Litany of Mary, in praise of Mary, Mother of God
Blessed be the name of the Virgin Mary now and forever.
Prayers for Epiphany and Home Blessing
Leader:
Peace be to this house.
All: And to all who live here.
Leader:
Bless, O Lord,
this household and family,
and allow all of us who live in this home
to find in it a shelter of peace and health.
Inspire each of us to develop
our individual talents
and to contribute wisdom and good works
for the benefit of the whole family.
Make our house a haven for us all,
and a place of warmth and caring
for all our friends who come to visit us.
Enlighten us with the brilliance
of your Epiphany star,
so that, as we go into the world,
we might clearly see our way to You
and discover You in our work and play.
This we ask to your glory
and in the power of your kingship.
All: For yours is the kingdom and the power
and the glory now and forever, Amen.
Then, bless the house with the sign of the cross.
After
the blessing,
the initials of the Magi
(traditional names: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar)
are written with chalk over the main door way of the house, like this:
20 + C + M + B + 08
(the + is a cross; the "08" stands for 2008;
change the year accordingly).
Adapted from commonly used parish prayer
An Epiphany Prayer
to whom be glory forever. Amen.
Prayers for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
Read
"The origin and foundation of Christian Baptism is Jesus. Before starting his public ministry, Jesus submitted himself to the baptism given by John the Baptist. The waters did not purify him; he cleansed the waters. . . Jesus did not need to be baptized because he was totally faithful to the will of his Father and free from sin. However, he wanted to show his solidarity with human beings in order to reconcile them to the Father. By commanding his disciples to baptize all nations, he established the means by which people would die to sin.
In Baptism, the Holy Spirit moves us to answer Christ's call to holiness. In Baptism, we are asked to walk by the light of Christ and to trust in his wisdom. We are invited to submit our hearts to Christ with ever deeper love." —United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, pp. 184-185
Reflect
"In the one Body of Christ, all the members share 'a common dignity' so that 'no inequality arising from race or nationality, social condition or sex' exists, for all are one in Christ (Lumen Gentium [Dogmatic Constitution on the Church], no. 32)." — Sacraments and Social Mission, "Baptism," pg. 3
Pray
Pray in thanksgiving for a child in your family today.
Act
At the start of this year, think about ways that you can bring more of Christ's light to the world.
Prayers for the Unborn
Almighty
God, our Father,
you who have given us life
and intended us to have it forever,
grant us your blessings.
Enlighten our minds to an awareness
and to a renewed conviction
that all human life is sacred
because it is created
in your image and likeness.
Help us to teach by word
and the example of our lives
that life occupies the first place,
that human life is precious
because it is the gift of God
whose love is infinite.
Give us the strength to defend human life
against every influence
or action that threatens or weakens it,
as well as the strength
to make every life more human
in all its aspects.
Give us the grace...
When the sacredness of life
before birth is attacked,
to stand up and proclaim
that no one ever has the authority
to destroy unborn life.
When a child is described as a burden
or is looked upon only as a means
to satisfy an emotional need,
to stand up
and insist that every child is a unique
and unrepeatable gift of God,
a gift of God
with a right to a loving
and united family.
When the institution of marriage
is abandoned to human selfishness
or reduced to a temporary conditional arrangement
that can easily be terminated,
to stand up and affirm
the indissolubility of the marriage bond.
When the value of the family is threatened
because of social and economic pressure,
to stand up and reaffirm
that the family is necessary
not only for the private good of every person,
but also for the common good of every society,
nation and state.
When freedom is used to dominate the weak,
to squander natural resources and energy,
to deny basic necessities to people,
to stand up and affirm
the demands of justice and social love.
Almighty Father,
give us courage to proclaim the supreme dignity
of all human life and to demand
that society itself give its protection.
We ask this in your name,
through the redemptive act
of your Son and in the Holy Spirit.
Amen.