Feast of the Holy Innocents

“These then, whom Herod's cruelty tore as sucklings from their mothers' bosom, are justly hailed as "infant martyr flowers"; they were the Church's first blossoms, matured by the frost of persecution during the cold winter of unbelief."-St Augustine

•Reflection•
•How few perhaps of these children, if they had lived, would have escaped the dangers of the world! What snares, what sins, what miseries were they preserved from! So we often lament as misfortunes many accidents which in the designs of Heaven are the greatest mercies•

•Don't be deceived.
Purity will always be right
Regardless of what society says•

•There is no sin or wrong
that gives a man a foretaste
of Hell in life then Anger and Impatience•

•Youth is the period of preparation for marriage; the purity of young people is the guarantee of future happy marriages. Even in their thoughts they must regard themselves and those whom they meet as sacred, and the power that God meant to be used through the Sacrament of Matrimony as a splendid and holy thing
-Fr. Daniel A. Lord•

Prayer for the New Year✨
"During this New Year I resolve to begin a new life. I do not know what will happen to me during
this year. But I abandon myself entirely to you, my God. And
my aspirations and all my affections will be for You.
I feel so weak, dear Jesus, but
with Your help I hope and resolve to live a different life, that is, a life closer to You.”
- St. Gemma Galgani

Plenary/Partial Indulgence for New Year
•COME, Holy Spirit, Creator blest,
and in our souls take up Thy rest;
come with Thy grace and heavenly aid to fill the hearts which Thou hast made.
O comforter, to Thee we cry,
O heavenly gift of God Most High, O fount of life and fire of love, and sweet anointing from above.
Thou in Thy sevenfold gifts are known;
Thou, finger of God's hand we own;
Thou, promise of the Father, Thou Who dost the tongue with power imbue.
Kindle our sense from above, and make our hearts o'erflow with love; with patience firm and virtue high the weakness of our flesh supply.
Far from us drive the foe we dread, and grant us Thy peace instead;
so shall we not, with Thee for guide, turn from the path of life aside.
Oh, may Thy grace on us bestow the Father and the Son to know; and Thee, through endless times confessed, of both the eternal Spirit blest.
Now to the Father and the Son, Who rose from death, be glory given, with Thou, O Holy Comforter, henceforth by all in earth and heaven.
Amen•

•Marriage is the greatest instrument of sanctification.

How would you ever learn unconditional love if you were married to someone who met all the conditions?
How would you ever learn mercy, patience, long-suffering, heart-felt compassion if you were married to someone who never failed you?
Who is never difficult with you?
Who never sinned against you? Who is never slow to acknowledge their sin or ask for forgiveness?
How would you ever learn grace, to pour out your favor on someone who did not deserve it, if you were married to someone who was always deserving of all good things?

The main purpose of marriage is that through your marriage, you both become conformed to the image of Jesus Christ•

•I didn't have kids so others could take care of them while I "enjoy" life.
Everything can wait. I have a child who needs a mother.
My priority.
My responsibility.
My life•

•The desire of love is to give.
The desire of lust is to get.•

•For approximately 7 hours a day, 5 days a week, Christian children in public schools are being trained to believe that their God, the Creator of all, has nothing to do with their education•

•A FATHER:
LOVES COMPLETELY,
GIVES QUIETLY,
TEACHES GENTLY
AND INSPIRES DEEPLY•

•Feast of the Holy Family
“O Hearts of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I consecrate to Thee my thoughts and words, my heart and soul and everything Thou has given me, so that Thy will be done through me, my family and love ones, this day and all days of our lives and forevermore. Amen”•

•God did not create a human family made up of segregated, dissociated mutually independent members.
No He would have them all united by the bond of total love of Him and consequent self-dedication
To assisting each other to maintain that bond intact•

•Marriage is truly a sacred institution. It was established by God and images the Trinity. The ultimate blessing of new life, new souls minted by God Himself and ordered toward eternal communion with Him, emerges from the marriage bond.
Yes, marriage has sanctity.
-Scott Hahn•