“Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 

– 1 Peter 5:8

 

Meditation

How far am I willing to go to fight spiritually for my family?

The spiritual war that is waging over every family is much more fierce and the stakes are infinitely higher than even the most brutal war in human history. If that is the case, are you willing to engage in the spiritual battle over your family? To what extent?

Katie Hartfiel discusses how she wrote the book Woman in Love for young women after she was convicted as a teenager to pray intensely for her “husband to be” before they had even met. Now, she explains how that fervent prayer must continue into married life!

Live It! Tip of the Week: Pray for your spouse every single day.  Consider it spiritual warfare. The battle ground is your family.

Next week, we will hear about a specific way that we can pray for our families.

Prayer

St. Michael the Archangel
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness
and snares of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou,
O Prince of the heavenly hosts,
by the power of God,
cast into hell Satan,
and all the evil spirits,
who prowl about the world
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen

 “Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end the earth I call to thee, when my heart is faint. Lead thou me to the rock that is higher than I; for thou
art my refuge.” 

– Psalm 61:1-3

Meditation
During the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey and Irma and the devastating flooding and destruction everyone is under increased tension. Tension effects couples. After Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005 divorces increased – “the Katrina divorces.”

Here’s a few quick tips to help with tension personally and in marriages.

• Personal Prayer – it reduces fear and anxiety and increases empathy and compassion. It also gives us the grace to handle the most difficult situations.
• Anytime you get especially stressed out, let it be a trigger. Take a deep breathe and send your spouse a text that you love her. When you’re stressed, so something nice for someone else. It will end up comforting you as well!
• Give compliments: “A compliment a day helps to keep the divorce lawyer away.” Remember, your spouse is working as hard as you are. Thank her for her effort.
• Do spontaneous acts of kindness – such as flowers, a cup of coffee, chocolates, etc.
• Tell your wife you love her several times a day and why you love her.
• Eat dinner together.
• Start a “memory conversation” where you recall a special moment in your life together as a couple. When you remember, the brain reactivates the positive neurochemicals associated with the original moment.

Live It! Tip of the Week: Be the change your marriage and family needs.  Amidst the storms around us, try to find God’s presence in your spouse and children. Bring them joy in the little things.

Prayer
Incline thy ear, O Lord, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
Preserve my life, for I am godly;
save thy servant who trusts in thee.
Thou art my God; be gracious to me, O Lord,
for to thee do I cry all the day.
Gladden the soul of thy servant,
for to thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
For thou, O Lord, art good and forgiving,
abounding in steadfast love to all who call on thee.
Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
hearken to my cry of supplication.
In the day of my trouble I call on thee,
for thou dost answer me.
– Psalm 86

“And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.”
–Luke 1:45

Meditation

The Church celebrates three birthdays: the birth of Mary, the birth of John the Baptist, and the birth of Jesus. Those are the three people born in human history that Church recognizes as born without the stain of Original Sin.

The Feast of Mary’s Nativity is near and dear to TMIY, because the That Man is You! program first met on Sept. 8, 2004—Mary’s birthday. For that reason, we dedicated TMIY to her from it’s outset. What we didn’t realize until later is that the first meeting also fell on a Wednesday—the day dedicated to Saint Joseph. St. Joseph likes to remain hidden, but is he always right there with Mary. In a very profound way, we attribute the fruitfulness of TMIY to Our Lady and Saint Joseph.

Live It! Practical Tip of the Week: If you would like to do something for God, get close to Our Lady and Saint Joseph. They will help give birth to that desire in your heart, and they’ll help give birth to that reality in the world. Through you, God can do great things.

Prayer

Mary, Mother of Jesus, give me your heart so beautiful, so pure, so immaculate, that I may be able to receive Jesus in the Bread of Life, love Him as you loved Him.

Amen.

From http://www.catholicscomehome.org/your-questions/church-teachings/mary-the-saints/

“Let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”
-Romans 13:13-14

Meditation

St. Augustine was not born a saint. His Confessions tell of the myriad of sins he committed from youth into his early adulthood.

