RELIGION AND ART

Luke 2:41-51a © Mary stored up all these things in her heart   Every year the parents of Jesus used to go to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up for the feast as usual. When they were on their way home after the feast, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem without his parents knowing it. They assumed he was with the caravan, and it was only after a day’s journey that they went to look for him among their relations and acquaintances. When they failed to find him they went back to Jerusalem looking for him everywhere.   Three days later, they found him in the Temple, sitting among the doctors, listening to them, and asking them questions; and all those who heard him were astounded at his intelligence and his replies. They were overcome when they saw him, and his mother said to him, ‘My child, why have, you done this to us? See how worried your father and I have been, looking for you.’   ‘Why were you looki

AN ACT OF CONTRITION Forgive me my sins, O Lord, forgive me my sins: the sins of my youth, the sins of my age, the sins of my soul, the sins of my body, my idle sins, my serious voluntary sins, the sins I know, the sins I do not know, the sins I have concealed so long, and which are now hidden from my memory.     I am truly sorry for every sin, mortal and venial, for all the sins of my childhood up to the present hour. I know my sins have wounded Your Tender Heart, O my Saviour, let me be freed from the bonds of evil through the most bitter passion of my Redeemer. O my Jesus, forget and forgive what I have been. Amen.  (from Catholic Prayer Pamphlet Visit to the Blessed Sacrament) Prayer Lord Jesus, you are my life, my love, my strength, and my joy. I kneel before you in homage. I worship and adore you. I surrender all to you that I may become like you. Psalm 51

A PRAYER FOR HELP PSALM 86 Listen to me, LORD, and answer me, for I am helpless and weak. Save me from death, because I am loyal to you, save me, for I am loyal to you; save me, for I am your and I trust in you.   You are my God, so be merciful to me; I pray to you all day long. Make your servant glad, O LORD, because my prayers go up to you. You are good to us and forgiving, full of constant love for all who pray to you. Listen, LORD, to my prayer, hear my cries for help, I call to you in times of trouble, because you answer my prayers. There is no god like you, O LORD, not one has done what you have done. All the nations that you have created will come and bow down to you; They will praise your greatness. You are mighty and do wonderful things; you alone are God. Teach me, LORD, what you want me to do, and I will obey you faithfully, teach me to serve you with complete devotion. I will praise you with all my heart, O Lord my God: I wi

Leviticus 19:1-2,11-18 © Only pass judgement on your neighbour according to justice The Lord spoke to Moses. He said: ‘Speak to the whole community of the sons of Israel and say to them:    ‘“Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy.   ‘“You must not steal nor deal deceitfully or fraudulently with your neighbour. You must not swear falsely by my name, profaning the name of your God. I am the Lord. You must not exploit or rob your neighbour. You must not keep back the labourer’s wage until next morning. You must not curse the dumb, nor put an obstacle in the blind man’s way, but you must fear your God. I am the Lord.   ‘“You must not be guilty of unjust verdicts. You must neither be partial to the little man nor overawed by the great; you must pass judgement on your neighbour according to justice. You must not slander your own people, and you must not jeopardise your neighbour’s life. I am the Lord. You must not bear hatred for your brother in your heart. You