PRAYERS
CHOOSE A PRAYER:
A Parent’s Prayer for Their Children
O Heavenly Father, I commend my children unto Thee. Be Thou their God and Father; and mercifully supply whatever is wanting in me through frailty or negligence. Strengthen them to overcome the corruptions of the world, to resist all solicitations to evil, whether from within or without; and deliver them from the secret snares of the enemy.
Pour Thy grace into their hearts, and confirm and multiply in them the gifts of Thy Holy Spirit that they may daily grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ; and so, faithfully serving Thee here, may come to rejoice in Thy presence hereafter. Amen.
A Prayer for Every Day
My Lord God, grant that nothing in this world might be as important to me as You are, and for Your sake, grant that I may serve you with deep humility and love; caring little for recognition and honor.
I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain when or where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following Your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You. And I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this, You will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust You always. Though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death, I will not fear, for You are ever with me, and You will never leave me to face my perils alone.
Take me Lord and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will, all that I have and possess. You have given it all to me. To You I return it. Everything is Yours; dispose of it according to Your will. Give me only Your love and Your peace and Your thirst for souls. That is enough for me. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit I pray. Amen.
Act of Adoration and Reparation to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament
I. I ADORE Thee profoundly, O my Jesus, in Thy sacramental form; I acknowledge Thee to be true God and true Man, and by this act of adoration I intend to atone for the coldness of so many Christians who pass before Thy churches and sometimes before the very tabernacle in which Thou art pleased to remain at all hours with loving impatience to give Thyself to Thy faithful people, and do not so much as bend the knee before Thee, and who, by their indifference proclaim that they grow weary of this heavenly manna, like the people of Israel in the wilderness. I offer Thee in reparation for this grievous negligence, the Most Precious Blood which Thou didst shed from Thy five wounds, and especially from Thy sacred Side, and entering therein, I repeat a thousand times with true recollection of spirit:
O Sacrament most holy!
O Sacrament divine!
All praise and all thanksgiving
be every moment Thine.
II. Profoundly I adore Thee, my Jesus; I acknowledge Thy presence in the Blessed Sacrament, and by this act of adoration I intend to atone for the carelessness of so many Christians who see Thee carried to poor sick people to strengthen them for the great journey to eternity, and leave Thee unescorted, nay, who scarcely give Thee any outward marks of reverence. I offer Thee in reparation for such coldness, the Most Precious Blood which Thou didst shed from Thy five wounds and especially from Thy sacred Side, and entering therein I say again and again with my heart full of devotion:
O Sacrament most holy!
O Sacrament divine!
All praise and all thanksgiving
be every moment Thine.
III. Profoundly I adore Thee, my Jesus, true Bread of life eternal, and by my adoration I intend to compensate Thee for the many wounds which Thy Heart suffers daily in the profaning of churches where Thou art pleased to dwell beneath the sacramental veils to be adored and loved by all Thy faithful people; and in reparation for so many acts of irreverence, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood which Thou didst shed from Thy five wounds and especially from Thy sacred Side, and entering therein with recollected spirit I repeat every instant:
O Sacrament most holy!
O Sacrament divine!
All praise and all thanksgiving
be every moment Thine.
IV. Profoundly I adore Thee, my Jesus, the living Bread which cometh down from heaven and by this act of adoration, I intend to atone for all the many acts of irreverence which are committed all the day long by Thy faithful when they assist at Holy Mass, wherein through Thine exceeding love Thou dost renew in an unbloody manner the self-same sacrifice which Thou didst once offer on Calvary for our salvation. I offer Thee in atonement for such base ingratitude the Most Precious Blood which Thou didst shed from Thy five wounds and especially from Thy sacred Side, and entering therein with sincere devotion, I unite my voice to that of the Angels who stand around Thee in adoration, saying with them:
O Sacrament most holy!
O Sacrament divine!
All praise and all thanksgiving
be every moment Thine.
