It's been so long since I've done a tag! I have a couple in the works for y'all for this summer, but today we're starting off with one I'm very excited about from The Grim Writer, who actually created the tag about...a year ago? Gosh, I've taken a while to get to this one! *hides*
The basic premise of the tag is to list out a whole bunch of your favourite prayers, which is Right Up My Alley--there's nothing I like more than talking about prayers I love! Full disclosure: this may be a very long post, I have several litanies I want to include. XD Also, this is going to be a Very Catholic Post, so if that isn't your thing, feel free to steer clear. My feelings won't be hurt. ;)
Praecepta:
Link back to whoever tagged you (unless it’s me. you don’t have to link back to me–except please do because I want to see your favorite prayers) and, if you like, use the graphic.
List a minimum of 3 of your favorite prayers, and preface each by telling us what they mean to you. (It could be where you first discovered them, the impact they’ve had on your life, whatever.)
IMPORTANT RULE–you must type out the prayer in full. If it is a super super long one, you’re welcome to take an excerpt, but no linking, or just giving us the name of the prayer. Oremus means ‘let us pray,’ after all, not ‘let us inform people of praying.’
Tag a minimum of 3 people. (As with the amount of prayers, it can be as many as you like so long as there’s at least 3.) You can also do this at the beginning of the post.
Oh gosh, it's been a while since I've had to tag people in the blogosphere, and said blogosphere seems to be ever-shrinking, sadly! (Also, Grim tagged a whole bunch of my blogger friends. *grumpy face*) But with the fact in mind that this isn't just a Catholic tag, and anyone of faith can do it I tag:
Chloe the Movie Critic
Hamlette
Kate @ Once Upon An Ordinary
Alrighty! With that concluded, shall we move on to the prayers? There are many. I had a very hard time narrowing it down, and thus we are doing subheadings. Because that's how I roll I guess? XD Just be glad I put my foot down and declared that I could include any prayers that are prayed/sung/said inside of Mass because otherwise the Exultet would be in here, and the Preface for the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity (I mean. Y'all. That thing SLAPS.), and, and, and. So. Yeah. I'm going easy on you. ;) Oh, and we're assuming that the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Guardian Angel Prayer & St. Michael Prayer are a given.
Liturgy-Adjacent Prayers
(Prayers said before/after Mass, and during the Liturgy of the Hours)
Collect For Purity
This is a prayer that my dad has been reciting as we go up the (many) stairs to our church every Sunday for as long as I can remember. When I was a kid, I'd always roll my eyes at it a bit, but as I got older, I realized it's actually a beautiful prayer, and I now say it before (almost) every Mass I attend myself. I think Dad learned it from his (Dominican) spiritual director in college, but I looked it up on a whim while I was writing this post and discovered that it's a prayer that has existed/been documented since the 10th century. Wut. This is according to Wikipedia, but apparently it was a Collect for Votive Mass of the Holy Spirit, and to this day is used by Anglicans during their Eucharistic liturgy. (Which is, verbatim, the version I know.) Although it also appeared in the 1577 Missale Romanum. So there is that.
Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid, cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer of St. Thomas after Mass
This prayer was one of the two post-Communion prayers in the hymnal we had when I was a kid, and I got in the habit of saying it after Communion and haven't stopped. And it's a banger of a prayer, with all the lists of virtues, and invocation of the power of the Eucharist against enemies and all that!
Lord, Father all-powerful and ever-living God, I thank You, for even though I am a sinner, your unprofitable servant, not because of my worth but in the kindness of your mercy, You have fed me with the Precious Body & Blood of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
I pray that this Holy Communion may not bring me condemnation and punishment but forgiveness and salvation. May it be a helmet of faith and a shield of good will. May it purify me from evil ways and put an end to my evil passions. May it bring me charity and patience, humility and obedience, and growth in the power to do good.
May it be my strong defense against all my enemies, visible and invisible, and the perfect calming of all my evil impulses, bodily and spiritual.
May it unite me more closely to you, the One true God, and lead me safely through death to everlasting happiness with You.
And I pray that You will lead me, a sinner, to the banquet where you, with Your Son and holy Spirit, are true and perfect light, total fulfillment, everlasting joy, gladness without end, and perfect happiness to your saints. grant this through Christ our Lord, Amen.
