We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee,
Because by Thy Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
By the sign of the holy Cross, deliver us from our enemies, O our God.
The Cross is my sure salvation.
The Cross it is that I worship evermore.
The Cross of our Lord is with me.
The Cross is my refuge.
PRAYER FOUND UNDER CHRIST SEPULCHRE
O God Almighty, who suffered death upon the cross, particularly for my sins, be with me.
Holy Cross of Jesus, have pity on me.
Holy Cross of Jesus, be my protector.
Holy Cross of Jesus, take away all bitter pains.
Holy Cross of Jesus, take away all evil.
Holy Cross of Jesus, let me walk in the way of salvation.
Preserve me from any temporal accidents, take away any danger of sudden death. I always adore the Holy Cross of Jesus Christ: Jesus of Nazareth crucified, have pity on me; make the spirit of evil leave me for all times.
O Mother of Perpetual Succour. I come before Thy Sacred picture and with a child-like conscience invoke thine aid. Show Thyself a Mother to me now. Have pity of me. O, dearest Mother of Perpetual Succour, for the love Thou bearest to Jesus and in honour of His Sacred Wounds, help me in this my necessity..
*Mention your intentions here…*
O Loving Mother, I leave all to thee in the Name of the Father. I leave all to thee in the Name of the Son. I leave all to thee in the Name of the Holy Spirit.
Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, pray for us.
Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, pray for us.
Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, pray for us.
Amen.
NOVENA PRAYER
Jesus, Who because of Thy burning Love for us
willed to be crucified
and to shed Thy Most Precious Blood
for the Redemption and Salvation of our souls,
look down upon us and grant the petition we humbly ask for
(our prayer intention here…)
Lord we trust completely in Thy Mercy.
Cleanse us from sin by Thy Grace,
sanctify our work,
give us and all those who are dear to us our daily bread,
lighten the burden of our sufferings,
bless our families,
and grant to the nations,
so sorely afflicted,
Thy Peace, which is the only True Peace,
so that by obeying Thy Commandments
we may come at last to the Glory of Heaven.
Amen
*LITANY OF THE HOLY CROSS*
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Cross, whereon the Lamb of God was offered for the sins of the world,
Deliver and save us.
Hope of Christians,
Save us, O Holy Cross*
Pledge of the resurrection from the dead,*
Shelter of persecuted innocence,*
Guide of the blind,*
Way of those who have gone astray,*
Staff of the lame,*
Consolation of the poor,*
Restraint of the powerful,*
Destruction of the proud,*
Refuge of sinners,*
Trophy of victory over hell,*
Terror of demons,*
Mistress of youth,*
Succor of the distressed,*
Hope of the hopeless,*
Star of the mariner,*
Harbor of the wrecked,*
Rampart of the besieged,*
Father of orphans,*
Defense of widows,*
Counsel of the just,*
Judge of the wicked,*
Rest of the afflicted,*
Safeguard of childhood,*
Strength of manhood,*
Last hope of the aged,*
Light of those who sit in darkness,*
Splendor of kings,*
Civilizer of the world,*
Buckler impenetrable,*
Wisdom of the foolish,*
Liberty of slaves,*
Knowledge of the ignorant,*
Sure rule of life,*
Heralded by prophets,*
Preached by apostles,*
Glory of martyrs,*
Study of anchorites,*
Chastity of virgins,*
Joy of priests,*
Foundation of the Church,*
Salvation of the world,*
Destruction of idolatry,*
Stumbling-block of the Jews,*
Condemnation of the ungodly,*
Support of the weak,*
Medicine of the sick,*
Health of the leprous,*
Strength of the paralytic,*
Bread of the hungry,*
Fountain of those that thirst,*
Clothing of the naked,*
Lamb of God, Who wast offered on the cross for the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who wast offered on the cross for the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who wast offered on the cross for the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.
R. Because through Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.
LET US PRAY:
O God, Who, for the redemption of the world, wast pleased to be born in a stable, and to die upon a cross; O Lord Jesus Christ, by Thy holy Sufferings, which we, Thy unworthy servants, devoutly call to mind, by Thy holy Cross, and by Thy Death, deliver us from the pains of hell, and vouchsafe to conduct us whither thou didst conduct the thief who was crucified with Thee. Who livest and reignest eternally in heaven.
Amen.
SPIRITUAL EXERCISE:
Have your family Altar today, you must not be a member of a sacred heart before having a family Altar.
Have your family Altar, its very important. A picture or statue of Jesus, Mary and a Crucifix on a white cloth with candle, flowers and a small bottle of holy water.
*(Blessed by a Catholic priest)*
Remember to share with your loved ones and encourage them on the importance of having a family Altar and say your prayers with your family before your family Altar.
