Be Holy

“Be Holy, for I Am Holy”

OPENING HYMN AND EXPOSTION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT:  Hymn HOLY GOD, WE PRAISE  

O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, all praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine! (3 times)
 
Today, we celebrate the Feast of All the Saints. The blessed and the saints now in God’s presence, preserve their bonds of love and communion with us. Their lives may not always have been perfect, yet, even amid their faults and failings they kept moving forward and proved pleasing to the Lord. (Francis: GAUDETE ET EXULTATE) By what means do they reached holiness? Let us listen the words of St. Peter, Apostle:

Reading 1 Pt 1:13-16
Gird up the loins of your mind, live soberly, and set your hopes completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Like obedient children, do not act in compliance with the desires of your former ignorance but, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in every aspect of your conduct, for it is written, “Be holy because I am holy.”
 
Holiness is the most attractive face of the Church. As the children of the Church, we are all personally called to be holy. Blessed Alphonse Marie, as a child, yearned for holiness. She expressed her desire to Jesus: “Jesus, I want to become a saint. I would give up anything if I could become a saint. Surely, my Jesus, You will help me to become a saint. You won’t let me commit a grave sin.” She completely devoted herself to the suffering of Christ and His presence in the Eucharist. She prayed, meditated on the sufferings of Jesus, and adored Jesus in the Eucharist which led her to serve actively to Christ in His brothers and sisters.

Now we are gathered together around the altar where Jesus is exposed in the Eucharist. Let us take some minutes of silence and talk with Jesus considering the words of Bl. Alphonse Marie: “Those souls who desire perfection and sanctity should do the will of God in all things, and submit themselves to it without reserve. You will obtain this grace if you pray often and with confidence. God will not reject your prayer.”

Hymn: BLESS THE LORD MY SOUL

My Jesus,
You know me well. You know that I desire to be a saint and to live with You and love You even though I failed many times. O my Jesus, I adore You, Son of Mary, my Divine Redeemer and my Brother. Help me to live soberly and grant me the perseverance in prayer, as Bl. Alphonse Marie tecommends me to do: “Do not think that the saints always and immediately received the graces for which they prayed. God often tried them with apparent refusal through long years of petitioning. Yet they persevered in their prayers.” Jesus, I desire to do Your will, so one day I can obtain the grace to follow You in person into heavenly glory.

Dear Jesus, on this First Thursday, we ask You, for holy priests and religious brothers and sisters.

Lord, give us priests, holy priests, and open our hearts to their teachings. O Mary, the Queen of priests, pray for us and intercede for us many and holy priests. Lord, give us priests and religious brothers and sisters according to Your heart. /3 times/

Petitions:
1. For the Church, may our witness in the world facilitate peace among people and nations, and help to build up God’s kingdom, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer.
2. For Pope Francis, bishops, priests and all who serve the Church, may they remain faithful to the Gospel, let us pray...
3. For government leaders and civic officials, may they strive to serve their people with honesty and integrity, let us pray …
4. For those who suffer in mind or body, persecution or violence, may God reveal his plan to them and may they take comfort in knowing of his Providence, let us pray …
5. For young people, that they may thrive with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, seek to model Jesus’ way of love and become joyful missionaries of his love, let us pray …
6. For families, and each of us, may God grant us faith like Mary’s to say in joy “YES” to Him He asks us to surrender to his will, let us pray …
7. For all members of the Church, may the example of the saints inspire us in our prayer and in our caring for one another, let us pray …
8. For a great respect for life throughout the world, from conception through natural death,
9. For those who find it difficult to break their sinful habits, may God guide them and give the strength, let us pray …
10. For all the sick and dying, may they find strength in God’s loving care for them, let us pray …

Hymn: OUR FATHER

Prayer:
Breathe into me, Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. Move in me, Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Attract my heart, Holy Spirit, that I may love only what is holy. Strengthen me, Holy Spirit, that I may defend all that is holy. Protect me, Holy Spirit, that I may always be holy. (St. Augustine)

BENEDICTION HYMN: BOWING LOW 
DIVINE PRAISES B Page 247
CLOSING HYMN: TO JESUS CHRIST, OUR SOVEREIGN KING