*Touch the Floor..........April 30

The best form of spiritual exercise

is to touch the floor regularly

with your knees…

unknown author

*St. Catherine of Siena Feast Day..........April 29

"If you are what you should be,

you will set the whole world on fire."

St. Catherine of Siena

Last years holy card of St. Catherine

Read about St. Catherine of Siena

*Feast of St. Louis de Montfort..........April 28

“Never will anyone who says his Rosary every day

be led astray.

This is a statement

that I would gladly sign with my blood.”

St. Louis de Montfort

To read about St. Louis de Montfort

This is also the feast day of St. Gianna.

http://www.saintgianna.org/

(hope to have her card for next years post)

St. Gianna, pray for us.

St Gianna Beretta Molla
Wife, Mother, Doctor, Martyr,
Italy (1922-1962)
FEAST DAY - April 28

Thank you Janette.

*Holy Spirit..........April 27

"O eternal Trinity,

You are a deep sea in which the more I seek

the more I find,

and the more I find,

the more I seek to know You. "

Saint Catherine of Siena

Translation of Italian words ...

"O Holy Spirit, fill my heart with Thy precious gifts.

Grant me wisdom, understanding, counsel,

fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord --

to overcome the trials of life successfully."

*"As the deer longs..." ..........April 26

"As the deer longs for streams of water,

so my soul longs for you, O God.

My being thirsts for God,

the living God.

When can I go and see

the face of God?"

Psalm 42

*Feast of St. Mark Evangelist..........April 25

"For what shall it profit a man,

if he shall gain the whole world,

and lose his own soul?"

St. Mark, 8. 36

Read about St Mark

*See Christ in Everyone..........April 24

"Christ is hidden

under the suffering appearance

of anyone who is hungry,

naked,

homeless,

or dying."

Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Translation of French words ...

"Under the features of the poor man whom you serve ...

"RECOGNIZE JESUS.

"He will recognize you at death and will grant Heaven to you as a reward."

*What is Faith?..........April 23

"Faith is to believe what you do not see;
the reward of this faith
is to see what you believe."

St. Augustine

Here is the meaning of the card's French words ...[Around the ciborium:]"Jesus in the Tabernacle ... Consolation for All"

[At the bottom:]"Jesus Christ is the God of all consolation."

*All things Prayer..........April 22

"He prayeth best who loveth best

All things both great and small,

For the dear God who loveth us,

He made and loveth all."

S.T. Coleridge

painting by Margaret W. Tarrant

*Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep.........April 21

Now I lay me down to sleep,

I pray the Lord my soul to keep;

If I should die before I wake

I pray the Lord my soul to take.

OR:

Now I lay me down to sleep,

I pray the Lord my soul to keep.

Angels watch me through the night,

And wake me with the morning light.

This is not a holy card but a postcard.

It is special to me because I had a dog

as a child that looks just like this one.

"God bless Mommy, Daddy, Tommy, Buddy and "Silver"

.

*Fruits...............April 20

>div>

"The fruit of silence is prayer,
the fruit of prayer is faith,
the fruit of faith is love,
the fruit of love is service,
the fruit of service is peace."

Favorite quote of Bl. Mother of Teresa

*Feast of Divine Mercy.........April 19

REPEAT - ENCORE

CARD USED BEFORE

When it works, it's worth repeating.

"God is very generous

and does not deny His grace to anyone.

Indeed He gives more than what we ask of Him.
Faithfulness to the inspirations
of the Holy Spirit—
that is the shortest route. "

Sister Faustina

“At three o’clock, implore my mercy especially for sinners; and, if only for a brief moment, steep yourself in My passion, particularly in My abandonment at the moment of agony. This is the hour of great mercy for the whole world…In this hour, I will refuse nothing to that soul that makes a request of Me in virtue of My Passion, for at that moment, mercy was opened wide for every soul…at that hour, grace came to pass for the whole world...Mercy triumphed over Justice."

*Backload.............April 18

"THE OLD SERVANT has completed his sheaf.

Heaven awaits him!

