YEAR 1: INVITATION TO THE LIFE OF PRAYER AND LOVE
PHASE 2: BE PREPARED FOR “SPIRITUAL WARFARE"
3. 2nd ARMOUR PERSEVERANCE IN PRAYER AND PENANCE
Weekly message No. 22 (26th July 1984):
Persistent prayer and penance
“Dear children! Today also I wish to call you to persistent prayer and penance. Especially, let the young people of this parish be more active in their prayers. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
“Dear Children, Today, once again, I call you to pray as never before, now when my plan has begun to be realised. Satan is powerful and wants to sweep away the plans of peace and joy and make you think that my Son is not strong in his decisions. For this reason, I urge you, dear children, that you pray and fast still more firmly. I invite you to renunciation for nine days, so that, with your help, all that I wanted to realize through the secrets which I began in Fatima may be fulfilled. I ask you, dear children, to grasp the importance of my coming and the gravity of the situation. I want to save all souls and present them to God. Therefore, let us pray that everything I have begun be fully realised. Thank you…” (25 January 1991)
DAILY SPIRITUAL EXERCISES STARTING THURSDAY, 24 JULY 2014
1st day: Matthew 7:12-14. (Thursday)
The golden rule and the two ways.
2nd day: Ephesians 6:19; Luke 21:36. (Friday)
“Staying awake in prayer.” Cf. Luke 2:37; 1 Timothy 5:5.
3rd day: Daniel 10:1-8. (Saturday)
Three-week penance by the Prophet Daniel enabled him to be receptive to heavenly vision. Cf. Daniel 2:19. Prayer of Daniel.
4th day: Esther 4:15-17. (Sunday)
Esther saved her people by prayer and fasting. Cf. Esther 4:17k-17y. Esther’s prayer.
5th day: Mark 9:28-29. (Monday)
Some evil power can be overcome only by prayer and fasting.
Cf. Matthew 17:21. (The ‘Jerusalem Bible’ regrettably omits the word ‘fasting’ and in Matthew 17 verse 21 is left out. Faith in prayer is always needed to be effective in prayer, but sometimes more is needed, i.e. fasting and penance.)
6th day: Luke 9:23-24. (Tuesday)
Taking up one’s cross daily is the condition of following Christ. Cf. Titus 2:11-14.
7th day: Joel 2:12-17. (Wednesday)
God’s call to repentance by fasting, etc.
SUGGESTION
Make a NOVENA of self-denial (some form of sacrifice or fasting for nine days) for a special intention, or for the intention of Our Lady.