St. Boniface

We pray with Saint Boniface and let his words confront our instinct to go quiet when life turns harsh. We ask God for courage to shepherd well, trust more deeply, and hold the faith with our deeds. 
• opening prayers for help and praise of the Trinity 
• daily offering through the Immaculate Heart of Mary for sins and intentions 
• Saint Boniface’s image of the Church as a storm-tossed ship 
• the call to stay the course and learn from the early martyrs and teachers 
• trust in the Lord rather than personal prudence 
• a blunt warning against silence and running from the wolf 
• preaching the whole plan of God to everyone with the strength God gives 
If you found this time of prayer and reflection fruitful and would like more opportunities to grow in your faith, consider joining the Cristeros and purchasing our publications now available on Amazon.com. The Cristeros app is available on the Apple app and Google Play Store. More information on the Cristeros can be found at theCristeros.org.

Transcript

Opening Invocation And Doxology

SPEAKER_00 0:02

Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr, in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Daily Offering Through Mary

SPEAKER_00 0:24

O my Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day, in union with the holy sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, for the remission of my sins, for the intentions of my family and friends, and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father. Amen.

Boniface On Shepherding The Church

SPEAKER_00 0:48

From a letter by Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr. The careful shepherd watches over Christ's flock. In her voyage across the ocean of this world, the church is like a great ship being pounded by the waves of life's different stresses. Our duty is not to abandon ship, but to keep her on her course. The ancient fathers showed us how we should carry out this duty. Clement, Cornelius, and many others in the city of Rome, Cyprian at Carthage, Athanasius at Alexandria. They all lived under the emperors, who were pagans. They all steered Christ's ship, or rather his most dear spouse, the church. They did this by teaching and defending her, by their labors and sufferings, even to the shedding of blood. I am terrified when I think of all this. Fear and trembling came upon me, and the darkness of my sins almost covered me. I would gladly give up the task of guiding the church which I have accepted, if I could find such an action warranted by the example of the fathers or by holy scripture. Since this is the case, and since the truth can be assaulted, but never defeated or falsified, with our tired mind, let us turn to the words of Solomon.

Trust In God Under Trial

SPEAKER_00 2:05

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own prudence. Think on him in all your ways, and he will guide your steps. In another place he says, The name of the Lord is an impregnable tower. The just man seeks refuge in it, and he will be saved. Let us stand fast in what is right and prepare our souls for trial. Let us wait upon God's strengthening aid and say to him, O Lord, you have been our refuge in all generations. Let us trust in Him who has placed this burden upon us. What we ourselves cannot bear, let us bear with the help of Christ, for He is all powerful, and He tells us, My yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Let us continue the fight on the day of the Lord. The days of anguish and of tribulation have overtaken us. If God so wills, let us die for the holy laws of our fathers, so that we may deserve to obtain an eternal inheritance with them. Let us be neither dogs that do not bark, nor silent onlookers, nor paid servants who run away before the wolf. Instead, let us be careful shepherds,

Preach Boldly And Guard The Flock

SPEAKER_00 3:21

watching over Christ's flock. Let us preach the whole of God's plan to the powerful and to the humble, to rich and to poor, to men of every rank and age, as far as God gives us the strength, in season and out of season, as Saint Gregory writes in his book of pastoral instruction. I have longed to give you the gospel, and more than that to give you my very life. You have become very dear to me. My little children, I am like a mother giving birth to you until Christ is formed in you. You have become very dear to me.

Closing Prayers And How To Join

SPEAKER_00 4:03

May the martyr Saint Boniface be our advocate, O Lord, that we may firmly hold the faith he taught with his lips and sealed in his blood, and confidently profess it by our deeds, through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen. All that I have, and all that I am, I give to your hands, Jesus, through the heart of Mary, your blessed mother, amen. Sacred heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us. In the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. If you found this time of prayer and reflection fruitful and would like more opportunities to grow in your faith, consider joining the Cristuros and purchasing our publications now available on Amazon.com. The Cristeros app is available on the Apple app and Google Play Store. More information on the Cristuros can be found at theCristuros.org.