Author: Fr. Brad Morin (Resurrection)

Holy Hour to Know My Vocation

“This is My Beloved Son. . . Listen to Him.”

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
If a priest is not available to enthrone the Blessed Sacrament, this Holy Hour can still be used, either by a group or by individuals. In the church, kneeling before the tabernacle, begin with the Gospel Reading, and end with the Closing Prayer on page # 14
Stand as the minister (priest or deacon) approaches the tabernacle, kneel as Our Lord is taken out to be placed in the monstrance.
Incensation
When the minister begins incensing the Blessed Sacrament, all sing O
Salutaris Hostia (St. Thomas Aquinas).

O Salutaris Hostia / Quae coeli pandis ostium / Bella premunt hostilia / Da robur fer auxilium / Uni trinoque Domino / Sit sempiternal gloria / Qui vitam sine termino / Nobis donet in patria. Amen	O saving Victim, opening wide / The gate of Heaven to us below; / Our foes press hard on every side; / Your aide supply; Your strength bestow. / To your great name be endless praise, / Immortal Godhead, One in Three. / O grant us endless length of days, / In our true native land with thee. Amen.

Gospel
Stand
V: A reading from the Holy Gospel According to Mark
R: Glory to you, O Lord
Mark 10:17-31 As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: 'You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.'" He said to him, "Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth." Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.
Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." They were greatly astounded and said to one another, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible."

Peter began to say to him, "Look, we have left everything and followed you." Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age--houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields with persecutions--and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first."
V: The Gospel of the Lord
R: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ
Homily
Be seated. The minister may give a homily.
After the homily, there follow three meditations, each containing a common prayer said together, a reading by the leader, and a period of silent meditation.

First Meditation
Forgiveness and Gratitude
Leader: Praised be Jesus Christ
People: Now and Forever
Kneel. All pray together:
Father of Mercy, like the prodigal son
I return to You and say: “I have sinned against you and am no longer worthy to be called your son.”
But I am confidant in Your love and mercy,
and I ask forgiveness for all my sins.
Please give me the grace to follow you whole heartedly and to avoid the near occasion of sin.
Like the repentant thief to whom You promised Paradise,
I pray, “Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
Amen
Be seated. Meditation is read aloud by the leader.
Think for a moment about all the sins you have ever committed in your life—all of the things which you feel most sorrowful for having done, thought, or said. Now imagine all of these sins—every one of them—is put into a cup of water.

Now turn your heart to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, who is smiling at you, who loves you no matter what you have done, who is always ready to forgive you.
When you ask forgiveness from Jesus, the cup of water that contains all of your sins is poured onto this enormous, all-consuming fire. It is vaporized instantly, as if it never existed. That is the truth about God’s love and mercy for you.
Now spend some time thanking Jesus from your heart for His mercy. Let your gratitude be so great that you thank Him for everything in your life, especially for the unique person he has made you.
After you have thanked Jesus, have a conversation with Him. Ask, “Jesus, what do you want me to do with all the gifts and talents you have given to me?”
Silent Mediation
Take this time to pray silently. Acknowledging that Jesus Christ is truly present in the Blessed Sacrament, and that you are in His Presence, speak to Him as a close Friend.
You may use the text of the meditation and the following questions to guide your prayer.
Do I believe that God forgives all of my sins in the Sacrament of Penance?
Do I let feelings of guilt control my life? Do guilty feelings prevent me from forgiving myself and moving forward to doing good?
Do I understand that nobody is perfect? That God calls sinners to do His work, even as priests and religious? Do I believe that nothing is too great for God to forgive, and that He is calling me into His service despite my weaknesses?

Second Meditation
The Spiritual Battle
Adapted from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola
Leader: Praised be Jesus Christ
People: Now and Forever
Kneel. All pray together:
Receive, O Lord, all my liberty.
Take my memory, my understanding,
and my entire will.
Whatsoever I have or hold,
You have given me
I give it all back to You
and surrender it wholly to be
governed by Your will.
Give me only Your love and your
grace, with these I will be rich
enough, and I ask for nothing more.
Be seated. Meditation is read aloud by the leader.
We are engaged in a great spiritual war. Christ our Lord calls all people to be in His army and live joyfully with Him forever. The Enemy wants all people to be under his control, to be overcome by sin and hatred, and ultimately come to eternal destruction.
Imagine an enormous battlefield, covered with smoke and fire, with the evil leader seated on a terrible throne in the middle. He sends evil spirits throughout the whole world to every human being on earth. Then imagine how the evil leader tells his demons to maliciously tempt people in three ways: with the allure of wealth, the

