Foul thoughts while praying

[HailMary]

Lately, I have been bothered with fowl language coming to mind while praying. Like if I say the Glory Be, for some reason I almost constantly have the foul four letter word come to mind. It seems that when I pray that the four letter word is most of the time directed towards the Holy Spirit.
Also if I say the Hail Mary, when we say “Mother of God” the four letter word comes to mind again. This has happened quite a bit lately and it bugs me. Sometimes at the Consecration I have blasphemies come to my mind.

Now, I have rebuked these thoughts and prayed against them but I still struggle with it.

Does anyone ever experience this or have ideas about this?

Thanks and God Bless

Welcome to the spiritual life.

Here are some ways to contend the difficulties of prayer:

First, you must make a firm resolution to pray daily.

Second, you must not judge the quality of your prayer by how it feels. Judge it rather by the effect it has on your moral life and on the deepening love you have for the liturgy (mass).

Third, you must be willing to labor patiently in the vineyard of the Lord (your soul) and leave to Him the time of His visitation.

If you abide by these three principles, you will make rapid progress in the spiritual life.

Now, as to the mode of prayer:

1. Start with 15 minutes with the intent of conquering the initial hills surrounding Mount Carmel: within a year of faithful prayer, you should be able to pray 1 hour a day.
2. Always begin by praising the Most Holy Trinity, starting with the Father, than the Son and then the Holy Spirit. Take your time and do not be hasty.
3. Ask your guardian angel to pray for you and ask the Blessed Virgin Mary to place her Mantle of Love around you. Finally, implore St. Joseph to teach you how to pray.
4. Do an examination of conscience. This should not last more than 5 minutes. Ask God’s forgiveness and make a firm resolution to go to confession every two weeks to help you change your ways.
5. Now that you have given Glory to God, asked Heaven to assist you and examined yourself in the light of the Holy Spirit and made a firm purpose of amendment, you are fit to open Scripture and read a passage. I recommend you pick a gospel and read through from start to finish. In each case, put yourself in the scene and ask simple questions: where am I? Who am I siding with? Do I understand what Jesus is saying? How does this apply to me? Use any other question and interrogation to stay in this mode. Should God grants
   you this Grace, much good will come from it and you will see the virtues grow.
6. Leave the rest to the Lord. He will call you to the Supernatural contemplative State according to His Will.
7. Should you face distractions or aridity (inability to think, to imagine or to pray, or sinful images), do not be disturbed by either. Simply say, "I am an unprofitable servant, I have done only my duty." Do not leave your post, do not stop fighting. Much depends on that.

note: these are quoted from a friend of mine

God Bless

 

[johniewalker]

Blessings and thanks to all of those who took time to respond. I too have been experiencing this and I feel so relieved to know am not alone. all of your suggestions sound great and am going to try them. Thanks again.

 

[JohnMPhilomena]

Absolutely. For starters just keep praying - the prayer to St Michael is helpful. You’re not sinning unless you consent to, enjoy and encourage the thoughts.

One nice thing to do against blasphemous or even disrespectful thought, words or deed (from yourself or others) is to learn the Divine Praises (from benediction) off by heart and say all or appropriate parts of them frequently. This acts as reparation but also makes you conscious of your thought, and in time it lessens heaps if not totally disappearing.

Eg if I were swear or hear swearing against the Lord’s name I’d say (or think) ‘Blessed Be God, Blessed Be His Holy Name, Blessed be the Name of Jesus’ immediately afterwards.

If I were to have a disrespectful thought during consecration it would be ‘Blessed Be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar’, for something against Mary it’d be the phrases beginning ‘Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy’ and so on.

Excellent advice. Thanks.

 

[Shin]

Acquire some (properly) blessed St. Benedict medals, and also pray for Jesus Christ the gentle physician to heal the mind.

 

[Neddylinks]

This thread has helped me understand and know what to do when am besieged with such thots. I experienced something yesterday while I was praying before the Blessed Sacrament. All of a sudden, I felt like my prayer was not going to be answered and that God didn’t love me and would not want me to be granted the request I was seeking. It was so scary I felt a sudden urge to leave the Blessed Eucharist. I did get up at once, but I paused to speak to Jesus and ask Him to help my unbelief and forgive me. I then realised that I should go to His Mother and ask for Her help. As I left the Church to visit the grotto, a thot occurred to me - this was an attack from the evil one to make me despair and give up in making my petitions to God. I asked Mother Mary to help me with her prayers and that Jesus should help me. I also asked Her to help me with my most special intention.

It was so scary, but I was determined this time to confront this, because I noticed that I experienced doubts (in the past) while praying for a favour. I have gotten more information on how to overcome these thots and to understand that faith is necessary. I read the passage in the book of Romans that says, nothing can ever separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus. Going through this thread and reading more articles on some other websites, have been helpful. I believe that God loves me and I know He will accomplish His will for my life.

this also throws more light on this issue: lavistachurchofchrist.org/LVanswers/2009/11-20a.html

God bless you all!

 

[Neddylinks]

Also I vote praying to Mother Mary, St. Michael for help