praying by days of the week

I recently attended a wonderful mission on the Eucharist presented by the Fathers of Mercy. Establishing Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in our Archdiocese has been a challenge – and the steering committee determined that education on the importance and graces of Adoration would help populate the last few slots of adorers that we need. The mission was a success – not only did we fill our slots but truly, the mission itself was a wonderful experience for all those who attended and for the Archdiocese!

We all can use a good mission on the Eucharist wherever we are in our spiritual needs. I went to confession on the second day of the mission, and the priest, who had a charming story-telling style from the ambo, was even more delightful in confession. I was there early and there weren’t lines yet, so we chatted a bit – and in the course of our exchange he stopped and said, oh, I will teach about that tonight! I had shared a struggle with regular prayer – I could say, a life-long struggle. I hop back and forth from mental prayer to huge disciplines like consecrations and daily commitments to pray a rosary.

Father Jospeh Aytona’s recommendation to pray according to the days of the week appealed to me. I’d heard of this practice before but this time I received it in my heart. The following are his recommendations although you can find different recommendations from other sources. It’s easy to incorporate into my morning prayer routine. In fact, it’s an easy second part to my morning offering. So easy, in fact, that I created a couple of memes to share in the mornings – some sunrise pictures with the day’s prayer theme. I hope you enjoy them – feel free to post them for your friends if you like!

there are some variations in the days*
*sometimes Mondays are listed for the souls in purgatory
*when Mondays are for other devotions, the Angels are included on Tuesdays

Review: Captain Marvel

I finally got around to watching Captain Marvel this weekend, and I must say I found it surprisingly entertaining and funny. At this point, I’ve become so vested in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that I can’t get enough of it. I’m pretty sure the overriding reason for it is the familiarity of the characters and how interconnected they are — especially as we get ready for Avengers: Endgame. This film, set in the 90s, introduces us to Carol Danvers, Captain Marvel, who will come back in the present for Endgame.

I admit that Captain Marvel wasn’t one of the characters I was drawn to as a kid, so I was curious about this film, and how it would not only contribute to the ongoing saga with the Infinity War plot, but on a more personal level, how this character would fit into the model of virtues I have been discussing regarding the Superheroes since the publication of my book, Super Girls and Halos: My Companions on the Quest for Truth, Justice, and Heroic Virtue.

As I watched the film, I paid close attention to Carol Danvers, and the virtue she exhibited. She led with her heart instead of her head, and that got her into trouble early in the film. Without giving away too many spoilers so early in the film’s release, I will say that quality, initially seen as a weakness, ultimately saves her, and of course, on the grand scale, the earth. As an “Avenger” she demonstrates justice — giving (and getting) what is due.

But here I have to depart from the model in my book — rather than find a Saint that exhibits this virtue in a holy way, I want to talk about grace.

When we first see Captain Marvel, she is in training as a Kree warrior. Her mentor tells her that she is becoming the best version of herself possible.

Isn’t that what we all aspire to?

Fast forward through crash landings on earth, surprise twists, and the realization that her trusted mentor is actually her enemy, and Captain Marvel must face the limitations of her humanity — and the amazing gift of superpowers.

Her mentor tells her early in the film that these powers are an unearned gift, given to her by the Kree. I immediately thought that grace functions the same way. We don’t do anything to earn it, we receive it as a gift from God.

I like that this idea is somehow an implicit part of this character. Captain Marvel recognizes that she is a work in progress, if not moving toward holiness, at least moving toward the best person she can be. We, too, are moving toward this perfection, but we can’t do it alone. The gift of grace, however, unites us to God in an intimate way that helps prepare us for our best, holiest, sanctified selves for heaven.

Pin It on Pinterest