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Dear Assumption Catholic Schools

Welcome to May. One of the months dedicated to Mary our Mother in Heaven.  Today is also the First Friday, if you have a chance, take a moment to visit Jesus in a Church or just to reflect on the redeeming nature of His relationship with us.

Our virtue this week is CONFIDENCE – The strength to believe in yourself, your team and the hard work you have put in to achieve your goals. You carry yourself differently when you are CONFIDENT and that makes a big difference.

PRAYER

Lord, we should have every CONFIDENCE in You and Your love for us. There is nothing more You could have done to prove that You love us. You suffered and died so that I could be with You in Heaven for all eternity. Give me the strength to always CONFIDE in You.

St. Clare Defends Monastery With The Power of the Holy Eucharist

This story from the life of St. Clare not only reveals to us her incredible devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and her deep trust in the Lord’s protection, but it also demonstrates the power of the Holy Eucharist. Though she was feeble and sick, St.Clare turned away an army and prevented an attack on the monastery in which she lived with her sisters by holding high the monstrance. Today’s video tells the entire story in detail.

“I come, O Lord, unto Thy sanctuary to see the life and food of my soul. As I hope in Thee, O Lord, inspire me with that confidence which brings me to Thy holy mountain. Permit me, Divine Jesus, to come closer to Thee, that my whole soul may do homage to the greatness of Thy majesty; that my heart, with its tenderest affections, may acknowledge Thine infinite love; that my memory may dwell on the admirable mysteries here renewed every day, and that the sacrifice of my whole being may accompany Thine.” – St. Clare

“By imperial order, regiments of Saracen soldiers and bowmen were stationed there (the convent of San Damiano in Assisi, Italy), massed like bees, ready to devastate the encampments and seize the cities.
Once, during an enemy attack against Assisi, city beloved of the Lord, and while the army was approaching the gates, the fierce Saracens invaded San Damiano, entered the confines of the monastery and even the very cloister of the virgins.

The women swooned in terror, their voices trembling with fear as they cried to their Mother, Saint Clare.
Saint Clare, with a fearless heart, commanded them to lead her, sick as she was, to the enemy, preceded by a silver and ivory case in which the Body of the Saint of saints was kept with great devotion.

And prostrating herself before the Lord, she spoke tearfully to her Christ: ‘Behold, my Lord, is it possible You want to deliver into the hands of pagans Your defenseless handmaids, whom I have taught out of love for You? I pray You, Lord, protect these Your handmaids whom I cannot now save by myself.’ Suddenly a voice like that of a child resounded in her ears from the tabernacle: ‘I will always protect you!’ ‘My Lord,’ she added, ‘if it is Your wish, protect also this city which is sustained by Your love.’

Christ replied, ‘It will have to undergo trials, but it will be defended by My protection.’Then the virgin, raising a face bathed in tears, comforted the sisters: ‘I assure you, daughters, that you will suffer no evil; only have faith in Christ.’ Upon seeing the courage of the sisters, the Saracens took flight and fled back over the walls they had scaled, unnerved by the strength of she who prayed. And Clare immediately admonished those who heard the voice I spoke of above, telling them severely: ‘Take care not to tell anyone about that voice while I am still alive, dearest daughters.’”

QUESTIONS

What can we learn from St.Clare’s example of turning to the Lord in complete trust?

How have you witnessed the power of the Eucharist in your own life?

What can you do to grow in your understanding of the True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist?

RESOLUTION

Let’s look for a way to boost the CONFIDENCE of another person around us in some small way while we are together today

When you look at the crucifix do you know and realize how much Jesus loves you?

PRAYER

Lord, help us to trust in You more. We have no reason to fear if You are with us. You know all things and You can do all things. Nothing is impossible for You. You are our Lord, our King and our Best Friend. Help us to grow in CONFIDENCE in You this week by reflecting on all the blessings we have received in life.

WAY TO LIVE THE VIRTUE THIS WEEK

Grow in CONFIDENCE this week by reflecting on all the blessings we have received in life.

“Seeing the sun, the moon and the stars, I said to myself, ‘Who could be the Master of these beautiful things?’ I felt a great desire to see Him, to know Him and to pay Him homage.” – St. Josephine Bahkita

“Acquire the habit of speaking to God as if you were alone with Him, familiarly and with confidence and love, as to the dearest and most loving of friends.” – St. Alphonsus Liguori

“We can never have too much confidence in the good Lord.” – St. Therese Lisieux

“The greater and more persistent your confidence in God, the more abundantly you will receive all that you ask.” – St. Albert the Great

“The man who has confidence in himself gains the confidence of others.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

BIBLE QUOTES

Psalms 27: 3

Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident.

2 Corinthians 10: 7

Look at what is before your eyes. If you are confident that you belong to Christ, remind yourself of this, that just as you belong to Christ, so also do we.

THE OPPOSING VICE

INSECURITY – The weakness to not have confidence in God, yourself or others.

There are many different forms of insecurity and not all of them are vices.

The insecurity we are talking about here is when we should have confidence in God, ourselves and others and yet we still don’t.

An insecure person can’t function in their day-to-day life because they are constantly worried about what others think about them.

Things that lead to personal insecurity:

Ways to grow in confidence and reduce insecurity:

In Christ’s Peace, through Mary our Mother

Daniel MInter

President

Assumption Catholic Schools