PRAYER TO THE BLACK MADONNA OF CZESTOCHOWA FOR LIFE

O Blessed Virgin Mary, Chaste Mother of God, Immaculate Virgin, into your hands we entrust the great cause of protecting the civilisation of life and love.

We live in a difficult time of a massive global attack by the civilisation of death. Very many innocent people are perishing – unborn children, the aged and the sick. The number of victims already exceeds two billion human beings. Each day an additional 50 thousand children die in their mother’s womb. Many people do not want to have any children at all. Means of destroying fertility and life are becoming more and more common.

Infertility of married couples is increasing. The human child is becoming a product of modern technology, a donor of cells and organs. Children “are produced” with designated attributes, subject to selection. Hundreds of thousands of frozen embryos are preserved between life and death in liquid nitrogen. International man-made law denies legal protection to the life of the unborn child. More and more countries are legalising euthanasia. The attack on marriage and the family is increasing.

O Holy Mother, we promise you that we will defend human life, especially the small and defenceless, with all our strength. We stand before you, Mother of Our Redeemer, fully aware that alone we are unable to win that global struggle.

Stand at the forefront of the defence-of-life movements and lead us. Protect life! Save the family! Strengthen us! Obtain from your Son the victory of the civilisation of life and love! Amen.

(One decade of the Rosary)

 

BIBLE READING WHEN GOING THROUGH A DIFFICULT TIME: PSALM 23

“…THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD.

The shepherd is the most important person in the lives of the sheep, just as Jesus should be the most important person in our lives. God uses the imagery of this psalm to show us how careless we are, how materialistic we are, that we often prefer to look down to the things of this world rather than look up to the spiritual world offered to us by our Good Shepherd, the One who gives up His life in sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins.

When we prayerfully read this psalm line by line we realise that through the words God tells us about relationship, supply, rest, refreshment, healing, guidance, purpose, testing, protection, faithfulness, discipline, hope, consecration, abundance, blessing, security and eternity. It really is a wonderful psalm for us to read often and get comfort from. I often say to people who are going through a difficult time, read this psalm. Here are the words for your prayerful reading. Why not read the psalm one line at a time and leave some space after each line for your thoughts.

‘The Lord is my shepherd
there is nothing I shall want.
Fresh and green are the pastures
where he gives me repose.
Near restful waters he leads me
to revive my drooping spirit.
He guides me along the right path;
he is true to his name.
If I should walk in the valley of darkness
no evil would I fear.
You are there with your crook and your staff;
with these you give me comfort.
You have prepared a banquet for me
in the sight of my foes.
My head you have anointed with oil;
my cup is overflowing.
Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me
all the days of my life.
In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell
for ever and ever.'”
– from: “Spiritual Thought from Fr Chris”