Spiritual Communion
I became very fond of the Spiritual Communion during COVID, when I was saying it on an unfortunately regular basis. But to this day, I have it memorized and will whip it out if I accidentally broke the Communion Fast/got to Mass late/don't want to receive the Eucharist by intinction in the hand thank you very much weird German church and thus don't receive at a given Mass. And I have found it really fruitful!
My Jesus,
I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You. I love You.
Amen.
Canticle of Zechariah
The Canticle of Zechariah is the first prayer I ever remember memorizing (although I'm sure I memorized the Hail Mary and the Our Father before that!) because when I was small (very small--ages 2 to 4, I think) I'd get up at 6 am to be with Dad while he was getting ready for work. He would make me oatmeal, and then we'd pray Morning Prayer together. The Canticle of Zechariah is the one that's recited every day in Morning Prayer, and before too long, I had it memorized and would recite it with him (at least, that's my recollection). My other recollection about that is that oftentimes when he got to the phrase "you, my child shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the LORD to prepare His way", he would emphasize the "you, my child", which left a deep impression on me. Even at the age of about 3. This is also one that we would very often recite in our morning prayers before starting the homeschool day!
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
He has come to His people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty Saviour,
Born of the house of His servant David.
Through His holy prophets He promised of old
That He would save us from our enemies,
From the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
And to remember His holy Covenant.
This was the oath He swore to our father Abraham:
To set us free from the hands of our enemies,
Free to worship Him without fear,
Holy and righteous in His sight
All the days of our life.
You, My child shall be called
The prophet of the Most High,
For you will go before the Lord to prepare His way,
To give his people knowledge of salvation
By the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our Lord
The dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness
And the shadow of death,
And to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Prayer of St. Therese for Priests
One of the (many) things I love about St. Therese is her great love and prayer and spiritual mother/sisterhood towards priests! And thus, I love this prayer very, very much. I actually think she has several prayers for priests, but of all of them, this one is my favourite, partly because of the references to the priests closest to one, but also because it reminds you, as you pray, of the humanity and suffering of priests!
O Jesus, I pray for your faithful and fervent priests;
for your unfaithful and tepid priests;
for your priests laboring at home or abroad in distant mission fields;
for your tempted priests;
for your lonely and desolate priests;
for your young priests;
for your dying priests;
for the souls of your priests in purgatory.
But above all, I recommend to you the priests dearest to me:
the priest who baptized me;
the priests who absolved me from my sins;
the priests at whose Masses I assisted and who gave me your Body and Blood in Holy Communion;
the priests who taught and instructed me;
all the priests to whom I am indebted in any other way.
O Jesus, keep them all close to your heart, and bless them abundantly in time and in eternity.
Novenas
(there are very few novenas I pray every year, but these are them! ;))
St. Andrew Novena
It's said that whoever says this novena will receive what they request. I first heard about it from Elizabeth Foss, a Catholic mom blogger par excellence, and have said it for probably at least five years running at this point. It's a very good example of how prayer doesn't change God (although God can allow prayer to be used as a cause) it changes us. The prayer is said fifteen times per day from November 30 (which I always remember, because it's the birthday of a good friend of mine!) until Christmas Eve, and truly, as it becomes a part of the rhythm of life, it does change you. (And often I have found that my prayers through it are answered, as well. Perhaps not always--but a few of those intentions were things that I'm now glad weren't answered.)
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment
in which the son of God was born
of the most pure Virgin Mary,
at midnight,
in Bethlehem,
in the piercing cold.
In that hour vouchsafe, O my God!
To hear my prayer and grant my desires, [state intentions]
through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ,
and of His blessed Mother.
Amen.
St. Therese Novena
This one I also say every year, and it's funny because while St. Therese was a consecrated religious, one of the main fruits of this novena has been finding husbands for friends of mine! Including one friend for whom I prayed the St. Therese Novena for (with the request that she be sent a good husband) who ended up having rose decorations everywhere at her wedding. Spectacular. (For those who don't know, there's a pious tradition that when a prayer is answered through the intercession of St. Therese, she'll send a rose to let you know that it's been answered. So yeah. Lots of roses there!) So if you or your friend needs a husband...St. Therese will deliver! Or maybe she just does that for me, who knows... (the full set of novena prayers can be found here...I'm sharing Day 9)
Dearest Saint Therese of Lisieux, you said that you would spend your time in heaven doing good on earth. Your trust in God was complete. Pray that He may increase my trust in His goodness and mercy as I ask for the following petitions…
(State your intentions)
Pray for me that I, like you, may have great and innocent confidence in the loving promises of our God. Pray that I may live my life in union with God’s plan for me, and one day see the Face of God whom you loved so deeply.
