Since I have been sick for a week, I have decided to post this prayer aimed at comforting me through these dire circumstances. I have been diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy and I haven’t fully recovered yet and there have been particular issues that have arisen in terms of my work performance because of my malady. There are lots of things which I wish to pray for right now, especially because work has taken a toll on my frailties.

Nevertheless, here is a litany from the CatholicCulture.org library written by a certain Benjamin Francis Musser, O.F.M aimed at people with various afflictions. It is to be noted though that this prayer is for private recitation only.

Litany for the Sick and Afflicted
This litany was written by Benjamin Francis Musser, O.F.M. It is for private use only.

Antiphon: Is any man sick among you? Let him bring in the priests of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the Name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick man: and the Lord shall raise him up: and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess therefore your sins one to another.

V. Be not slow to visit the sick: for by these things thou shalt be confirmed in love.

R. And He said to him: Arise, go thy way: for thy faith hath made thee whole.

Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Jesus, Divine Physician, hear us. Jesus, Divine Physician, graciously hear us.

For the sake of Thy holy Mother, the Health of the Sick and Comforter of the Afflicted, Have mercy on the sick and afflicted

For the sake of Thy foster-father Saint Joseph, Patron of those who would die in peace with Thee, Have mercy on the sick and afflicted

For the sake of Thy servant Saint John of God, Patron of our hospitals and nurses, of clinics and dispensaries, of convalescent homes and health resorts, Have mercy on the sick and afflicted

For the sake of Thy servant Saint Camillus of Lellis, Patron of the sick t and of their nurses, of stretcher bearers, ambulance drivers and of others performing work of mercy in war under his invocation who in the long ago founded the first Red Cross nurses, Have mercy on the sick and afflicted

For the sake of Thy Evangelist Saint Luke, and of Thy servants St. Pantaloon and SS. Cosmas and Damian, St. Thallelaeus, St. Roch and St. Nicaretes, Patrons of doctors and surgeons, Have mercy on the sick and afflicted

May the Compassionate Savior be pleased to hear the intercessions of tt His friends whom piety invokes in illness or affliction, or to ward off accidents and calamities.

That the sick everywhere may be aided by most efficacious intercession Our Lady of Lourdes, Pray for them.

That they may be assisted in desperate cases : St. Jude Thaddeus the Apostle, Pray for them.

That nurses may labor zealously and efficiently: St. Agatha, St. Bernard of Menthon, Pray for them.

That lepers may have care and peace: Holy Job, St. Lazarus, St. Francis who didst nurse these unfortunates, St. Agrippina, St. Regulinda, Ven. Father Damien, Pray for them.

For persons possessed of evil spirits or tormented by the devil: St. Donatus, St. Benedict, St. Margaret, St. Anthony of Padua, Pray for them.

For the insane and the mentally deranged, St. Dymphna, St. Leonard, St. Florentius, St. Columban of Luxeuil, Pray for them.

For sufferers from great nervousness and for those with epilepsy or chorea : St. Vitus, St. Valentine, St. Antony of Egypt, St. Giles, St. Modwena, Pray for them.

That the afflicted may find relief from cancer: St. Peregrinus, St. Adelgondis, St. Joseph of Leonissa, St. Galla, Bl. Adalbert of Oberattaich, Mother Rose Lathrop, Pray for them.

Relief from tuberculosis and consumption: St. Dositheus of Gaza, St. Pantaleon, St. Gabriel Possenti, St. Therese of Lisieux, Bl. Lidwina of Holland, Pray for them.

Relief from cholera: St. Roch, BI. Bronislava, Pray for them.

Relief from appendicitis, from intestinal troubles: St. Erasmus, Pray for them.

From paralysis: St. Blanda of Rome, St. Wolfgang of Ratisbon, St. Martin, Pray for them.

From blindness and diseases of the eyes: St. Lucy, St. Menas, St. Vedast, St. Magnus, St. Lambert, St. Clare, St. Ottilie, St. Herveus, St. Genevieve, St. Emmeram, Pray for them.

