The LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

"The ideal in prayer is to simplify it to the point where you no longer need a subject to pray about. 

     >"Father, in the Name of Jesus, give me your Spirit" - Jn. 16:23-25

       "in the Name of the Lord Jesus" Col. 3:17.  

You sense that these words of Paul could unify your life in continual prayer. This is the reason why you should rediscover this basic traditional attitude of the middle East, as Christianity was and is a middle Eastern religion. 

When you stay on the surface of the world, you are torn apart by departures and quarrels. All this belongs to the deceptive aspect of the surface.  Leave the surface and cross the visible outward areas to be with people from within.  The deeper you go into God, the less you are conscious of the distance travelled. 

Progress in prayer means a steady impoverishment.  In other areas, progress means adding a new friend, etc. whereas in prayer everything is gradually reduced to a single insight or a few word(s) or Name endlessly repeated. 

It's a wonder, a privilege to call God Father and to use that 'little' word "our" to embrace all of God's Children.  From wherever we pray, we reach up to the throne of heaven and reach out to believers in "every tribe and language and people and nations" (Rev. 5:9).  God sees, God hears, God knows, God comes, God delivers" - Ex. 3:7-8.  

This is the 'work', joy, hope and wonderment of Nazareth House Apostolate and the World Prayer Corp, i.e. to Pray the Lord's Prayer." - Seraphim 

Doubts

These words on "doubt" from Catherine Doherty: 

Feeling on the Verge of Catastrophe 

“You fence me in, behind and in front, you have laid your hand upon me... 

Where shall I go to escape your spirit? Where shall I flee from your presence?

 ...If I speed away on the wings of the dawn, if I dwell beyond the ocean, even there your hand will be guiding me, your right hand holding me fast...

 You created my inmost self, knit me together in my mother’s womb... 

Your eyes could see my embryo.

 In your book all my days were inscribed, every one that was fixed is there... God, examine me and know my heart, test me and know my concerns.

 Make sure that I am not on my way to ruin, and guide me on the road of eternity.” Psalm 139:5,7,9–10,13,16,23–24 

Doubts Assail Us Because We Love God 

News of war and rumors of new wars are cast about by the media like birds of ill omen. We are in the midst of doubt. There is no getting away from it. The radio blares; the TV blares. There is the massing of the troops on borders. The arms race accelerates. How is it possible not to doubt? Are there any around us who do not doubt? I know that I doubt, and yet I love God beyond all loves. Doubts assail you, too, because you are in love with God. 

Doubts Come From the Hell We Create 

Doubts come from fear, but they also come from the depths of human hell, the hell that man creates within his own heart. Doubts gnaw at me like quiet little mice eating up the cheese of my soul, of my mind, of my heart. I turn around, and I don’t know any more where I am. Doubts have almost conquered me. To contemplate the troubles of our nation, to worry about them, is not easy for anyone, but that is where our imagination takes us. Doubts and fears assail us: many manufacturers have put their lights out; businesses and factories are closing. There is a fault in the earth that might, even tomorrow, bring about one of the most terrible earthquakes that we have ever seen or heard of, bigger than the earthquake in San Francisco in the early 1900s, in cities that have grown larger in population. I am afraid to go in a plane. I am afraid to go on a train. I am afraid to go in a bus. There are so many that collide, so many accidents with planes and trains and cars. And the water isn’t safe. There is pollution all over the place. As I sit here, doubts seem to have become a part of me. Truly, I look at the world and I think, is it worth living in this world? Doubts shake me, doubts about the existence of God, his benevolence, his tenderness, his love, his goodness. All seem to have disappeared suddenly in some kind of a green ocean, and I am moving into it.

You Belong to God 

I enter the water without the proper diving suit. Waves hit me in the face. Am I drowning because I ceased to believe? Is that why I am in this green depth? But when it seems to me that all is finished, I am suddenly lifted up. I am lifted up and a voice out of the green depths, out of the blue-green of the sea, tells me:  “This day I have begotten you. I have thought about you before you entered your mother’s womb. You belong to me. I am your God. I am your Father. I am your Lover. I am your Spirit. You have been in my mind for all eternity. I have begotten you. Into your mother’s womb I have placed you, from her I have received you into my arms. I have loved you, and I have prepared a place for you in which you will be with me and my Son and the Holy Spirit, and where Our Lady will teach you the immense joy of being a Christian.” At the words of our Lord, the green depths vanish. Everything vanishes. Only the tenderness of God remains, and the doubts vanish as if they had never been.  

God is Love

"God is love" (1 John 4:8) is a favorite Bible verse about love. 1 John 4:16b is a similar verse also containing the words "God is love."

"Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him."
(1 John 4:8 and 4:16b)

Henri Nouwen writes:  “Maybe someone will say to you, ‘you have to forgive yourself.’  But that isn’t possible.  What is possible is to open your hands without fear, so that the One who loves you can blow your sins away.”

I HAVE A NAME

"Where God also hath highly exalted Him, 

and given Him a Name which above every Name." -Phil. 2:9

During one of Seraphim's first visits to Sierra Leone during the war, he visited Grafton Camp - a displacement camp for those who lost their homes and limbs from the atrocities of war.   The RUF rebels were hacking off arms and legs with machetes in a cruel and inhumane effort to gain control of diamonds and power.  Notice in this photo that even the baby's hand has been hacked off. 

As Seraphim visited with the people in Grafton camp, he delivered food (rice) and clothing.  As he got ready to leave the camp they all wanted to know his name.  He told them his name and turned to board the transport only to hear the words that continue to haunt him to this day:

"I have a name." 

