The Fatima Prayer, was taught by Our Lady of Fatima on July 13, 1917 to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal. The three shepherd children – Francisco, Jacinta, and Lucia, were asked to recite this prayer at the end of each decade of the rosary. It was approved for public use in 1930, and has since become a common (though optional) part of the Rosary.
Many things are weighing me down lately. I used to imagine myself in the shoes of this lucky woman who got healed after 12 years of hemorrhage just by touching the robe of Jesus. Longing for the same miracle that I, too, can be healed…
In my 12th year, a journey that has been long and painful. God has tested me so much, sometimes i just feel that He has forgotten about me. This post may not be relatable to most people, and you may meet endowarriors who seem fine on the outside but hurting inside. This chronic illness is Endometriosis and coined as – ‘invisible illness.’
Easy to brush off small discomforts and go on with our daily lives, pretending you are healthy. Much easier than a lengthy explanation about your disease that no one wants to listen.
Perhaps, this is the end of the road for my uterus and all the organs stucked together as complications of endometriosis. That glimmer of hope starts to faint and flicker. I’m still waiting for a sign, in denial of the inevitable decision that soon they have to be discarded.
Ending this post with a bible verse;
Do not be afraid, just stand firm and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still…
– Exodus 14:13-14
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The Novena to Our Lady of Fatima is a nine-day prayer dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary who appeared to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal in 1917. The novena is typically prayed from May 4th to May 12th, leading up to the feast day of Our Lady of Fatima on May 13th.
This Novena is adopted from Catholic Crusade. Choosing this version as it is easy to pray and complete. We have been in Fatima, Portugal and it was one of the most beautiful and grand pilgrimage sites. Photo below shows the inside of Fatima cathedral.
Novena follows…
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Like the children of Fatima, we want to bring God’s word to others. Give us the strength, O Lord, to overcome our doubts so that we may be messengers of the Gospel. We know that Jesus lives in our hearts and we receive Him in the Eucharist. Lord Jesus, the miracles, prophecies and prayers that Your Mother brought to us at Fatima amazed the whole world. We are certain of her closeness to You. We ask through the intercession of Our Lady of Fatima that you graciously hear and answer our prayers.
Especially…
(mention your request)
Concluding Prayer
Our Father,
Hail Mary
Glory Be
(three times each)
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Our Lady of Fatima, we pray that we may be like you and follow your example. We pray for all those who face oppression, that they will find peace. We pray and give thanks for all the blessings we enjoy. Lord Jesus, the miracles, prophecies and prayers that Your Mother brought to us at Fatima amazed the whole world. We are certain of her closeness to You. We ask through the intercession of Our Lady of Fatima that you graciously hear and answer our prayers.
Especially…
(mention your request)
Concluding Prayer
Our Father,
Hail Mary
Glory Be
(three times each)
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Our Lady of Fatima, Today, we pray for an end to the suffering and injustice that plague so many parts of the world. Through the power of the Lord, you performed a miracle at Fatima and made the sun dance for thousands of people to see. Please intercede for those who are suffering. Lord Jesus, the miracles, prophecies and prayers that Your Mother brought to us at Fatima amazed the whole world. We are certain of her closeness to You. We ask through the intercession of Our Lady of Fatima that you graciously hear and answer our prayers.
Especially…
(mention your request)
Concluding Prayer
Our Father,
Hail Mary
Glory Be
(three times each)
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Our Lady of Fatima, let us pray today for humility to seek forgiveness for our sins and make amends for our misdeeds. Lord Jesus, the miracles, prophecies and prayers that Your Mother brought to us at Fatima amazed the whole world. We are certain of her closeness to You. We ask through the intercession of Our Lady of Fatima that you graciously hear and answer our prayers.
Especially…
(mention your request)
Concluding Prayer
Our Father,
Hail Mary
Glory Be
(three times each)
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Our Lady of Fatima, may we offer everything we do today to our Lord. As we make this offering, we think of people who are affected by our actions each day. We ask God to help us be motivated by love and compassion. Lord Jesus, the miracles, prophecies and prayers that Your Mother brought to us at Fatima amazed the whole world. We are certain of her closeness to You. We ask through the intercession of Our Lady of Fatima that you graciously hear and answer our prayers.
Especially…
(mention your request)
Concluding Prayer
Our Father,
Hail Mary
Glory Be
(three times each)
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Our Lady of Fatima, sometimes we live in fear and we are too afraid to let go of our anxieties. We want to be God’s instruments to achieve His will and to bring Him glory. Today we ask through your intercession, that Jesus help us to trust in Him like the children at Fatima. Lord Jesus, the miracles, prophecies and prayers that Your Mother brought to us at Fatima amazed the whole world. We are certain of her closeness to You. We ask through the intercession of Our Lady of Fatima that you graciously hear and answer our prayers.
