Confession - Sin and Forgiveness

"Confession, is an act of honesty and courage; an act of entrusting ourselves, beyond sin, to the mercy of a loving and forgiving God. It is an act of the Prodigal Son who returns to his Father and is welcomed by him with the kiss of peace."

— Pope John Paul II on Sin and Forgiveness

Sum of the Father's Love

source : the Divine Mercy @ FB

Dives in Misericordia (Rich in Mercy)

Dives in Misericordia is the second encyclical by the Blessed Pope John Paul II in the third year of his papacy and was issued on 30 November, 1980. The letter is a beautiful exploration of a God who throughout history has shown himself 'rich in mercy'. Pope John Paul tells the story of God's mercy beginning with the Old Testament and God's love shown in the history of the chosen people of God, through to the ultimate act of mercy in sending His son Jesus, the Redeemer of man. 

The encyclical is divided into eight sections:

I. He who sees me sees the Father (cf. John 14:9)

• The Revelation of Mercy 
• The Incarnation of Mercy

II. The Messianic Message

• When Christ Began To Do and To Teach

III. The Old Testament

• The Concept of "Mercy" in the Old Testament

IV. The parable of the Prodigal Son

• An Analogy
• Particular Concentration on Human Dignity

V. The Paschal Mystery

• Mercy Revealed in the Cross and Resurrection 
• Love More Powerful Than Death, More Powerful Than Sin
• Mother of Mercy

VI. "Mercy...from Generation to Generation"

• An Image of Our Generation
• Sources of Uneasiness
• Is Justice Enough? 

VII. The Mercy of God in the Mission of the Church

• The Church Professes the Mercy of God and Proclaims It
• The Church Seeks To Put Mercy into Practice

VIII. The Prayer of the Church in our times

• The Church Appeals to the Mercy of God

Complete document of the DIVES IN MISERICORDIA from the official Holy See site (www.vatican.va)

Pope Francis to canonize John Paul II and John XXIII

Monday, 30 September 2013, Pope Francis said that he would canonize two of his most influential predecessors, John Paul II and John XXIII on 27 April 2014, the first Sunday after Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday). This is the first, where two popes will be canonized at the same date and time. John Paul II promoted devotion to the Feast of the Divine Mercy and was beatified as Blessed John Paul II also on Divine Mercy Sunday in 2011. Blessed John Paul II will be canonized as a saint after nine years after his death. Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said “To celebrate them together is a sign of appreciation of the holiness of two popes who paid witness to our time.”

Lord Jesus, 

May Your Holy Church rejoice in glorifying

this Blessed Popes after Your own Heart

who gave themselves totally to Your Love.

Amen.

Pope John Paul II poem that speaks of the conclave

In 2003, Pope John Paul II published his last book of poetry, Roman Triptych: Meditations. In which he speaks of the Conclave which would follow his death.

It is here, beneath this wondrous Sistine profusion of color

that the Cardinals assemble--

the community responsible for the legacy of the

keys of the Kingdom.

They come here, to this very place.

And once more Michelangelo wraps them in his vision.

"In Him we live and move and have our being." 

Who is He?

Behold, the creating hand of the Almighty,

the Ancient One,

reaching towards Adam...

In the beginning God created...

He, who sees all things... 

The colors of the Sistine will then speak the 

word of the Lord:

Tu es Petrus--once heard by Simon, son of John.

"To you I will give the keys of the Kingdom."

Those entrusted with the legacy of the keys

gather here, letting themselves be enfolded

by the Sistine's colors,

by the vision left to us by Michelangelo--

So it was in August, and again in October,

in the memorable year of the two Conclaves,

and so it will be once more, when the time comes,

after my death.

Michelangelo's vision must then speak to them.

"Con-clave": a shared concern for the legacy of the keys,

the keys of the Kingdom.

Lo, they see themselves in the midst of the

Beginning and the End,

between the Day of Creation and the Day of Judgment...

It is granted man once to die, and thereafter, the Judgment! 

Final transparency and light.