misuse of sexuality, and the desire for honor and fame.
Now envision our true leader, Christ Jesus Our Lord. He stands tall and strong on a great plain near Jerusalem. See how He chooses many people—priests, sisters, brothers, married people, and all sorts of dedicated disciples—and sends them throughout the world to tell every soul about His love. Jesus speaks to His servants and friends, encouraging them in three ways: First, to embrace spiritual poverty, free of any unhealthy attachment or addiction. Second, to accept scorn or mockery just as Christ himself did. And third, to learn true humility, as a gateway to all other virtues. Ask Mary, our Mother, to help you meditate on these scenes. Ask her to intercede for you so you can make a decision to firmly reject sin and the evil one, and instead join Christ and His disciples forever.
Silent Meditation
You many use the text of the meditation and the following questions to guide your prayer.
Where are the battlegrounds in my life? How have I fought these battles? How have I run away from them?
Have I made a firm and conscious choice to completely reject the enemy and to follow Jesus, no matter the cost?
Have I asked Blessed Mother to strengthen me in this battle?

THIRD MEDITATION
Envisioning my Vocation
Inspired by the “What can I Live Without” meditation in
To Save a Thousand Souls by Fr. Brett Brannen
Leader: Praised be Jesus Christ
People: Now and Forever
Kneel. All pray together:
O God, You are my loving Father;
You made me to know You,
To love You, and to serve You,
And thereby to fulfill my deepest longings.
I know that You are present in all things,
And that every good path can lead me to You.
Please show me my true vocation,
The path you have chosen for me.
Send Your Holy Spirit into my mind and heart
So that I can clearly see Your gifts in my life
And how I can best serve the Church.
Mary, Mother of God and my Mother,
Pray for me, that I can discover my vocation
And have the courage to respond in faith. Amen.
Be seated. Meditation is read aloud by the leader.

Every vocation is about bringing souls to heaven. Married people are called to help their spouses and children reach heaven. Priests bring Christ Himself to others through the Eucharist and bring souls into a state of grace through Confession. Religious sisters and brothers teach others about Jesus, serve the poor, and pray for every person on earth. There is joy and hardship in all these vocations.
Think for a moment about how old you will be in 20 years. Imagine what your life would be like if you found a holy man or woman to marry, that you welcomed children into the world, and that you strived to be a good Catholic spouse and parent. Imagine your career, your family vacations, your joy at holding your first grandchild. Imagine being happy in your marriage. And now imagine your death, as you prepare to meet God face to face.
Now envision if Jesus called you to another vocation—as a consecrated sister, brother, or priest.
If you are a woman, imagine your joy at finding a religious order where you felt at home, where the sisters became your closest friends for life. Imagine how your love for God grows over the years, and the intimacy you feel as a Bride of Christ. Think of the work you will do, perhaps teaching, bringing hope to the poor, helping others find Jesus through their joys and sorrows. Imagine yourself happy in this life. And then imagine your death, surrounded by your sisters, confident in eternal life.
If you are a man, imagine overcoming your fears completely, and entering seminary to become a priest. Imagine how you grow in virtue over the years, and that after ordination, you are completely focuses on bringing people to Jesus—through the sacraments, through your counseling, and through your preaching. Think of the thousands

of babies you will baptize, the thousands of people whom you will teach to love God. Imagine yourself happy in this life. And now imagine yourself as a very old priest, loved by the people, who approaches death with peace, thankful for having lived a good life, and ready to spend eternity with Jesus in Heaven.
Every vocation is about bringing souls to heaven. Whom is God calling you to bring to heaven? How?
Silent Meditation
You many use the text of the meditation and the following questions to guide your prayer.
Am I considering what God wants with my life, or only what I want?
Am I truly open to the possibility of any vocation to which God may be calling me? Have I prayed for the desire to do the will of God?
Do I feel an inclination to a priestly or religious vocation? Have I given that inclination sufficient prayer and consideration? Have I pushed the possibility away in fear?
Can I see myself finding joy in the vocation to which God calls me, whatever it is, knowing that it will bring me happiness?