V. Profoundly I adore Thee, my Jesus, true Victim of expiation for our sins, and I offer Thee this act of adoration to atone for the sacrilegious outrages Thou dost suffer from so many ungrateful Christians who dare to draw near to receive Thee with mortal sin upon their souls. In reparation for such hateful sacrileges I offer Thee the last drops of Thy Most Precious Blood, which Thou didst shed from Thy sacred wounds and especially from the wound in Thy sacred Side, and entering therein with a devout heart, I adore Thee, I bless and I love Thee, and I repeat with all the hearts who are devoted to the Blessed Sacrament:
O Sacrament most holy!
O Sacrament divine!
All praise and all thanksgiving
be every moment Thine.
Advent Peace Prayer
Lord, we know what peace is. Peace is a mother tenderly holding her child. Peace is a firm handshake of trust between friends. Peace is complete emotional security. Peace is living unencumbered with a full sense of joy. Peace is expressing Thanksgiving for concrete blessings.
For the peace gained from the love and memory of spouses and children, we thank you. For the peace gained from the love and memory of parents and grandparents, we thank you. For the peace gained from the kindness and support of friends, we thank you
Peace is elusive. There are raging storms in every life. Tragedy, grief, and pain will visit everyone. Yet, each person’s life is graced by moments and periods of real happiness. For these episodes of peace and joy; past, present, & future, we offer our deepest gratitude. Help us to understand that peace must be waged. We must resist the guns, the bombs, “realistic politics,” unkind words, personal betrayals, anger, depression, despair, and rage. Give us the strength to overcome these demons. Help us maintain personal power within ourselves, so we can pass this liberating power to others. Give hope and courage to all who struggle with debilitating illness, grief, and loneliness. Help them to understand.. ALL chains WILL be BROKEN. SURSUM CORDA! Lift up your hearts! QUI POTENS EST! God is great!
John Devries
An Act of Abandonment
O my God, I thank you and I praise you for accomplishing your holy and all-lovable will without any regard for mine. With my whole heart, in spite of my heart, do I receive this cross I feared so much!
It is the cross of Your choice, the cross of Your love. I venerate it; nor for anything in the world would I wish that it had not come, since You willed it.
I keep it with gratitude and with joy, as I do everything that comes from Your hand; and I shall strive to carry it without letting it drag, with all the respect and all the affection which Your works deserve. Amen
St. Francis De Sales
How God Answers the Soul
It is my nature that makes me love you often, For I am love itself.
It is my longing that makes me love you intensely, for I yearn to be loved from the heart.
It is my eternity that makes me love you long, For I have no end.
Mechthild of Magdeburg – 13th century
Image of God
Image of God
born of God’s breath
vessel of divine Love
after his likeness
dwelling of God
capacity for the infinite
eternally known
chosen of God
home of the Infinite Majesty
abiding in the Son
called from eternity
life in the Lord
temple of the Holy Spirit
branch of Christ
receptacle of the Most High
wellspring of Living Water
heir of the kingdom
the glory of God
abode of the Trinity.
God sings this litany
eternally in his Word.
This is who you are.
a litany of the person – anonymous trappist monk
Novena to St. Jude
O Holy St. Jude! Apostle and Martyr, great in virtue and rich in miracles, near kinsman of Jesus Christ, faithful intercessor for all who invoke you, special patron in time of need; to you I have recourse from the depth of my heart, and humbly beg you, to whom God has given such great power, to come to my assistance; help me now in my urgent need and grant my earnest petition. I will never forget thy graces and favors you obtain for me and I will do my utmost to spread devotion to you. Amen St.
Jude, pray for us and all who honor thee and invoke thy aid.
(Say 3 Our Fathers, 3 Hail Marys, & 3 Glory Be)
Peace Between Neighbors
Peace between neighbors,
Peace between kindred,
Peace between lovers…
Peace between person and person,
Peace between wife and husband,
Peace between woman and children,
The peace of Christ above all peace.
