E
Eilish_Maura
Guest
Many people have no trouble asking someone else to pray for them but I have met some who claim it is selfish and worse to pray for your own needs.
- Status
L
latinmasslover
Guest
Only if we are the sole focus of our prayer.
E
Eilish_Maura
Guest
What do you mean by that?
L
latinmasslover
Guest
Sorry. I meant if we only pray for ourselves, or mostly for ourselves and little for others. For example, making a Rosary novena for oneself, but only offering three Hail Marys for another. Fasting for ourselves, but a short 30-second prayer for our neighbor.
E
Eilish_Maura
Guest
So a day say you are facing surgery for something serious and you say a rosary or two JUST for that and nothing else - it is not ok?
There always has to be something else mixed in to make things ok?
C
childofmary1143
Guest
Not only is it okay to pray for yourself, and should from time to time, depending on the circumstances but I would even dare say that it could be an act of humility to pray for yourself.
Our primary obligation in life is to get to Heaven and we can’t do that without prayer.
L
latinmasslover
Guest
That’s not what I’m saying. If on a regular basis we pray only for ourselves. There are exceptions to every rule, I’ve always held to that and always will because it’s true. But let’s say you’re going in for surgery, why not keep in your prayers others who are going through a similar operation, like those with families?
If I really need help with something, I usually recommend to God others who may be in the same situation, but I pray “especially” for myself. It’s only sinful if you’re always praying *only *for yourself.
E
Eilish_Maura
Guest
When did it become sinful?
What commandment does it break?
L
latinmasslover
Guest
You seem to have an argumentative spirit in the extreme.
Are you wanting to pray for yourself but are worried about sinning? Pray for discernment.
Common sense helps a lot too. Every need is different, some situation require more prayer than others, and some are more personal than others.
If you daily devote a lot of time praying for yourself, while praying little for others, you’re being selfish, and that is a sin against your neighbor (violates the second commandment of the New Law: love your neighbor as yourself). Like I said, this varies day by day, situation by situation. You’re on a plane that is going to crash, going in for an operation, walking down a dark alley and suddenly hearing footsteps… Waking up every morning, devoting the first half hour of prayer only for yourself, and then two minutes for family, friends, etc wouldn’t be the Christian thing to do.
C
Conservative
Guest
I don’t think it’s selfish at all to pray for oneself. But it can’t hurt to add a phrase at the end of your prayers - “for this intention and for all in need” (or similar). I was reading Fr. Lasance’s missal today (something I now plan to do often, with God’s help)…There was a section called, “Lord, Are There Few Saved?” Quoted below are several passages I hope will answer your question:
"Prayer is knocking at the gate of heaven; and we have Our Lord’s assurance Knock, and it shall be opened to you (Luke xi, 9…
It later continues:
"Ask, and fear not to ask, for temporal favors, as health and victory, yet so that they make for the salvation of your soul."
Hoping this final quote answers question fully:
"No one, I persuade myself, enters heaven, who has not either prayed much or been prayed much for. But my salvation is too precious to me for me to leave it to the charity of others. I will help myself and pray for myself. – Ye are Christ’s.
I hadn’t picked up Fr. Lasance in years…Ironic, that I should have read this just hours before finding your post. God works in mysterious ways!
Y
Yerusalyim
Guest
Wrong, no. However, I had a spiritual advisor for several years who forbid me to pray for myself except to know God’s will for me and for the strength to fulfill that will. I rarely pray for myself other than for guidance anymore. Having said that, prayer isn’t always about asking for something, sometimes it’s just talking to God.
G
Genesis315
Guest
In St. Alphonsus Liguori’s book on prayer, he mentions a pretty big name that says we shouldn’t (St. Thomas Aquinas maybe?), but he then makes a good case from Scripture, the Fathers and Doctors and others that we definitely should–in fact, we should ask God for the grace necessary for salvation every day–especially the grace of perseverance.
According to St. Alphonsus, “Ask and it shall be given to you” refers to anything conducive to our salvation
According to St. Alphonsus, “Ask and it shall be given to you” refers to anything conducive to our salvation
G
Genesis315
Guest
As Yerusalym said, when praying for things for ourself, if we are not sure if it is conducive to our sanctification, we should always use Christ’s prayer “But not my will, but thine.”
J
JustAnotherThou
Guest
I agree with latinmasslover, and I also agree that it appears that you appear to be argument over his opinions to the question you asked. As one boss told me, never ask a question you don’t want the answer to.
My answer to the two questions above: if you are ONLY praying for yourself then you are being GREEDY with your prayers and Greed is one of the seven deadly sins.
I guess I would also ask you, do you always determine what is good or right on if it is a sin or not?
To me Gluttony is more than just over indulgence in food and for me if I JUST prayed for myself I would see that as Gluttony also, thus another of the seven deadly sins. (now I know the gluttony one might be too far of a reach for many, it is just how I associate over indulgence in anything, for myself).
Go Well
Y
Yerusalyim
Guest
Praying for yourself is not wrong in and of itself. We have the example of Christ praying that the cup might pass him…but also praying for the Father’s will not his own. If you stay within those guidelines I think you’re ok.
J
jmcrae
Guest
We should pray for ourselves on a regular basis, I think, and we should lift up our own needs before we lift up the needs of others, since it is when we see that our own needs are met that we will gain the faith to pray for others, in the knowledge that their needs will also be met. 
C
Conservative
Guest
D
drforjc
Guest
The Our Father says
“Give us this day our daily bread”
in addition to “Thy will be done.”
Thus any time you pray an Our Father you are praying for yourself (since you are included in “us.”)
“Give us this day our daily bread”
in addition to “Thy will be done.”
Thus any time you pray an Our Father you are praying for yourself (since you are included in “us.”)
C
catherine_m
Guest
It is not wrong to pray for yourself as long as your intention is to improve yourself as a person in the eyes of God.
C
Conservative
Guest
Something else just occurred to me. First, on the supposition side, I really don’t think it’s a sin to pray for oneself, since if we need something who else do we go to but The Creator? (and I’m not saying we should ask to be better than others, etc.) I agree with other posters here who suggest it so long as we add “Thy Will be done”, or “if it be in accordance with Thy Holy Will”, etc.
Second, I was told a long time ago that we should never pray for money. I don’t know why - but I don’t. A job? Yes. To prosper in daily life, yes. But not praying to win the lottery, etc.
Second, I was told a long time ago that we should never pray for money. I don’t know why - but I don’t. A job? Yes. To prosper in daily life, yes. But not praying to win the lottery, etc.
- Status