I Pray the Divine Chaplet but I don't understand it

[oneofmany]

I don’t know how we can offer God the body, blood, soul and divinity of His son.

Isn’t that only for Jesus to offer to God?

 

[psalm90]

There’s a lot of prayers that the laity get herded into saying that are hard to understand, to begin with, and sometimes beyond one’s current level of spirituality development.

for example, I don’t know what an act of total consecration to the heart of Mary is, to begin with, or what obligations I would be imposing on myself.

In a period of two months, in two separate churches, there was a general intercession “for more devotion to Mary” – like sheep, the congregation responded, “Lord, hear our prayer.” But, WHY would we be praying TO GOD for an increase of devotion to Mary?

I wrote the pastor of one of the churches and he did not give me a straight answer on that.

I don’t watch the EWTN daily Mass. There is such a scripted list of general intercessions, and leading the list is usually prayers for Mother Angelica. She must be the most prayed for person who ever lived. Aren’t there any OTHER people who need prayers?

 

[Samuel_Mary]

In a period of two months, in two separate churches, there was a general intercession “for more devotion to Mary” – like sheep, the congregation responded, “Lord, hear our prayer.” But, WHY would we be praying TO GOD for an increase of devotion to Mary?

Why not? Mary’s example is a perfect one for us to follow. Many great saints have written about the spiritual fruits of devotion to her.

 

[johnnyc176]

In a period of two months, in two separate churches, there was a general intercession “for more devotion to Mary” – like sheep, the congregation responded, “Lord, hear our prayer.” But, WHY would we be praying TO GOD for an increase of devotion to Mary?

So you rather be a goat?

 

[Reepicheep]

@psalm90:

I don’t understand the chemistry of the digestive process, yet I manage to eat my meals and be nourished by my food. It works even if I’m baffled by how it works. I don’t understand how Jesus letting Himself be murdered in a hideous way leads to God letting me into Heaven. But I have good reason to believe it does work that way, and praise be to the living God that it does.

Increased devotion to the Blessed Virgin leads to increased devotion to Christ. She leads us to Him.

Sure, there are a lot of people other than Mother Angelica who need our prayers. So what? We can pray for her and pray for other people as well. One does not exclude the other.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

for example, I don’t know what an act of total consecration to the heart of Mary is, to begin with, or what obligations I would be imposing on myself.

There are books and websites that lay this all out for you, if you’re really interested. St. Louis de Montfort’s “True Devotion to Mary” and the more recent “33 Days to Morning Glory” lay it all out for you. It’s a rather big step though, IMHO, and I’m not yet ready for it myself this year, so it’s not something that a lay person who hasn’t studied up can do in 5 minutes.

In a period of two months, in two separate churches, there was a general intercession “for more devotion to Mary” – like sheep, the congregation responded, “Lord, hear our prayer.” But, WHY would we be praying TO GOD for an increase of devotion to Mary?

I don’t find it weird that people would pray to God for an increase in spirituality, for an increase in the graces necessary to appreciate and love the Mother of God. Seems like a straightforward request. So I’m not getting your “why” and maybe the pastor didn’t either.

I don’t watch the EWTN daily Mass. There is such a scripted list of general intercessions, and leading the list is usually prayers for Mother Angelica. She must be the most prayed for person who ever lived. Aren’t there any OTHER people who need prayers?

Do you honestly think that the late Mother Angelica wouldn’t share the prayers for herself with other people who need them? She founded EWTN, it only make sense that they would always pray for the soul of their founder, especially since they want her to become a saint someday. Once she becomes a saint, they will stop praying for her and start asking her intercession instead.

like sheep

Even this seems appropriate given that Jesus is the Good Shepherd. Of course we are his sheep.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Now, getting back to the original question of the OP…

I don’t know how we can offer God the body, blood, soul and divinity of His son.

Isn’t that only for Jesus to offer to God?

Here is a very good, in-depth discussion of your very question from thedivinemercy.org. I note that in the last paragraph, the author writes, “We cannot fully comprehend such a holy mystery, but we can see in some ways that it makes sense, and we can believe it on the testimony of the Holy Spirit.]” So it’s not an easy thing to understand, but I do think that his explanation gives the general gist of it, and it’s good enough for me that these prayers will be helping people and souls. I don’t need to understand them all like a theologian to say them.

 

[Crusaderbear]

Saints are intermediaries, they speak on your behalf to God, only God actually grants graces and mercy.

It’s like a letter writing campaign (or in this age, a email campaign) one request from you vs a hundred requests from you and the Saints!

I would think if your request is worthy, you wouldn’t need intercessions, but it never hurts to ask!

 

[pianistclare]

This topic comes up at least once a month. Use the search function before it goes away.
People have explained this at least 100 times.

Just pray.
Even Christ prayed : Father let this cup pass from Me".
Your prayers are not worthless just because you don’t exactly understand how they work or what they are meant to convey. When we pray we convey trust and love.
Stick to that.

 

[Jerome1974]

I asked almost the same question recently. A lady replied by suggesting that I think of “offer you…” as “acknowledge…” She also included this link below.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost…9&postcount=21

 

[oneofmany]

Now, getting back to the original question of the OP…

Here is a very good, in-depth discussion of your very question from thedivinemercy.org. I note that in the last paragraph, the author writes, “We cannot fully comprehend such a holy mystery, but we can see in some ways that it makes sense, and we can believe it on the testimony of the Holy Spirit.]” So it’s not an easy thing to understand, but I do think that his explanation gives the general gist of it, and it’s good enough for me that these prayers will be helping people and souls. I don’t need to understand them all like a theologian to say them.

