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Prayer to be detached from “stuff”

raphael

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January 12, 2020

Ask St. John the Baptist for help in focusing more on heaven than earthly things.

Living in today’s world, its difficult to remain detached from material possessions, more commonly known as “stuff.” We all have too much stuff in our lives, most of the time because we like to hold on to it and not because we need it.

This was the plight of the rich young man who approached Jesus and asked what he needed to do.

“If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to [the] poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. (Matthew 19:21-22)

If you have difficulty letting things go, turn to St. John the Baptist! He was someone who lived this passage to the extreme. While most people are not called by God to go that far, we are all challenged to look at our own live and see what is necessary and what is not.

Here is a short prayer to St. John the Baptist that shares this theme and asks him for help to be detached from “stuff.”

O glorious Saint John the Baptist, greatest prophet among those born of woman (Luke 7, 28), although thou wast sanctified in thy mother’s womb and didst lead a most innocent life, nevertheless it was thy will to retire into the wilderness, there to devote thyself to the practice of austerity and penance; obtain for us of thy Lord the grace to be wholly detached, at least in our hearts, from earthly goods, and to practice Christian mortification with interior recollection and with the spirit of holy prayer.

Pray to the Child Jesus for help forgiving enemies

raphael

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January 9, 2020

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Pray to the Child Jesus for help forgiving enemies

Jesus forgave all of his persecutors, both as an adult and as a child.

While upon the cross, Jesus cried out, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). The statement reiterated the reality that Jesus came to save all of us, not just the virtuous, but most importantly the greatest sinners.

He looked with compassion upon those who put him to death and while it isn’t recorded what the Child Jesus would have thought when he learned that his family had to flee from Herod, he most certainly would have forgiven even Herod for his heinous actions.

It’s not always easy to forgive those who hurt us, and often we might harbor negative feelings towards them for decades. However, we are urged by Jesus to forgive our enemies and to love them with a Christ-like love.

If this is difficult for us to do, one way to soften our hearts is to pray to the Child Jesus. There is something about children and their innocence that penetrates the coldness of our hearts. The face of a child can help lower our guard and we may be more willing to accept a difficult truth.

Here is a brief prayer to the Child Jesus from The little book of the most holy child Jesus for help forgiving our enemies or those who have hurt us in the past. It challenges us to love all people, especially those who injured us in any way.

This little Child has come into the world to save His people; and not only has He not where to lay His head, but they seek to take His tender life with the cruel sword.

Does He say, “I will not save these men. They seek to shed My Blood, to take the life of Me, who came to be their life.”

“I will not save them!”

No. It is already in His Heart, “Father, forgive them.”

The wilder their hate, the more tender His love.

Dear Child Jesus, I will bear no anger nor hatred in my heart.

I forgive all who have hurt me, or who have sought to do me harm.

Give me grace, for your dear sake, always to forgive, always to pray for those who may injure me or wish me ill.

Dear Mother Mary, it was sorrow, not anger, that filled your heart. You could not but pray for the enemies of your dear Son. Pray that I may have ever a forgiving heart.

Holy Joseph, pray for me.

Most Holy Child Jesus, save your children.

Pray this Psalm for hope in the midst of turmoil

raphael

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January 9, 2020

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Pray this Psalm for hope in the midst of turmoil

When the world is spiraling out of control, stay rooted in God with this Psalm.

At times it can appear that the world is spiraling out of control. It can be tempting to lose faith in God during those moments, and yet, it is exactly during those times when we need to stay firmly rooted in our faith.

God alone can get us through any turmoil and Psalm 62 reminds us of this reality. It is a fitting prayer to pray when the world around you is looking bleak. Here are a few key verses from this Psalm.

My soul rests in God alone,
from whom comes my salvation.
God alone is my rock and salvation,
my fortress; I shall never fall.
My soul, be at rest in God alone,
from whom comes my hope.
God alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not fall.
My deliverance and honor are with God,
my strong rock;
my refuge is with God.
Trust God at all times, my people!
Pour out your hearts to God our refuge!

Pray to be courageous like the Magi

raphael

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January 7, 2020

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The Magi’s path to the Child Jesus was not easy, and they could have turned back at any point.

It is not known with certainty where the Magi came from, but most historians narrow it down to either Persia, India, China, or possibly the Kingdom of Sheba, located in the Southern tip of the Arabian peninsula. Whatever the case may be, the Magi came from a distance and traveled to Jerusalem in hopes of reverencing the newborn King.

They could have easily turned back when the travel became difficult. Yet, they pressed on to a rather unknown city, to a poor family that did not live in a palace, but in a simple home. There were likely many obstacles to their journey along the way, but they remained constant in their determination to see the Christ Child.

