SAMAHAN MO AKO PANGINOON

(Halaw sa Panalangin ni Padre Pio pagkatapos magkomunyon.)

Dahil kinakailangan Kita dito sa aking tabi, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Nang sa gayo’y di Kita malimutan, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Alam Mo kung gaano kadali sa aking Ika’y talikuran, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Dahil ako’y mahina at kailangan ko ang Iyong lakas, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Nang sa gayo’y hindi ako malimit madapa, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Dahil Ikaw ang aking buhay, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Sigla ko’y mawawala kung malayo Ka sa akin, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Sapagkat Ikaw ang aking kaliwanagan, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Nang sa gayo’y hindi ako mabalot ng kadiliman, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Para mawatas ko ang Iyong kalooban, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Nang marinig ko ang Iyong tinig at ako’y makasunod sa Iyo, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Dahil hangad kong ibigin Ka nang lubos at sa tuwina’y laging kasama, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Kung ibig Mong maging tapat ako sa Iyo, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Sapagkat aba man ang aking kaluluwa, ibig ko pa rin itong kalugdan Mo at maging pugad ng Iyong pag-ibig, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Sapagkat magtatakipsilim na at ang araw ay magwawakas na, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Sapagkat maging ang buhay ay lumilipas, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Sandali na lamang ang kamatayan at paghuhukom; at heto na ang magpakailanman, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Kailangan kong panauliin ang aking lakas, nang ako’y hindi maantala sa paglalakbay, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Dahil kailangan Kita. Sapagkat heto na at palapit na ang kamatayan, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Dahil natatakot ako sa kadiliman, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Dahil natatakot ako sa panunukso, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Dahil natatakot ako sa kahungkagan, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Dahil natatakot ako sa Krus at sa hapis, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Aking Hesus, sa gabing ito ng aking buhay, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Ngayong gabi ay mapanganib. Kailangan Kita, O Hesus, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Tulungan Mo akong makilala Ka tulad ng Iyong mga alagad noong paghati-hatiin mo ang tinapay, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Nang sa gayon ang pakikinabang ko sa Iyo ang magbigay ng liwanag na papawi ng kadiliman, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Hesus, Ikaw ang lakas na magbibigay sa akin ng sigla’t ligaya sa aking puso, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Sapagkat sa sandali ng aking kamatayan ibig kong manatiling kaisa Mo kung di man sa Banal na Komunyon ay sa Iyong biyaya at pag-ibig, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Dahil hindi ko hangad ang makalangit na kaaliwan, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Dahil batid kong ako’y di nararapat, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Dahil ang Iyong presensya ay sapat na, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Oo, tunay na ito lamang ang aking hiling sa Iyo, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Sapagkat Ikaw lamang ang aking hanap, ang Iyong pag-ibig, biyaya, kalooban, puso at diwa, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Dahil Ikaw ay aking iniibig at wala na akong gantimpalang hangad bagkus ang ibigin Ka nang higit, samahan Mo ako, Panginoon.

Sa pamamagitan ng matimyas na pag ibig Ika’y aking iibigin nang buong puso habang nabubuhay rito sa lupa at patuloy pa ring iibigin nang ganap magpasawalang-hanggan. Amen.

IN UNION WITH DIVINE LOVE Day 122

Message from Padre Pio
I end here because the bell is calling me and urging me... I will present you to the heavenly Father in union with his Son, to whom, for whom, and through whom I am totally yours in the Lord.

Reflection
How would I like all of this to end?

Scriptural Reading
John 19:28-30
After this, aware that everything was now finished, in order that the scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I thirst." There was a vessel filled with common wine. So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop and put it up to his mouth. When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, "It is finished." And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.

Prayer
Father God, I fear the rest of my life, but not what comes after that. Keep me always in your guidance that I may soon hear the endless toll of the bells, the joyous songs of praise of your angels and the eternal prayers of your saints! Amen.

IN UNION WITH DIVINE LOVE Day 121

Message from Padre Pio
Finally, confess sincerely that if God were not your breastplate and shield, you would be imprudently pierced with every kind of sin.

Reflection
Have I sincerely expressed my desire, my heartfelt desire to ask God to be with me ... always?

Scriptural Reading
Ephesians 6:13-17
Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground. So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all [the] flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Prayer
Father God, I fear of what may still happen during the remainder of my life's journey. I am still weak; it is still so easy for me to fall again. Let me cling to you, please my Lord, I beg of you. Do not leave me. I love you! Amen.

