I'm completely overwhelmed

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opus101

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I am so overwhelmed with prayer intentions I get practically frozen in place. From personal intentions, friends, family, horrifying news (Gosnell trial, abortion, terrorism, natural disasters, building collapses, explosions etc.) , religious liberty, CAF prayer requests, HHS mandate, employment concerns, sick neighbors, deceased friends and relatives, those who have left the faith, practicing homosexual co-workers, acquaintances in same-sex unions, my own health/financial problems, the unemployed, the abused, the exploited…I try to remember all at Mass especially, but there isn’t enough time to mention everything at the offering…I say what I can emember, and pray for “all the things I should be praying for, but can’t remember .”

Sometimes I’m so overwhelmed that I just sit and can’t pray.

What can I do?
 
“Sometimes I just sits and pray, and sometimes I just sits.” 🤷
 
I put these things under three categories by praying: for those for whom I ought to pray, those recommended to my prayers, and those for whom I have promised to pray. I only mention the names of the most recent prayer requests/needs. If I didn’t I’d be spending all my time doing nothing but praying intercessory prayers. I also say for: my loved ones and benefactors, and those who have the hope, the expectation of my prayers. God knows who you mean. Don’t try to pray every day for everyone. It’s not possible and God doesn’t expect you to do this. 🙂
 
Thanks, Della! Basically, that is what I do now. I think the “overwhelmed” part comes from the sadness and grieving over the situations. I might need to ignore the news for a while, and just pray for those most in need. It is one very sad story after another.
 
For all the intentions we hold in our hearts. We pray to the Lord.

Peace
 
opus101 said:
I am so overwhelmed with prayer intentions I get practically frozen in place. From personal intentions, friends, family, horrifying news (Gosnell trial, abortion, terrorism, natural disasters, building collapses, explosions etc.) , religious liberty, CAF prayer requests, HHS mandate, employment concerns, sick neighbors, deceased friends and relatives, those who have left the faith, practicing homosexual co-workers, acquaintances in same-sex unions, my own health/financial problems, the unemployed, the abused, the exploited…I try to remember all at Mass especially, but there isn’t enough time to mention everything at the offering…I say what I can emember, and pray for “all the things I should be praying for, but can’t remember .”

Sometimes I’m so overwhelmed that I just sit and can’t pray.

What can I do?
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For all those for whom we have promised to pray, let us pray to the Lord.

R. Lord, hear our prayer.

For unrepentant sinners, especially those whose sins have been made public, let us pray to the Lord.

R. Lord, hear our prayer.

For the victims of crime and various sinful acts, let us pray to the Lord.

R. Lord, hear our prayer.

For those affected by natural and man-made disasters, let us pray to the Lord.

R. Lord, hear our prayer.

For the dead, especially innocent victims, let us pray to the Lord.

R. Lord, hear our prayer.

For our benefactors and friends, let us pray to the Lord.

R. Lord, hear our prayer.

For our priests, let us pray to the Lord.

R. Lord, hear our prayer.
 
opus101 said:
Thanks, Della! Basically, that is what I do now. I think the “overwhelmed” part comes from the sadness and grieving over the situations. I might need to ignore the news for a while, and just pray for those most in need. It is one very sad story after another.
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The sadness and grief is a prayer itself.
 
How about when you see these things in the news, just bless yourself and commend them into God’s hands? He will take care of them in His way, in His time. Perhaps pray that these things be pressed upon your consciousness from time to time for additional prayer. But remember, it isn’t our prayers specifically that does anything, though they are very valuable. It is to God that we pray, and it is He who acts, He who saves, He who heals.

I think Jesus said it the best when He prayed, “Your Will be done.”

Of course, pray for intentions, especially the ones that weigh most heavily upon your heart, but you just can’t get through all of those intentions daily, nor does God expect you to.
 
Romans 8:26

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;
 
opus101 said:
I am so overwhelmed with prayer intentions I get practically frozen in place. From personal intentions, friends, family, horrifying news (Gosnell trial, abortion, terrorism, natural disasters, building collapses, explosions etc.) , religious liberty, CAF prayer requests, HHS mandate, employment concerns, sick neighbors, deceased friends and relatives, those who have left the faith, practicing homosexual co-workers, acquaintances in same-sex unions, my own health/financial problems, the unemployed, the abused, the exploited…I try to remember all at Mass especially, but there isn’t enough time to mention everything at the offering…I say what I can emember, and pray for “all the things I should be praying for, but can’t remember .”

Sometimes I’m so overwhelmed that I just sit and can’t pray.

What can I do?
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Opus, we pray at Mass as a community of believers…through the Universal Prayer. You are not alone in doing the heavy lifting.

🙂
 
AnneElizabeth said:
Romans 8:26

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;
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This has brought me more comfort through the years. There have been so many times that the words just wouldn’t come so I just let the Holy Spirit take my tears to God.
 
My priest has talked about a notebook he has where he writes down the people he is praying for. Sometimes, he crosses them out; say that person has recovered from an illness. I’ve thought about making a prayer intentions notebook and asking God that my intentions are given in the book. I haven’t done it. Some intentions just feel like I need to say them. I think I’d also need to go through the notebook before praying, for my benefit and not God’s, of course.
 
BillyB said:
My priest has talked about a notebook he has where he writes down the people he is praying for. Sometimes, he crosses them out; say that person has recovered from an illness. I’ve thought about making a prayer intentions notebook and asking God that my intentions are given in the book. I haven’t done it. Some intentions just feel like I need to say them. I think I’d also need to go through the notebook before praying, for my benefit and not God’s, of course.
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I have just such a notebook, as I could never remember every intention I pray for. I place my hand on the notebook while I pray; occasionally I’ll open the book and refer to intentions specifically. It’s been a big help. 👍

For intentions remembered during Mass, it would never be possible to mentally cite every intention I pray for at a given time in the time allowed for it so I would group them in a fashion similar to that presented above by jmcrae or simply think something like, “For the intentions I currently pray for, all of which are known to You.” Since I keep a notebook, I can bring it to Mass with me and place my hand on it as I say this. Maybe that would work for opus101 as well. 🙂
 
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