Links and information for St. Margaret parishioners

Prayers and Useful Information

It’s In The Bible

The phrase “Speak for yourself”, to describe someone who is upset because someone is usurping their rights comes to us from Acts 26:1.

Find It in the Bible

5 Major Ways God Reveals Himself to mankind

1. God Reveals Himself in Nature

• God exists and has great glory - Psalm 19:1-6

• God is all powerful and will exercise judgement. - Romans 1:18-21

2. God Reveals Himself in Providential Care

• God is kind to all people. - Matthew 5:45

• God provides food for everyone.- Acts 14:15-17

• God puts leaders in place and also removes them. - Daniel 2:21

3. God Reveals Himself through Man’s Conscience

• By right living the conscience does not reproach. - Job 27:6

• God instructs all men with the law He placed in their hearts. Romans 2:14-15

4. God Reveals Himself through Christ

• Christ lets us know what the Father is like. - John 1:18

• When you see Christ, you see the Father. - John 14:9

• Christ lets us see His compassion. - Romans 9:15

• God gives eternal life to all who will believe. - John 6:63; 14:10

5. God Reveals Himself through Scripture

• God uses Scripture to give correction and guidance. - 2 Timothy 3:16-17

• God uses men to write the Scriptures guided by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:21

Relevant Radio 1430 AM

Would you like to pray more, to know more about your faith, to be updated with news around the world from a Catholic perspective? Tune into 1430 AM, listen on the free mobile app, or online at relevantradio.com! Relevant Radio is talk radio for Catholic life and a blessing to our area! Be sure to share with your friends, too

Why Do Catholics Do That?

Just before the reading of the Gospel at Mass, the priest touches his head, his mouth, and his breast. Most of the people do it at the same time. What does this mean? The priest and people are (or should be) making a small sign of the cross on their forehead, their lips, and breast. The action is a prayer that the Good News of the Lord, which they are about to hear, may be always in their minds, on their lips and in their heart

Bible Verses about Mercy

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. —Heb 4:16

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”

—Num 6:24-26

But go and learn what this means: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners —Matt 9:13

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. —Psalm 51:1-2

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.

—Psalm 103:8

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved. —Eph 2:4-5

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. —1 Pet 5:10

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. —Titus 2:11-12

Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.—Mic 7:18

He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time. —2 Tim 1:9

Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, Lord, are good. —Psalm 25:6-7

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!

—Isa 30:18

Click here to go to the Divine Mercy Website

Peace!

Whatever your cross.
whatever your pain,
there will always be sunshine,
after the rain...
Perhaps you may stumble,
perhaps even fall,
But God’s always ready,
To answer your call...
He knows every heartache,
sees every tear,
A word from His lips,
can calm every fear...
Your sorrows may linger,
throughout the night,
But suddenly vanish,
in dawn’s early light...
The Savior is waiting,
somewhere above,
To give you His grace,
and send you His love...
Whatever your cross,
whatever your pain,
“God always sends rainbows...
after the rain...”
To get out of difficulty, one must
usually go through it!
God never gives more than you can bear - so bear willingly and
you will rejoice in your rewards!

Heaven and Hell

A holy man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said, “Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like.” The Lord led the holy man to two doors. He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in. In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew, which smelled delicious and made the holy man's mouth water. The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful. But because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths. The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering. The Lord said, “You have seen Hell.”

They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one. There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man's mouth water. The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoon. “It is simple”, said the Lord. 'It requires but one skill. You see they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy think only of themselves.”

Today

My life is a gift of God given, not in years but a day at a time.

Today is the day the Lord has made for me, and He planned it to be the most important day of my life. Yesterday is gone, never to return. I must not worry about it, but leave it in the hands of God.

Tomorrow and all that it holds is God’s secret and its coming is not assured. Only today is mine.

Each day, arranged by God with infinite wisdom and goodness is His gift. His act of love for me.

In thanksgiving I will offer him every day the gift of myself – my prayers, works, joys and sufferings.

Dear Lord, receive it graciously.

Works of Mercy

The Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy are actions we can perform that extend God’s compassion and mercy to those in need.

Corporal Works of Mercy
The Corporal Works of Mercy are these kind acts by which we help our neighbors with their material and physical needs.

feed the hungry
give drink to the thirsty
clothe the naked
shelter the homeless
visit the sick
visit the imprisoned
bury the dead

Spiritual Works of Mercy
The Spiritual Works of Mercy are acts of compassion, as listed below, by which we help our neighbors with their emotional and spiritual needs.

counsel the doubtful
instruct the ignorant
admonish sinners
comfort the afflicted
forgive offenses
bear wrongs patiently
pray for the living and the dead

Angels

The English word “angel” comes from the Greek angelos, which means “messenger.” In the Hebrew Scriptures, with two exceptions, the Hebrew word for angel is malak and also means

“messenger.” Although “angel” nearly always applies to heavenly beings when used in the Bible, it occasionally applies to human messengers. The most significant angel is Gabriel, who appears to Daniel, Zachary and Mary. We celebrate the feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael on September 29. On October 2 we celebrate the feast of our Guardian Angels, who watch over and safeguard all God’s creatures. “No evil shall befall you, no affliction come near your tent, for God commands the angels to guard you in all your ways. With their hands they shall support you, lest you strike your foot against a stone” (Psalm 91:10–12).

10 Ways To Love

1. Promise without forgetting. (Proverbs 13:12)

2. Answer without arguing. (Proverbs 17:1)

3. Listen without interrupting. (Proverbs 18)

4. Give without sparing. (Proverbs 21:26)

5. Trust without wavering. (1 Corinthians 13:7)

6. Share without pretending. (Ephesians 4:15)

7. Enjoy without complaint. (Philippians 2:14)

8. Pray without ceasing. (Colossians 1:9)

9. Forgive without punishing. (Colossians 3:13)

10. Speak without accusing. (James 1:19)

THE MAGIC BANK ACCOUNT

Imagine that you had won the following *PRIZE* in a contest:

Each morning your bank would deposit $86,400 in your private account for your use.

However, this prize has rules:

The set of rules

1. Everything that you didn't spend during each day would be taken away from you.

2. You may not simply transfer money into some other account.

3. You may only spend it.

4. Each morning upon awakening, the bank opens your account withanother $86,400 for that day.

5. The bank can end the game without warning; at any time it can say:Game Over!". It can close the account and you will not receive a new one.

What would you personally do?

You would buy anything and everything you wanted - right? Not only for yourself, but for all the people you love and care for. Even for people you don't know, because you couldn't possibly spend it all on yourself, right? You would try to spend every penny, and use it all, because you knew it would be replenished in the morning, right?

ACTUALLY, This GAME is REAL

Shocked ??? YES! Each of us is already a winner of this *PRIZE*. We just can't seem to see it. The PRIZE is *TIME*

1. Each morning we awaken to receive 86,400 seconds as a giftof life.

2. And when we go to sleep at night, any remaining time is NOTcredited to us.

3. What we haven't used up that day is forever lost.

4. Yesterday is forever gone.

5. Each morning the account is refilled, but the bank can dissolve youraccount at any time WITHOUT WARNING...

SO, what will YOU do with your 86,400 seconds? Those seconds are worth so much more than the same amount in dollars. Think about it and remember to enjoy every second of your life, because time races by so much quicker than you think.

Prayer For Our Military

O Prince of Peace, we humbly ask your protection for all our men and women in military service.

Give them unflinching courage to defend with honor, dignity, and devotion, the rights of all who are imperiled by injustice and evil.

Be their rock, their shield, and their stronghold and let them draw their strength from you.

For you are God, for ever and ever.

Some Definite Service

A Prayer by Cardinal John Henry Newman

God knows me and calls me by my name...

God has created me to do Him some definite service;

He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another.

I have my mission - I may never know it in this life,but I shall be told it in the next.

Somehow I am necessary for His purposes...I have a part in this great work; I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons.

He has not created me for naught. I shall do good, I shall do His work; I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place, while not intending it,

if I do but keep His commandments and serve Him in my calling.

Therefore I will trust Him.

Whatever, wherever I am, I can never be thrown away.

If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him;

In perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him;

If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him.

My sickness, or perplexity, or sorrow may be necessary causes of some great end, which is quite beyond us.

He does nothing in vain, He may prolong my life, He may shorten it; He knows what he is about.

He may take away my friends, He may throw me among strangers, He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide my future from me –still He knows what He is about....

Let me be Thy blind instrument, I ask not to see--

I ask not to know - I ask simply to be used.

Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel

St. Michael the Archangel,

defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.

May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,

and do thou,

O Prince of the heavenly hosts,

by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan,

and all the evil spirits,

who prowl about the world

seeking the ruin of souls. Amen..

O glorious prince St. Michael, chief and commander of the heavenly hosts,

guardian of souls, vanquisher of rebel spirits, servant in the house of the Divine King

and our admirable conductor, you who shine with excellence and superhuman virtue

deliver us from all evil, who turn to you with confidence and enable us by your gracious protection

to serve God more and more faithfully every day.

St. Margaret of Cortona Parish

Serving the Catholic Communities of Little Ferry and Moonachie

in Ministry, Education and Service Since August 24, 1912