Saint Therese, you were faithful to God even unto the moment of your death. Pray for me that I may be faithful to our loving God. May my life bring peace and love to the world through faithful endurance in love for God our savior.
Loving God, St. Therese never doubted that her life had meaning. Help me to see how I can bless and love everyone in my life. Especially…
I love your people, Lord. Help me to love them more!
I reflect you to the world, Lord. Help me to reflect you more clearly!
I rely on you, Lord. Help me to rely on you more!
I accept your will, Lord. Help me to accept your will every day!
I try to forgive, Lord. Help me to forgive 70 times 7 times!
I am humble, Lord. Give me more humility!
I see you, Lord. Help me to see you more!
I trust you, Lord. Help me to trust you more!
I love you, Lord. Help me to love you more!
Things I Prefer To Pray In Latin
(because I am a nerd)
Sub Tuum Praesidium
This is a newer prayer that I have grown to love very much. I had known the chant for years, but it never really struck me until a couple months ago when I was in Ireland and a friend of mine texted me with a struggle she was going through. One of the hardest things about being in England is not being able to be there for the people I love. And at the time, I was also wrestling with some scrupulosity/weirdness (y'know, just Stuff). I was in a church in Cork when my friend texted, and while I immediately knelt down and prayed for her and myself before the Blessed Sacrament, I wasn't feeling a lot of peace. I turned to leave the church, and there was a statue of Mary. I paused, and the words of the Sub Tuum Praesidium (in Latin) popped into my head. And it was beautiful. I entrusted myself and my friend under her mantle, and I have continued to pray the prayer since. I love it most in Latin (the simple beauty of it, and the way "praesidium" suggests multiple translations, including 'protection', 'patronage', 'defence', 'guidance', and so on. I like to think of it as "mantle", even though that's definitely not exactly what it means. ;)
Sub tuum praesidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genetrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.
We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God; despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin. Amen.
Veni Creator Spiritus
I am slightly obsessed with the Veni Creator Spiritus, to the point that I'll sing it to myself in daily life on a regular basis and sometimes get strange looks from passing pedestrians. It was especially fruitful to pray every day between Ascension Thursday and Pentecost. :) The English text is used in the hymn "Come Holy Ghost, Creator Blest".
Veni, Creator Spiritus,
mentes tuorum visita,
imple superna gratia
quae tu creasti pectora.
Qui diceris Paraclitus,
altissimi donum Dei,
fons vivus, ignis, caritas,
et spiritalis unctio.
Tu, septiformis munere,
digitus paternae dexterae,
Tu rite promissum Patris,
sermone ditans guttura.
Accende lumen sensibus:
infunde amorem cordibus:
infirma nostri corporis
virtute firmans perpeti.
Hostem repellas longius,
pacemque dones protinus:
ductore sic te praevio
vitemus omne noxium.
Per te sciamus da Patrem,
noscamus atque Filium;
Teque utriusque Spiritum
credamus omni tempore.
Deo Patri sit gloria,
et Filio, qui a mortuis surrexit,
ac Paraclito,
in saeculorum saecula. Amen.
Miscellaneous
(Because one needs those too)
St. Patrick's Breastplate
My mom had us memorize this prayer as part of our homeschool curriculum when we were going through St. Patrick's time period in history, and I am so grateful for that. It's one of the (memorized) prayers that I pray the most often, and if she hadn't had us memorize it then, I'm not sure if it would have gotten memorized! (It's not short.) But luckily my young brain slurped it up and hasn't let it go since. My favourite bit is actually not the most famous part, but the paragraph that begins "I bind until myself today the power of God to hold and lead". Absolute fire.
I bind unto myself today the strong name of the Trinity, by invocation of the same, the Three in One, the One in Three.
I bind this day to me forever, by power of Love, Christ's Incarnation, His Baptism in the Jordan River, His death on the Cross for my salvation. His bursting from the spicéd tomb, His riding up the Heavenly Way, His coming at the day of Doom, I bind unto myself today.
I bind unto myself today the power of God to hold and lead, His Eye to watch, His Might to stay, His Ear to hearken to my need. The Wisdom of my God to teach, His hand to guide, His shield to ward, the Word of God to give me speech, His Heavenly Host to be my guard.
