrews 4:12) He will fight for you! (Exodus 4:14) 7. And pray in the Spirit… keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray. Pray, pray, pray. Pray for yourself. Pray for others. Pray that the devil is defeated in all his works. Pray to St. Michael. Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet. PRAYER IS POWERFUL! You are so precious and valuable that good and evil, love and hatred, all of Heaven and hell, God and the devil, are fighting for your soul. All of Heaven is on your side, cheering you on, until, at last, having rejected all the works and lies of the devil, with the help of God’s grace, you enter Heaven and take the place that has been prepared for you for all eternity. Sources and helpful articles: ‘Catholic Spiritual Warfare’ talk focuses on need to fight the devil- Diocese of Paterson Putting on the Armor of God- Ascension Press The Divine Mercy Chaplet Prayer to St. Michael Life Difficulties or Attacks by the Devil?- Catholic Answers Demonic Oppression is Real, and There’s Something You Can Do About It- Catholic Answers

Are you joyful? I have a feeling that if you asked this question to the entire world, the majority answer would be "no!" This is so unfortunate because the recipe for joy is so simple! God gave us the ultimate recipe for joy. He says in John chapter 15, "Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love." He then says: “I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete." The 10 commandments are instructions- instructions in the recipe for joy! For peace! For love! Happiness is fleeting. It's a reaction to things that happen. Joy is a state of being. The ten basic rules for living (which Jesus summarized with the words, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind" and "You shall love your neighbor as yourself. " are not a list of rules and limitations meant to take all the fun out of life. They are instructions for using the ingredients of joy (faith, hope, love, prudence, justice, and fortitude) These instructions to the recipe for joy were given to us by the creator of the human heart- the one who knows us most deeply and intimately knows best what will bring us joy!! Let's take this even deeper- "elevate" the recipe if you will: We know only God will make us truly joyful. God is love, and along with love comes joy. (Not always happiness, but joy). Therefore, living out the commandments naturally will lead us towards union with God. God gave us the Commandments so that "Our joy will be complete" God is our joy. Living out the Commandments to the fullest will lead us to that joy- to God! And if we keep His commandments, we will remain in His love and nothing- except the times when we gravely stray from "following the recipe"- can ever separate us from joy. From love. From God. If you follow the recipe- stick to it as closely as possible- you will find joy, and your joy will be complete! Reflection based on: Jesus said to his disciples: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. “I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you." ~John 15:9-13

A very happy Mother's day to all mothers, grandmothers, aunts, godmothers, spiritual mothers.... You know who you are! Your self-sacrificing love for your childten- whether spiritual or biological- gives us life. We are given life by your nurturing and feminine spirit. You bring us to Christ. Friends, how will you honor the motherly women in your life on earth today? How will you honor your Heavenly Mother? Mamma Mary is just as real, just as present in your life as your mom is- maybe even more so. She cares for you. She loves you. She is constantly concerned for your well-being and salvation. With our Mamma by our side, we have no reason to be afraid. May God bless you on this beautiful day and always!!