Scots Gaelic Blessing
Prayer for Aborted Babies
Heavenly Father, Thou hast given us the gift of freedom to love and to follow in Thy ways and commands. Some parents choose to abuse this freedom by destroying the gift of life which Thou hast given to their offspring. Please forgive those who destroy human life by aborting their unborn babies. Give these unborn children the opportunity to enjoy Thee for all eternity, if it according to Thy ordinance. Assist me in being one in solidarity with Thy little ones by taking to heart the words of Thy Son, “whatever you did for one of these least brothers of Mine, you did for Me.” (Mt. 25:40) Therefore, allow me today, Father, to adopt spiritually an unborn child and to offer my prayers, works, joys and sufferings for that little one, so that child will be able to be born and live for Thy greater honor and glory. We pray this in Jesus’ name, in union with the Holy Spirit one God forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer for Peace
O Lord Jesus Christ, Who said to Your Apostles, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you,” regard not my sins but the faith of Your Church, and deign to give her peace and unity according to Your Will: Who live and reign, God, world without end. Amen.
Prayer for Peace # 2
Lord Jesus Christ, We praise You: Bring peace into the world by bringing Your peace into the hearts of all. Help us to turn away from sin and to follow You in love and service. Glory is yours, and honor, For ever and ever. Amen.
Prayer for Peace # 3
Lord, God of peace, who has created man, the object of your kindness, to be close to you in glory, we bless you and we thank you because you have sent us your beloved son, Jesus, making him the mystery of the pasch, the architect of all salvation, the source of all peace, the bond of true brotherhood. We thank you for the desire, the efforts, the realizations which your spirit of peace has roused in our day: to replace hatred with love, diffidence with understanding, unconcern with care. Open yet more our hearts to the needs of all our brothers and sisters, so that we may be better able to build a true peace.
Remember, Father of mercy, all who are in pain, who suffer and die in the cause of a more brotherly world. For the men of every race, of every tongue, may your kingdom come: your kingdom of justice, of peace, of love; and may the earth be filled with your glory. Amen
(By Pope Paul VI.)
Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.
Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Come, Holy Spirit, fill my heart with Your holy gifts. Let my weakness be penetrated with Your strength this very day that I may fulfill all the duties of my state conscientiously, that I may do what is right and just. Let my charity be such as to offend no one; so generous as to pardon sincerely any wrong done to me. Assist me, O Holy Spirit, in all my trials of life, enlighten me in my ignorance, advise me in my doubts, strengthen me in my weakness, and help me in all my needs, protect me in temptations and console me in afflictions. Graciously hear me, O Holy Spirit, and pour Your light into my heart, my soul, and my mind. Assist me to live a holy life and to grow in goodness and grace. Amen.
Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of thy Faithful; and enkindle in them the fire of Thy love. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created, and thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
Prayer to St. Joseph for Children
Glorious St. Joseph, to you God committed the care of His only begotten Son amid the many dangers of this world. We come to you and ask you to take under your special protection the children God has given us. Through holy baptism they became children of God and members of His holy Church. We consecrate them to you today, that through this consecration they may become your foster children. Guard them, guide their steps in life, form their hearts after the hearts of Jesus and Mary.
St. Joseph, who felt the tribulation and worry of a parent when the child Jesus was lost, protect our dear children for time and eternity. May you be their father and counselor? Let them, like Jesus, grow in age as well as in wisdom and grace before God and men. Preserve them from the corruption of his world, and give us the grace one day to be united with them in Heaven forever. Amen.
Prayer of St. Ignatius
Take, O Lord, and receive my entire liberty, my memory, my understanding and my whole will. All that I am and all that I possess You have given me. I surrender it all to You to be disposed of according to Your will. Give me only Your love and Your grace; with these I will be rich enough, and will desire nothing more.
Dearest Lord, teach me to be generous, teach me to serve you as I should, to give and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labor and ask not for reward, save that of knowing that I do your most holy will.
St. Ignatius Loyola – 16th century
BACK TO PRAYER LIST