Christ be with me, Christ within me
Christ behind me, Christ before me
Christ beside me, Christ to win me
Christ to comfort and restore me
Christ beneath me, Christ above me
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger
Christ in hearts of all who love me
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger
I bind unto myself the name, the strong name of the Trinity, by invocation of the same, the Three in One, the One in Three. Through whom all nature hath creation, Eternal Father, Spirit, Word. Praise to the God of my salvation, salvation is of Christ the Lord.
Act of Faith
This is a newer one that I've come across, and I don't use it all that often, but it's very useful for someone whose brain sometimes just won't turn off/take no for an answer about some things to be able to recite it and then say "okay brain, that's all, thank you. Shut up now." (Also, it's just really beautiful.)
Psalm 127
During COVID, when my dad was working from home, he would always sing the first two verses of this psalm when he was heading into his home office to work! I have been trying to pick up the habit of praying it before I begin work as well. So far I haven't quite gotten there, but it's a really good reminder. :)
If the Lord does not build the house,
in vain do its builders labour;
if the Lord does not watch over the city,
in vain does the watchman keep vigil.
In vain is your earlier rising,
your going later to rest
you who toil for the bread you eat;
when he pours gifts on his beloved while they slumber.
John Henry Newman Mission Prayer
This is, I think, a mix between a prayer and a reflection, but because of being at a Newman Center, it gets tossed around and put on prayer cards a lot, and I like it. It's a good reminder of God's Perfect Will, but also of God's ways not being like our ways, and His thoughts not like our thoughts.
God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission. I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next.
I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good; I shall do His work. I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place, while not intending it if I do but keep His commandments.
Therefore, I will trust Him, whatever I am, I can never be thrown away.
If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him, in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him. If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him.
He does nothing in vain. He knows what He is about. He may take away my friends. He may throw me among strangers. He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide my future from me. Still, He knows what He is about.
St. Joseph of Cupertino Prayer
St. Joseph of Cupertino was a monk who notoriously was not great in the classroom. When he was to be examined for the priesthood, there were several propositions he needed to study, and he'd be tested on one of them. He realized that he would only be able to study one proposition well, so that's all he did--and when he went to take the examination, that was the proposition he was tested on! Thus, he's the ultimate patron of test-takers! This prayer was recommended to me by a mentor when I was in high school, and I've been praying it before tests ever since. He comes through for me every time! (He's also the guy who levitated, but that's a story for another day.)
O St. Joseph of Cupertino who by your prayer obtained from God the grace to be asked at your examination the only proposition you knew, grant that I may like you succeed in in the examinations for which I am now preparing.
In return I promise to make you known and cause you to be invoked.
O St. Joseph of Cupertino pray for me
O Holy Ghost enlighten me
Our Lady of Good Studies pray for me
Sacred Head of Jesus, Seat of Divine Wisdom, enlighten me.
Three O'Clock Hour Prayer
This is a short little prayer apparently revealed by Jesus to St. Faustina, with the promise that when it is devoutly said, He would grant the grace of conversion to someone in sin. (Or something like that. It's been a while since I read about it.) There are special graces given when it's recited in the three o'clock hour. :)
O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of Mercy for us, I trust in You.
Prayer for the Dead
This is one my mom taught us, and my family always prays this prayer every time we visit or see a graveyard. I like it because it's such a short, simple prayer that it makes praying for the dead in daily life really easy! I love the phrasing of the "Divine Assistance." (And I have many good memories of late-night cemetery walks at UIUC attached to it, too. ;))
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the Divine Assistance remain always with us, and may the Souls of the Faithful Departed, through the Mercy of God, rest in peace.
Miraculous Medal Prayer
My dad is Consecrated to Mary, and when I was a kid I used to hang out with him when he was getting ready for the day. I was quite small (it was when I was about 2-10) and my recollection is that he would pray this prayer every morning when he put on his Miraculous Medal. The funny thing is, though, that I can't find any records of a prayer exactly like this existing, so either a) it's not showing up on the horrible train internet connection I'm using to write this post (very, very possible, lol) or b) Dad got it somewhere else or wrote it himself? (Dad, if you read this, I'm very curious.) But I think it's beautiful (especially the second half) and I should start praying it more...
O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee, and for all who do not have recourse to Thee, especially enemies of the Church and those recommended to Thee.