This response is what I was thinking as well. It’s more for the priest to offer it up instead of us.

daniel - Mar 30, 2012
I don’t know … It seems to me it’s only valid liturgically for a priest to offer the Body and Blood to Jesus, not a layman. Indeed, that strikes me as one of the reasons why we kneel, and why only the priest is to be standing. So referring to the liturgy is a good argument for priests to say the Divine Mercy chaplet, but not for laymen: It doesn’t seem to apply to them.

Likewise regarding the argument of “the Church” as the Bride of Christ praying it, it seems more fitting for someone living a religious life (monk, nun, brother, sister) to be praying it rather than an unconsecrated person, perhaps even praying it on behalf of those unconsecrated people. They seem to be part of the Church in a more complete way than unconsecrated people (they are more ‘holy’, ‘set apart’ from the rest of the world).

 

[Tis_Bearself]

If the Church told me, “This is not an appropriate prayer for the laity to say; it’s for priests and religious, really” then I wouldn’t say the prayer.

But the Church says, “This is a good prayer; it helps others, so say it.” So I do. I don’t see a point to second-guessing the Church on matters of prayer.

If one isn’t comfortable saying it, there’s plenty of other fine prayers to say. As someone else said on the thread for Fatima prayer, if you’re not comfortable saying prayers that are part of private revelation, then don’t say them and confine yourself to things like the Our Father and the traditional rosary without add-ons.

 

[Vico]

I don’t know how we can offer God the body, blood, soul and divinity of His son.

Isn’t that only for Jesus to offer to God?

It is the Eucharistic sacrifice of the Mass which we offer in suffrage for souls in purgatory.

Catechism

III. THE FINAL PURIFICATION, OR PURGATORY …

1032 This teaching is also based on the practice of prayer for the dead, already mentioned in Sacred Scripture: "Therefore Judas Maccabeus] made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin."607 From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God.608 The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead:

Let us help and commemorate them. If Job’s sons were purified by their father’s sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them.609

IV. THE LITURGICAL CELEBRATION OF THE EUCHARIST …

1354 In the anamnesis that follows, the Church calls to mind the Passion, resurrection, and glorious return of Christ Jesus; she presents to the Father the offering of his Son which reconciles us with him.​

 

[psalm90]

So you rather be a goat?

My point was this, that the general intercessions at Mass were probably intended for people attending Mass to verbalize their personal needs. But, what has happened, is that these have become “politicized” with certain themes being repeated over and over virtually in rote fashion, usually with a brief mention at the end of a prayer for our intentions “expressed in the silence of our hearts.”

We never hear things like “let us pray for Mr Jones who needs a new car” or “for Mrs. Smith who is having an operation.” What is supposed to be a spontaneous prayer for immediate needs becomes a political one, e.g. for Mother Angelica, who a previous poster said would somehow distributed the merits of the prayer to others – what?? we need more bureaucracy in our prayers?

A previous poster implied that Mother Angelica might become a saint —WAIT – either she is a saint already or she isn’t. What that person meant is whether Mother Angelica would become a ‘canonized’ saint. See? These prayers are trying to push Mother Angelica into heaven. At her funeral several years ago, the friars were touching objects, like cloths, to her body, to transform them into relics. TO ME, this is such a side-show of Catholicism – far from the essentials of the faith.

Back to the original question, I think if anybody doesn’t understand a prayer, like the chaplet of Divine Mercy, then don’t say it. For me, it’s enough to say the Lord’s prayer and the Hail Mary. In each prayer there is the word “us” which I intend as meaning “everybody, everybody’s need and intention.” And, then, there’s the Mass, which seems to cover just about everything.

On EWTN, it’s so distracting (TO ME) that at the end of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, there’s instantly a commercial to offer a DVD of the Chaplet for sale. TO ME, it just cheapens the prayer, if the prayer means anything at all. How can we offer God TO God? That was the original question, to which I haven’t seen an answer addressed.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

You seem to have some issues with Mother Angelica and EWTN. I don’t really like the sales ads either, but virtually every Catholic blog and website also has shopping, and no one forces me to buy, and once in a while I genuinely want the item.

Maybe don’t watch the channel if it’s going to wind you up so much.

 

[oneofmany]

Well I understand the point of, if you don’t like it then don’t say it, but the Divine Chaplet is getting very popular in parishes. Our parish gets together on Sunday evenings to say it.

There is also a prayer before communion in our missal but I found it uncomfortable to pray. It says something about please help me to turn these people from their misguided ways or something like that. I tried to look it up on here but they don’t have it. The prayer they do have is a good one but it’s not the one in our missal.

I did stop praying that one and others I find not to my liking and as you say the Church never says we have to pray all the prayers we come across.

 

[oldgraymare2]

Hi oneofmany,

I’ve said this before when answering questions about this devotion, and that I think that it might help if you could read more about it in relation to the context of St. Faustina’s Diary of Divine Mercy. Reading her diary might give you a better understanding of the Chaplet, and how it came into being.

Here is a link to the Marian’s website, where you can read more about the devotion, too:

thedivinemercy.org/message/devotions/

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I did stop praying that one and others I find not to my liking and as you say the Church never says we have to pray all the prayers we come across.

There are plenty that I skip as well. Some of the ones from past centuries, I just find way too flowery in their language and I feel unnatural saying them. The intention of them is fine but I want to express myself in a way that feels more natural for me.