Prayers
The Lord’s Prayer “Lord, Teach us to Pray.”

If you are ever so stuck, so disillusioned, so upset that you cannot even begin to pray and maybe don’t even want to, but think that if only you could it might help, then remember this – the apostles did not know where to begin either so they asked Jesus and this is what he told them: This, then, is how you should pray:

‘Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’

Matthew 6:9-13. Maybe that’s a good place to start.

 

Lord Jesus, just for today . . . I give you . . .

I give you my hands to do your work. I give you my feet to go your way. I give you my eyes to see as you see. I give you my tongue to speak your words. I give you my mind that you may think in me. I give you my spirit that you may pray in me. Above all I give you my heart that you may love in me, love the Father and all humankind. I give you my whole self that you may grow in me so that you, Lord, may be the one who lives and works and prays in me. Amen!

 

Lord Jesus, With the help of your Holy Spirit, through your word in the Gospel, and by my example, Please give my child the grace to experience the real peace and joy that comes only from knowing you. Thank you, Lord Jesus!

Prayer for the Child in the Womb

Lord Jesus,

You are the source and lover of life. Reawaken in us respect for every human life. Help us to see in each child the marvellous work of our Creator. Open our hearts to welcome every child as a unique and wonderful gift. Guide the work of doctors, nurses and midwives.

May the life of all mothers and all babies in the womb be equally cherished, and protected from all harm regardless of past or present circumstances.

Please forgive all men and women who ever pointed a finger of blame rather than a hand of support, making it more difficult for women with crisis pregnancies to have and keep their babies.

In your compassion, please also forgive those women who, for want of support or for other reasons, have had an abortion.

Please help the people of Ireland, by whatever means they can, to uphold the uniqueness and sacredness of every human life, from the first moment of conception to natural death.

Give us the wisdom and generosity to build a society that adequately supports all mothers and babies.

Together with Mary, Your Mother, in whose womb You took on our human nature, help us to choose life in every decision we take.

We ask this in the joyful hope of eternal life with You, and in the communion of the Blessed Trinity.

Amen.

by Sr. Sheila McAuliffe

Lord, you are close to the broken hearted.
Be with me now in my grief and loneliness.
Give me courage to face my loss and not to grieve in silence.
Be with me as I struggle with many different and painful feelings.
Ease the hurt in my heart.Encircle me in your love.
Stay with me, Lord, support me.
Help me to know that your power is at work within me.As I deal with my grief.
Amen

Mother Teresa, now St. Teresa of Kolkata wrote: “We all long for heaven where God is, but we have it in our power to be in heaven with him right now – to be happy with him at this very moment. But being happy with him now means loving as He loves, helping as He helps, giving as He gives, serving as he serves, rescuing as He rescues, being with Him twenty-four hours, touching Him in His distressing disguise.”

So we can pray: Lord Jesus, please help me to share a little bit of heaven with You by sharing it with others now. Help me . . . To love as You love, Unconditionally, To help as You help, Willingly, To give as You give, Generously To serve as You serve, Humbly and Faithfully, To rescue as You rescue, through Your Holy Spirit, To be with You twenty-four hours, Visibly and Reliably, To touch You in Your distressing disguise . . . whether You are poor, sick, homeless, sad, worried or trapped in any way. Thank you, Jesus!

A Prayer during Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

Adoration

“Nowhere on earth are you more welcome,
nowhere on earth are you more loved than by Jesus,
living and truly present in the most Blessed Sacrament.
The time you spend with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament,
is the best time you will spend on earth.
Each moment that you spend with Jesus,
will deepen your union with Him
and will make your soul everlastingly
more glorious and beautiful in heaven,
and will help bring about an everlasting peace on earth”

Saint Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa)

1. Jesus is Condemned to Death

Pilate washes his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man´s blood.” Then he hands over Jesus to be crucified. Lord, I am Pilate every time I fail to do what is right or allow injustice to happen or blame others for my failures. For the times I have washed my hands of my responsibilities, Lord have mercy.

Response: We adore you, O Christ and we bless you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

2. Jesus takes up the Cross

The hands of Jesus grasp the cross as he takes upon himself my sins and the sins of all the world. Lord it is for love of me that you take up the cross and place it upon your bruised and bleeding shoulder. For the times I have burdened others with my selfishness, Lord have mercy.

