Stop, Drop And Love

Life is a mile a minute sometimes...How often do we forget to stop, drop to our knees... and love?

St. John Mary Vianney's feast day (August 4th) reminds us of a man's love that was so big, his heart remained incorrupt after his death.  What a miracle of love! Last summer we were blessed with a visit and real presence of this relic at a nearby parish.  I just love the prayer that was printed on the holy cards (pictured above) made for the pilgrimage of St. John Vianney's heart:

"I love you, O my God,

and my only desire is to love you until the last breath of my life.

I love you, O my infinitely lovable God,

and I would rather die loving you, than live without loving you.

I love you, Lord, and the only grace I ask is to love you eternally."


This is the perfect prayer as we are getting ready to send Dear husband and Mer-man off on their pilgrimage to World Youth Day (WYD) in Spain ...They leave in less than 1 week!  I made these cupcakes for one of their last preparation meetings with the symbol of WYD.  I love all of the symbolism and meaning behind the logo...

The logo has a cross that reflects the theme for World Youth Day, "Rooted and built up in Christ and established in the faith." The color red of the crown forms the letter M... this stands for Madrid and the M for Maria. The joining of the crown evokes youth coming together. The crown also represents The Virgen de la Almudena the female patron of Madrid. According to the creator of the logo, the orange, red, and yellow symbolize Spains warmth and the warmth of God. (We only used red icing on the cupcakes:)

 The World
The designer, Jose Gil-Nogués, said “The [logo] has a spontaneous and strong stroke, as the youth of the twenty-first century. It’s close, friendly, open, cheerful, casual and positive…The use of a palette of warm colors (red, orange and yellow) transmits an unmistakable warmth and heat, identity of a city like Madrid, Spain as a country. These colors are also a reflection of the warmth of God, ‘Trinity of Love."

WYD (World Youth Day) in Spanish is JMJ (Jornada Mundial de la Juventud). JMJ also stands for the Holy Family~Jesus, Mary and Joseph


The rest of our family, here at home, will hold down the fort and finish our school planning and preparations while our pilgrims are across the waters for 12 days!  We do have a little trip planned (with Grandma and Grandpa) to the lake. It will be a nice distraction from missing Dad and brother! It will also be our last "hurrah" before our school year kicks off very soon.

Back to stop, drop and love, we like to begin our school year on a Marian Feast Day as we strive to be closer to Christ.  After all, no one leads us quicker to Jesus than His very own Mother and our heavenly Mother, Mary.
"Let us live as the Blessed Virgin lived: loving God only, desiring God only, trying to please God only in all that we do."
~St. John Mary Vianney~
‎"I tell you that you have less to suffer in following the cross than in serving the world and its pleasures." - St. John Vianney-

Last year I believe we started our school year on The Assumption of Mary. This year we are aiming for the Queenship of Mary!
"Because the Virgin Mary was raised to such a lofty dignity as to be the mother of the King of kings, it is deservedly and by every right that the Church has honored her with the title of 'Queen'"
~St. Alphonsus Ligouri~
I am praying that I can pull everything together in time for our school start date...Trying to breathe remember to stop, drop and love!

Litany in Honor of St. John Vianney

Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven, Have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.

God the Holy Ghost, Have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.

Saint John-Mary Vianney, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, endowed with grace from thine infancy, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, model of filial piety, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, devoted servant of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, spotless lily of purity, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, faithful imitator of the sufferings of Christ, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, abyss of humility, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, seraph of prayer, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, faithful adorer of the Most Blessed Sacrament, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, ardent lover of holy poverty, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, true son of St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, exemplary Franciscan tertiary, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, tender friend of the poor, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, penetrated with the fear of God's judgment, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, fortified by divine visions, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, who was tormented by the evil spirit, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, perfect model of sacerdotal virtue, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, firm and prudent pastor, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, inflamed with zeal, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, faithful attendant on the sick, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, indefatigable catechist, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, who didst preach in words of fire, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, wise director of souls, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, specially gifted with the spirit of counsel, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, enlightened by light from Heaven, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, formidable to Satan, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, compassionate with every misery, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, providence of the orphans, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, favored with the gift of miracles, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, who didst reconcile so many sinners to God, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, who didst confirm so many of the just in the way of virtue, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, who didst taste the sweetness of death, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, who dost now rejoice in the glory of Heaven, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, who givest joy to those who invoke thee, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, heavenly patron of parish priests, pray for us.

St. John Vianney, model and patron of directors of souls, pray for us.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us.

Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.

V. Pray for us, blessed Jean-Marie Vianney, R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let Us Pray

Almighty and merciful God, Who didst bestow upon blessed John Mary Vianney wonderful pastoral zeal and a great fervor for prayer and penance, grant, we beseech Thee, that by his example and intercession we may be able to gain the souls of our brethren for Christ, and with them attain to everlasting glory, through the same Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end.

Amen