He turned and saw that food and clothing were not enough.  There was something called dignity - the recognition that this is a person and not just flesh to be covered and fed!  

A lifetime of repeating the Name of Jesus had suddenly gone super-nova, exploding with the blinding light of understanding.  It was God Himself crying out:  "I have a Name!" 

Rudy and Os lying on a prayer rug studying the Name of Jesus

"I have a name." 

God has a Name

The Mass of Christ-Mass is this Name.  "A Name which is above every Name" 

God has a Name

   

Matthew 1:18-25 
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

Feast of the Holy Rosary

Today is the Feast of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary.  Having completed NHA's 22nd Annual Rosary Convocation, we stand further committed to the Rosary and the riches it provides.  At the Skete we have partnered with Ireland, the UK, Australia, others in the USA, Lebanon, Canada, Poland, Mexico, Columbia, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Belgium, Romania, France, Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Finland, Spain, Portugal,  Croatia, Slovakia, Switzerland, Syria, Holy Land, Jordan, Iraq, Armenia, India, Russia, Philippines, Japan, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Nigeria, DRC, Ethiopia, Ghana, Uganada amongst other countries, to form a Holy League of Nations. We will all gather on our coasts/borders to pray the Rosary for Life & Faith.  Together we are calling on God, through the powerful intercession of Our Lady of the Rosary, to heal our wounded nations and return them to holiness.  We'll be saying our rosary at the River later today.  

The Rosary is a holy and special devotion 

that is praying the LIFE of Christ. 

“The rhythm of the Prayer Rope measures time at St. Simeon Skete, it pervades it and forms it. ”  

“The Rosary is a sojourn, a walking with Christ in union with Mary, but it is also a place, that has no goal - only depth.”

The Third Strand of the Nazareth Prayer Rope is The Remnant Rosary, praying the Life of Christ.  This Rosary came into being during an all night prayer vigil in a Northern woods, September 1969.  The verses of focus for that vigil were Col. 1:24 and Col. 1:27.

“Jesus your life is living in me.”

“The Remnant Rosary is praying the Life of Jesus in union with Mary who said yes to that Life (Lk. 1:29, 38; 2:19, 51; Jn. 2:1,5; 19:25-27; Acts 1:14).  The Mysteries are the inner room of meeting (Mt. 6:6), a storeroom where new and old treasures are brought forth (Mt. 13:52): The Rosary is a window through which I can look out and see God’s view of things.  The Blessed Mother, Mary Messenger of Peace is loved in my life; the Remnant Rosary has given to this love that form and expression which is most beautiful and desirable.”

“I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries.  Even so then at the present time also there is a remnant.” -Jer. 23:3; Rom. 11:5

“If you want to get back to the source of the Rosary, to its origins we would need to open the Scriptures. That is why I like to bring together the Bible and the Beads, the two together.” —Fr. Gabriel Harty, O.P . and for us at the skete, we also add the bowl. 

“If you want to understand the Rosary its praying the Life of Jesus. If you want to understand Mary, it’s saying yes to that Life. Therefore the Rosary is praying the Life of Jesus in union with Mary who said yes to that Life.” —Seraphim

“The Rosary (as vocation) is four prayers orchestrated by four sets of Mysteries celebrated in four Rosaries combating the four evils of our day in the Hour that our Lord asks for.” (Could you not watch with me one hour?”) Mat. 26:40 —Seraphim

The month of October is a good time to commit to praying the Rosary everyday. 

For more info on the Remnant Rosary, click on this link:

http://www.nazarethhouseap.org/the-remnant-rosary/

Feast of St. Francis

Pray, Pray always.  

"St. Francis Day has always deserved my special attention since I need a lot of guidance to find the answer to the question "What place does poverty really have in my life?" I've felt that without a certain attempt to live a life of poverty I would be distracted. There are three aspects of Poverty that attract me: 1. Living simple, sober and silent, 2. a kind of forlorn fostered freedom, and 3. alleviating all poverty unlike Christ."  G.K. Chesterton/ Bk. St. Francis says that 'St. Francis' argument for poverty was 'that the dedicated man might go anywhere among any kind of men, even the worst kind of men, so long as there was nothing by which they could hold him.  If he had any ties or needs like ordinary men, (something that he may be 'hanging' onto) he would become like ordinary men." - (Gal. 2:20).  

(Acts 17:6) "...they dragged certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying these that have turned the world upside down come hither"

Therefore each year on St. Francis day I "stand on my head" because by seeing the world upside down I have discovered its dependent nature.  By seeing the world upside down, you can see the same city, people, church, home and job ... but in a different way! 

Dependence by definition means relying on for support... "Hanging".  When I saw in my upside world all that was just hanging there, I realized a greater truth. Maybe its not so much that we are being held - maybe the greater truth is that we're not being dropped! When a student drops a course, their reasons are usually that the course is too hard, not interesting enough or doesn't fit into their present plans.  But let me tell you something, God will never drop you no matter how hard you become, or how uninteresting you are or how unfit.  How do I know?  I've turned upside down." -Seraphim+

World Prayer Corps Prayer Cycle

30 Day World Prayer Cycle

Prayer Broadcasting around the World in 30 days

For each day of the month (30 day cycle), we’ve listed (from left to right) 6-7 Countries in which to pray. By the end of the 30 Days, we will have Prayer Broadcasted over the world.

If you are just starting and let’s say today is the 19th of the Month,  follow down the yellow column until you see the day – 19 and pray for South Africa, Solomon Islands, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Denmark, Togo and Kosovo.   The next day, the 20th begin with Nicaragua…