Furthermore, their courage was put to the test after their visit to the Holy Family. Herod wanted them to report the location of the newborn child to him, but instead they departed by a different route, heeding the warning of an angel.

The road was likely easier for them to travel back to Herod, where they would have had to reveal what they had seen. Instead, the Magi went back to their country by “another way,” which probably added a few more days to their journey, making it much more inconvenient for them, and likely costing them more money to buy additional supplies.

The Magi may even have had to travel by night to avoid detection from Herod’s men. Herod was hellbent on finding the child and may have had spies along the usual paths to intercept the Magi.

Meditating on these possibilities, here is a brief prayer to God from The little book of the most holy child Jesus asking for courage like the Magi to search for Jesus and the truth no matter what obstacles may come our way.

Dear Jesus, I thank you.

Draw me by your light from all false lights of earth.

My Lord, I will come to you, for you have called me. Nothing shall hinder me; neither the fear of trouble, nor of being laughed at or sneered at by others.

Make me brave and constant like the holy Magi.

Mary, dear Mother, show me Jesus, as you did to them.

Most Holy Child Jesus, save us.

St. John Paul II’s New Year’s prayer for peace

Prayers

raphael

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January 5, 2020

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St. John Paul II’s New Year’s prayer for peace

The pontiff entrusted the New Year to Mary, asking her to guide the world toward a peace that endures.

The first few day of a new calendar year are typically filled with hope. The pope will frequently meditate on the theme of peace, praying that the upcoming year will finally see an end to violence throughout the world.

St. John Paul II ended his 2003 homily with a particular appeal to the Virgin Mary, asking her to guide the world to that peace we all desire. It is a beautiful and short prayer, one that is always relevant as we continue to strive toward that goal.

May Mary help us discover the face of Jesus, Prince of Peace. May she support and accompany us in this new year; may she obtain for us and for the whole world the desired gift of peace! So be it!

God, give me the eyes of the Magi: Pray with Peter Chrysologus

Prayers

raphael

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January 5, 2020

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God, give me the eyes of the Magi: Pray with Peter Chrysologus

They see heaven on earth, earth in heaven, man in God, God in man …

Do we have the faith of the Magi? Ask yourself this question using a reflection from St. Peter Chrysologus.

~

Today the Magi find, crying in a manger, the one they have followed as he shone in the sky. Today the Magi see clearly, in swaddling clothes, the one they have long awaited as he lay hidden among the stars.

Today the Magi gaze in deep wonder at what they see: heaven on earth, earth in heaven, man in God, God in man, one whom the whole universe cannot contain now enclosed in a tiny body.

As they look, they believe and do not question, as their symbolic gifts bear witness: incense for God, gold for a king, myrrh for one who is to die. So the Gentiles, who were the last, become the first: the faith of the Magi is the first fruits of the belief of the Gentiles.

Prayer to steer your life back on course

raphael

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January 2, 2020

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Prayer to steer your life back on course

When you feel like your life is out of control, pray this prayer to regain your peace.

There might be times when we feel our life is spinning out of control. When life is filled to the brim with activities and we feel thwarted every way we turn. Nothing happens as it should and we are lost, like a ship in the middle of a storm.

Thankfully, Jesus knows a thing or two about quieting storms. It is to him that we entrust our lives and cry out to him in our anguish of heart.

Here is a short prayer attributed to St. Basil the Great, a holy saint of the 4th century. He uses a similar analogy and asks God to steer our lives back to his safe harbor.

O Lord our God, we beseech you, to ask for the gift we need. Steer the ship of our life to yourself, the quiet harbor of all storm-stressed souls. Show us the course which we are to take. Renew in us the spirit of docility.
Let your Spirit curb our fickleness; guide and strengthen us to perform what is for our own good, to keep your commandments and ever to rejoice in your glorious and vivifying presence. Yours is the glory and praise for all eternity. Amen.

Instead of resolutions, try acts of abandonment

raphael

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January 1, 2020

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Instead of resolutions, try acts of abandonment

This gorgeous prayer from St. Jane Frances de Chantal will help.

“Distrust self and trust only and continuously in God, persuaded that not able to do anything by yourselves, you can do all with His grace and powerful help” St. Jane Frances de Chantal

It’s not fair. I’ll let God work it out.

I don’t get it. But I accept it. God please be in this situation.

This isn’t what I prayed for. But You know better.

These are what a holy friend of mine calls “little acts of abandonment.”

Each time we abandon ourselves to God’s plan, we are trusting in Divine Providence that His plan is better than ours.

