Daily Prayer for Priest O my Jesus, I beg You on behalf of the whole Church ... give us holy priests. You yourself maintain them in holiness.
O Divine and Great High Priest, may the power of Your mercy accompany them everywhere and protect them from the devil's traps and snares, which are continually being set for the souls of priests.
May the power of Your Mercy, O Lord, shatter and bring the naught all that might tarnish the sanctity of priest, for You can do all things. - St. Faustina (Diary, 1052)
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My Dear People,
How Does The Healing Process Work?
 The Thankful Leper All healing comes from Our Lord. We know that when our bodies, minds, souls and spirits get healed, Jesus is the source of all of this. When Christ encounters the ten lepers on the road, His heart is moved with pity. Everywhere Jesus comes across those who are ill, He reaches out to touch and heal them. And so it is with the lepers. From a distance the men call out to the Lord, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us”. Telling them to show themselves to the priests, was in keeping with Mosaic Law. In obedience the lepers comply. While on the way they were made whole. Only one of them, a non-Jew, a Samaritan, returns to give thanks. Jesus points outs to this leper that it was his “faith” that healed him. Why would Jesus say this? Had not His healing power healed the lepers? Of course the answer is yes.
But we need to work with Our Lord in the healing process. This is where our faith enters the picture. Without our complete trust and confidence in the Lord, no real healing can take place because Jesus heals from the inside out. First He forgives sin and heals the heart, and then the body follows. So “unforgiveness” is a major blockage to our healing. Frequent confession not only heals the soul, but the body as well. God puts the whoe package together. Consider this, if you have not been in the confessional for a long, long time, consider going to confession. This will not only heal the hear and soul, but he body as well.
Entrusting you to the care of Our Lady,
Fr. Mark Bozada
Like the one leper who returned, may we regularly take time to thank God for all the blessings He bestows on us.
Fr. Mark Bozada – “You Are Obliged To Grow In Faith”
My Dear People,
A mustard seed is indeed very small; yet it has great potential when placed in good soil. At Baptism, the seeds of our faith are planted.
 The Mustard Seed If we give these seeds “good soil”, a chance to grow, we too can bear good fruit in our lifetime. Worry, stress, financial challenges all drain our spirit. When we are exhausted from the struggles of this world, it makes it very difficult to focus on the next. Such is the gift of faith. A strong faith, cultivates good spiritual seed. SO we must do our best to allow Our Lord to strengthen our faith.
Prayer is the greatest asset we have when growing our faith. If you don’t pray, you cannot progress in your spiritual life. We are obliged to grow in faith. At the end of our lifetime, we will have to show how we have grown. So don’t wait. Start now. Begin each day in prayer. Allow for regular prayer time during the course of the day. And end each day in prayer. This will assure you that the Lord may truly strengthen your faith. If we abide in Him. He will in-turn abide in us!
Entrusting you to the care of Our Lady,
Fr. Mark Bozada
May we use each day to grow the seeds of Faith in our lives.
My Dear People,
 Lazarus and the Rich Man What does Lazarus represent for us in the Gospel? He images the invisible poor who are always present in our midst. On street corners begging for money, at Agape House looking for furniture, with St. Vincent de Paul asking for rent money; the poor we will always have among us. But how much do we allow are hearts to be touched by the poor? It is easier to pretend we don’t see them? Are we praying for the needs of the poor; and how are we meeting the challenge to assist them? These are difficult questions.
It is much easier to say that we have “enough” problems of our own. Why add more to the list? Even Our Lord kept money aside to aide the poor. Judas was accused of stealing from the kitty for them. So what can we do? The extra clothes we never wear, the furniture stuffed in the garage, the extra canned goods on our shelves; could not these be shared with the needy in our midst? If we make a habit of caring for the poor, we will never be outdone by our generosity in God’s eyes. Please pray that you may grow in love for the poor in our midst.
Entrusting you to the care of Our Lady,
Fr. Mark Bozada
May we open our eyes to the needs of the poor around us. Our hands and hearts may be open to sharing our gifts to make this world a better place for all of us.
