"I love them that love Me:
And they that in the morning early watch for Me, shall find Me."

(Psalm 5:2,3)

Give ear, O Lord, to my words, understand my cry.
Hearken to the voice of my prayer, O my King and my God.
For to Thee will I pray:  O Lord, in the morning Thou shalt hear my voice.
In the morning I will stand before thee, and will see:
because thou art not a God that willest iniquity.
I will come into Thy house; I will worship towards Thy holy temple, in thy fear.

(Psalm 5:8)

But as for me in the multitude of thy mercy,
I will come into thy house;
I will worship towards thy holy temple, in thy fear.
Conduct me, O Lord, in thy justice:
because of my enemies, direct my way in thy sight.
For there is no truth in their mouth: their heart is vain.

(Psalm 26:4-6)

One thing I have asked of the Lord, this will I seek after;
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
That I may see the delight of the Lord, and may visit his temple.
For he hath hidden me in his tabernacle; in the day of evils,
he hath protected me in the secret place of his tabernacle.
He hath exalted me upon a rock:
and now he hath lifted up my head above my enemies.
I have gone round, and have offered up in his tabernacle
a sacrifice of jubilation: I will sing, and recite a psalm to the Lord.

(Psalm 5:12,13)

But let all them be glad that hope in thee:
they shall rejoice for ever, and thou shalt dwell in them.
And all they that love thy name shall glory in thee: for thou wilt bless the just.
O Lord, thou hast crowned us, as with a shield of thy good will.

(Psalm 107, 2- 4)

My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready:
I will sing, and will give praise, with my glory.
Arise, my glory; arise, psaltery and harp:
I will arise in the morning early.
I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people:
and I will sing unto thee among the nations.

(Psalm 28:2)

Bring to the Lord glory and honour:
bring to the Lord glory to his name:
adore ye the Lord in his holy court.

(Psalm 30:20, 21)

O how great is the multitude of thy sweetness, O Lord,
which thou hast hidden for them that fear thee!
Which thou hast wrought for them that hope in thee,
in the sight of the sons of men.

Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy face,
from the disturbance of men.
Thou shalt protect them in thy tabernacle
from the contradiction of tongues.

(Psalm 88:14)

But I, O LORD, cry out to you; with my morning prayer I wait upon you.

(Psalm cxviii)

"Blessed are they that search His testimonies:
that seek Him with their whole heart."

   I'm a  35 year old young wife and the mother of four small children.  Daily Mass seemed quite out the question for such a demanding, busy lifestyle.  But then one day I read about The Two Divine Promises by Fr. Roman Hoppe.  It made me stop and think about all the people in my life I knew were in need of conversion (self included) who either strayed from the Church, were in a cult, bitter, or whatever - people I had been praying for, for years.  I knew that this had to be the answer.  But how in the world could I manage it?
 

A Noble Desire

   One day in 1998, on the Feast of St. Patrick, I felt the desire to go to morning Mass in honor of the great saint. (and I'm not even Irish! ; ).  While there, I asked St. Patrick to obtain for me from God, the grace to attend Daily Mass for the sake of my family.  I believe he must have heard my prayer that day. The next day, I felt the same desire to attend morning Mass again - still praying for the grace to commit to the 30 days. On this day, I asked the Blessed Mother, the Mediatrix of all Graces, believing in my heart my prayer would be heard.  The following day I found myself again at Mass. (The Feast of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary).  I asked the Great St. Joseph also to obtain for me this great grace, which God had placed the desire for, in my heart.
 

One Day at a Time - God provides the way!

   Day followed day, Mass followed Mass, until I had managed 18 Masses in a row!  If I could do 18, then surely I could do 30!

*In answer to my prayer, God granted my husband the grace to be able to accept - and even cooperate with me in this unusual endeavor.  (And he's not even Catholic!)  Don't worry, he's next after Dad on my novena list!   ; D

*God had even provided a wonderful favor which allowed my husband to work three days at home and watch my 4 children while I went to Mass.  On other days, I would either bring them with me, or I would go to the 6:30 a.m. Mass - and return home before anyone was awake.
 

Dad

   Fears and doubts aside, I decided Dad was first!
(My parents had divorced years ago, and my poor dad was still very bitter against the whole world, my mother, his children, the church -  everyone!) What dad really needed was the healing balm of forgiveness so he could heal from the pain and bitterness that a divorce causes.  Dad I felt, was the key to begin healing the rest of the family - especially my brother and sister and mother who suffered tremendously through it all - and still suffer today - almost 20 years later!
 

 Divorced Children

   As the oldest child (12 yrs. old) of three in the midst of a devastated family,  I felt as though the floor had just dropped out from under me.  I was alone and very confused by two battling parents, lawyers, and a cold court room - where one tries to prove just how awful the other one is -  the witnesses being none other than the children!