Even so, Augustine knew deep down that the life he was leading was not what God had intended for him—it was during this time that he famously prayed, “Grant me chastity and continence, but not yet.”

If we are honest with ourselves, sometimes the prayers we pray are not terribly different. We want to experience spiritual progress, but we are not ready to give up certain comforts or pleasures.

In order to dedicate our lives totally God, we have to name those things that are holding us back from him. We have to beg for God’s grace. Most of all, we must be truly willing to actively pursue God.

Live It! Tip of the Week: Identify the things in your life that are holding you back from God. Confess them, receive God’s grace, and be willing to cut those sins out of your life. No more tomorrow, tomorrow. Today is the day!

Prayer

“Speak that I may hear, O Lord; my heart is listening; open it that it may hear you, and say to my soul: ‘I am your salvation.’ After hearing this word, may I come in haste to take hold of you. Hide not your face from me.”
–From “Act of Hope” by St. Augustine

“And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
-Acts 20:32

Meditation

Like we said a few weeks ago —vocations do not fall from a tree! Statistics suggest there’s something that can be done to help foster vocations at the parish level.

A staggering 80% of the seminarians in Houston came from the 20% of parishes that promote vocations. That should jolt us all! What can we do to help foster vocations in our own parishes?

Rhonda Gruenwald’s book, Hundredfold, and the website www.vocationministry.com serve as ‘how-tos’ for prayer and vocation promotion at your parish. Whether you want to pursue vocational ministry through prayer, an apostolate, or any other format, it’s all laid out in a simple way through those resources. The best part: it can all be done by lay people with the guidance of a priest!

Live It! Practical Tip of the Week: Begin praying for vocations from
your parish!

Prayer

Father you call each one of us by name and ask us to follow you.

Bless your church by raising up dedicated and generous leaders from our families and friends who will serve your people as Sisters, Priests, Brothers, Deacons, and Lay Ministers.

Inspire us as we grow to know you, and open our hearts to hear your call.

We ask this in Jesus name,
Amen.

“And he said to them, “When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to
the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took
her to his own home.”
-John 19:26-27

Meditation
“Disciple, behold your mother.” The Church has always recognized that Jesus didn’t say “John, behold your mother,” but “Disciple.” If you are a disciple of Jesus Christ, you have received Mary as your mother. The Assumption of Mary seals this motherhood for all disciples.

The Blessed Virgin Mary had such profound faith that even when she saw her son being crucified before her, she knew that there would be a resurrection. Because all disciples are Mary’s spiritual children, we know that she cares for us in the same way.

When you are going through a difficult moment in your life, you have a mother in Mary who loves you and has the faith to pray for your
resurrection as well.

Live It! Tip of the Week: Stay close to Mary, and know that when you are in the midst of a crucifixion, she is already praying for your resurrection.

Prayer

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me.
Amen.

 

“And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
-Matthew 4:19-20

Meditation
What can we practically do to encourage vocations for our children?

We need to encourage them to have a personal relationship with Jesus.
One way that we can encourage that relationship is by encouraging them in prayer. Prayer is so important because it gives Jesus plenty of time
to speak to them.

Another great, practical way to encourage vocations is by asking your kids not what they are going to do, but how they are going to serve. This language opens them up to thinking about vocation instead of just career paths.  At the end of the day, if God wants our ultimate happiness, he will bring us to that through our vocation, whether that’s through marriage and a career, or entrance into the priesthood or religious life.

Finally, always speak kindly about priests and religious life, and if possible, try to have a relationship with them! Invite your parish priest or any religious life at your parish to dinner in your home. Allow your children to spend time with them so that they can see the joy of saying “yes!” to the Lord.

Live It! Tip of the Week: Try to make it a habit to pray with your children
every night.

Prayer
Father you call each one of us by name and ask us to follow you.

Bless your church by raising up dedicated and generous leaders from our families and friends who will serve your people as Sisters, Priests, Brothers, Deacons, and
Lay Ministers.

Inspire us as we grow to know you, and open our hearts to hear your call.

We ask this in Jesus name, Amen.