My Dear People,
Jesus asks us in the Gospel to identify who our true master is. We can only have devotion for one Lord. Unfortunately, because of the fall of Adam and Eve, we are unable to turn our complete attention to God. Sin has divided our minds and hearts. It is a constant battle to follow Jesus completely. So, the spiritual ascent to the Father is slow and difficult, but not impossible with His grace. A full cup cannot be filled, if the cup of your heart is stuffed full with the things of this world, it leaves no room for Our Lord. This requires us to be empty for the sake of being filled up by God. Once full of the Most Holy Spirit, we can then focus on pleasing and serving Him alone.
Thus, the Lord then becomes the Master of our house. Ask the Lord for the grace of conversion. Plead with Him to know and love Him. Beg Him to stand by you in times of weakness. And know that He will never abandon you. Pray to stay close to the Lord!
Entrusting you to the care of Our Lady,
Fr. Mark Bozada
May we find more time to pray, to thank God for all of His gifts, and to ask God how He wishes us to use those gifts to glorify Him.
My Dear People,
Pray, Pray, Pray for the Lost Sheep
Who are the lost sheep? Jesus describes them as sinners, those who have lost their way in this world. To these Our Lord directs His attention. Today’s parable in Luke’s Gospel tells us that Jesus is willing to drop everything to seek out the lost. When found, Our Lord rejoices exuberantly. Even the saints and angels rejoice in Heaven over one repentant sinner.
Do you have parents, siblings, cousins, or friends who no longer practice their Catholic Faith? Instead of criticizing them, or condemning them: Pray for their return! Your intercession might be all they need to come back to the Lord. What great joy we can cause Christ to have, when the “lost sheep” of our own families come home. Never cease praying. Your persistence does make a difference.
Entrusting you to the care of Our Lady,
Fr. Mark Bozada
May we never fail to pray for those in our families who have stopped practicing their faith. PRAY, PRAY, PRAY.
My Dear People,
What is Your Primary Purpose as Parents?
Why would Jesus tell us in the Gospel of Luke this Sunday, that we need to hate our father, mother, and siblings, if we are to serve Him? As often happens in translating a language from one to another, it suffers in the exchange. “Hate” would better translated into being “dis-passionate” or emotionally free from unusual attachment. When Jesus called His Apostles, He asked them to leave their primary role as provider in worldly affairs, and to translate it into a focus on spiritual affairs.
Yes, parents are suppose to provide food, shelter, clothing and care for their offsprings; but their primary purpose is to prepare their children for HEAVEN. What good are parents who only provide children with temporary goods, when their real purpose is to teach their children the value of “eternal” gifts? As parents, you will not be judged on the level of education, wealth, or prestige that your children achieved, but on how well they lived Christian lives, and were readied for a good and holy death. How well have you taught your children to carry their crosses in this life, so that they might use them to reach Heaven?
Entrusting you to the care of Our Lady,
Fr. Mark Bozada
May we come to more fully realize that everything we have is a gift from God, and that we are called to generously share these gifts with all who are in need.
Let us know, leave a comment on how well
have you taught your children to carry their crosses in this life.
My Dear People,
How do You Behold the Beatific Vision?
True humility can only begin when our eyes are fixed upon Our Lord Jesus Christ. Gazing at many statues of Our Lady, we find her eyes downcast. Always in the presence of the Most Holy Trinity, Mary understood Her place within that Divine Glory. To behold the Beatific Vision constantly, we also would have our own eyes in a similar position. So when Jesus speaks to the Apostles concerning the grace of true humility, He uses the feast parable and assuming places of honor. In the end, Jesus models this behavior for His Apostles, by becoming the “servant” of all; the “footwasher”. “Go to the lowest place at the table….” Jesus tells them. Later on, you will be brought up higher.
 Jesus Washing the Disciples Feet Seek out the poor, crippled, and lame; all those who can never repay you. Let your light shine before them. Love them as you would love Me. Then, your heavenly Father will see your good deeds and reward you accordingly. Be pure. Be simple. Be humble in the Lord.
