The Glory of Peter and Paul

The Glory of Peter and Paul

By Sister Mary Claire – for young hearts

Jesus chose twelve special friends called the apostles. He loved each one of them and gave them His grace. But two of them—Saint Peter and Saint Paul—were given very special jobs that helped the whole Church.

Jesus gave Peter the key to Heaven. That doesn’t mean he carried around a big metal key in his pocket! It means Jesus trusted Peter to help lead people to Heaven. Peter became like a shepherd, gently guiding souls to God and keeping the door open for those who wanted to come home.

Then there’s Paul. He didn’t know Jesus during His life on earth, but Jesus called him in a powerful way later on. Paul became one of the greatest teachers of our faith. His key was the key of knowledge. Paul helped people understand who Jesus was by writing letters and preaching with great love and wisdom. His words helped open people’s hearts to believe.

So, Peter opened the door to Heaven, and Paul showed people the way to walk toward it. One helped them come in, and the other helped them understand why.

Both Peter and Paul gave their lives for Jesus in a city called Rome. Long ago, Rome was a place where people worshipped false gods. But God used Peter and Paul to turn that place into something holy. Now, it’s the home of the Church!

Even though Jesus’ death on the Cross was all we need to be saved, He gave us saints like Peter and Paul to show us how to live bravely and love Him with all our hearts. Their lives are examples for us to follow.

You don’t need a key in your hand to follow Jesus. Just keep your heart open, your prayers steady, and your love strong. Peter and Paul will cheer you on from Heaven!





A Short Prayer

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for Saint Peter and Saint Paul.

Help me to be brave like them,

to love You with all my heart,

and to help others find the way to Heaven.

Amen.

The Heart Of Mary

Dear little one,

Look closely at the holy picture above. Mary stands among soft white flowers, her eyes full of kindness. She gently points to her Heart—glowing with love and crowned with flames. This is the Sacred Heart of Mary, the heart of a Mother who never stops loving.

The words below her say in Italian, “Sacro Cuore di Maria, siate la salvezza mia”—which means, “Sacred Heart of Mary, be my salvation.”

Her Heart was like an altar, always offering love to God. She loved Jesus with every part of herself, and she loves you just the same. Her love was quiet and strong, filled with prayer, service, and deep trust.

Let us ask Mary today to help our hearts be like hers—pure, gentle, and always burning with love for Jesus.

Have I told Mary I want to love Jesus more today?

Can I offer something small, just for Him?

All my love and prayers,

Sister Mary Clare

"From His Heart to Mine"

Dear little soul,

One quiet night in the chapel, Saint Margaret Mary knelt before the altar, just like we do when we come before Jesus in prayer. Suddenly, she saw Him—Jesus Himself—bathed in light, standing above the altar, His Heart glowing and surrounded by a crown of thorns and a little flame of love. He reached out His hand and gently said, “Behold this Heart, which has so loved men…”

When I look at this picture, I see how much Jesus longs for us to know His Heart. He doesn’t hide it. He shows it—open, burning, and full of love. He is not far away. He leans toward us. He wants to be close.

Saint Margaret Mary didn’t run away or hide. She looked right at Him and listened. She gave Him her whole heart in return.

Jesus wants the same from you and me. His Sacred Heart is full of grace—like a treasure box that never runs out. Every time we kneel before Him, whether in Church, in our room, or even out under the sky, He sees us. And from His Heart flow all the graces we need to become the holy person He dreamed us to be.

When we feel weak or unsure, we can look to His Heart. If we want to grow in kindness, patience, or courage, we can ask His Heart to share those gifts with us. And if we ever feel sad, we can remember His hand reaching out—just like in the picture—ready to lift us up.

So today, I want to whisper a little prayer with you:

“Jesus, gentle and strong, let my heart rest in Yours. Teach me to love like You. Let Your Sacred Heart be my refuge and my strength, and help me become holy, little by little, just like Saint Margaret Mary.”

With all my love and prayers,

Sister Mary Clare, 

Jesus, Our Eucharistic King

 
Lessons to be Learned from the Glorious Life of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar

“How lovely are Thy tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts! My soul longeth and fainteth for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh have rejoiced in the living God.”

—Psalm 83:2–3

First Prelude: Imagine Jesus saying, “I am come to cast fire upon the earth, and what will I but that it be kindled?”

Second Prelude: Ask Jesus to help you grow in love and knowledge of His Sacred Heart.

First Point: In the Blessed Sacrament, Jesus Teaches Us the Essence of Real Renown. 

When we look at Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, hidden under the humble appearance of bread, we see no signs of earthly beauty or luxury. Kings on earth live in grand palaces decorated with gold and gems. But Jesus, the King of Heaven and earth, often chooses to be in quiet, simple places that don’t have much.

