Prayer Corner - My Mary's Way

Prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God. It is an openness to God’s many transforming graces in our lives. And since God does not come into our lives on our terms, but on HIS terms, one of the greatest gifts we can give to God is to selflessly place ourselves at His disposal. We do this through prayer. By praying, we give God a definite place in our lives, openly allowing His grace to transform us by strengthening our faith and trust in Him.

What greater example is there of this selfless openness than that of Jesus’ own mother, Mary? As Catholics, we venerate, or honor, Mary for freely and openly cooperating with God’s plan of salvation. By answering “Yes” to the good news of Jesus, she modeled for us how to put our trust in a message that is so incredibly generous that it seems impossible to be true, and yet it is!

And so we pray to Mary, our role model, to intercede for us. We ask her to take our prayers, our openness, our desire to grow closer to our Lord, directly to her son, on our behalf. What better way to respond to God’s command to “pray always and never lose heart” (Luke 18:1) than to follow the example of Mary? By raising our minds and hearts to God in prayer and remaining open to His transforming graces just as she did, we are truly following “Mary’s Way”.

Below are some prayers that open the communication between God and us, as well as some devotions to Mary, allowing her to intercede for us on our behalf.

THE ANGELUS

V- The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
R- And she conceived by the Holy Spirit. (Hail Mary….)
V- Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
R- Be it done unto me according to thy word. (Hail Mary….)
V- And the Word was made Flesh.
R- And dwelt among us. (Hail Mary….)
V- Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.
R- That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

LET US PRAY:

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that, we to whom the Incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an Angel, may by His Passion and Cross, be brought to the glory of His Resurrection through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

PRAYER FOR EMPLOYMENT

God, our Father, I turn to you seeking your divine help and guidance as I look for suitable employment. I need your wisdom to guide my footsteps along the right path, and to lead me to find the proper things to say and do in this quest. I wish to use the gifts and talents you have given me, but I need the opportunity to do so with gainful employment. Do not abandon me, dear Father, in this search, but rather grant me this favor I seek so that I may return to you with praise and thanksgiving for your gracious assistance. Grant this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

OUR FATHER

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. Amen.

MORNING OFFERING

Dear Lord, I do not know what will happen to me today. I only know that nothing will happen that was not foreseen by You, and directed to my greater good from all eternity. I adore Your holy and unfathomable plans, and submit to them with all my heart for love of You, the Pope, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Amen.

MIRACULOUS MEDAL PRAYER

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee, and for those who do not have recourse to thee, especially the enemies of the Church and those recommended to thee. Amen.

MARY’S WAY OPENING

Mary, most holy Mother of God, we come before you for your motherly blessing. Pray for us during this time of learning and discussing; watch over us that we may be obedient to God’s will. We give ourselves and our will to you in a special way, that through you, we may come to a more perfect union with you son, Jesus. WE love you, Mary. Keep watch over us and protect us. Replace your will with the Devine Will. Amen.

HAIL MARY

Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

HAIL HOLY QUEEN

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve: to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Amen.

GUARDIAN ANGEL PRAYER

Angel of God, my Guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this day (or night) be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.

GLORY BE

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.

APOSTLES CREED

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into Hell. The third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

ANIMA CHRISTI

Soul of Christ, make me holy Body of Christ, be my salvation Blood of Christ, let me drink your wine Water flowing from the side of Christ, wash me clean Passion of Christ, strengthen me Kind Jesus, hear my prayer Hide me within your wounds And keep me close to you Defend me from the evil enemy And call me at the hour of my death To the fellowship of your saints That I might sing your praise with them for all eternity. Amen.

ACT OF CONTRITION

O my God, I am heartfully sorry for having offended thee, and I detest all my sins because of Thy just punishment, but most of all because I have offended Thee my God, Who is all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to sin no more, and to avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen.