What is This Saint of the Year Devotion All About?


This isn't superstition. St. Faustina and her religious order did the same thing!

I would like to explain to you about the practice of picking a saint at random to be your “holy protector and intercessor” for the year. Actually, the saint is the one who chooses us though.The tradition of letting a saint “pick you,”is not a new one. St. Faustina wrote about it in her diary, "Divine Mercy in My Soul".
The excerpt is below. . .

“There is a custom among us of drawing by lot, on New Year's Day, special Patrons for ourselves for the whole year. In the morning, during meditation, there arose within me a secret desire that the Eucharistic Jesus be my special Patron for this year also, as in the past. But, hiding this desire from my Beloved, I spoke to Him about everything else but that. When we came to refectory for breakfast, we blessed ourselves and began drawing our patrons. When I approached the holy cards on which the names of the patrons were written, without hesitation I took one, but I didn't read the name immediately as I wanted to mortify myself for a few minutes. Suddenly, I heard a voice in my soul: ‘I am your patron. Read.’ I looked at once at the inscription and read, ‘Patron for the Year 1935 - the Most Blessed Eucharist.’ My heart leapt with joy, and I slipped quietly away from the sisters and went for a short visit before the Blessed Sacrament,where I poured out my heart. But Jesus sweetly admonished me that I should be at that moment together with the sisters. I went immediately in obedience to the rule.”

Excerpt from "Divine Mercy in My Soul, the Diary of St. Faustina"

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Some people find it difficult to pray. Here are a few ideas that could help ...
 
Imagine prayer as a grand old chat with a very dear friend. You'd tell him or her all your bits of news, what's worrying you or what's happening in your life. You'd probably apologize for not keeping in better contact or for neglecting to do something they needed doing, or for losing your temper with them, or whatever.

Now picture that friend as the Lord. Talk to Him just as you would to your old friend. He waits for us every minute of the day to speak to Him. Often our prayers are mechanical and said by rote. We use novenas and prayers so often that we sometimes forget that we should be speaking them as if to our friend and even staying silent at times to listen too.

Lovely simple prayers which can be repeated over and over again are little aspirations whispered throughout the day to help us keep the mind God-focused,
 
here are just a few:

"Lord, in Your Mercy hear my prayer"

"I give you my heart God, use it as You will"

"In You O Lord do I place my trust"

"My God, I love You"

"Lord I believe, help my unbelief!"
"My Lord and my God"

"O God have mercy on me a sinner"

"Jesus Mercy, Mary help"

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner"

"Jesus meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine"

"Blessed be Jesus, true God and true Man"

"Sacred Heart of Jesus I place all my trust in Thee"

"Alleluia Lord"

"Amen Lord"

By getting into the habit of whispering these little prayers during the day we start to open a channel directly to God. This in turn frees us to be able to have the real conversations, the proper chats, the serious discussions. But remember the old saying - we have 2 ears and only 1 mouth! In silence, relax and listen too. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you in your heart.
 
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