Especially…
(mention your request)
Concluding Prayer
Our Father,
Hail Mary
Glory Be
(three times each)
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Our Lady of Fatima, show us how to pray always. Teach us how to speak to God as a friend. Help us to make time for silence in our hectic days so that we may listen to what God has to tell us. Throughout the business of our days, help us remember God and have our hearts centered on Him. Lord Jesus, the miracles, prophecies and prayers that Your Mother brought to us at Fatima amazed the whole world. We are certain of her closeness to You. We ask through the intercession of Our Lady of Fatima that you graciously hear and answer our prayers.
Especially…
(mention your request)
Concluding Prayer
Our Father,
Hail Mary
Glory Be
(three times each)
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Our Lady of Fatima, today we pray for your Son to come to our aid and end the suffering and wars throughout the world. Help us to be like the children at Fatima; loving, trusting and faithful. May we pray to bring peace to our own world in our own small way by choosing to love and trust in the Lord. Lord Jesus, the miracles, prophecies and prayers that Your Mother brought to us at Fatima amazed the whole world. We are certain of her closeness to You. We ask through the intercession of Our Lady of Fatima that you graciously hear and answer our prayers.
Especially…
(mention your request)
Concluding Prayer
Our Father,
Hail Mary
Glory Be
(three times each)
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Our Lady of Fatima, thank you for appearing to the children at Fatima and delivering messages that are still relevant to us today. We pray again and again for peace in the world and for an end to war. May we continue to pray and sacrifice as you requested. Lord Jesus, the miracles, prophecies and prayers that Your Mother brought to us at Fatima amazed the whole world. We are certain of her closeness to You. We ask through the intercession of Our Lady of Fatima that you graciously hear and answer our prayers.
Especially…
(mention your request)
Concluding Prayer
Our Father,
Hail Mary
Glory Be
(three times each)
Are you encountering problems and in a really difficult situation right now?
You are not alone.
Like many Christians, we are being tested as we grow closer to Jesus.
I’m sharing something personal and quite embarrassing. Before, I was afraid of studying the bible, this negative notion – “if I grow spiritually I may not be able to pass the testing of God, I might face difficult challenges and fail Him without end.”
I realized that it’s my ego that has been creating excuses; because I’m already a good person, I’ve read the bible before in school and there’s no need to do more, too busy, etc.
Until ordeals came…
When harships occur in our life, it is called a test.
These tests are not the same as tempation. The bible says that God will not tempt us to sin. God is faithful and will not let you be tempted beyond your capabilities.
When tempted, no one can say, “God is tempting me.” for God cannot be tempted by evil nor does He tempt anyone.
– James 1:13
God may test us in many ways. Part of our spiritual journey is testing, as gold is refined through fire, in the same manner, God will use trials to refine our faith.
Without trials our faith will be superficial and there’s no chance for faith to become stronger and deeper. Many people tend to forget God when everything is convenient and they have everything they need.
For those undergoing huge challenges – hope this post lifts you up a little and help you not be discouraged… These are the signs God may be testing your faith.
The last one I can relate the most, dealing with chronic illness for a looong time. I waited, even up to this day… I even imagined myself as the woman who was miraculously healed after touching Jesus’ robe (Luke 8:44).
With similar issue – hemorrhage (bleeding) for 12 years, maybe I could be like her,
I will be healed…
Let this be a reminder for us all, if we choose to trust Jesus and allow His peace to overwhelm us, He will bring us through the storm.
❤
God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.
1 Peter 5:5
The biblical definition of pride is “an inordinate love of one’s own excellence.” In fact, pride was Satan’s downfall. He chose his pride and placed himself of equal with God the Father. Satan was destroyed because of pride and so he wants us to suffer the same demise.
Pride goes down to the very core of worry and anxiety, revealing a lack of trust in God. It has been called the cancer of the soul, the “beginning of all sin.”
Pride becomes sinful when it’s excessively self-focused. Sin of pride refers to a high or exalted attitude – the opposite virtue of humility. In the bible, synonyms are insolence, presumptuousness, arrogance, conceit, high-mindedness, egotism.
It becomes a sin when we are too proud and self-elevating. When we are proud it’s like we are saying that we know better than God and that we don’t need Him anymore. It’s a form of rebellion, putting our own desires and plans ahead of what God designed for us.
There are six things that the Lord hates, guess what Pride is included in the list…
Proverbs 6:16-19
16 There are six things the Lord hates,
seven that are detestable to him:
17 haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
19 a false witness who pours out lies
and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
A simpler version from CEV (Contemporary English Version) –
There are 6 or 7 kinds of people that the Lord doesn’t like; those who are too proud or tell lies or murder, those who make evil plans or quick to do wrong, those who tell lies or stir up conflct in a family or community.
After Saint Lorenzo Ruiz, Calungsod is the second Filipino to be declared a saint. He’s also known as Peter Calungsod and Pedro Calonsor. Was a Visyan migrant, sacristan and missionary catechist who, along with the Spanish Jesuit missionary Diego Luis de San Vitores, suffered religious persecution in Guam for their missionary work in 1672 (Wikipedia).