Pls share.
Kneel before the Cross and thank Jesus for His death on the Cross, thank the Blessed Virgin Mary for Her love and patience in enduring sorrowfully the death of Her Son.
Remember also all the faithful departed (mention their names) and the Souls in Purgatory.
Attend Mass tomorrow in honour of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Remember to buy sacramentals cross, rosary, scapular & encourage others to so, identify yourself as a Catholic (don’t be ashamed)
Cloth yourself with divine protection and enjoy the promises attached to it.
May His death on the Cross for us not be in vain.
Amen
Make the sign of the Cross 3times.
The History and importance of Holy water.
Most Catholics are familiar with the practice of entering their church, dipping the finger(s) of their right hand in the font with holy water, and making the Sign of the Cross. Catholics repeat this ritual on leaving the church. The holy water in the font is holy only insofar as it has been blessed (or sanctified) by a priest. The water itself is not magic. Its power depends on the prayers, faith and devotion of the person who uses it. In making the Sign of the Cross with holy water which is a partial indulgence, one expresses faith in God as Father, God as Son, and God as Holy Spirit and asks God’s blessing in the name of the same three divine persons.
This ritual action of blessing oneself also serves as a reminder of ones baptism.
Water, itself, has a long association with God’s saving deeds. With water all things are washed and nourished. Water is life giving for all of nature and vegetation. Water flowed from the rock as God’s gift to Old Testament people. The water of the Red Sea was divided to liberate God’s people from slavery. Jesus was baptized in the waters of the Jordan. He came walking on the water to calm the storm on the Sea of Galilee. Ritual washings were required for the Jewish people before entering the temple; and, of course, this prefigured baptism.
In the theology of the Catholic Church, holy water is considered a sacramental (‘little sacraments’) as are crucifixes, medals, pictures of saints, rosaries, ashes and palms. Only when blessed are these to be thought of as holy. The Catholic Church also views as holy candles, Bibles, ashes and palms that are blessed. All blessed objects are to be treated with reverence and respect; and when they are broken or damaged or no longer usable, they are to be disposed of by pouring into a special hand basin in the sacristy (sacrarium) or buried but never thrown into the garbage.
It is believed that the use of holy water dates to the first century, and even some sources relate its early usage to St. Matthew, although written documentation about its usage date to the third or fourth century. In the Catholic Tradition, holy water is used for the purpose of baptisms, blessing of persons, places and objects, or as protection against evil and danger.
Holy water is also used by the priest to sprinkle the congregation during the entrance rite of the Mass. It is used by priests when blessing homes, animals, places of business, automobiles, and objects of devotion such as medals, rosaries, etc.
We too have fonts filled with Holy Water for blessings for three reasons:
First, as a sign of repentance of sin, for protection from evil, and as a reminder of our Baptism. The repentance of sin symbolized in the washing with water is reflected in Psalm 50: “Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me. Cleanse me of sin with hyssop that I may be purified; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (3-4, 9). (Hyssop is a small bush used for sprinkling water). Remember too how St. John the Baptizer called all to conversion used a ritual washing of water to signify the repentance of sin and purification.
These actions have been incorporated into our own Mass. In the Penitential Rite, one of the options is the Asperges, which includes the Rite of Blessing and Sprinkling with Holy Water. As the priest passes through the congregation sprinkling them with the Holy Water, they customarily chant the Asperges Me, which is based on Psalm 50. In all, each person again makes an act of repentance of sin.
Second, the Holy Water protects us against evil. In the prayer of blessing of water in the Sacramentary, we read: “Lord, God Almighty, creator of all life, of body and soul, we ask you to bless this water: as we use it in faith forgive our sins and save us from all illness and the power of evil. Lord, in your mercy give us living water, always springing up as a fountain of salvation; free us, body and soul, from every danger, and admit us to your presence in purity of heart.”
Finally, Holy Water reminds us of our Baptism, when by the invocation of the Holy Trinity and the pouring of Holy Water, we were set free from Original Sin and all sin, infused with sanctifying grace, incorporated into the Church, and given the title Son or Daughter of God. In making the sign of the cross with the Holy Water, we are mindful that we are called to renew those baptismal promises of rejecting Satan, all His works, and all his empty promises, and to profess our credal faith. Once again, we repent of sin, so that we can offer our prayers and worship to God with pure and contrite hearts. Just as water and blood flowed from the Sacred Heart of our Lord as He hung upon the cross– signifying the great sacraments of Baptism and Holy Eucharist, the taking of Holy Water and making the sign of the cross remind us of our Baptism in preparation for the reception of the Holy Eucharist.