Litany of the Saints
Leader: Praised be Jesus Christ
People: Now and Forever
Kneel. Prayer and litany led by the leader.
Confident in the intercession of the saints, the thousands of holy men and women who now see Jesus face to face, we pray for a special grace: to discover the vocation that God has placed deep in the hearts of those who are present.
St. Peter, rock of the Church Pray for us
St. Paul, missionary to the Gentiles Pray for us
St. John, apostle of love Pray for us
St. Maria Goretti, defender of purity Pray for us
St. Juan Diego, humble of heart Pray for us
St. Teresa of Calcutta, servant of the poor Pray for us
St. Junipero Serra, missionary to the Americas Pray for us
St. John Paul II, witness to the world Pray for us
Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of God Pray for us
Mary, Mother of the Church Pray for us
Jesus Christ, Son of God Have Mercy on Us
Lord Jesus, Shepherd of Souls Have Mercy on Us
O Good Jesus, Light of the World Have Mercy on Us

Closing Prayer
All pray together
Father
I abandon meself into your hands;
do with me what you will.
Whatever You may do, I thank you:
I am ready for all, I accept all.
Let only Your will be done in me, and in all Your creatures.
I wish no more than this, O Lord.
Into Your hands I commend my soul:
I offer it to you
with all the love of my heart,
for I love you, Lord,
and so need to give myself,
to surrender myself into Your hands,
without reserve,
and with boundless confidence,
for you are my Father. Amen
Incensation
When the minister begins to incense the Blessed Sacrament, all sing the Tantum Ergo (St. Thomas Aquinas)

Tantum ergo Sancramentum
Veneremur cernui:
Et antiquum documentum
Novo cedat ritui
Praestet fides supplementum
Sensuum defectui.
Genitori, Genitoque
Laus et jubilatio
Salus, honor, virtus quoque
Sit et benedicto:
Procedenti ab utroque
Compar sit laudation. Amen
——————-
Down in adoration falling,
This great sacrament we hail;
Over ancient forms or worship,
Newer rites of grace prevail;
Faith tells us that Christ is present
When our human senses fail.
To the everlasting Father,
And the Son Who made us free,
With the Spirit, God proceeding
from them each eternally,
Be salvation, honor, blessing,
Might, and endless majesty. Amen.

Priest: You have given them Bread from Heaven.
People: Having all sweetness within It.
Priest: Let us prayer.
Lord Jesus Christ, you gave us the Eucharist as the memorial of your suffering and death. May our worship of this Sacrament of your Body and Blood help us to experience the
salvation you won for us and the
peace of the kingdom where you live
with the Father and Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
People: Amen.
Benediction
As the minister makes the sign of the Cross over the congregation with the Blessed Sacrament, each also makes the sign of the Cross over himself.
The Divine Praises
Blessed be God.
Blessed be his Holy Name.
Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true Man.
Blessed be the Name of Jesus.
Blessed be his most Sacred Heart.
Blessed be his most Precious Blood.
Blessed be Jesus in the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.
Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy.
Blessed be her holy and Immaculate Conception.
Blessed be her glorious Assumption.
Blessed be the name of Mary, virgin and mother.
Blessed be St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse.
Blessed be God in his Angels and in his Saints.

Priest: May the heart of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament be praised, adored and loved with grateful affection at every moment in all the tabernacles of the world, even until the end of time. Amen.
Closing Hymn
Holy God, we praise thy name,
Lord of all, we bow before thee!
All on earth thy sceptre claim,
All in heaven above adore thee.
Infinite they vast domain,
Everlasting is thy reign.
Infinite thy vast domain,
Everlasting is thy reign.
Hark the loud celestial hymn
Angel choirs above are raising!
Cherubim and Seraphim
in unceasing chorus praising
Fill the heavens with sweet accord
Holy, holy, holy Lord.
Fill the heavens with sweet accord
Holy, holy, holy Lord.
Holy Father, Holy Son,
Holy Spirit: three we name thee,
Though in essence only one;
Undivided God we claim them,
And adoring bend the knee
While we own the mystery;
And adoring bend the knee
While we own the mystery.