The clarity of the events--

the clarity of consciences--

During the conclave Michelangelo must teach them--

Do not forget: Omnia nuda et aperta sunt ante oculos Eius.

You who see all, point to him!

He will point him out... 

Pope John Paul II

"Epilogue," Roman Triptych, 2003

"Omnia nuda et aperta sunt ante oculos Eius"

means

Everything is disclosed and revealed before his eyes.

Prayer for life by Blessed Pope John Paul II

O Mary, bright dawn of the new world,
Mother of the living,
to you do we entrust the cause of life:
Look down, O Mother, upon the vast numbers
of babies to be born,
of the poor whose lives are made difficult,
of men and women who are victims of brutal violence,
of the elderly and the sick killed
by indifference or out of misguided mercy.
Grant that all who believe in your Son
may proclaim the Gospel of life
with honesty and love to the people of our time.
Obtain for them the grace
to accept that Gospel as a gift ever new,
the joy of celebrating it with gratitude
throughout their lives
and the courage to bear witness to it resolutely,
in order to build,
together with all people of good will,
the civilization of truth and love,
to the praise and glory of God,
the Creator and lover of life.

* Pope John Paul II
Encyclical Letter "The Gospel of Life"
Given in Rome, on March 25,
the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord,
in the year 1995.

Divine Praises

The Divine Praises are a series of praises, recited for generations after the benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. They are thought to be originally compiled in 1797 by Luigi Felici, S.J. to make reparation for blasphemy and profane language. Praise of the Immaculate Conception, the Assumption, the Sacred Heart, St. Joseph and the Precious Blood have been added since the mid-nineteenth century.
This is a beautiful prayer that can be recited outside of benediction, especially during the month of January, which is dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus. The Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus has been restored by Pope John Paul II to January 3.

Blessed be God.

Blessed be His Holy Name.

Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true man.

Blessed be the name of Jesus.

Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart.

Blessed be His Most Precious Blood.

Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.

Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.

Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy.

Blessed be her holy and Immaculate Conception.

Blessed be her glorious Assumption.

Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother.

Blessed be Saint Joseph, her most chaste spouse.

Blessed be God in His angels and in His Saints. 

  

(Optional) May the heart of Jesus, in the Most Blessed Sacrament, be praised, adored, and loved with grateful affection, at every moment, in all the tabernacles of the world, even to the end of time.

AMEN.

Visiting Jesus at the Most Blessed Sacrament

"Jesus waits for us in this Sacrament of Love."

Pope John Paul II

Letter Dominicae Cenae

 http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_let_24021980_dominicae-cenae_en.html
 

We should every effort to visit the Blessed Sacrament (Jesus) more often and best if we can do it daily. Christ is present wherever the Blessed Sacrament is. If Jesus were actually visible in church, everyone would run to welcome him, but his presence remains in the Sacred Host under the appearance of bread and he is calling us to faith, that we may go him in humility. He waits for our little Acts of faith, adoration, love, thanksgiving, repentance, reparation and charity that we can offer Him as we contemplate, His Divine Majesty. We grow spiritually with each moment spent with Jesus. He invites us to become His friend and disciple. Jesus calls and wants us to keep Him in Divine Intimacy and to observe in His love by keeping His Commandments. (John 15:4, "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me."; 1 John 3:23, And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us.)

"What wonderful majesty! What stupendous condescension! O sublime humility! That the Lord of the whole universe, God and the Son of God, should humble Himself like this under the form of a little bread, for our salvation."

St.Francis of Assisi

 

The Blessed Sacrament is the ever living Fountain of Life where  that quenches our thirst for the love of Christ, who alone have loved us,  loves us and will love us for eternity. Therefore make greater effort in becoming closer in wonderful union with  Lord Jesus Christ by devoting your time, attention and love towards Him. If we have visited and face Jesus often in the Blessed Sacrament, it will much easier for us to face Him on Judgement day . Each visit to the Blessed Sacrament is an act of faith, of love, and of self-purification. Come to Jesus often and He will shower more of His gifts upon our soul. Jesus is interested in our thoughts, desires, needs, hopes, ambitions, efforts, and labors of our daily life. Each of our visit gives Jesus a new reason to grant us more blessings as He is glad to see come to Him.