   In my mind, (and you all are welcome to disagree)  Divorce is the Devil's trophy for his victory in destroying yet one more family!  The very CELL of society.  (Not to mention a cruel thing to do to the children ~ of which they may never recover).  Show me a broken family, and I'll show you a great deficit of prayer, self-sacrifice, and TRUST in God.  With these three elements combined ANY OBSTACLE can be overcome! That's why divorce is so rampant today.  Just look around.  Church attendance is  low, prayer is discouraged and not practiced in the family - as a family.  Faith? Trust in God? Prayer? Loyalty? Respect? Honor? Holiness? True devotion? Fidelity? Family Traditions? Commitment? Selflessness? Chastity? Modesty? Virginity? Humility? Self-control? Charity? Love? Unity? etc. etc. How many families do you know exude these virtues? How can we expect anything good to come out of our society if we don't practice them at home?
 

Mom and Dad

   No matter what happens between you and your parents always remember God's Commandment to honor and obey them!  In our modern day and age, this may be one of the most challenging of God's commands for you.  God knows this (why else would he have had to make it a commandment?!)  But we must recognise the fact that our parents are frail and imperfect creatures, susceptable to the same sins and faults that their own parents handed down to them.  Your parents could not give you what they themselves did not possess!  They did the best they could, with what they had to work with.  You only have one earthly mother and one earthly father.  Their blood runs through your veins!  Hating them is like hating yourself.  Never hate or resent ANYONE. Hate is bondage and death.  Remember you owe your parents a debt of gratitude you can never repay...that being
 
 

   If you are the victim of divorce, or a victim of any circumstance whatsoever -  for your OWN SAKE learn to forgive.  We really have to stop labeling ourselves as victims.  Jesus came to give us new life and he gives it in abundance.  He came to set captives free.  As the scriptures tell us, 'Rejoice in the Lord always  - again I say rejoice!'  Learn to replace bitterness and anger with Love and Thankfulness! Replace judgment with Forgiveness and Compassion.  We are all guilty in the eyes of the Lord.  Not one of us doesn't merit Hell for our sins.  Jesus said ask and you shall receive - knock and the door will be opened for you.  Ask for His help - and let it go.  Ask God to forgive them for you - as He is infinitely more merciful than we are.

       Did Jesus Christ - the King of Glory, who was innocent of any crime save doing the Father's Will by reconciling sinners to God, complain or have reason to be unforgiving when:

He was betrayed by one of his friends?
Denied and abandoned by the rest?
Dragged in chains by an angry mob to trial?
Imprisoned?
Wrongly judged by three pagan judges?
Passed over for mercy by his own people - those he had come to save - for a murderer?
Sentenced to receive the death penalty?
Slapped in the face?
Mercilessly abused?
Bound with cords?
Mocked?
Cruelly scourged?
Spat upon?
Kicked?
Dragged?
Shoved?
Beaten and bruised?
Stripped naked?
Crowned with sharp thorns in such a way that
they pierced his skull and pricked his eyes and ears?
Bloodied and bruised again with a reed?
When he tasted his own blood and tears?
Made to carry his own means of crucifixion - a heavy, 
crude wooden cross on his torn and bloodied shoulder?
Rejected, and finally hung naked by nails on a wooden cross 
and left to die a horrible death in the prime of his youth?(!)

     No.  Jesus willingly accepted and endured all - for the sake of saving you and I from eternal damnation and separation from God.  Remember how generously God forgives us all our faults - great as they may be, for the sake of his Son - when we seek his forgiveness!  Even while they were killing him Jesus prayed,

"Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."

This should also be * our * prayer for those who have hurt us.
 

Forgiveness is the only way you will be free from the worm of bitterness.  Yes, bitterness is truly a worm!  When I was a teenager working as a Nurses Aid, I took care of a lot of elderly people and learned much from them.  I loved elderly people - even the tough ones.  It was a challenge for me to befriend every one of them and to please them - not always the easiest job!  But one woman I'll never forget - only in her mid 50's - who taught me what it's like to die of bitterness.  A lesson I pray none of you ever experience.  I had only been seeing her for a couple of weeks, when I was given the news she had died.  She had all kinds of various health problems, and must have been the most melancholy person I think I'd ever met - always complaining about this one or that.  But all I could do was watch helplessly, how the bitterness she had for the people in her life ate her up inside - until there was nothing left, but to die a miserable lonely death...and at such a young age!  Not only does bitterness hurt you and shorten your life, but it does nothing to the other person you're bitter about!

