On this great Good Friday: Litany of Sacred Heart, Divine Mercy Novena begins, Padre Pio loves us, and Jesus gives us Mother Mary!!!

Stop me if you've heard this one.... Or rather join us, because this is really cool!
Archbishop Gomez will lead the Litany of the Sacred Heart at 9 am CA time and noon East Coast time (and somewhere in the middle, in the middle!). 

This article gives the links for FB and Youtube for praying along with our Archbishop and the whole country...doing this (praying the Sacred Heart Litany), we can gain a plenary indulgence for ourselves or the poor souls - and that would include someone who died without the sacraments in the pandemic.

Here is another really awesome article that a dear friend sent me (she said she wasn't a big fan of Padre Pio - he is/was scary! - but she listened to part of my Talk on Padre Pio and Therese - and now she likes him a lot!). This article is about the Blessed Sacrament and the Sacred Heart (and Mother Teresa! and Padre Pio! though it is not a long article...)

As if that weren't enough, this kind and generous friend sent this amazing article which brings to mind our asking Padre Pio to heal my father in law, Paul (of cancer) and our young friend Damien Cooper, whose cancer has just returned, but JESUS WE TRUST IN YOU!!!

Today begins the Divine Mercy Chaplet - I can't remember a time when we all, collectively, had so much in common to pray for! May Jesus have mercy and give us back Himself in the Sacraments, especially the Most Blessed Sacrament! Here is today's prayer to start the Novena:

First Day
Jesus said: "Today bring to me all mankind, especially all sinners, and immerse them in the ocean of my mercy. In this way you will console me in the bitter grief into which the loss of souls plunges me."

Most merciful Jesus, whose very nature it is to have compassion on us to forgive us, do not look upon our sins, but upon our trust which we place in Your infinite goodness. Receive us all into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart, and never let us escape from it. We beg this of You by Your love which unites You to the Father and the Holy Spirit. Eternal Father, turn Your Merciful gaze upon all mankind and especially upon poor sinners, all enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion show us Your Mercy, that we may praise the infinite power of Your Mercy, forever and forever. Amen.

Divine Mercy Chaplet . . . 

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Here is a link to a PDF of THE WHOLE NOVENA - although I always say the prayers for the day before the Divine Mercy Chaplet (and this one advises you to say the Chaplet, then the prayers) . . . 

But now Marcel says don't quibble, get to the really good stuff I've got for you! He won't let me close this post, you see, without sharing the beautiful words of Jesus to him (recorded in Conversations) on this very special day of Good Friday - the day when Jesus gave us Mother Mary as our very own Mother forever! Today is the famous day-of-the-socks for Marcel and Jesus (Marcel is wearing socks at Jesus' express command, but they are uncomfortable and so he repeatedly asks to take them off, while Our Lord continuously explains it is a good little sacrifice, since He has our brother wear them for his health - which reminds me of our Slight Inconveniences and Great Deprivation - but all according to His wisdom and in union with His suffering).

On Good Friday, 1946 (which was in that year on April 19), Our Savior explained to Marcel and to us:

"Your little sacrifices are very pleasing to me. You still will have to suffer a lot, but don't worry. Remember today is the anniversary of the day when I gave you to my Mother Mary so that you might be her true child; it is also the day when I gave Mary to you to be your true Mother. Finding myself in the presence of my Mother, I suffered with joy. At that moment, when all the creatures of the world seemed to have abandoned me, only my Mother remained to comfort me. Even God the Father seemed to wish no longer to look at me; but my Mother Mary did not cease to look at me until the time when I escaped from suffering. Oh! Little one, Mary is your real Mother as well as mine. When she sees you suffer, she is closer to you to console you, for all time until you, too, will have escaped all suffering. Mary, you are the true Mother of Marcel, the real Mother of all souls; never be far from your children . . .

"Mary is your true Mother, and you are really her child. Always think of her; she understands you better than you understand yourself. She knows your sufferings, she is always close to you, carrying you unceasingly in her arms and covering you with kisses . . ." (Conversations, 481)

Dear Mother, may we rest in your arms today as we do our very little best to fast, to be with Jesus, to receive your love and kisses. Help us to pray as Therese teaches us, following the words of Wisdom in the Song of Songs:

Draw me, we will run!!!

And Mother Mary, do please take this holiest day as a perfect day to answer (by God's grace and power) all of our prayers, especially for those who are sick, those who are afraid, those who need courage, and those who suffer in any way - ah, and for our priests!

Jesus, King of Love, we trust in Your merciful goodness!!!