Response: We adore you, O Christ and we bless you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

3. Jesus falls for the First Time

Jesus’s foot slips on the rough cobbled street and he falls heavily to the ground, crushed beneath the weight of the cross. Lord, my weakness is the cause of your weakness, my fall is the cause of your fall. May your rising give me strength to rise too from my falls. For the times I have fallen or caused others to fall, Lord have mercy.

Response: We adore you, O Christ and we bless you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

4. Jesus meets his Mother

Mary, the Mother of Jesus, the Mother of sorrows, meets her son on his journey and suffers with him for our salvation. Lord, by your compassion, your Mother took part in your work of redemption. May we too share your agony so that we can rejoice in your victory. For the times I have been indifferent to the sufferings of others, Lord have mercy.

Response: We adore you, O Christ and we bless you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

5. Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus

Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry the Cross.  The strong hand of Simon takes some of the burden of the cross and eases the weight on the shoulders of Jesus. Lord, you are the creator of heaven and earth, yet you need the help of my hands to carry out your work of mercy in this world For the times I have done nothing to ease the burden of others, Lord have mercy.

Response: We adore you, O Christ and we bless you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

6. Veronica wipes the face of Jesus

The face of Jesus remains imprinted on the towel with which Veronica wipes away his sweat and blood. Lord, as often as I do an act of kindness to the least of your brothers or sisters, I do it for you. For the times I failed to see you in the suffering of others, Lord have mercy.

Response: We adore you, O Christ and we bless you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

7. Jesus falls the Second Time

Once again Jesus loses his footing and falls full length upon the hard unyielding street. Lord, you know that my heart is as hard and unyielding as the street on which you fall.  Help me to weep for your sufferings.  For the times I have hardened my heart against your grace, Lord have mercy.

Response: We adore you, O Christ and we bless you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

8. Jesus meets the Women of Jerusalem

The women of Jerusalem weep for Jesus.  ‘Weep rather for yourselves,’ he tells them, ‘and for your children.’ Lord, we weep for ourselves and for our children.  Spare us from the threat of war and destruction that hangs over the world.  For all the hatred and cruelty in the world, Lord have mercy.

Response: We adore you, O Christ and we bless you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

9. Jesus falls the Third Time

The hand of Jesus scarcely has the strength to lift him from the ground, yet he rises again and continues on his way. Lord, I am weak and helpless without you, but you give me your strength and I will move mountains. For the times I have lost heart and been tempted to despair, Lord have mercy.

Response: We adore you, O Christ and we bless you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

10. Jesus is stripped of his Garments

The soldiers strip Jesus of his garments and throw dice for the bloodstained robe he wore on the way to Calvary. Lord, I am too much in love with the things of this world, so worthless in comparison with the things of heaven.  For the times I have set my heart on this world rather than on you, Lord have mercy.

Response: We adore you, O Christ and we bless you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

11. Jesus is Nailed to The Cross

The nail is hammered through the flesh of Jesus with a noise that echoes throughout the universe. Lord, you suffered willingly for my sake.  Give me strength when I have to suffer for your sake.  For my fear of having to suffer in the cause of right, Lord have mercy.

Response: We adore you, O Christ and we bless you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

12. Jesus Dies on The Cross

Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit.’  Jesus bows his head and dies. Lord Jesus Christ, you are my saviour and my king, you are my hope and my refuge, you are my Lord and my God.  For my sins and the sins of all the world, Lord have mercy.

Response: We adore you, O Christ and we bless you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

13. Jesus is Taken Down from The Cross

Mary stood by the cross of Jesus when others had deserted him and run away. Now she receives his body into her loving arms.Lord, on the cross you gave us Mary your mother to be our mother too. May she love and protect us now and at the hour of our death. For the times I have failed in love towards Mary my mother, Lord have mercy.

Response: We adore you, O Christ and we bless you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

14. Jesus is Laid in the Tomb

At rest in the tomb, Jesus awaits his resurrection, when the wounds of pain will be transformed into the wounds of glory. Lord the ordeal is over, the victory is won. Remember me when you come into your kingdom. For the times I have feared death and forgotten the resurrection, Lord have mercy.

Response: We adore you, O Christ and we bless you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Daily Prayer

Please visit the Pray As You Go website which offers a Daily Prayer each day. It also provides a wide range of prayer tools, music, readings and commentary, and other useful options which you might find helpful.