Hosea, Chapter 8

(1) Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law. (2) Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee. (3) Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him. (4) They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off. (5) Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency? (6) For from Israel was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces. (7) For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up. (8) Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure. (9) For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers. (10) Yea, though they have hired among the nations, now will I gather them, and they shall sorrow a little for the burden of the king of princes. (11) Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin. (12) I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing. (13) They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it; but the LORD accepteth them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt. (14) For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.

A Random Prayer...

A Prayer to the North American Martyrs (Feast, September 26)

Dear Saints Isaac Jogues, John Brebeuf, Noel Chabanel, Gabriel Lalemant, Anthony Daniel, Charles Garnier, Rene Goupil and John Lalande, we beg of you, pray for the people of this vast country ours. You are the first canonized saints of the United States and Canada. We are glad to have you. We are happy to honor you. You know our country and its needs, and we know you are in heaven praying for us. There is one very special favor we wish to ask of you. Dear Saints of North America, pray God to send us another saint, or better still, a number of them. Ask Him to have soon--a man or a woman, a boy or a girl from this country of ours raised to the honors of the altar. Let it be a farmer or a laborer, a housewife or a schoolboy, born and bred in these United States. Let it be some one who lived his whole life here--a Saint Joseph of Carville County, or a Saint Mary of Middletown, or a Saint William of New York. We do not wish to displace you in our affections, but to add to your glorious number. You understand our desires in this, and we feel sure that we will obtain this great blessing for the salvation of the people of this land. Remember us now, and obtain this great blessing for us from God. Help us always to cooperate with the graces that God so richly and generously gives us, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

more prayers...