Litanies
(because sometimes you just need a really long, repetitive prayer)
Litany of the Sacred Heart
I've been developing a devotion to the Sacred Heart, and my favourite way to do that (besides reading Consoling the Heart of Jesus, which I would 10/10 recommend) is by praying the Litany of the Sacred Heart. It's beautiful. Many of the titles for Jesus's Sacred Heart are ones I wouldn't have even thought of--my absolute hands-down favourite is "Desire of the Eternal Hills". <3
Lord, have mercy
Christ, have mercy
Lord, have mercy
God our Father in heaven, have mercy on us
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, Son of the eternal Father, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, formed by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mother, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, one with the eternal Word, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, infinite in majesty, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, holy temple of God, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, tabernacle of the Most High, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, house of God and gate of heaven, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, aflame with love for us, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, source of justice and love, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, well-spring of all virtue, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, worthy of all praise, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, king and center of all hearts, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, treasure-house of wisdom and knowledge, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, in whom there dwells the fullness of God, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, in whom the Father is well pleased, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, from whose fullness we have all received, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, desire of the eternal hills, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, patient and full of mercy, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, generous to all who turn to you, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, fountain of life and holiness, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, atonement for our sins, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, overwhelmed with insults, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, broken for our sins, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, obedient even to death, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, pierced by a lance, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, our life and resurrection, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, our peace and reconciliation, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, victim of our sins, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, salvation of all who trust in you, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, hope of all who die in you, have mercy on us
Heart of Jesus, delight of all the saints, have mercy on us
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us
Jesus, gentle and humble of heart. Touch our hearts and make them like your own.
Grant, we pray, almighty God,
that we, who glory in the Heart of your beloved Son
and recall the wonders of his love for us,
may be made worthy to receive
an overflowing measure of grace
from that fount of heavenly gifts.
Through Christ our Lord.
R/. Amen.
Litany of Loreto
This litany is a new favourite that I think I discovered through doing my Marian Consecration this year. (It was also one of Tolkien's favourites. ;)) I'm really glad to have discovered it because it's beautiful and has a bunch of Marian titles that I either hadn't heard of or didn't know the origin of. (For example "Health of the Sick"--I got a friend a "Health of the Sick" icon last Christmas because it felt like she about died three times that semester. XD) I love praying it in Latin as well as English, although I'll spare you that, even though it's beautiful in Latin. My favourite title of Our Lady in the whole litany is "Cause of our Joy", which is "Causa nostra laetitiae" in Latin and I CAN'T EVEN. SO GOOD.
Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
Christ hear us.
Christ graciously hear us.
God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
Holy Mother of God, pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us.
Mother of Christ, pray for us.
Mother of the Church, pray for us.
Mother of Mercy, pray for us.
Mother of divine grace, pray for us.
Mother of Hope, pray for us.
Mother most pure, pray for us.
Mother most chaste, pray for us.
Mother inviolate, pray for us.
Mother undefiled, pray for us.
Mother most amiable, pray for us.
Mother admirable, pray for us.
Mother of good counsel, pray for us.
Mother of our Creator, pray for us.
Mother of our Saviour, pray for us.
Virgin most prudent, pray for us.
Virgin most venerable, pray for us.
Virgin most renowned, pray for us.
Virgin most powerful, pray for us.
Virgin most merciful, pray for us.
Virgin most faithful, pray for us.
Mirror of justice, pray for us.
Seat of wisdom, pray for us.
Cause of our joy, pray for us.
Spiritual vessel, pray for us.
Vessel of honour, pray for us.
Singular vessel of devotion, pray for us.
Mystical rose, pray for us.
Tower of David, pray for us.
Tower if ivory, pray for us.
House of gold, pray for us.
Ark of the covenant, pray for us.
Gate of heaven, pray for us.
Morning star, pray for us.
Health of the sick, pray for us.
Refuge of sinners, pray for us.
Solace of Migrants, pray for us.
Comfort of the afflicted, pray for us.
Help of Christians, pray for us.
Queen of Angels, pray for us.
Queen of Patriarchs, pray for us.
Queen of Prophets, pray for us.
Queen of Apostles, pray for us.
Queen of Martyrs, pray for us.
Queen of Confessors, pray for us.
Queen of Virgins, pray for us.
Queen of all Saints, pray for us.
Queen conceived without original sin, pray for us.