From deafness: St. Cadoc, St. Owen, St. Aurelian of Limoges, St. Antiolus, Pray for them.

From toothache and diseases of the mouth : St. Apollonia, St. Petronilla, St. Christopher, Bl. Dalmatius Moner, Pray for them.

From afflictions of the throat : St. Blase of Sebaste, St. Swidbert of Kaiserwerth, Pray for them.

From bronchitis : St. Arnulph of Cysoing, Pray for them.

From headache : St. Peter Damian, St. Alexander, St. Anastasius the Persian, St. Rita, Pray for them.

From dizziness : St. Avertinus, Pray for them.

From kidney troubles: St. Walfrid, Pray for them.

From fever: St. Constant, St. Felix, St. Gertrude, St. Amalberga, St. Adalard of Corbie, St. Bertillon, St. Tillo, From smallpox : St. Angadrisma, St. Bonoso, Pray for them.

From yellow fever: St. Albert of Trapani, Pray for them.

From spinal diseases: St. Fina of San Geminiano, Pray for them..

From dropsy : St. Patapius of Constaninople, Pray for them.

That faithful souls may be guarded against contagion: St. Macarius, Protect them.

Against epidemics : St. Lucy, Protect them.

Against plague and pestilence : St. Adrian, St. Cyprian, St. Sebastian, St. Roch, Protect them.

Against destructive floods: St. Gregory, St. Odo, Protect them.

Against drought : St. Elias, St. Eulalia, St. Florian, Protect them.

Against famine: St. Paul the Hermit, St. Agatha, Protect them.

Against poisons : St. John Evangelist, St. Benedict, St. Guthlac of Croyland, Protect them.

Against snakebites : St. Paul Apostle, St. Hilary of Poiters, St. Dominic of Sora, St. Thecla, St. Viridiana, St. Leonard the Younger, St. Magnus, Protect them.

Against burns and fire: St. Lawrence, St. Prisca, Protect them.

Against sprains and bruises: St. Amalberga of Muenster-Busen, Protect them.

That soldiers may be protected against gunpowder and engines of destruction: St. Barbara, pray for them.

That, if it be God’s will, even though recovery be humanly impossible: St. Rita of Cassia, pray for them.

That all sufferers may draw closer to Jesus Christ Crucified, and unite their pains with His: St. Francis of Assisi, St. Gemma Galgani, Ven. Katharine Emmerich, pray for them.

Let us pray. O God our Father, the Eternal Health of them that believe, Who dost correct those whom Thou dost love, and chastiseth every one whom Thou dost receive, give greater faith and courage, we beseech Thee, to all now visited by Thy hand, that they may lose no moment of their affliction but rather receive humbly and thankfully the pains that draw them into closer union with the sacred , Passion of Thy Son, the pains that warn them of the brevity of this temporal life and then of judgment, the pains that rebuke sin, the pains the bearing of which may be for them their eternal salvation. Help them to be patient, gentle toward those who minister to them, and resigned to Thy most holy will whether for health or for eternal life. And if it be Thy will to restore them to health, if they can serve Thy glory better in health than in suffering, grant to us and to them the grace to be truly thankful. Through Thy Son Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Gentle Jesus, Who didst cure the sick and gayest sight to the blind and didst lay a healing hand on the crippled and afflicted, and didst ask no payment but their love and their faith : look, we beseech Thee, upon the sick poor with eyes of special compassion. Hold them close to Thy suffering Sacred Heart, and with them draw also to Thy Heart all who would serve in Thy stead as ministering angels-Sisters of Bon Secours, Grey Nuns, Hospital Sisters of St. Francis, Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, Pallotine Sisters of Charity, Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross, of St. Joseph of Peace, of St. Francis of the Sacred Heart, of the Sorrowful Mother, of Providence, the Misericordia Brotherhood, Alexian Brothers, Brothers of St. John of God. Give them, as servants to the poor, the courage to go on thus serving Thee, and doing well for Thy glory, Who gavest Thy life in unspeakable pain and poverty that man might have immortal health and eternal riches. Amen.