“The hidden treasure… is Jesus himself, the Kingdom in person. In the Sacred Host, he is present, the true treasure, always waiting for us. Only by adoring this presence do we learn how to receive him properly-we learn the reality of communion”.
Pope Benedict XVI,
address to Religious and seminarians,
Altotting, Germany, 11 September, 2006

Psalm 63: 1-5

¹ O God, you are my God;
I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you;
my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary land
where there is no water.
² I have seen you in your sanctuary
and gazed upon your power and glory.
³ Your unfailing love is better than life itself;
how I praise you!
⁴ I will praise you as long as I live,
lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
⁵ You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
I will praise you with songs of joy.

 "The Blessed Sacrament is the ‘Living Heart’ of each of our churches and it is our very sweet duty to honor and adore the Blessed Host, which our eyes see, the Incarnate Word, whom they cannot see."

Pope Paul VI

Credo of the People of God

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/motu_proprio/documents/hf_p-vi_motu-proprio_19680630_credo_en.html

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

¹⁵ Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. ¹⁶ But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. ¹⁷ Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Timothy 1:15-17 

 
²⁷ My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 
John 10:27-28

@ @ @ @ @ @

Prayer to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament
St. Alphonsus Liguori
 

My Lord Jesus Christ, Who, through the love which You bear toward men, does remain with them day and night in this Sacrament, full of mercy and love, awaiting, inviting and receiving all who come to visit You, I believe that You are present in the Sacrament of the Altar. From the abyss of my nothingness, I adore You. I thank You for all the graces which You have bestowed upon me, particularly for having given me Yourself in this Sacrament, for having given my Your most holy Mother Mary for my advocate, and for having called me to visit You in this church. I pay my homage to Your most loving Heart for these three ends:
1) in thanksgiving for this great Gift;
2) to make amends to You for all the outrages which You do receive in this Sacrament from all Your enemies;
3) I intend by this visit to adore You in all the places on earth in which You are present in this Sacrament and in which You are the least honored and the most abandoned.
 

My Jesus, I love You with my whole heart. I am sorry for having offended Your infinite goodness so many times. I purpose, with the help of Your grace, never more to offend You; and, at this moment, mniserable as I am, I consecrate my whole being to You. I give You my entire will, all my affections and desires and all that I have. From this day forward, do what You will with me and with everything that belongs to me. I ask and desire only Your holy love, the gift of final perseverance and the perfect fulfillment of Your will. I commend to You the souls in Purgatory, particularly those who were most devoted to the Most Blessed Sacrament and to the Blessed Virgin Mary; and I also commend to You all poor sinners. Finally, my dear Saviour, I unite all my affections with the affections of Your most loving Heart; and thus united, I offer them to Your Eternal Father, and I entreat Him, in Your Name and for Your sake, to accept and answer them.
AMEN.

Prayer for Peace by Pope John Paul II

 

O God,

Creator of the universe,

who extends your paternal concern over every creature

and guides the events of history

in the goal of salvation,

we acknowledge your fatherly love

when you break the resistance of mankind and,

in a world torn by strife and discord,

you make us ready for reconciliation.

Renew for us the wonders of your mercy:

send forth your Spirit

that He may work in the intimacy of hearts,

that enemies may begin to dialogue,

that adversaries may shake hands

and peoples may encounter one another in harmony.

May all commit themselves

to the sincere search for true peace

which will extinguish all arguments,

for charity which overcomes hatred,

for pardon which disarms revenge.

AMEN.

Hebrews 12:14
"Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord."


Zechariah 9:10
"I will take away the chariots from Ephraim
and the warhorses from Jerusalem,
and the battle bow will be broken.
He will proclaim peace to the nations.
His rule will extend from sea to sea
and from the River to the ends of the earth."