Prayer #3 – Prayer of Trust in God’s Love

Focus idea:  Many times our prayers to God are prayers of petition. We are asking for God’s help in dealing with a personal issue that deeply troubles us. So many of these situations are not put upon us by God, or the result of our own poor choices, but simply the random and unavoidable consequences of living in an imperfect world. When something upsets us, we tend to approach prayer by asking God to make a very specific outcome happen, that is, to totally solve our problem, and relieve us of our anxiety. As Deacon John explains it, “While it is not wrong to make our desires known to God, it is a good idea to trust in God’s love for us. That means being open to His will.” Know, believe and trust that God will be our strength, and will love, support and guide us through the troubling moments in our lives! Continue reading “Prayer #3 – Prayer of Trust in God’s Love”

Prayer #2 – Prayer of Appreciation for God’s Love

Focus idea:  Personal prayer is a simple way of communicating with our welcoming and loving God. Fr. Doug expresses this idea so clearly, “Prayers pass from our hearts directly into His Most Sacred Heart.” It is comforting to have God in our hearts and even more comforting to know that we are in His heart!

Prayer of Appreciation for God’s Love:

O God, You see me and understand me. You know what is in me, all my thoughts and feelings, my likes and dislikes, my strengths and my
weaknesses.
O God, You see me in my day of joy and in my day of sorrow. You sympathize with my hopes and my temptations. You are interested in
my anxieties, all the ups and downs of my life.
O God, You encompass me and carry me. You see me whether I am smiling or in tears. You look tenderly upon me, and feel the beating
of my heart.
O God, no one could ever love and understand me as much as You can. Your love for me is today, tomorrow and forever!

Closing thoughts: Continue to tell Jesus what is in your heart. He will always understand! Thank Him for your gifts and most of all, thank Him for loving you with His most sacred heart!

Prayer #1 – Prayer to Jesus  

Focus idea: Begin by thinking of God in the person of Jesus, a human being with feelings, and a heart filled with love for each of us. You want to let Jesus get to know you better, so get ready to tell Him your worries and concerns. (Haha – He already knows them, but don’t pass up the chance for the emotional intimacy that you will experience!) Enjoy your heart to heart conversation, knowing that Jesus will understand your human anxieties. He will respond by sending you His love, peace, comfort and strength.

Prayer to Jesus:
My Jesus, my Light, my Love, my Strength, be with me now and always, in all my doubts, anxieties and trials.
Come Jesus, in hours of loneliness, weariness and grief.
Come Jesus, in failure, in loss and in disappointment.
Come Jesus, when others fail me, and when I fail myself.
Come Jesus, when I am ill, unable to work, or am depressed.
Come Jesus, in my moments of joy and exhilaration, that I may share my joys and triumphs with You, and give You thanks.
Come Jesus, now and forever, and in all things. Amen.

Closing thoughts: Tell Jesus what is in your heart. Thank Him for your gifts and most of all, thank Him for loving you with His most sacred heart!

Prayer #15 – Prayer for the strengthening of our parish

Focus idea: Covid-19 has weakened our parish community. It has kept us from the intimacy of in-person worship, and from the personal warmth we derive from one another during parish functions. It has put us at a significant monetary loss, which will force us to make some hard choices in the foreseeable future. It forces us to work harder to get back the solidarity that we all felt, and to rebuild our finances. In Fr. Joe’s words, “We are called to show our Christian holiness by being the hands and feet of the Lord. Our challenge is before us.” This is our parish, and it is up to all of us to help in every way that we can, for God and for each other.

Prayer for the strengthening of our parish:

Dear Lord, I pray for my spiritual rejuvenation and for the rejuvenation of our parish community! Bring me strength and vitality. Satisfy my yearning for an intimate and personal relationship with You, by giving me the courage to give back to our parish and our parish family. Fill me with a burning desire to fully partake in parish life. Help me to find ways to show my gratitude for all You have given me by my service to your children. Help me to be a part of the bigger picture, and a role model for others in my community. Help me to show my faith by the way that I live my life. Help me to enthusiastically encourage my family and friends to live in Your light and Your love. Please strengthen our parish so that we may provide comfort to those in need, and share the joy that we have found in You and in one another. Amen.

Closing thoughts: Tell Jesus what is in your heart. Thank Him for your gifts and most of all, thank Him for loving you with His Most Sacred Heart!

St. Pio Parish’s Prayer Anthology

What is an anthology?  It is simply a collection.  Our first parish prayer anthology will include many types of prayers. We will begin our collection with prayers that you can use to develop a relationship with God that is more personal and intimate.

Each prayer starts with a Focus Idea to give you an area to concentrate on.  After the prayer will be a few closing thoughts to keep you on track.  We hope you will enjoy our first anthology and grow in your prayer life.