Queen assumed into heaven, pray for us.
Queen of the most holy Rosary, pray for us.
Queen of families, pray for us.
Queen of peace, pray for us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
Grant, we beseech thee,
O Lord God,
that we, your servants,
may enjoy perpetual health of mind and body;
and by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary, ever Virgin,
may be delivered from present sorrow,
and obtain eternal joy.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Litany of Trust
One of my favourite things about litanies is that if I say them regularly enough, they start to provide me with a framework with which to live my life. Here's what I mean by that: a litany, especially one for a specific virtue, is repeating a whole bunch of petitions about that virtue. And if I say that prayer over and over and start to memorize it, various phrases from the litany will start to pop into my head at key moments during the day: "From the belief that I have to earn Your love, Deliver me, Jesus", for instance. It's a way to more deeply root myself in the Chrirstian tradition and Christian mode of thinking, and I love that about litanies.
This particular litany was written by one of the Sisters of Life (who are SO cool), and a friend of mine, whose older sister is one of the Sisters of Life, introduced me to it. (I think. Fuzzy recollections, y'know.) And the best thing about it is that it works. There was this one specific time last fall semester where I prayed it every day for a couple months and then ended up tapering off, and then a month or two after that, I was praying one day and was like "where did all this trust come from, good golly?" and then the lightbulb came on.
It's a good prayer. :)
From the belief that I have to earn Your love, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear that I am unlovable, deliver me, Jesus.
From the false security that I have what it takes, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear that trusting You will leave me more destitute, deliver me, Jesus.
From all suspicion of Your words and promises, deliver me, Jesus.
From the rebellion against childlike dependency on You, deliver me, Jesus.
From refusals and reluctances in accepting Your will, deliver me, Jesus.
From anxiety about the future, deliver me, Jesus.
From resentment or excessive preoccupation with the past, deliver me, Jesus.
From restless self-seeking in the present moment, deliver me, Jesus.
From disbelief in Your love and presence, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being asked to give more than I have, deliver me, Jesus.
From the belief that my life has no meaning or worth, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of what love demands, deliver me, Jesus.
From discouragement, deliver me, Jesus.
That You are continually holding me, sustaining me, loving me, Jesus, I trust in You.
That Your love goes deeper than my sins and failings and transforms me, Jesus, I trust in You.
That not knowing what tomorrow brings is an invitation to lean on You, Jesus, I trust in You.
That You are with me in my suffering, Jesus, I trust in You.
That my suffering, united to Your own, will bear fruit in this life and the next, Jesus, I trust in You.
That You will not leave me orphan, that You are present in Your Church, Jesus, I trust in You.
That Your plan is better than anything else, Jesus, I trust in You.
That You always hear me and in Your goodness always respond to me, Jesus, I trust in You.
That You give me the grace to accept forgiveness and to forgive others, Jesus, I trust in You.
That You give me all the strength I need for what is asked, Jesus, I trust in You.
That my life is a gift, Jesus, I trust in You.
That You will teach me to trust You, Jesus, I trust in You.
That You are my Lord and my God, Jesus, I trust in You.
That I am Your beloved one, Jesus, I trust in You.
Litany of Humility
This is one of the prayers that it can be kind of hard to pray. Honestly, the first time you read through it, it can feel like a bath of cold water over the head. Asking to be delivered from the desire to be loved? To be esteemed? To be chosen? I will admit to feeling a bit rebelious over the whole thing for A While until I processed that one can append the words "by anyone other than God/You" to a lot of the petitions. "From the desire of being loved by anyone other than You, deliver me Jesus." And like...sure, there are times where the desire to be loved is rightly ordered, but the point of the prayer is the spirit of self-understanding, surrender to God, and true humility, so that's what it's ordered towards. And most people aren't humble, so yeah, it feels like sandpaper for the first few recitations because it is. That's the whole point. Like the Litany of Trust, this is one where I find individual petitions from it scrolling through my head a lot, especially "that others may be chosen and I set aside", and "from the desire of being consulted". Because...yeah. I have problems there. XD
O Jesus, meek and humble of heart, hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being honored, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being praised, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being approved, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being humiliated, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being despised, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected, deliver me, Jesus.
That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be chosen and I set aside, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be praised and I go unnoticed, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be preferred to me in everything, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
Amen.
I hope you've enjoyed praying with me as much as I've enjoyed sharing my favourite prayers with you! <3
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