YOUNG SERVANT, hasten.

One knows not the day nor the hour!"

(thank you John for translation of holy card)

*Confirmation..........April 17

Confirmation

"The Spirit comes gently and makes himself
known by his fragrance.
He is not felt as a burden, for he is light, very light.
Rays of light and knowledge stream before Him
as He approaches.
The Spirit comes with the tenderness
of a true friend and protector
to save, to heal, to teach, to counsel, to strength, to console."

St. Cyril of Jerusalem

*Seek Him Before Your Final Hour..April 16

(double click to enlarge picture)

"Sometimes God has to allow trouble
in our lives before we will seek Him.
Multitudes of people never begin to think of their sins
or of their need of salvation
until the hour of pain, sickness, bereavement or death."

Anonymous

The following can be read under "comments", thanks to John who translates and adds so much to this blog.

Not everyone reads comments so I am happy to add all the information here for you to enjoy.

[At the top:]"Christian practices for advancement in piety:The Grace of Poor Health"[On the crosses:]"Boredom ... Acute pain ... Sleeplessness ... Bitterness ... Physical and moral collapse"[On the beam of light, indicating the thoughts of the sufferer:]"Yes, my God!"[At the bottom:]"Be happy with God. Be gladdened in all things in God. Lose awareness of all your difficulties in the act and attitude of filial abandonment and of supernatural contentment provided to the soul that approves and accepts what God wills and does."[The quotation is attributed to "P. de Ravignan," about whom I was able to find the following:Father Gustave Xavier Lacroix de Ravignan (1795-1858) was a French Jesuit priest, author, and famous preacher. He had been a prominent soldier and lawyer in Paris before entering a seminary at the age of 27. He became a preacher of missions and retreats in France, Italy, Belgium, and England. He was devoted to the confessional, the direction of souls, apologetics, conferences for noble ladies, and familiar talks to the poor. Thousands of mourners followed the body of this 'Apostle of Paris' to his gravesite.]

.

*Come Follow Me.............April 15

Prayer for Vocations to the Priesthood

Lord Jesus, who in your pilgrimage along the roads of Palestine,
chose and called the apostles
and entrusted to them their task of preaching the Gospel,
feeding the faithful and celebrating divine worship,
ensure that today, too,
your Church may not lack numerous holy priests,
who can bring to all the fruits of your death and resurrection.

(Pope John Paul II , Message for Vocations Sunday 2001)

*Pray...............April 14

"Talk to Him, soon as you open your eyes,
Thank Him for every new day,
Tell Him you love Him, throughout every hour,
Don't be too busy to pray......."

Grace E. Easley from MARY'S CALL, GLORY TO THE TRINITY

French Translation:

"The Eucharist is the Heart of a God who is watchful. It is our strength. It is our joy. It is our salvation."

*Good Shepherd..........April 13

He Shepherds and Gives

"Find out how much God has given you

and from it take what you need;

the remainder is needed by others."

Saint Augustine

"I am the good Shepherd. I give my life for my sheep."

*Easter..........April 12

"Tomb, thou shalt not hold Him longer:
Death is strong, but life is stronger;
Stronger than the dark, the light;
Stronger than the wrong, the right;
Faith and hope triumphant say,
Christ will rise on Easter Day.

Phillips Brooks

BLESSINGS AND JOY TO ALL WHO SPEND A FEW MINUTES HERE ON MY HOLY CARD BLOG.

IT IS MY GREAT PLEASURE TO SHARE WITH

YOU AND PLEASE KNOW I GET SO MUCH BACK FROM YOU.

HAPPY EASTER .

*Fourteenth Station of the Cross.....April 11

Jesus is Laid in the Tomb

He who came into the world poor and lowly,

and had not even a place where to rest His Head,

could not be buried in His own grave,

because He was not of this world.

We have joined you, O Jesus, on the Way of the Cross.

The hours of suffering are over, "It is finished."

From the hill of the Skull we move to the garden of burial.

When I receive Thee into my heart in Holy Communion,

O Jesus,

make it a fit abiding place for thy adorable Body.

