First Friday Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Oh Lord Jesus Christ, to Your most Sacred Heart I confide this intention {Petition}.
“Ester and I pray for Your blessings to grace our children, and their children’s children, to wholeheartedly support The MCC FOUNDATION – The MONTINOLA-CUMAGUN CARE FOUNDATION OBJECTIVES: (1.) Special Children SPED; a child’s mind is the most precious thing to waste. (The motto of the American Negro College), and the Handicapped Senior Citizens – Physical Therapy. (2.) Financial Support for Diocesan priests and Grade School Teachers for the rural areas. (3.) Computer Start-up Education Tools for selected public schools and (4.) Selected Start-up Management and Financial Support for Small Businesses. Only look upon me, then do what Your love inspires. Let Your Sacred Heart decide. I count on You. I trust in You. I throw myself on Your mercy. Lord Jesus, You will not fail me.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in You.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I believe in Your love for me.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, Your kingdom come.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I have asked You for many favors, but I earnestly implore this one.
Take it, place it in Your open Heart.
When the Eternal Father looks upon it, He will see it covered with Your Precious Blood.
It will be no longer my prayer, but Yours, Jesus. Sacred Heart of Jesus,
I place all my trust in You. Amen.
September 11, 2026. Saint Paphnutius. A disciple of St. Anthony of the Desert, Paphnutius of Skete, started as a desert hermit. He later became a bishop and was tortured for his faith by the Roman ruler of Egypt in the early 300s, which is said to have been the bloodiest persecution of Christians during the Roman Empire. The account of his suffering is gruesome. Paphnutius was thrown by the torturers into a river with a stone about his neck, but he miraculously floated to shore with the stone. They sent the holy martyr to the emperor Diocletian himself, who commanded him to be crucified on a date tree; he also had his left leg partially mutilated and his right eye cut out. When that failed to get him to renounce his faith, he was sentenced to the mines. When the persecutions ended about the year 313, Paphnutius returned to his priestly duties, bearing the evidence of his sufferings forever. He was most ardent in defending the Catholic faith. He died about 350. Saint Paphnutius was esteemed by all for his great simplicity and holiness of life. He withstood the persecutions of his age, remaining true to the faith, and inspiring those around him to do the same. Through his example, many came to know God and turned from their sinfulness to the newness of life. (Maridol: My Morning Prayer)
Luke 6:39-42. Jesus told his disciples a parable: “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’ when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.”
Reflection. The words of the Popes. The Gospel of Luke has once again put before us Jesus’ question: “Can a blind man lead a blind man?” (Lk 6:39). The Lord means to say that a guide cannot be blind; he must see clearly, if he is not to risk causing harm to those entrusted to his care. Jesus thus calls the attention of all those who have educational or leadership responsibilities (…) to feel a sense of responsibility, to ask themselves what the right path is, and to walk it themselves first. (…) In today’s passage, we find another very significant phrase, which exhorts us not to be presumptuous and hypocritical. “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” (Lk 6:41). How easy it is to notice the faults and sins of others whilst failing to see our own! And how can we tell whether our eye is clear or obstructed by a log? The answer lies in our actions. It is Jesus who tells us this once more: “Each tree is known by its own fruit” (Lk 6:44). The fruit consists of our actions, but also our words. (…) Indeed, a good person brings forth good things from the heart and the mouth, whilst an evil person brings forth evil things. (…) Feel a sense of responsibility and take pride in offering a Christian witness capable of renewing society both inwardly and outwardly. (John Paul II, homily of 1 March 1992)
Saint Paphnutius, as I embark on another day during these difficult times, help me ask God to give me the strength to keep going on even when all the options presented to me seem bleak. Intercede to God for strength and the determined will to carry on to fulfill the 4 objectives of the Montinola Cumagun Care Foundation as an everlasting witness to His redemptive love.
Our Lady of the Impossible, grace those late in life but have more in life who tried to be their brothers’ keepers for those who have less in life – “Ester and I pray for your blessings to grace our children, and their children’s children, to wholeheartedly support The MCC FOUNDATION – The MONTINOLA-CUMAGUN CARE FOUNDATION OBJECTIVES: (1.) Special Children SPED, a child’s mind is the most precious thing to waste. (The motto of the American Negro College), and the Handicapped Senior Citizens – Physical Therapy. (2.) Financial Support for Diocesan priests and Grade School Teachers for the rural areas. (3.) Computer Start-up Education Tools for selected public schools and (4.) Selected Start-up Management and Financial Support for Small Businesses. “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” Luke 12:48. “The sin of the rich man was not that he did wrong things, but that he did nothing. (William Barclay, in Antonio G. Cumagun Autobiography Song of Myself Memoirs, Looking Back at Serendipity, 2002) Our Lady of the Impossible, “Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection was left unaided. . .” the good news of peace and justice through Ester and my founding the Montinola Cumagun Care Foundation. Business Enterprises are not Legacy: It is the fruits of the wake you leave, and who you leave it to, and what you leave. Let your wake speak, not your name.
Ester and my state of health – vital stats are recorded by Ester’s everyday, 24 hr. PDNs.
Ester’s morning BP was 110/70. HR 71. O2sat 98%. Temp 36.4.
Last Night’s BP 110/70. HR 54. O2sat 98%. Temp. 36.6
Tony’s morning BP was 110/70. HR 66. O2sat 99%. Temp 36.6
Last Night’s BP 110/70. HR 54. O2sat 98%. Temp. 36.6
Beata John Paul 1, watch over Cristina C, Justice Jun’s state of health, Ester’s recovery, and our autistic son John Paul’s emotional/emotional stability 57 (baptized John Paul a decade before Cardinal Luciano of Milan took the regnal name of John Paul), whom we met, promised to pray for him that John Paul II continued with Christmas greetings, and my weakening 89-year-old body.
FOR THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED AND SOULS IN PURGATORY
In Memory of all those who left us. We remember you in the morning and at night. You are always with us. We pray for the souls in Purgatory.
Blessed Mother Mary, I bring to you for your intercession the souls of Amb. Manuel R. and Dolores G. Cumagun, Juana Cumagun, Annette Cumagun, Lina Beltran, Judge and Mrs. Dolores Cumagun, Gov. Primo & Magdalena H. Gaffud, Dr. Trino, Sr. & Angeles Montinola, Betty, Luie, Trino, Jr. Montinola, Bernardino, and Isabel Jalandoni. Dr. Terry Lirio-Montinola, Dr. & Mrs. Tomacruz, Akira Tsusaka, Boy Eugenio, Jesus Ibañez, Sen. Nene Pimentel, Santiago Ranada 111, Boysie Villavicensio, Patria Manuel, Dr. Mariano Laurel, Rene Datu, (Ateneo ’54 – Jimmy Ongpin, Atty. Ato Gonzales, Buddy Joaquin, Fr. Unson, Msgr. Tantoco, Atty. Art Alafriz, Robert Arevalo Ylagan, Maximo Abesamis, Jr., Jesse Paredes), Atty. C. Platon, Araceli Rivera, Rey Castañeda, Col. Tanseco, Dr. E Fores, Dr. J. Caedo, Christine Syjuco, Leni Panganiban, Raul Boncan, Atty. Spanky and Dolly Perez, Amb. Albert del Rosario, Nellie Valdez, Toti Herbosa, Tec Syjuco, AL, Umberto (Beck) Gonzales, and Rufo Colayco. Pray 7 Our Father and The Credo