Even though angels are always near Him, we cannot see them. Many times, He is left all alone, visited only by the poor. Still, even in these hidden, lonely places, Jesus remains the great and glorious God. He shows us His majesty not through riches, but by choosing poverty and simplicity.

He was born in a stable, lived in a humble home, and had no place to lay His head when He died. Jesus didn’t want worldly glory. He wanted to show us that true greatness comes from loving God and seeking the joys of Heaven—not from riches or being famous.

So, how do we treat honor and praise? Do we still chase after admiration from others? Do we forget that real happiness is found in loving and serving Jesus?

Ask yourself: Do I value the honor of being with Jesus in Holy Communion? Do I feel joy knowing I get to receive Him and be close to Him? Does this help me turn away from worldly temptations?

Second Point: We Are Called to Glorify Jesus by a Holy Life.

In Heaven, Jesus is King, surrounded by angels and saints. But on earth, He is hidden in the Blessed Sacrament, where He draws us closer to Himself with His grace and love.

His greatest desire is to reign in our hearts. Just like fire spreads when it touches something, Jesus wants to fill our souls with His love. When we go to Him in the Blessed Sacrament, He purifies us, helps us turn away from sin, and teaches us to grow in holiness.

We see the beautiful results of this in the lives of saints like St. Theresa, St. Catherine of Siena, and St. Gertrude. Jesus found joy in their hearts because they built a throne for Him there. They received Holy Communion often, and they spent time with Him in prayer. Their lives were filled with grace, and they gave great glory to God.

We too can be like them. Jesus invites us to come to Him in the Sacrament of His love. He gives us strength to fight sin and to glorify Him by our victories over temptations.

He is the Bread of the Strong, the One who gives us courage and every grace we need. Let us go to Him with trust, asking Him to help us begin again with love.

Affections:

O my Jesus, with a humble heart I bow before You in the Holy Sacrament. I know I haven’t always followed Your loving ways. Please forgive me for the times I resisted Your grace. Help me to love You more and more.

Take away anything in me that keeps You from ruling in my heart. Fill me with Your holy love. Teach me to love what You love, and to seek Your will above all else.

O Mary, my dear Mother, you loved God so perfectly. Please pray for me, that I may love Him too, even in times of sorrow. Help me to trust His plan and do whatever He asks.

Resolution:

I will try my best today to listen to the gentle nudges of grace and to offer every little sacrifice with love for Jesus.

Spiritual Bouquet:

“I live; now not I; but Christ liveth in me.”

Soul of Christ…

Transcribed and gently rewritten for young readers by Sister Mary Clare of Camp Littlemore.

Jesus - Our Quiet Shepherd

 
“Come to Me, all you who are tired and carrying heavy things, and I will give you rest.”

—Matthew 11:28

Imagine This: Jesus is like a gentle Shepherd. In the Blessed Sacrament, He’s carrying a hurt little lamb on His shoulders. He cares for it and lovingly helps it heal.

Ask Jesus: Fill me up, dear Jesus! Give me a burning love for You so I can try every day to help others by praying and being a good example.

First Thought

Jesus Prays for Us and Offers Himself for Us in the Blessed Sacrament

Jesus stays with us in the tabernacle because He loves His Father in Heaven and wants to save souls—ours and everyone else’s. He became man to help bring us back to God and to show us how much we are loved. His life on earth was hard and full of sacrifice, especially when He gave His life on the Cross. Now He offers Himself again and again at Mass—not in a bloody way like on Calvary, but in a quiet, hidden way through the Eucharist.

Through the Blessed Sacrament, Jesus shares every good thing with us: His love, His holiness, and many spiritual gifts. He calls us to join Him in caring about the things His Father cares about. That means praying, offering little sacrifices, and helping people come closer to God.

Even if all we can do is pray and offer small hidden sacrifices—like doing chores without complaining or being kind when it’s hard—Jesus can use these to help save souls. Many people have come back to God because someone prayed for them! That could be us.

Second Thought

Jesus Teaches Us by His Quiet Example

Jesus also teaches us by simply being there in the Blessed Sacrament. He doesn’t just talk about love and patience—He shows it. Even though He is God, He hides under the form of bread. He lets Himself be forgotten, ignored, and even mistreated, yet He stays. He is always ready to love and forgive.

Jesus is also very obedient. Every time a priest says the words at Mass, Jesus comes down from Heaven to be with us. He is never too busy, never says “not today,” and never gives up on anyone.

We can try to be like Him. Even if people don’t listen to our words, they might notice our kindness, patience, and faith. That’s how we can help bring others to Jesus—by living like Him.