Our Most Blessed Virgin, comforter of the sick, pray for us.

Well it doesn’t pay to slack around or engage in mundane activities since, as Christians, these days are focused primarily on commemorating our redemption from perpetual condemnation. So, here’s something I want to share concerning these sacred days–courtesy of my good friend Carlos Antonio Palad of Rorate Caeli:

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1) It is better to attend the liturgical actions of the Sacred Triduum than to go on pilgrimage to various churches. The ideal is to be able to do both, but if one must choose between attending the liturgical actions of these holiest days, and going on Visita Iglesia, the former is the better choice. The sacred liturgy is the official worship of the Church and is far superior and more pleasing to God than our private devotions, and it is through the liturgy that we enter upon the spirit of the season. If our goal in these holiest days is to be more conformed to Christ, then what better way to do so than to attend the liturgy and receive the Eucharist, by which our union to the Body of Christ is made more intense and complete?

By the way, the “Siete Palabras” is NOT a liturgical service, but a merely devotional one. If you have to choose between that and the Veneration of the Cross and Communion, please prefer the Veneration of the Cross and Communion.

2) When you go to confession and the priest does not mention the words of absolution when “absolving” you, gently but firmly insist that he recite at least the basic words of absolution (“I absolve you from your sins”). It is my personal experience that some priests use invalid formulae when giving sacramental absolution especially when there are many people, and since it is our spiritual welfare and salvation as Christ’s faithful that is endangered by this practice (which renders confession invalid), it is our duty to protest (but with charity). If the priest does not give you valid absolution, then you should repeat your confession to another priest. Remember: your eternal salvation might be at stake. God forbid that anyone who has something serious in his conscience should die after an invalid confession.

3) The Visita Iglesia is a much-misunderstood practice. It originated with Catholics visiting seven churches on Maundy Thursday to adore the Blessed Sacrament in the “altars of repose”. Traditionally, the number seven comes form the fact that, as of the year 1900, there were seven major churches in Intramuros – San Agustin (Augustinians), San Nicolas (Recoletos), San Ignacio (Jesuits), Santo Domingo (Dominicans), Nuestra Senora de Lourdes (Capuchins), San Francisco (Franciscans) and Manila Cathedral.

Obviously, the ideal time for Visita Iglesia is Maundy Thursday evening. If the Visita Iglesia is done this evening, then the focus should be on the Eucharist – after all, the Eucharist is especially placed in altars of repose during Maundy Thursday precisely so we will adore the Blessed Sacrament. If the Visita Iglesia is done on Good Friday morning (which is also possible), the Way of the Cross is more appropriate. In our devotions, let us not forget the meaning of the day and the mysteries of Christ commemorated on that day.

4) There is no substitute for fasting and abstinence on Good Friday, not even self-flagellation, rolling on the ground, having oneself literally crucified or walking in procession barefoot. God desires our obedience, not our self-willed penances. Other penances may be substituted for abstinence on the Fridays of Lent, but Good Friday is different, it and Ash Wednesday being the days of penance par excellence. Fasting means eating only one full meal a day (which itself should not equal more than one normal full meal – some people eat enough for three meals during this ‘one full meal’!), and two meals that do not equal a full meal, plus no snacks or merienda (although energy drinks, juices, coffee, chocolate and milk are fine). Abstinence means not eating meat – and that includes white meat or chicken meat (some people rationalize that meat refers only to red meat, or beef and pork).

Some people insist on snacking or eating meat because “it is so tiring to go on Visita Iglesia” during Good Friday. This rationalization begs the question: why go on “Visita Iglesia” only to use it as a reason not to practice penance? What is more important: to practice the little penance and self-denial that the Church asks us to do, or to go on “spiritual tourism”, eating and drinking to our heart’s content while hopping from one church to another?

