A book of prayers to the Holy Face of Jesus

Heaven’s Gate…C’mon Through. It’s Open. He’s Left The Light On For Us.A Prayer — The Keys To The Kingdom Spirit of wisdom and understanding, enlighten our minds to perceive the mysteries of the universe in relation to eternity. Spirit of right, judgment and courage, guide us and make us firm in our baptismal decision to follow Jesus’ way of love. Spirit of knowledge and reverence, help us to see the lasting value of justice and mercy in our everyday dealings with one another.  May we respect life as we work to solve problems of family and nation, economy and ecology.  Spirit of God, spark our faith, hope and love into new action each day. Fill our lives with wonder and awe in your presence which penetrates all creation.  Amen. ———– Pray this prayer to the Holy Spirit, add your own humility, take in the sacraments, and Live the Ten Commandments and you have just been handed the keys to the Kingdom. How does it feel to be Royalty?

DIRECTIONS FOR USE:   Apply Liberally To All Affected Areas. Scrub Vigorously.  Rinse.  Repeat.People talk quite frequently about cleansing and the benefits they derive from the process. Feeling more vibrant and energetic after a cleanse which may include “detoxifying” the system and perhaps fasting! Our souls also suffer from the stains of sin which weigh heavy on our hearts and minds and can even indirectly cause physical suffering. We struggle with deep spiritual trauma and need spiritual cleansing. The early church fathers had a basic principle that the “shadows of dark sorrow mingle with the light of God’s illumination!” It is there in sorrow we find true spiritual joy! Repentance and deep sorrow is the first phase of spiritual cleansing and actually a gift of God! “The time has come,” He said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” Mark 1:15. “Lord have mercy on me, a sinner!” Said with deep sorrow and repeated is a request made of our own free will to come back to God, sinful and sorrowful! The second phase of spiritual cleansing is a turning back to God in humility to engage in “Spiritual union” with God! This is the point when we experience “true Peace”!”  An inner peace that can only be found when we seek and experience union with God! “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27. Joy and Peace are the most coveted divine gifts we can experience in this lifetime, and can only be found through this ritual of spiritual cleansing and union with God and his divinity! We get glimpses of happiness, and peaceful moments but “true joy and peace”, even in suffering can only be found through this spiritual cleansing and unity process! Confession is cleansing with the sacrament of reality! The reality that we are broken sinners in need of spiritual healing and forgiveness! Only when we unload our baggage and relieve ourselves of this spiritual burden, do we have an opportunity to “empty the baggage” that clutters and stains our souls! Only then can we “reunite” ourselves with God’s greatest gifts of his Joy and his Peace! The quickest and most effective spiritual cleanse comes through a sincere and contrite confession, (monthly is preferable) and a consistent routine of mass and Holy communion! (A Reuniting with Christ in us). Add some penance and occasional fasting and you have the perfect recipe for Joy and Peace!

It seems that many of our current conversations focus on blaming the woes of our modern times on others.  This includes blaming our neighbors, law enforcement,  government, etc. for our many concerns.  We blame others and never seem to find resolve to the underlying issues!  Blame almost always accompanies various levels of angst and anger and undermines our Peace! Here is something you may not realize happens when we blame others: When you Blame something, it Becomes your ruler. Whatever you blame, you empower. When you blame, you are handing over authority. God is a God of Order, so he will address the new person in charge. Blame is derived from the word Blaspheme. When you are responsible you carry the blame. Christ took the false blame, and kept silent and by that virtuous act became empowered over death and sin! “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear!”  1 Peter 3:15. Be ready, be responsible, accept the blame, even false blame, and always respond with the Lord in your hearts, and with Meekness and Fear! Be “empowered” with the sword of truth in God’s word, with God, the God of Order as your Ruler and guide!  Take comfort in knowing that All things work for the good of those who Love the Lord! Remember to be leary of any conversation to judge or to blame others, knowing that you are either judging (which only God has the right to do) or empowering and handing authority to that source by your blame! Instead make a practice to pray for those who have wronged us or others (yes, even our enemies). Seek solutions and actions within the level of your own reach to right the wrongs, (supernatural gift of prayer being the biggest and best) so that we can take responsibility and affirmative action! Convince others by your actions, and the results that come from them!