“But as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct;
since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’”
-1 Peter 1:15-16

Meditation
86% of newly ordained priests say that they come from an intact family that keeps the sacraments close.

Vocations do not grow from trees; they grow from a family that stays close to The Sacraments. Rhonda Gruenewald, author of Hundredfold: A Guide to Parish Vocation Ministry, is a dynamic speaker and leader in the Church. She runs vocationministry.com and travels around the world helping parishes create a vocation awareness environment. Rhonda tells us that the job of parents is to guide their children to keep The Sacraments close, to pray constantly for their children, and to encourage an ever growing relationship with Jesus.

If this happened in all Catholic households, the vocation crisis that people keep talking about would no longer be an issue. What we are seeing now is that families are not intentionally answering the universal call to holiness.

We all must strive to answer that universal call to holiness for ourselves,
so that we can raise children who are ready to answer Jesus when he
calls them.

Live It! Tip of the Week: In addition to going to Mass every week, work to make it to confession once a month as a family.

Prayer
Father you call each one of us by name and ask us to follow you.

Bless your church by raising up dedicated and generous leaders from our families and friends who will serve your people as Sisters, Priests, Brothers, Deacons, and Lay Ministers.

Inspire us as we grow to know you, and open our hearts to hear your call.

We ask this in Jesus name, Amen.

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and
thanksgivings be made for all men, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way.”
-1 Timothy 2: 1-2

Meditation
When Steve and his wife Shelly were preparing to get married, they decided that they wanted to consecrate their wedding to Mary. To do this, they planned to bring a statue of Mary into the sanctuary. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, the pastor at the time would not allow them to bring Our Lady into their wedding.

Shelly was not ready to take no for an answer. She decided to make a deal with Mary’s parents, Sts. Anne and Joachim. Watch this week’s Live It! video for an amazing story of the power of intercessory prayer.

Live It! Tip of the Week: Ask for intercession for something that has been weighing on you. Don’t be afraid to ask the saints for some help. They want to pray for you!

Prayer
My family is the heart of my life. It is my little Church. Saint Anne, guard the members of my family against all physical and spiritual danger.
You lived in the presence of your husband Joachim and your little daughter Mary. Later, you welcomed your son-in-law, Saint Joseph, and above all your beloved Grandson Jesus, our Saviour.
May your family inspire our families. May we remain united in a deep mutual love. If my family is broken by separation or divorce, remain for us the Saint of tenderness and lead us to God.
Saint Anne, you were a spouse, a mother, and a grandmother; bless all the members of my family. Keep us faithful to the Lord.
May we remain attentive to the needs of other families. Protect all families. Amen.
-Text from a prayer card from the Shrine of Sainte Anne de Beaupré in Quebec, Canada.

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up.”
-1 Thessalonians 5:11

Meditation
Fidelity to your spouse doesn’t stop with sexuality. The emotional and intellectual connection is very important as well.

The Hermanns schedule couple dialogue time to make sure that their emotional and intellectual needs are being met. When they are not
connected to each other intellectually and emotionally, they do not feel connected to God.

That emotional and intellectual connection feeds into the physical connection between a couple as well. When a couple doesn’t take time to understand one another’s emotional and intellectual needs, it can lead to a feeling of being used within the physical aspects of the marriage. The opposite is also true: when the emotional and intellectual relationship is strong, overall intimacy is much stronger.

Live It! Practical Tip for the Week: Schedule time every night, whether that’s 10 minutes before bed or a full blown “date night,” to talk to each other to make sure that you are able to meet your spouse’s emotional and
intellectual needs.

Prayer
O God, we want to live our life together with you and always to continue it with you. Help us never to hurt and never to grieve each other. Help us to share all our works, all our hopes, all our dreams, all our successes, all our failures, all our joys and all our sorrows. Help us to have no secrets from each other so that we may be truly one. Keep us always true to each other, and grant that all the years ahead may draw us ever closer to each other. Grant that nothing may ever come between us and nothing may ever make us ever drift apart. And as we live with each other, help us to live with you, so that our love may grow perfect in your love, for you are the God whose name is love. This we ask for your love’s sake. Amen