For many of us, it doesn’t come naturally at first … or ever. It’s not my tendency to take the criticisms of a woman I work with and offer it up in an act of abandonment. It’s not my tendency to keep my mouth shut and offer it as a prayer.

Nor is it my tendency to stop worrying about this or that situation. Will my son come back to the Church? Will my friend stop smoking? Am I making the right decision? Will my cousin’s daughter keep her baby?

These are the situations I’ve had to train myself to turn into “acts of abandonment” to God, entrusting each one to His care, and asking the Blessed Mother to take on as the Mother of all prayers. I’ve found that the more I commit to this, the more the stressing and complaining are less and the abandonment comes more readily.

St. Jane Frances de Chantal wrote this beautiful prayer of abandonment:

O sovereign goodness of the sovereign Providence of my God!
I abandon myself forever to Thy arms.
Whether gentle or severe,
lead me henceforth whither Thou wilt;
I will not regard the way through which Thou wilt have me pass,
but keep my eyes fixed upon Thee,
my God, who guidest me.
My soul finds no rest without the arms
and the bosom of this heavenly Providence,
my true Mother, my strength and my rampart.

Therefore I resolve with Thy Divine assistance,
O my Savior,
to follow Thy desires and Thy ordinances,
without regarding or examining why Thou dost this rather than that;
but I will blindly follow Thee
according to Thy Divine will,
without seeking my own inclinations.

Hence I am determined to leave all to Thee,
taking no part therein save by keeping myself in peace in Thy arms,
desiring nothing except as Thou incitest me to desire,
to will, to wish.
I offer Thee this desire, 0 my God,
beseeching Thee to bless it;
I undertake all it includes,
relying on Thy goodness,
liberality, and mercy,
with entire confidence in Thee,
distrust of myself,
and knowledge of my infinite misery and infirmity.

Amen!

Ask God for light and clarity with this prayer

raphael

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January 1, 2020

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Ask God for light and clarity with this prayer

St. John the Apostle’s focus on the light of Christ makes him a perfect intercessor for clarity.

In the first few verses of his gospel, St. John dwells upon Jesus being a “light” in the world.”

In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it … The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world. (John 1:4-5, 9)

This emphasis is why St. John is frequently invoked for clarity in both mind and soul.

Here is a brief prayer partially based on the collect for the Mass celebrated on his feast day that asks God to shed his light upon us all, through the intercession of St. John the Apostle.

Merciful Lord, we ask you to cast your bright beams of light upon your Church, that, it being enlightened by the doctrine of your blessed apostle and evangelist Saint John, may so walk in the light of your truth, that it may at length attain to the light of everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer to help discern your vocation

raphael

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January 1, 2020

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Ask God to shed his divine light on the path you should follow.

Discerning your vocation can be a difficult journey with many ups and downs. Often just when you think your are following God’s will, a wrench is thrown into your plans and your are back in square one.

The best thing to do when you find yourself in such a situation is to stay devoted to your personal prayer life and continually ask God to flood your soul with his peace. God is a God of peace, and typically he lights the way you need to follow with interior feelings of peace.

Here is a prayer adapted from the Golden Manual that seeks God’s divine light during the discernment process, asking to light the path you should walk. You can use it as a daily prayer, or whenever you feel inspired.

O Lord, grant me your divine light, that I may know the designs of your providence concerning me, and that, filled with a sincere desire for my soul’s salvation, I may say, with the young man in the Gospel: “What must I do to he saved?” All states of life are before me; but, still undecided what to do, I await your commands, I offer myself to you without restriction, without reserve, with a most perfect submission.
Speak, Lord, to my soul; speak to me as you did to the youthful Samuel: “Speak to me, Lord; for your servant is listening.” I cast myself at your feet, and I am ready to do your will.
Amen.

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Ask St. John the Baptist for help in focusing more on heaven than earthly things.

Jesus forgave all of his persecutors, both as an adult and as a child.

When the world is spiraling out of control, stay rooted in God with this Psalm.

The Magi’s path to the Child Jesus was not easy, and they could have turned back at any point.

The pontiff entrusted the New Year to Mary, asking her to guide the world toward a peace that endures.

They see heaven on earth, earth in heaven, man in God, God in man …

When you feel like your life is out of control, pray this prayer to regain your peace.

This gorgeous prayer from St. Jane Frances de Chantal will help.

St. Jane Frances de Chantal wrote this beautiful prayer of abandonment:

St. John the Apostle’s focus on the light of Christ makes him a perfect intercessor for clarity.

Ask God to shed his divine light on the path you should follow.

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