Let’s Talk to Jesus

Jesus, I adore You in the Blessed Sacrament! You are always with us, loving and praying for us. Please light a fire in my heart to love You back and help others know You. I want to be patient like You, gentle like You, and ready to do little things for love of You. Mary, help me love Jesus the way you do, with all my heart.

Today’s Promise:

I will offer all my prayers and good works today to Jesus, so more people will come to know His love.

Special Words to Remember:

“Come to Me, all you who are tired and carrying heavy things, and I will give you rest.” —Matthew 11:28

Soul of Christ, make me holy…

Transcribed and gently rewritten for young readers by Sister Mary Claire at Camp Littlemore Farm in Iowa.

Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, our Model of the Interior Life.

“Verily Thou art a hidden God, the God of Israel, the Saviour” (Is. 45, 15).

First Prelude: Imagine yourself with Jesus in His solitude and hear His glorious instructions on the hidden life.

Second Prelude: O my Jesus, incite me to great zeal in the acquisition of the hidden virtues with which Thou dost favor interior souls.

First Point

Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, the Model of the Hidden Life

Who would think when beholding Jesus under the humble species, that He is the very God Who dwells in heaven in inaccessible light, who sits on a glorious throne, surrounded by countless hosts of angels and saints, incessantly offering Him their homage. Nothing is here discernible of His providence, wisdom and omnipotence. Here, in truth, He is solicitous for the souls of the just. In the Blessed Eucharist reigns silence, seclusion, abasement, patience, a retired and interior life. In truth, Jesus is here a wonderful exemplar of religious, who are called in a special way to lead an interior life. Would we imitate it, then we must strive to foster it by union with God and interior recollection.

The kingdom of God is within our hearts, where He has erected His throne. Souls loving God, should often retire to the seclusion of their hearts to occupy themselves with God as much as their external duties permit it and hold loving communion with Him. Provided our duties permit it we should likewise love exterior solitude because it is conducive to intimate union with God. As religious, we must be solicitous, above all, in so far as love and obedience suffer us, to conceal from the eyes of the world the little good that we may accomplish. “Vain self-complacency,” says St. Vincent de Paul, “and the desire to be lauded by others, to be praised for our deeds, is an evil which easily makes forgetfulness of God the result, and contaminates the best actions and aims a most disastrous blow at the interior life.” Let us, therefore, rejoice when an apparently insignificant office, an unobserved employment is allotted to us, when the paternal eye of God alone is witness to our labors and sacrifices. If we nourish such sentiments we shall find it easy to labor solely for God’s glory and thus to merit His divine pleasure.

Do I love and esteem the hidden life? Do I perform, with great exactness and solicitude, actions unobserved by others?

Second Point

Precious Fruits of a Hidden Life

Let us now consider the precious fruits that a hidden life produces in the soul. It is, above all, an easy and sure means to attain to great purity of conscience and to perfect detachment from creatures and from self. The curbing of our curiosity and vanity cuts off a multitude of opportunities to sin, and induces us to reflect upon the intentions and movements of our hearts. Thus, little by little, all our evil inclinations become weakened and the soul gradually attains to that purity of heart which culminates in intimate union with God in prayer.

The spirit of prayer, a second very valuable fruit of the interior life, is never found in souls who love intercourse with the world. How many complain of the difficulty of recollection at prayer. The faithful practice of the interior life would obviate all such difficulties and sweeten for us most powerfully the intercourse with God. As a rule, God rewards a life of union with Him with precious graces and sweet joys, infinitely better than all the joys of the world. Many pious souls who lead an interior life seem to be lonely and forsaken; the children of the world consider them as unhappy and cheerless, whereas in reality they enjoy the sweetest peace. The Apostle St. Paul observes: “We appear sad, but in reality we are always full of joy.” St. Jerome speaks of solitude with fondness, and St. Bernard says: “I am least alone when alone, for then my Lord is with me, Whose presence affords me greater happiness than intercourse with all the creatures of the world!”

Are these blessed fruits of the interior life not in a position to fill our hearts with pious desires? Will not the frequent pondering on them help us to conquer the resistance of our blinded self-love, and impel us cheerfully to make the little sacrifices that such a life entails upon us?

Affections: O my Jesus, I adore Thee in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar, as master and exemplar of the hidden life. Let me duly recognize the precious fruits of this holy life, that I may strive to advance in it. Take out of my heart every desire to be seen and esteemed by men. Give me love for seclusion and imbue me with the desire to be unnoticed and forgotten by all. Grant me the spirit of recollection and prayer, that I may seek and find my consolation and happiness solely in intercourse with Thee, and attain to that intimate union with Thee, O my beloved Jesus, which Thou dost establish with truly interior souls. I beseech Thee, O holy Virgin, Mother of God, model of the interior souls, obtain this grace for me, and procure for us, by thy powerful intercession, a good life, a holy death, and a happy eternity.

