Daily prayer
to St. Jude

O kindSaint-Jude, our faithful intercessor to Jesus, receive the following special intentions : to present them to the Almighty Lord, Root of all good. Above all, grant us an increase of our faith in His love. May each day find us closer in our relationship with our Heavenly Father. KindSaint-Jude, you who has revived hope in our hearts, you whose model merits and life bring us the divine blessings and graces, be our advocate, and lead us to Jesus and Mary. With you, blessed apostle, we give thanks and praise God with all our heart for His innumerable kindnesses. Amen.

The Monthly Note

September 2017

I just lost my bearings. For the first time in more than 25 years, I’m in the countryside for a few days. Instead of cement and concrete, a lake and mountains ... instead of the traffic noise, silence ... instead of the heat of the morning, freshness ... instead of the dry pavement, morning dew ... instead of pidgeons, an eagle … instead of the crowd, solitude ... and an eclipse of the sun!

It is true that, if it is too difficult, I can open the radio, television, Internet, go walking in a mall. But why should I? Why not be destabilized for a few days? We can stay in the known and move away from the unknown.

In this 50th anniversary of Expo 67, we are shown some old memories. I am surprised to see how we dressed, ate, danced, talked. I am even more surprised to hear what the "adults" said about young people, their values, their styles. Fifty years ago, I was this young teenager; I do not think I have gone so bad.

How many times young people can also be educators for us! Ten year-old nephews have opened me to the world of computers. Teenagers have made me aware of ecology and the importance of recycling. Adults from other countries and other cultures have opened me to the beauty of difference, to the richness of differences.

I am assured that we gain at being destabilized, questioned by what is happening around us and which is not our usual daily life. I then lean on my solid bases, on what I have built for my life, my personality, my faith.

Underlying all of this is, there is love of God and love of my neighbor coming in first place. God and His Good News for us, for all generations. God for me and for all.

I hope and I also wish that we are all able to rely to the Word of God, to prayer, to sacraments, to the apostolate, to the mission given by Christ, enriched by what destabilizes us, but always rooted in the Heart of God. And our heart open to our fellow citizens, with all the local, national and international challenges facing us. Isn’t like waves hitting the edge of the lake?

And if the waves of life are too strong, don’t hesitate to recommend yourself to the prayer of all those for whom you are important, for whom you are a brother, a sister in faith: St Jude, our Intercessor to the Lord, and all whom who pray for you at the 2:30 pm Mass every Thursday to St. Jude. Be confident, there's hope!

Fr. Henri de Longchamp, o.p., Director