Entrusting you to the care of Our Lady,
Fr. Mark Bozada
Through our generous giving, may we allow those who are needy to share in the banquet of blessings that God has bestowed on us.
My Dear People,
Is Mary Your Mother and Queen?
 The Crowning of the Virgin Mary When you ask what does a “queen” do, one would typically answer, “she reigns with the king?” August 22nd is usually the feast day of the “Queenship” of Our Lady. If earthly queens reign with their kings, what might a Heavenly Queen do?
Mary’s Most Immaculate Heart beats in unison with Jesus’ Most Sacred Heart. She never misses a beat. Most every saint could tell you that the fastest route to the Heart of Jesus is through His Mother’s Heart. If you ever have struggles with your faith, or have a difficult time praying; ask Mary to lead you to Jesus. You will begin a roller coaster ride of grace, mercy and peace beyond description. Ask Mary to be your Heavenly Mother and Queen. You will never be disappointed, nor at a loss for prayers of thanksgiving and praise.
Entrusting you to the care of Our Lady,
Fr. Mark Bozada
May we always stay close to the Heart of Mary, so that we know the Heartbeat of Her Son, Jesus Christ.
My Dear People,
 The Assumption of Our Lady is a stark reminder of what our life was meant to be before the fall of Adam and Eve. Our first parents enjoyed a complete and perfect union with their Creator. It was “sin-free”. There were no barriers between God and them. Then entered sin. The devil knew what he was doing when he temped Eve. Her desperate need to know, led her down the wrong path. Once there, she included Adam. And so the account goes in the Bible.
Now the New Eve, Mary, and the New Adam, Jesus, repair the breach between the Lord and us. Mary was sin-free from her conception until her Assumption into Heaven. Her perfect YES (Fiat) opens the door to our restoration with the Father. This “Fiat” opens the gateway for the birth of Our Saviour, God the Father knew what He was doing when He kept Mary free from all sin and corruption. Our Lady remained in complete union with the Holy Trinity. She was conceived and died in the total peace. And so we celebrate this feast of Mary being brought body and soul into eternity. It is a reminder of where we were suppose to be. She prepares the way of the Lord for us. Stay close to Mary and She will always lead you to Her Son.
Entrusting you to the care of Our Lady,
Fr. Mark Bozada
Like our Blessed Mother, may we say “YES” to what God calls us to do. Always remembering that God is doing great things for us.
My Dear People,
Paying attention to the signs of the times has never been more important than right now. We are watching history unfold before our very eyes. As Catholics, our vision needs to include Sacred Scripture, and the Holy Tradition intimately connected to the Bible. Without this corrected to the Bible. Without this corrected vision, we might miss the importance of world and history unfolding rapidly in His own day.
 Fr. Mark Bozada with his Godson, John Paul In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us another parable about “readiness”. The welcome the Master’s return. A good steward is always exercising the gifts of the holy Spirit within the framework of his/her vocation. God’s expects payment from the gifts given and Baptism and Confirmation. And so, as we draw closer each day to Our Lord’s Second Coming, wise stewards will be sober and awake. We cannot get drunk in the obsessions and cares of this world. We must be alert and ready to welcome Jesus, whether on our deathbed, or otherwise. Stay vigilant. Pray, Pray, Pray.
Entrusting you to the care of Our Lady,
Fr. Mark Bozada
May we be always be awake and ready to welcome the Lord when He returns.
Who Else Wants To Keep Track of Fr. Mark Bozada?
We do at Courageous Priest! You can follow Father Bozada by simply entering your main email address on the top right hand side and then confirming the request in your email box. Please don’t forget this important step. 30 seconds, that’s it. By doing so you will get the latest, not only from Father Bozada, but also from all of his courageous counterparts, like Archbishop Burke, Archbishop Chaput and Fr. John Corapi. If you need some technical assistance go here.
Do you want to know why Michael Brown of Spiritdaily did a featured article on our courageous priest? Then read his article, The “veil” is “thinning.” – Father Mark Bozada
Here are some more post from Father Bozada.
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