Many of the words used in these past 14 posts have been taken

from other sources.

THE WAY OF THE CROSS - used at St. Peter's Church, Ft. Wayne, IN

STATIONS OF THE CROSS - A SCRIPTURAL VERSION - Fr. Albert Judy, O.P.

A SHORT WAY OF THE CROSS - used by The Franciscan Fathers on their Missions

.

*Thirteenth Station of the Cross.........April 10

The Body of Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross

Receive me into they arms, O Sorrowful Mother;

and obtain for me perfect contrition for my sins.

O Mother of Sorrows, teach me to be faithful to Your Son until the last

and to bear willingly my trials as You have done.

*Twelfth Station of the Cross..........April 9

Jesus Dies on the Cross

Crucified with two criminals, a sign saying "Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews," chief priests, scribes and elders continue their mockery, yet Mary and the faithful women stand in silence. At last Jesus cried out with a loud voice and said, "Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit."

Having said this He expired

They have pierced His hands and His feet. We can count all His bones. They look on Him and

gloat. They divide His garments among themselves, and for His vesture they cast lots.

*Eleventh Station of the Cross..........April 8

Jesus is Nailed to the Cross

"I have no more strength than a few drops of water.

All my bones are out of joint;

my heart is like melted wax.

My strength has dried up like a broken clay pot,

and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth." (Psalm 22:14)

You forgave Your enemies.

Teach me to forgive injuries and FORGET them.

*Tenth Station of the Cross.........April 7

Jesus is Stripped of His Garments

What was left? His honor was shattered in the courtyard by the soldiers' taunts;

His strength was left behind in every step on the death-march.

Only His sense of modesty remained,

and now, that too, is torn away with His clothing.

He suffered this shame and disgrace to atone for the sins of immodesty and impurity.

Lord, give me the grace to keep my soul pure and free from the taint of impurity and vice.

*Ninth Station of the Cross..........April 6

Jesus Falls A Third Time

Utterly exhausted from loss of blood and His toilsome journey, Jesus arrives at the foot of Mount Calvary and falls a third time. With a painful effort He rises and staggers up the slope of the mountain.

Obedient unto death.

Be not afraid of the sacrifices nor sufferings, when God's Holy Will and Law require it.

Keep me from a total collapse of spirit Lord. Let me remember

"Strength is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor.12)

*Eighth Station of the Cross..........April 5

Jesus Comforts the Women of Jerusalem

"Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not over Me, but weep for yourselves and your children, for if this be done in the green wood, what shall be done in the dry?"

Consider the dreadful doom to fall upon impenitent sinners, who will be cast by the Eternal Judge like dry and useless wood into everlasting fire.

Are we fresh, new, green wood or dry, useless and sinful?

*Seventh Station of the Cross..........April 4

Jesus Falls the Second Time

Carrying the burden of our sins beneath the heavy cross,

Jesus falls again.

Resolve not to sin again.

Jesus, I beg for Your mercy.

I ask You to hold out Your Divine Hand

to steady and bear me up

so I may not fall again into serious sin.

.

*Sixth Station of the Cross.........April 3

Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus

Legend tells us a gospel message.

Be not afraid to break from the mobs and unbelievers

to confess your belief and love for Christ.

Print deep into my heart the image and memory of Your bleeding Face

and bitter Passion

that I may never disfigure my soul,

which You have created by the grace of Your Redemption.

*Fifth Station of the Cross..........April 2

Simon of Cyrene - Forced to Help Jesus Carry the Cross

"Why me?" asks Simon.

When we are asked to carry a burden, we too say,

"Why me?"

The grace of our merciful Savior touched the soul of Simon, so that he became afterwards His faithful disciple. There is the grace of salvation, peace and sanctification for our soul when we carry our cross with Jesus.

*Fourth Station of the Cross..........April 1

Jesus Meets His Blessed Mother

"....and a sword will pierce your own soul too" (Lk.2)

Let my Lenten sacrifices aid in the sufferings

of both mother and son

incurred on the road to execution.