Pious Invocations and Today’s reading.

Pious Invocations

In regard to any invocation, the following observations are to be noted:

1) An invocation, as far as indulgences are concerned, is no longer considered a work, distinct and complete in itself, but as complementing an action, by which the faithful raise their heart and mind with humble confidence to God in performing their duties or bearing the trials of life. Hence, a pious invocation perfects the inward elevation; both together are as a precious jewel joined to one’s ordinary actions to adorn them, as salt added to them to season them properly.

2) That invocation is to be preferred which is best suited to the particular situation and one’s personal dispositions, whether it is one that comes spontaneously to mind or is chosen from those approved through long-standing use by the faithful and brought together in the following brief list.

3) An invocation can be of the briefest kind, expressed in one or few words or only thought of mentally.

The following are cited by way of example: My God — Father — Jesus — May Jesus Christ be praised (or some similar customary christian greeting) — Lord, I believe in you — I adore you — I place my trust in you — I love you — All for you — I thank you (or Thanks be to God) — May God be blessed (or Let us bless the Lord) — Your kingdom come — Your will be done — As the Lord wills — O God, help me — Comfort me — Graciously hear me (or Hear my prayer — Save me — Have mercy on me — O Lord, spare me — Do not permit me to be separated from you — Do not abandon me — Hail, Mary — Glory to God in the highest — Great are you, O Lord.

Pious Invocations

We adore you, O Christ,
and we bless you;
because by your Cross
you have redeemed the world.

Heart of Jesus,
I place all my trust in you.

My Jesus Mercy!

Sweet Heart of Mary,
be my salvation!

Jesus, Mary, Joseph,
I give you my heart and my soul.

Jesus, Mary, Joseph,
assist me in my last agony.

Jesus, Mary, Joseph,
may I breathe out my soul with you in peace.

Today’s Reading

Acts 15:7-21

⁷ and after a long discussion, Peter stood up and addressed them. ‘My brothers,’ he said, ‘you know perfectly well that in the early days God made his choice among you: the gentiles were to learn the good news from me and so become believers.

⁸ And God, who can read everyone’s heart, showed his approval of them by giving the Holy Spirit to them just as he had to us.

⁹ God made no distinction between them and us, since he purified their hearts by faith.

¹⁰ Why do you put God to the test now by imposing on the disciples the very burden that neither our ancestors nor we ourselves were strong enough to support?

¹¹ But we believe that we are saved in the same way as they are: through the grace of the Lord Jesus.’

¹² The entire assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul describing all the signs and wonders God had worked through them among the gentiles.

¹³ When they had finished it was James who spoke. ‘My brothers,’ he said, ‘listen to me.

¹⁴ Simeon has described how God first arranged to enlist a people for his name out of the gentiles.

¹⁵ This is entirely in harmony with the words of the prophets, since the scriptures say:

¹⁶ After that I shall return and rebuild the fallen hut of David; I shall make good the gaps in it and restore it.

¹⁷ Then the rest of humanity, and of all the nations once called mine, will look for the Lord, says the Lord who made this

¹⁸ known so long ago.

¹⁹ ‘My verdict is, then, that instead of making things more difficult for gentiles who turn to God,

²⁰ we should send them a letter telling them merely to abstain from anything polluted by idols, from illicit marriages, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.

²¹ For Moses has always had his preachers in every town and is read aloud in the synagogues every Sabbath.’

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 96:1-2, 2-3, 10

¹ Sing a new song to Yahweh! Sing to Yahweh, all the earth!

² Sing to Yahweh, bless his name! Proclaim his salvation day after day,

³ declare his glory among the nations, his marvels to every people!

¹⁰ Say among the nations, ‘Yahweh is king.’ The world is set firm, it cannot be moved. He will judge the nations with justice.

Gospel, John 15:9-11

⁹ I have loved you just as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.

¹⁰ If you keep my commandments you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.

¹¹ I have told you this so that my own joy may be in you and your joy be complete.

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