Never should we doubt the power of this great sacramental. St. Teresa of Avila in her autobiography, The Book of Her Life, wrote of the power of Holy Water: “I was once in an oratory, and [the devil] appeared to me in an abominable form at my left side. Because he spoke to me, I looked particularly at his mouth– which was most frightening. It seemed that a great flame, all bright without shadow, came forth from his body. He told me in a terrifying way that I had really freed myself from his hands but that he would catch me with them again. I was struck with great fear and blessed myself as best I could; he disappeared, but returned right away.
This happened to me twice. I didn’t know what to do. There was some Holy Water there, and I threw it in that direction; he never returned again. …I often experience that there is nothing the devils flee from more– without returning– than holy water” (Chapter 31). Upon the testimony of such a great saint, we see the importance not only of pausing to bless ourselves with Holy Water as we enter and leave Church but also of having Holy Water available in our homes.
Sacramental and sanctification
By blessing water, Catholic priests praise God and ask him for his grace. … This use of holy water and making a sign of the cross when entering a church reflects a renewal of baptism, a cleansing of venial sin, as well as providing protection against evil.
IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY ALTAR
A Family altar is a sacred space within our home where we connect with God who dwells within us. It provides us with a focus to think, pray, meditate and listen. We go to church, the house of God on a regular basis but in our daily intimate time with God in prayers and praise mostly done at our home’s family altar.
Family altar is an affirmation that God is at the center of the home. It reminds the family that God’s is alway present in this place and is charge of our lifes Therefore always making us obedient and God-conscious, where His presence in the house will be yesterday, today and forever. Offer prayer and praise to God in our home at this center of spirit of each home He is the protector of our home from all evil and harm. May we ask God to manage our daily life through His Son and His Holy Spirit within us. May the good, ever loving and forgiving God keep us and our home.
Here is where in our home where family sits down to be with God and to share His Word of Truth. We spent time personally or as a family daily to listen, to thank, to praise, to recite affirmations, and at the same time sharing our hopes, desires, fears or anxieties. We honor the God the source of undying love and fear of sinning (Deut. 10:12, “what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul”).
We should give thanks and honoring God for the blessings we receive daily because He blesses us daily. These blessing comes in the form where we are able to wake up each morning to see a new day, the food we have to eat daily, ability to speak, to listen, to see, to think, earn a living, being service to others and etc. When we listen to God and observe His commandment, then God in turn will truly come, let us find Him and He will listen to us.
There are so many reasons to keep a home altar.
Beauty and peace are two big ones.
Home altars, and the icons that can often frequent them are beautiful and can help bring much needed peace to an often large and often loud faithfully Catholic family.
Of course, there is a bigger reason.
The family is rightly called the “Domestic Church.” The home therefore is like the chapel of the domestic Church.
Shouldn’t a domestic church have a domestic altar?
Silvereel says my family also used to have a family altar when I was a child. It is not to remind us to pray, it is to focus our minds when we do pray. A candle or two would be lit at the family altar at dusk , and the family would pray together before the altar every evening. We were told, “A family that prays together stays together.” Just like being in a Church helps our minds focus better on God, so does the presence of an altar keep the mind better focussed on God. Catholics do not worship idols or pictures/icons, we simply use them as symbols to remind us of Jesus and Mary, just as we would use pictures to remind us of those we love. The altar helped to remind us to pray for God’s protection before leaving home. We would spend a few seconds before the family altar and pray for God’s protection when we were out in the world. My mother always insisted on us praying before leaving home. Since she was a housewife who would see us to the door, we could not slink out of the house without praying!
Silvereel says further Home Altars help focus our mind when we pray. They help to bring our mind in tune to the divine when we pray. As a child, my family had an Altar for the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary. Family prayers were always said in front of the altar.The Altar helped in bringing to our consciousness the presence of God among us – right there in our house!! This made so much impression on me as a child that as an adult, I joined the Association of the Sacred Heart of Jesus – and have a beautiful Altar of the Sacred Heart in my house now. Before leaving the house, I stop in front of the Altar to inform our Lord that I am leaving the house and seek his blessings – and on coming back, I go straight to the Altar to thank Him for his care and protection for me that day!!!
Finally by having a Family altar in our home, we Catholics not only invite God into our home, but it gives God his own place to abide within us and our home. (Rev 3:20, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me”).
Psalm 139:7-8
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Genesis 18:19
For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.”
Have your family Altar, its very important. A picture or statue of Jesus, Mary and a Crucifix on a white cloth with candle, flowers and a small bottle of holy water.
*(Blessed by a Catholic priest)*
Remember to share with your loved ones the importance of having a family Altar and say your prayers with your family before your family Altar.
Make the sign of the Cross 3times.
Pls share.