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Favorite Prayers

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By Rich Vosler


Ok, I'll play this game! There's only one problem -- I have many more than just three "go to" prayers!  I'll list some of my standard ones and reprint some of my lesser known favorites.

 

First and foremost is the Rosary. This is my favorite. I have over an hour commute to and from work every day and try my best to say the Rosary. I've shared a few things in this blog about the Rosary so I'll leave it at that.

 

Any time someone I know or someone close to me dies, I do my best to say the Divine Mercy Chaplet on my Rosary beads. See my last blog entitled "God's Bigger and Better Plans" to read about how I've used that before.

 

Probably one of the most-said for me is simply, "Lord help me! Give me strength!" Another variation is "God help me, give me strength to get through this…" That seems to give me what I need. I use that in conjunction with Isaiah 40: 31. I also rely on my Novena to St. Therese which I wrote about as well.

 

I use many of the Psalms as prayers as well: 51, 121, 139, 23. I also have been using the Serenity Prayer a lot lately for my teenagers: "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Amen."

 

One prayer I say daily is the Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus: "Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, I adore You, I love You, and with a lively sorrow for my sins, I offer You my heart. Make me humble, patient, pure, and wholly obedient to Your will. Grant that I may live in You and for You. Protect me in the midst of danger. Comfort me in my afflictions, give me health of body, assistance in my needs, Your blessing on all that I do, and the grace of a holy death." The more I pray this prayer the more I realize that it covers every important area of life.

 

One quick prayer that I sometimes say in the morning is this: "God be in my head and in my understanding. God be in my eyes and in my looking. God be in my mouth and in my speaking. God be in my heart and in my thinking. God be at my end and my departing." That covers just about all you do in a day's time. It's very powerful.

 

I think the most important thing to understand about prayer is to know what you're saying. I'll sometimes say the same prayer 5 times to make sure I've understood every word! With the Rosary, I'll forget midstream through a decade of Hail Marys what biblical mystery I should be focused on. I'll go back and start over or continually keep the mystery in front of me to stay focused. It's a true testament to how busy we've let our lives become. If we can understand what we're praying instead of mechanically saying them, it will make all the difference in keeping our Lord in focus. Try that today--meditate on one part of a popular prayer. You'll see what I'm talking about.

Rich Vosler

Rich Vosler is a Catholic father, businessman, author, coach and speaker. He is in the process of becoming a certified spiritual director for his diocese. He recently published his first book "The Vosler's Nest: 45 Short Stories of Faith, Hope and Encouragement" about raising his 9 children with his wife and then as a single father after his wife passed away. You can see the book and contact Rich through his website, www.RichVosler.com

Comments

  • One of my favorites is the Ignatian 'Take, Lord, receive my memory, my understanding, my entire will.' The St. Louis Jesuits had a beautiful musical setting for it that I also find myself singing when I need the Lord's blessing.

    Posted on Sep 10th, 2010 at 11:25 PM by Roberta Hartley

  • Thanks Rich, you said a lot here. It really is important for us to remember what we are saying, and why we are saing it, when we pray. Bless you.

    Posted on Sep 7th, 2010 at 1:10 PM by Mary Breiner

  • I've enjoyed reading the 'favorite prayer' postings... and I certainly like all the offerings. But I have to add that my favorite prayer is the Magnificat of Mary... the perfect statement of thanksgiving, of offering, of humility.

    Posted on Sep 8th, 2010 at 1:36 PM by Dan H

  • Thanks Rich,for this prayer. I have copied it so i can Pray the novena and the short prayer too. Thanks again

    Posted on Sep 9th, 2010 at 7:12 AM by Agnes Paduilla

  • Thank you very much mr rich prayer is very useful

    Posted on Sep 9th, 2010 at 7:53 PM by Richasrd Karippat Antony