I’m a momma’s girl, so I tend to say a lot of Hail Mary’s, but I also love praying “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy upon me, a sinner”. During times when I am praying this regularly, it becomes a sort of background music to my life. I can hear it in the background as I go throughout my day, with it getting louder during quiet times, and fading to a mere whisper when life gets louder. I find it keeps me grounded.
When dealing with difficult people, I tend to pray (and remind myself!) by repeating over and over, “He/She is a child of God”. Seeing a person who is causing me stress as God’s creation, made in His image and likeness make it easier for me to see the good behind whatever difficulty is there.
I am also a big fan of St. Ignatius of Loyola, and use his prayers, or prayers he was fond of, and writings often.
Suscipe (St. Ignatius of Loyola)
Code:
Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding
and my entire will,
All I have and call my own.
You have given all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.
Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace.
That is enough for me.
Anima Christi
Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from Christ’s side, wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee
From the malicious enemy defend me
In the hour of my death call me
And bid me come unto Thee
That I may praise Thee with Thy saints
and with Thy angels
Forever and ever
Amen
Prayer for Generosity (St. Ignatius of Loyola)
Code:
Lord, teach me to be generous.
Teach me to serve you as you deserve;
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labor and not to ask for reward,
save that of knowing that I do your will.
St. Ignatius First Principal and Foundation
Man is created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by this means to save his soul.
The other things on the face of the earth are created for man to help him in attaining the end for which he is created.
Hence, man is to make use of them in as far as they help him in the attainment of his end, and he must rid himself of them in as far as they prove a hindrance to him.
Therefore, we must make ourselves indifferent to all created things, as far as we are allowed free choice and are not under any prohibition. Consequently, as far as we are concerned, we should not prefer health to sickness, riches to poverty, honor to dishonor, a long life to a short life. The same holds for all other things.
Our one desire and choice should be what is more conducive to the end for which we are created.
