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Jesus who once spread his arms on the cross now spreads his arms to embrace us 🥹🥹🩷🩷🩷🩷

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Commission

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(Our Lady of Sorrows, 1883 by Pedro Americo)

September is the month dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, the title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary to honor and remember her life of suffering, inspired by the prophecy of Simeon in Luke 2:24-25:

“This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

Our Lady of Sorrows, who is usually depicted in mourning colors with a sword (or swords) piercing her heart, often at the foot of the Cross, serves as a reminder of the pain found in Mary's life, and also as a way to better connect to the suffering of Christ. Mary loved Jesus more than anyone on Earth, and held her Son's corpse as it was taken from the Cross, suffering more at that moment than any other living human. By placing ourselves in her shoes, we can both love Jesus more and feel closer to His sacrifice. Through her example, we can better emulate Christ and, through His power and blessing, work to eliminate the suffering of the widow and orphan from the world.

Mother most sorrowful, pained and grieving, you held God inside you, faced a birth in extreme poverty, and were forced to flee state violence to a land new and frightening to you. You were promised a life of suffering beside your Son, and found it when you took His stiffening, mangled corpse from the Cross. I look to you, on this month consecrated to your tears and the tears of your Most Holy Son, in hopes that, in emulating your childlike trust in God even as your baby boy lay beaten and bloody in your arms, I may better love my Lord Jesus, understand His Word, and stand beside Him as a lover of the orphan and widow, oppressed and forgotten, unwanted and abandoned.   Dear Mother, as your Son turns His ear kindly to you, I ask this month that you pray I find humility in meekness, strength in understanding, and a love of the world and its most loathed. Pray that, through seeing your tears, I may find the strength to wipe away the tears of the suffering as best I can, and approach my Lord with true adoration. May your prayers embolden me to offer my hand to the stranger and my heart to my Lord. In the name of the bleeding Heart of Jesus, I pray, Amen. 

Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us!

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God sees you and loves you. Tell him about your day, talk to him about your problems. He wants to be close to you and listen.

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I spent way too much time on this

feel free to use. idc about credit that much but it would be cool if you did credit

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please pray for me. the seasons changing has once again triggered my bipolar depressive + psychotic symptoms and it’s like my meds just aren’t working. i have a psychiatrist appointment but i can’t see her for another 3 weeks. i’m so afraid.

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virgin mary, from my sketchbook

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whenever I feel like no one is proud of my achievements I like to imagine God holding them up like, "Look at what My child's done!" and sticking them to His heavenly refrigerator

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ok i get that part of the Pope’s role is visiting various holy places and it is important for vatican media to document these visits and keep the faithful informed of what he is doing but i can’t with some of these pictures 😭

they are just putting my guy in places

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Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,

that never was it known

that anyone who fled to thy protection,

implored thy help,

or sought thy 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.

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Happy Disability Pride Month! 🩶💚❤️🤍💛💙🩶🌈 (x)

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northern snow hog

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Last supper doodle

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On Loving Your Enemies

≫ ──── ≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫ ──── ≪

Loving one's enemies might be the hardest thing Jesus calls us to do, and it's been a personal struggle for me since I started my walk with Him. When I think about my enemies I think about the people that are consumed by hate. Those who invite harm on the marginalized and oppressed, who actively make life harder for those already struggling the most. It sometimes feels like I am betraying their victims to extend my love to people who hurt them. But what helps me to understand and follow this commandment to its fullest is knowing that love comes in many different forms. It is not always affirming and soft. Love means wanting what is best for somebody, wanting to see them on the path that will lead to the best outcome for them and those around them. When somebody has strayed so far from that path, love means correcting them, as firmly and directly as needed.

Hate and division are tools of the Devil, and I now look upon these people with pity that they are so firmly within his grasp. By educating them, correcting them, and preventing them from hurting others and spreading their corruption, I do what I can to set them on the path to inner peace, community, and goodness. That is an act of love.