MARCH RESOURCES

Spiritual Fruit: Gentleness

Gift of the Holy Spirit: Reverence (Fear of the Lord)

Exemplifying the Fruit of Gentleness:  St. Joseph, March 19
Link to meditation on St. Joseph here: Meditation on Saint Joseph.  You may print out and read it for the cenacle as a meditation. Feel free to edit as appropriate).

Exemplifying the Gift of Reverence: Saint Tarcissus Link to his story here: Saint Tarcissus, and Blessed Maria Candida, March 21. Link to bio here: St. Maria Candida

Week 1: Matthew 11:28-30
Week 2: Colossians 3:12-17
Week 3: 1 Peter 3:13-22
Week 4: Hebrews 12:14-29
Week 5 (if needed or may be used as a substitute reading): Proverbs 1:1-9

(said in addition to the other opening prayers to the Holy Spirit)
“Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy. Amen.”

(To be used for the final prayer of the Cenacle)

Heavenly Father, in this month of March, we ask you to send your Holy Spirit in its cleansing power and evangelical purpose upon Our Nation and especially upon the people of the Diocese of Kalamazoo. We pray for our Bishop Paul that he may be ever more effective in his ministry and mission to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to the people of our diocese, and we also pray that, when the time comes, the Holy Spirit will appoint a worthy successor who will protect the flock, proclaim the Truth, and be an efficacious proclaimant of the gospel. We ask the Holy Spirit in this month to increase within us your fruit, especially gentleness, in order to better model the compassionate and gentle Heart of Jesus as we unite our joys, difficulties, and sufferings to him for the salvation of others and ourselves. We also beseech you to activate in us the gift of reverence, that proper fear of your divine majesty that enables us to recognize your awesome, infinite goodness, especially in the sending of your Son to save us not from sins he committed, but in his perfect innocence to die for ours as the Spotless Victim, whom we do not deserve, but who in his Divine Mercy loves us infinitely. We ask this through the same Jesus Christ Our Lord who lives and reigns, God forever and ever, amen.