Feast day: April 2
Canonized: October 21, 2012
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The Simala Shrine is a Catholic pilgrimage site in Cebu. In my opinion, it is the Cebuano version of Lourdes Grotto in France. We have been in Lourdes and Fatima, Portugal a couple of times pre-pandemic and this local site has the same level of holy experience and devotion.
This sacred place hosts the Our Lady of Lindogon, the local title of the Virgin Mary in Sibonga, Cebu. It was built in 1998 by the Marian Monks of Eucharistic Adoration (MMEA) from Pampanga.
Simala Shrine is believed to be miraculous by devotees of Mama Mary after it is attributed to the healing of those who were afflicted with dengue in 1998. The image reportedly shed tears first in 1998 and the latest on September 8, 2016. It is quite unique amongst the images of Our Lady, this one wearing pink instead of blue.
It is also famous for its castle-like design, huge infrastructure atop the mountains of Sibonga. The shrine is associated with numerous miracles, with many answered petitions showcased in their musem.
The church dedicated an area (& museum) to store items like crutches and wheelchairs used by devotees who were healed after praying at the Simala Shrine. They also have letters, stories, and photos thanking Mama Mary for her intervention.
There are 4 ways to pray ask for your petitions here in Simala;
2. Pray in the adoration chapel – there’s the beautiful chapel where you can opt to sit or kneel.
3. Pray under her mantle (holy image) – you need to line up again for this one, it’s a symbolic representation of Our Lady being Our Mother and ready to intercede for us.
4. Light a candle – light a candle in the open area outside the chapel for your prayers. You can use color-coded candles based on your intentions.
Here is the list of colors and their specific prayer requests:
O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee.
♥️
Coming across vlogs “showing off” their lifestyle rendered some deep thoughts and reflections. There’s a Filipino term called – “malasakit“. Uniquely Filipino because there’s no exact English translation. It is a Filipino value of caring and acting on the needs of others.
Being considerate is synonymous to kindness. It can come in different forms and sizes. When you think of others before yourself, considering their feelings, concerns or priorities before your own. Begins with sympathy and thoughful rumination.
Being nice is a broader term – like civility. Being considerate entails a real and active interest on other people. There’s more effort than just being nice or civil.
Empathy is described as sensing what people are feeling
– Goldman Madel
It is different from sympathy, as empathy involves shared perspective or emotion. Considerate people not only feel for (with) others but actively see the world beyond themselves. Treating people with respect and compassion.
There’s a saying that kindness begins with a smile. Smiling evokes a positive emotion and reaction. In Positive Psychology, people are encouraged to smile more. You feel good and affect others, too.
From my Emotional Social Intelligence (ESI) class, there’s Cognitive Empathy. It is the ability to understand what another person might be thinking or feeling. When you walk in another person’s shoes and make them feel they are valued – that’s consideration.
Being polite doesn’t begin and end with saying please and thank you. It is way more than that. The golden rule – treat others the way you want to be treated.
Emotional and Social Intelligence – is the ability to be aware of your own emotions and those of others in the moment, and use that information to manage yourself and your relationships (ESI UC Davis).
ESI is not a soft skill and is now in the Top 10 most important workplace skill needed for success (World Eco Forum 2020). It is twice as important as technical and cognitive skills combined.
Patience is difficult to have these days especially when attention span is shortened to a few seconds. Being patient comes with kindness, as you “consider” other person’s situation or reason.
One of the traits of a toxic individual is – non admission to mistakes. Apologizing when you’ve made a mistake instead of passing the blame is crucial when being considerate.
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O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on a Cross, my burdens gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: “My God, how great Thou art!”
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
🙌🙌🙌
Prayer For Protection Against Evil
Heavenly Father, You have promised that when we dwell in the secret place of the most High and shelter under the shadow of Your wings you will guard and guide us, protect us and keep us – for You are our refuge and our fortress and You alone are the one in Whom we place our trust.
Thank You Lord that no matter where I go Your hand leads me, and Your right arm upholds me.. for You are before me and behind me, You are above me and below me You are at my right hand and also at my left. And You are within me.. indwelling in my heart by the power of Your Holy Spirit, Who is my ever present Help in time of trouble.
Father, I pray that You would protect me and my family from all the evils that are lurking nearby and from those that would seek to harm us. Uphold us and keep us safe from all the evils that encircle our lives. Put Your hedge of protection and safety around us we pray, and place a guard at our doors and protects us from all that pass by our gate. And Father, keep our hearts from fear but rather fill us to overflowing with Your perfect peace that passes all understanding. Thank You that You are indeed our refuge and strength. You are that ever present Help in time of trouble – therefore in Your strength we will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the middle of the sea. – for You are with us wherever we go. Thank You in Jesus name, Amen.
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