Good Friday is a time for us to think of Christ crucified, not to use Christ as an excuse for our own little pleasures. At present, the Church requires Filipino Catholics to fast and abstain for only two days of the year. Is this too much? Is Christ so distant from our hearts that we cannot even bear to offer these little sacrifices to him? Then why even observe Holy Week? Without the spirit of penance, our Holy Week traditions are meaningless.

5) God is NOT DEAD on Good Friday and Black Saturday. When you hear someone make this claim (especially in and around Quiapo), explain to that person that Christ our God died once, but that He arose from the dead and is forever glorified in heaven. Holy water also doesn’t lose its holiness on Good Friday afternoon. If you buy amulets or practice black magic on Good Friday and Black Saturday as God won’t see your deeds because He is dead, rest assured that God knows what you are doing and will hold you to account for it.

6) Holy Saturday is not an excuse to go back to our sinful lives. Many malls and TV channels “go back to the usual programming” on this day. This is not commendable. We are supposed to be doing two things on Holy Saturday: mourn Christ, who was crucified by our sins, and prepare for the joy of Pascha (Easter). Traditionally, Catholics practiced fasting on Holy Saturday, although it is no longer required by Church law. Easter Sunday is the time for rejoicing, but so that our rejoicing with the Risen Lord will be complete, we must also seek to understand the bitterness of His Passion. For this, Holy Saturday is the perfect time.

Perhaps it does not help that since 1970, the ancient liturgical and devotional traditions of Holy Saturday have been laid aside and forgotten (even though they were never abolished by the Church). It is my prayerful hope that the day will come when such beautiful practices as Tenebrae, the “Mater Dolorosa” sermon and many others will be revived in our parishes and cathedrals to sanctify this day once more. Perhaps the “Soledad or Desolata Procession”, still practiced late at night on Good Friday in a few parishes, could be revived as well and done on Holy Saturday morning, in order to prevent Holy Saturday from turning into a vacuum of idleness.

7) The greatest and most important liturgical celebration of the Sacred Triduum, and of the entire liturgical year, is the Paschal or Easter Vigil. Please make the effort to attend every year or at least once every few years. Yes, it is very long (3-4 hours, depending on the musical settings used and the number of people baptized or confirmed), but it is truly worthwhile. After all, the season is about Christ’s triumph over death. Why observe the triumph, only to be absent from the victory celebration?

8 ) Many priests give their all during Holy Week. Please go out of your way to commend your parish priest once Holy Week is over. I know of priests who weep with joy when they see a lot of people attending the services of the Triduum – it shows just how much the Triduum means to them.

Have a blessed Holy Week Triduum to all.

Not only because he is the primary patron of Ecclesia Dei Society of St Joseph (the Tridentine Mass association I belong to) but because he reminds us all of obedience and utter resignation to God’s will, as he himself personified during Herod’s persecution. His feast day is this coming 19th of March.

The novena for the whole duration of nine days can be found here.

Sancti Ioseph, ora pronobis!

As a self-professed “loyalist” to Carmelite spirituality, I find this article penned by Carmelite Father Kieran Kavanaugh very spiritually-uplifting. I got the chance to browse over this piece very quickly and discovered that it perfectly points out numerous things about what we must remember about the brown scapular: not as something merely to decorate oneself with, but as a symbol of our fervent devotion to the Mother of God through contemplation. Furthermore, the article also takes time to elaborate on the significance of sacramentals, its effects, and other significant pointers pertaining to why they exist.

An excerpt:

The scapular as a sign is rich in meaning. I think that after we consider the official interpretations of the scapular, we can discover in it our own personal meaning. I like to think of it as a sign of Mary’s quiet presence, for the scapular is a silent devotion.

There are no prayers to be said. It reminds us of the contemplative aspect of our Christian life. Contemplation is what our saints wrote so much about. Contemplation is an ever-deepening silence in loving presence to God. It is in this silence that God best speaks to us.

Mary is the Church’s greatest contemplative. In her silence she heard those extraordinary words spoken to her by the Lord — “Blessed are you among women.” And so Elizabeth could add: “Blessed are you who believed.”

The whole article can be read through Zenit’s website.