Category: Teach Us To Pray

As we enter into the last two weeks of lent, Passiontide calls for a heightened awareness of the Lenten sacrifice by covering the crucifixes, artwork, statues and other beautiful reflections of the faith throughout the church. This time is a visual reminder of many important elements regarding Christ’s ultimate sacrifice for humanity preparing us for the Triduum, which consists of three days: Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Vigil. The veiling of these images during Passiontide symbolizes the darkness without faith. 

Let’s praise God for the protection He provides us through the gift of faith. St. Patrick, who we celebrate his feast day today, gives us some beautiful words of truth in the Breastplate Prayer of Protection.

I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, Through belief in the Threeness, Through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation.

I arise today Through the strength of Christ’s birth with His baptism, Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial, Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension, Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom. 

I arise today Through the strength of the love of cherubim, In the obedience of angels, In the service of archangels, In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward, In the prayers of patriarchs, In the predictions of prophets, In the preaching of apostles, In the faith of confessors, In the innocence of holy virgins, In the deeds of righteous men. 

I arise today, through The strength of heaven, The light of the sun, The radiance of the moon, The splendor of fire, The speed of lightning, The swiftness of wind, The depth of the sea, The stability of the earth, The firmness of rock.

I arise today, through God’s strength to pilot me, God’s might to uphold me, God’s wisdom to guide me, God’s eye to look before me, God’s ear to hear me, God’s word to speak for me, God’s hand to guard me, God’s shield to protect me, God’s host to save me From snares of devils, From temptation of vices, From everyone who shall wish me ill, afar and near.  

I summon today All these powers between me and those evils, Against every cruel and merciless power that may oppose my body and soul, Against incantations of false prophets, Against black laws of pagandom, Against false laws of heretics, Against craft of idolatry, Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards, Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul; Christ to shield me today Against poison, against burning, Against drowning, against wounding, So that there may come to me an abundance of reward.  

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me. 

Amen

Back in the 70’s the catchphrase “Love means never having to say you’re sorry” became popular because of the movie Love Story. That is faulty logic because it is through a contrite heart that we express remorse to those we love. We are beautiful and broken people so we inevitably hurt others even when we don’t mean too. Our love draws us to resolve to do better through our actions.  This repairs our relationships, helping them be pure and strong.

The Act of Contrition is a Christian prayer that expresses our sorrow to God for the things we do that that hurt Him and compromise our relationship. Sin is what we do, little and big, when we do not put God first. Through love we resolve to stop that behavior.  I praise God for the Sacrament of Penance whereby I gain insight into what needs to change in my life in order to draw me closer to God. 

Act of Contrition

My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart.
In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good,
I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things.
I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more,
and to avoid whatever leads me to sin.
Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us.
In His name. May God have mercy.

Amen

Does your soul proclaim the greatness of the Lord? The Magnificat is a hymn of praise by Mary, the mother of Jesus, found in the Bible in Luke 1:46-55.  God, the Father, wants nothing more than for our souls to proclaim His greatness. Let’s look to Mary, the mother of Jesus, to teach us how to do the will of God and show us the way to a deep trust, to be the handmaid of the Lord. 

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children forever.

Amen

The Glory Be is a Catholic prayer, also known as a doxology. The word “doxology” comes from a Greek word that means “an expression of glory or praise”. The “Glory Be” prayer is the third most common Christian prayer, after the “Our Father” and the “Hail Mary.”

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

In the midst of lent, let’s praise God for His mercy. 

Through Christ we have salvation, which is a true gift from God. As we witness Jesus’ suffering on the cross in the days ahead, let it break our hearts and penetrate us with a deep understanding of how much we are loved. 

Praise God that in Jesus Christ, we find the remedy to our brokenness and learn to be fully human. Amen

There is a saying, be the change you want to see.  When we don’t know what to do, it is always good to pray.  Prayer and meditation have the power to change the world. We believe that if we let Him, God will hallow – meaning “make holy” – our lives.

Lord, May I stand in solidarity today with all my brothers and sisters around the world who are suffering. May we be united in your love, and may I work to build your kingdom here on earth. Amen

God chose me to bear the burden of myself and it is a wonderful thing when I face this truth. We are miserable when we evade the truth about ourselves because this is not our true state.  As a child of God, we are redeemed, we are loved and we are called to eternal life with God.  It is crazy the lengths we will go to divest ourselves of this to cultivate the darkness.  As we turn to God and focus our energy there, the mission impossible becomes possible. 

Praise God that with Him, nothing is impossible (Mark 10:27). “Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You” (Jeremiah 32:17).

Amen

Do you use your energy in wanting God to explain why things are the way they are? Sometimes I think God is thinking why don’t you understand and stop asking questions, don’t you realize my grace is sufficient for you?   Ever faithful is our God, despite our unfaithfulness. 

Let’s praise God, whose might is like no other, and whose faithfulness surrounds Him. 

Praise Him that righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne, and that steadfast love and faithfulness go before Him. Psalm 89:8-14

Amen