Beauty in the midst of the pandemic

We continue to pray the Rosary at our church ever since the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus lockdown began in March.

People have begun planting flowers there. Below are some pictures I took today.

Praying the Rosary for the Coronavirus in front of Jesus

Maureen and I are going to our Church every day to pray the Rosary in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Jesus is inside the church (Annunciation of the Lord Parish). Of course Jesus is also outside the church where we stand. He's everywhere.

We are going to try and go every day during the week. On Sunday I will watch the Mass on youtube because our priests are recording it.

We also ask Our Blessed Mother to intercede for us for our families, friends, kids, grandkids, great grandkids, our political leaders and our clergy, our parish, and Pope Francis. We even pray for Justin Trudeau.

We noticed that as we prayed the birds were going bonkers with their singing. I think they were praying with us.

The humility to listen

Good homily by Deacon Will Read

Deacon Will ended his homily with this beautiful prayer:

"Dear Lord we ask that as we continue our journey out into the world, you send us our holy mother, Mary, to watch over us... to guide us: that we have the patience to hear the voice of God in others, even the least among us whose opinions might seem unimportant; that we have the strength to go beyond someone’s emotional display, ... their anger, to hear that little voice of pain that has something important to say; and that we have the humility to allow ourselves to be loved by someone who is offering their help, especially in our times of need. Lord we also ask that you open our minds and hearts, so that we may embrace your Holy Word, always. We ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen."

Ruben's farewell

 

 

A pearl of great price

Fr. Dennis homily part 2 from last week.

The role prayer has in our life and how it brings us closer to God.

He is risen

Fr. Yves homily from Easter Sunday

The grace to carry out God's will

Today is Good Friday.

On my walk this morning it was so quiet out. Unlike most Fridays with cars zipping by on their way to work, there was hardly anyone on the roads. It was eerie.

Today is Good Friday. The day that Jesus was crucified and put to death for our sins. A sobering thought.

The reason we have a statutory holiday today, is due to our Judeo-Christian heritage in Canada. The entire country observes this day. But I wonder how many people actually think about why it is they don't have to go to work today. It seems strange that many people enjoy the day off, while not even believing in God anymore.

Here is Fr. Dennis's homily from last night, Holy Thursday.

"Let us pray for the grace to carry out the true will of God in our lives, particularly when we may be severely tempted to do the contrary."

Detachment and God's will

Here is Fr. Terry's homily for the feast of St. Ignatius. He explains the spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola. 

He talks about Ignatius Spiritual Exercises, and in particular the Principle and Foundation, which forms the basis of Ignatius philosophy.

Fr. Terry gives us a very understandable synopsis of St. Ignatius way of finding God.

Do not let your heart be troubled

Father Yves speaking today on living from the Heart. To have faith in God through the heart. How there is a place, a room reserved for each of us in Heaven prepared for us by the Father. How we need to to be secure in that reality. That this is where we are destined for eternity. To be in the Father's Heart, through Jesus who is the way, the truth and the light.

I chose the picture below from my parent's gravestone which has that inscription on it: Do not let your hearts be troubled.

This familiar phrase of Jesus, brings to mind how Jesus also frequently tells us to not be afraid. Whenever I read these passages, it reminds me how Jesus wants us to hand over my worries, anxieties and fears to him. That he is far more able to bear them than we are. All it takes is trust in him.

Following the Good Shepherd

Father Jerry's Homily given today on Good Shepherd Sunday is below. He speaks about vocations, not only for Priests, but for all of us.

Fr. Jerry gives us the beautiful example of Catherine Doherty and her vocation to open Friendship House and Madonna House. He reads excerpts from her biography Victorious Exile and tells us how her vocation was not always easy. She and her husband Eddie were sometimes tempted to give it all up. They never did.

Jesus said:
"My sheep hear my voice. I know them and they follow me. I give them Eternal Life and they shall never perish."