Resolution: I will strive to acquire interior recollection and seek to hide my good works from the eyes of men.

Spiritual Bouquet: “The Kingdom of God is within you.”

O Jesus, living in Mary…

To Abide in Him

“He that eateth My Flesh and drinketh My Blood, abideth in Me, and I in him.” (John 6, 57).

First Prelude: Imagine you hear Jesus saying: “He that eateth My Flesh and drinketh My Blood, abideth in Me and I in him.”

Second Prelude: O Jesus, grant that I may receive Thy Sacred Body and Blood with ever greater fervor, that Thou mayest dwell in me by Thy grace, and that I may attain to a more intimate union with Thee.

First Point

Jesus Desires to Impart His Graces to Us Most Generously in Holy Communion

Our union with Jesus in Holy Communion is most wonderful. Christ is in us and we are in Him. O love, O inexpressible union! Above this, Holy Communion provides us with many other graces, and the greater our desire, the more copiously these streams of grace will flow to us in Holy Communion. By means of Holy Communion supernatural life is preserved and furthered in its growth; the soul is strengthened and encouraged in all the good required of it, corresponding to the demands of all conditions and occupations of life. O infinitely precious gift, what art thou to the soul that knows Thy worth and is capable of sustaining Thy effects! Over all things blessed are Thy blessings, for time and for eternity.

The Lord, as it were, surpasses Himself in this Mystery, in doing His utmost to advance the soul by means of Holy Communion to a high degree of perfection. St. Francis de Sales said: “Our loving Saviour sets all things aright in our souls; He cleanses and invigorates everything.” Let us place no obstacle in His way; let us not frustrate His loving designs, but let us grant Him full liberty to proceed according to His pleasure, and before long we shall experience the wonderful effects of His promise: “He that eateth My Flesh and drinketh My Blood, abideth in Me, and I in him” (John 6, 57). With His aid, we shall soon be able to say with the apostle, “I live—now not I, but Christ liveth in me” (Gal. 2, 20).

Are our thoughts, words and actions worthy of our Divine Saviour, Who so often enters our heart?

Second Point

Jesus Desires of Us a Careful Preparation for Holy Communion

If Jesus desires to transform our hearts in Holy Communion, and implant therein all virtues, He demands on our part a solicitous preparation. We must manifest, above all, the sincere and fervent desire to cleanse our hearts of self-love and all affection for creatures. Not infrequently we deceive ourselves concerning the sincerity of our desires, and while our lips utter petitions for grace, our soul experiences a secret resistance in following the inspirations of grace magnanimously. We pray for humility, but wish to be spared all humiliations; we desire to love God, but recoil from the cross, the surest mark of God’s affection for us. We beg for the spirit of prayer, for intimacy with our Divine Saviour, and while He, like a loving friend, desires to associate with us, we squander our affections and our confidence on creatures, who are often more despicable than we ourselves.

Oh, how differently did the saints understand to correspond to the designs of Jesus in Holy Communion! The love of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament constituted the center of their affections. Through the power of this heavenly Manna they attained to that consummate purity of heart, to that contempt of self, to that height of love of God and of neighbor, which we so much admire in them. The Blessed Sacrament was their light, their guide, the nourishment and strength of their perfection, the victorious weapon with which they fought bravely, vanquishing the world, the devil and the flesh. Let us, then, hasten to the throne of grace and confidently implore in fervent prayer as the greatest gift, constant, faithful and persevering co-operation with divine grace. If we confidently have recourse to Jesus and endeavor to correspond to His sacred designs, we, too, shall soon experience that we can do all things in Him Who strengtheneth us.

Affections: O my Saviour, prostrate at Thy feet, I offer Thee the homage of my adoration, love, and gratitude which are justly Thy due. I pray Thee, give me that ardent desire for intimate union with Thee, so pleasing to Thy Sacred Heart, and so effective in rendering my soul worthy of Thy special gifts. I have cause, O Jesus, to humble myself profoundly before Thee, since my desire is still weak and my heart, cold and faint, because of my slight solicitude in co-operating with Thy grace and my sloth which impedes my progress continually. But today I take the firm resolution, with the assistance of Thy grace, to neglect nothing that is conducive to my spiritual progress. By this earnest act I wish to manifest my appreciation of the infinite love Thou didst bestow upon me by the institution of the most holy Sacrament of the Altar.

Resolution: I will courageously struggle against the fault that most hinders the effects of Holy Communion in my soul.

Spiritual Bouquet: “He that eateth My Flesh and drinketh My Blood, abideth in Me, and I in him.”

O Jesus, living in Mary…