A wise person once said,

Bitterness takes many forms. Depression, anger, melancholy, resentment, denial, lethargy, physical illness, sleeplessness, restlessness, anxiety, fear, aggression, despondency, overeating, self abuse, suicidal thoughts etc., etc.

Today, why not ask the "Mediatrix of All Graces" The Queen of the Universe, who holds the keys to Jesus' Heart, to give you the grace to forgive, so that you can be forgiven - and begin to heal.

  Getting back to Mass.  Before I knew it, I was hooked on daily Mass!  And before I knew it, I FELL IN LOVE with DAILY MASS!  The more I went to receive Jesus at The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the less I minded getting up at 5:50 a.m. to be with him.  Now, I wake up with excitement and anticipation in meeting my Lord Jesus and to receive Him into my heart - every day!

I'm at the point now, where the idea of missing a single Mass for any reason is just unthinkable! The Daily Mass has become my life, my strength and joy - and the Hope I cling to.  I can bear the sorrows of the world with courage.  I feel quite blessed and loved by God because He has condescended to grant me - this nobody, this worm -  the greatest Gift of Love....which is Himself!
 
 

There is something SO SPECIAL about the weekday Mass!  Something you will miss going only to Sunday Mass.  Besides the fact that it is much shorter, (It's really over so quick, you might feel a little down when it's over) I think the word I would use is * intimate. *  There's far fewer people and less to distract you. Just you and Jesus - who's always so happy to see you!

For those of you who are already going to daily Mass -  you'll never know how great a grace you've been given!  Why not make the Novena of Masses for someone you know? Offer one for your parish priest!  And that God fill His Church with many good, pure and saintly priests!
 

On occasion, for some reason or another, I've missed a Mass in the middle of the Novena.  In that case, you're supposed to start all over again.  And let me tell you, it can be an upsetting experience - especially when you've only got a few more days to go! This has happened to me more than once - But who knows? Maybe that person really needed those extra Masses said for them? Don't give up! Jesus never gave up on us!P-e-r-s-e-v-e-r-e.  Just re-write your calendar, and start over again!  More power to you!

After I'd done a few Novenas, I found it difficult to pick who was going to be next.  After all, I believed that the salvation of souls hung in the balance! Then the idea came to me that I should write down everyone I knew, and put all the names in a hat (or coffee can in my case) and let God decide. Immediately I felt much better!

So near the end of each Novena, I say a little prayer and pick another name out of my coffee can.  I must admit I was rather surprised by His next choice.  With all the family I have in need of prayers and conversion, it was my neighbor who God chose!  My attitude today is:
 

Planning ahead is key.  If you're lucky enough to live in an area where there are plenty of Churches, try getting a bulletin from every one within a reasonable distance from you, or call for their daily Mass schedules. They generally  have different Mass schedules.  Some may even have extra Masses at night; for instance Feast Days, First Fridays, Eucharistic Adoration, Holy Days of Obligation and especially during the Lenten Season.

Get on an early-to-bed kind of schedule. (Advice I have yet to follow!)

Take pleasure in checking off your calendar!  Be pleased with the physical evidence of your progress towards the goal you have set for yourself!  I like to add whether I did the Stations of the Cross after Mass (I highly recommend it!) and anything special that might have happened around Mass.

Remember not to make any early morning plans that might interfere with your Mass schedule! For example; well visit doctor/dentist appointments, teacher meetings, sports/music practice, car drop-offs, vet appointments etc. etc. Basically, anything that you can put off till later!  (No problem for me!)
Remember 'Seek ye first the kingdom of God!'

Remember God wants to give us what we truly desire -  WHEN WE DESIRE GOOD THINGS!  How do I know this? Simply because all good desires come from God!

Know this also: GOD WANTS YOU TO BE HAPPY!

Don't forget to offer up a Mass in Thanksgiving to God for Our Dear Blessed Virgin Mother who does more for us than we'll ever know in this world!

Offer a Mass during your Novena also for the release of the Holy Souls in Purgatory and ask them to pray for you and your chosen one.  Remember, it's also very likely some of those 'holy souls' could be a relative or two of yours!

After Mass is over, make it a practice to kneel at the alter in front of the Blessed Sacrament.  Say the Our Father and Hail Mary for the Holy Father's protection, intentions, health and the needs of the Holy Catholic Church.

          While there, you could also ask God, (according to what our Lord told St. Gertrude the Great),  for all the graces He wishes to give you -  and for all the graces no one asks for through the hands of the Blessed Mother, Mediatrix of all Graces. (According to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal to St. Catherine Laboure').  Jesus was seen by a chosen soul - standing there at the alter with armfuls of gifts - looking for someone who would receive them!

Don't forget to Thank God for allowing you to receive Him in Holy Communion - and so often!