The Laws of Man and The Laws Of God. The Former; Shifting And Convoluted; and the Latter, Perfectly Elegant And Timeless. I just heard someone say you can’t legislate morality! I guess you have to have morals to make moral judgements, so if that is absent, then evil bias becomes the order of the day! The dictionary defines morality as: “1.  Conformity to the rules of right conduct; moral or virtuous conduct. 2.  Moral quality or character. 3.  Virtue in sexual matters; chastity.” The words that reach out and grab me in the above definition is the “rules of right conduct,” “virtuous,” and “character.” I am reminded that Moses was given ten commandments by which we are all to hold sacred to define “virtuous character” and the “rules of right conduct!” For the last 2,400 years we have tried to live by the creed of these “rules” and “virtuous conduct” which dictated kingdoms, governments, societies, religious movements, family conduct, community actions, and personal behavior! In the last one-hundred years–and even more so in the last fifty–we seem to have lost so much of these fundamental, essential character traits that define a civil person and a civil society! It might be worth reminding us of God’s Ten Commandments which carry the World’s Christian movement! I.   “I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt not have any strange gods before Me.”This commandment forbids idolatry, the worship of false gods and goddesses, and it excludes polytheism, the belief in many gods, insisting instead on monotheism, the belief in one God. This commandment forbids making golden calves, building temples to Isis, and worshipping statues of Caesar, for example. II.   “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.”The faithful are required to honor the name of God. It makes sense that if you’re to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, then you’re naturally to respect the name of God with equal passion and vigor. III.  “Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day.”The Jewish celebration of Sabbath (Shabbat) begins at sundown on Friday evening and lasts until sundown on Saturday. Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox Christians go to church on Sunday, treating it as the Lord’s Day instead of Saturday to honor the day Christ rose from the dead. IV.   “Honor thy father and mother.”This commandment obliges the faithful to show respect for their parents — as children and adults. Children must obey their parents, and adults must respect and see to the care of their parents, when they become old and infirm. V.  “Thou shalt not kill.”The better translation from the Hebrew would be “Thou shalt not murder” — a subtle distinction but an important one to the Church. Killing an innocent person is considered murder. Killing an unjust aggressor to preserve your own life is still killing, but it isn’t considered murder or immoral. VI.  “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”The sixth and ninth commandments honor human sexuality. This commandment forbids the actual, physical act of having immoral sexual activity, specifically adultery, which is sex with someone else’s spouse or a spouse cheating on their partner. This commandment also includes fornication, which is sex between unmarried people, prostitution, pornography, homosexual activity, masturbation, group sex, rape, incest, pedophilia, bestiality, and necrophilia. VII.   “Thou shalt not steal.”The seventh and tenth commandments focus on respecting and honoring the possessions of others. This commandment forbids the act of taking someone else’s property. The Catholic Church believes that this commandment also denounces cheating people of their money or property, depriving workers of their just wage, or not giving employers a full day’s work for a full day’s pay. Embezzlement, fraud, tax evasion, and vandalism are all considered extensions of violations of the Seventh Commandment. VIII.   “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.”The Eighth Commandment condemns lying. Because God is regarded as the author of all truth, the Church believes that humans are obligated to honor the truth. The most obvious way to fulfill this commandment is not to lie — intentionally deceive another by speaking a falsehood. So a good Catholic is who you want to buy a used car from. IX.   “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife.”The Ninth Commandment forbids the intentional desire and longing for immoral sexuality. To sin in the heart, Jesus says, is to lust after a woman or a man in your heart with the desire and will to have immoral sex with them. Just as human life is a gift from God and needs to be respected, defended, and protected, so, too, is human sexuality. Catholicism regards human sexuality as a divine gift, so it’s considered sacred in the proper context — marriage. X.  “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods.”The Tenth Commandment forbids the wanting to or taking someone else’s property. Along with the Seventh Commandment, this commandment condemns theft and the feelings of envy, greed, and jealousy in reaction to what other people have. God help us have we lost our way!!!!!​

  True. Straight. Plumb. Flush. Square. Level. Center. God.I hear often the terminology of Work/ Life Balance, and the need to maintain a Healthy dose of each! In the world of martial arts, Balance is talked about in a variety of contexts! The critical importance of staying “rooted” in your stance, so you maintain balance, and are not easily knocked over! You are not “compromised” or overpowered because you have your weight shifted too much to one side and taken down with ease by leverage of your own weight! Also in the world of martial arts, Balance between mind, body and spirit is emphasized, so that you are in unity and harmony with your “chi”! ( Chi refers to Your “core” or in my humble opinion, your soul) Keeping balance in mind body and spirit in the world of martial arts is an essential focus, a central unified balance, in which the ultimate summit of “Enlightenment” is achieved when we “let go” and let the spirit, in harmony with our mind and body unify us with our souls! Every building structure is built on a solid foundation that is “level” or “plumb” which is used to measure and ensure the integrity of the building and its long term longevity and usage! It is said that Water always seeks its own level! We should let the “Peace of Christ” through prayer and Humility allow us to “flow like water” in constant balance and harmony with the universe! When love of God is firmly Centered in our lives, all other decisions become relevant and simple to maintaining that “balance”! May the Lord go before you to show you the right path. May the Lord beside you to embrace and protect you. May the Lord be behind you to guard you from the treachery of evil men. May the Lord be below you to catch you when you fall and free you from the net. May the Lord be in you to console you when you are sad. May the Lord be around you to defend you when others attack you. May the Lord be above you to bless you.  May the good Lord bless you. -Amen-