IN UNION WITH DIVINE LOVE Day 120

Message from Padre Pio
Propose to make amends without being presumptuous, but your strength must be in God alone.

Reflection
Have I sincerely expressed in Confession my desire to change? Or do I simply say "sorry" with no clear idea on how to avoid committing the same sin again? Is it because I feel confident I will be forgiven anyway when I confess again?

Scriptural Reading
Luke 19:8-10
But Zaccheus stood there and said to the Lord, "Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost."

Prayer
Father God, I want to change. Punish me if you will, but I will still desire to change! I want to believe, I want to care, I want to understand, I want to love! My soul is such a mess; help me to repair it. Amen.

99th Year Anniversary of the Receiving of the Stigmata of Saint Padre Pio

Today is the 99th year anniversary of the receiving of the stigmata of Saint Padre Pio.

On September 20, 1918, accounts state that the pains of the transverberation had ceased and Padre Pio was in "profound peace." On that day, as Padre Pio was engaged in prayer in the choir loft in the Church of Our Lady of Grace, the same Being who had appeared to him and given him the transverberation, and who is believed to be the Wounded Christ, appeared again, and Padre Pio had another experience of religious ecstasy. When the ecstasy ended, Padre Pio had received the visible stigmata, the five wounds of Christ. This time, the stigmata were permanent. They stayed visible for the next fifty years of his life.

In a letter to Padre Benedetto, his superior and spiritual advisor from San Marco in Lamis, dated October 22, 1918, Padre Pio describes his experience of receiving the stigmata:

On the morning of the 20th of last month, in the choir, after I had celebrated Mass I yielded to a drowsiness similar to a sweet sleep. [...] I saw before me a mysterious person similar to the one I had seen on the evening of 5 August. The only difference was that his hands and feet and side were dripping blood. This sight terrified me and what I felt at that moment is indescribable. I thought I should have died if the Lord had not intervened and strengthened my heart which was about to burst out of my chest. The vision disappeared and I became aware that my hands, feet and side were dripping blood. Imagine the agony I experienced and continue to experience almost every day. The heart wound bleeds continually, especially from Thursday evening until Saturday. Dear Father, I am dying of pain because of the wounds and the resulting embarrassment I feel deep in my soul. I am afraid I shall bleed to death if the Lord does not hear my heartfelt supplication to relieve me of this condition. Will Jesus, who is so good, grant me this grace? Will he at least free me from the embarrassment caused by these outward signs? I will raise my voice and will not stop imploring him until in his mercy he takes away, not the wound or the pain, which is impossible since I wish to be inebriated with pain, but these outward signs which cause me such embarrassment and unbearable humiliation....the pain was so intense that I began to feel as if I were dying on the cross.

Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, pray for us.

IN UNION WITH DIVINE LOVE Day 119

Message from Padre Pio
Wash your imperfections and falls with sincere tears of contrition... which will always be greater than your ingratitude.

Reflection
Have I ever cried in Confession?

Scriptural Reading
Psalm 137:1,5-6
By the rivers of Babylon we sat mourning and weeping when we remembered Zion. ... If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand wither. May my tongue stick to my palate if I do not remember you, if I do not exalt Jerusalem beyond all my delights.

Prayer
Father God, I deserve this misery! I deserve all this for having so lazy, so forgetful, so negligent! I deserve all this for refusing to believe, for refusing to care, for refusing to love! I deserve all this for having so insatiable! I deserve to be punished! Please Lord, please Lord, do not forget me! Help me! Amen.

IN UNION WITH DIVINE LOVE Day 118

Message from Padre Pio
When you fall, do not stay there prostrated in body and spirit. Humble yourself greatly but without being discouraged. Lower yourself without degrading yourself.

Reflection
When I am inclined to sin, am I more fearful of the social stigma when I am caught than of God's justice? If caught, am I more fearful of not gaining back my reputation, than of trying to gain God's mercy? If caught, am I more preoccupied with making excuses than going to sacramental Confession?

Scriptural Reading
Romans 8:14-17
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, Abba, "Father!" The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

Prayer
Father God, now I understand that humility recognizes your supremacy as well as your loving desire to fill me with what I have lost in disobedience. I need not lose hope and wallow in the mire of self-disintegration because I need not prop myself up. You are always there for me, to make me a precious child again and to lead me to your kingdom where you live forever and ever. Amen.