In December 2013, I found myself vacationing alone in Florida between Christmas and New Years. It was unexpected that I would be traveling alone. My travel partner backed out at the last minute. The first thing that I did when I arrived in Naples was to find the  nearest Catholic Church. I was in the RCIA program at the time and not able to participate in the Eucharist, but I had become a daily mass goer. I would go up for a blessing from the priest at communion. I found a fabulous church in the area that had a beautiful adoration chapel and they had a very nice gift shop. That is where I purchased the CD by Matthew Kelly. Matthew Kelly is a Roman Catholic motivational speaker and he suggested doing a Mass Journal. His point being that … 

“If you do that every Sunday for a year your Mass Journal will become an incredibly powerful spiritual tool. You will be able to take it to your daily prayer and pass from page to page. Each page will inspire a deeply personal dialogue between you and God.”

Well, 2014 was the year that I became Catholic at the Easter vigil. That spring I went on a pilgrimage where I developed friendship with folks from Rockport, Texas. They invited me to come down in the fall to their ACTS retreat at the Schoenstatt Shrine in Lamar, Texas. One of the nice little gifts that was given out at the retreat was a small little blank notebook featuring Mary on the cover.

That became my first Mass Journal that I started in December of 2014.

That year was one of significant growth for me.

I decided at one point to put these inspirations in a little book. I started to develop it online on lulu, but life got hectic and they ended up deleted my book from lack of work. I probably should have been developing it offline. Well, the project laid dormant for awhile. 

This summer I found myself again on pilgrimage and one of the priests in our group when he heard about my journals said, “Boy, I’d like to get a hold of them!” So that got me to thinking again about my journals and I thought, why not post them here?

So, I am going to being to post my daily thoughts about the various masses that I have attended and tag them Mass Journal. Hopefully, you will enjoy them and find some inspiration within as I did.

Dona Nobis Pacem

Lord Jesus Christ, our God, the indescribable being of Divine nature and for the salvation of man from Your recent inexpressible incarnation from the Virgin Mother of God Mary, enabling the description of the holy nature of Your immaculate face be imprinted on a handkerchief and with it You healed the disease of he area ruler Augarus and enlightened his soul to the knowledge of our true God and through Your Holy Spirit, You described to Your holy Apostle and evangelist Luke the appearance of Your Immaculate Mother who carried You as a baby in her bosom and “The grace granted me was given to them through me” was said, 

Lord Jesus Christ, God of all, enlighten, imbue the soul, the heart, the intellect of Your servant and my hands direct to the irreproachable and perfect outline, the type of Your manifestation and of Your immaculate Mother and all of Your Saints, to Your glory and cheerfulness and beautification of your holy Church and the forgiveness of sins, of those venerating them and with piety kiss them, attributing the honor to the prototype. Set me free from all diabolical experience and make me diligent to all Your commandments, through the intercessions of Your Immaculate Mother, of the glorious holy apostle and evangelist Luke and of all the Saints.

Amen

In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Heavenly Father, as I enter this work place, I bring your presence with me. I speak your peace, your grace, your mercy and your perfect order into my work. I acknowledge your power over all that will be done, spoken, thought and decided within these walls.

I commit to use them responsibly in your honor. Give me a fresh supply of strength to do my job.

Anoint my projects, ideas, and energy, so that even my smallest accomplishment may bring you glory. Lord …

When I am confused, guide me.
When I am weary, energize me.
When I am burned out, infuse me with the light of the Holy Spirit.

May the work that I do and the way I do it bring faith, joy, and a smile to all whom I come in contact with today.

And Lord, when I leave this place, give me traveling mercy.

Bless my family and home to be in order as I left it.

Lord, I thank you for everything you’ve done,
everything you are doing, 
and everything you are going to do.

Lord, I thank you for the gifts you have blessed me with.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen