Is this prayer a good one?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Zaccheus
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
Z

Zaccheus

Guest
Father, I have sinned against you. I have sinned in thought, word and deed. I wish to stop sinning.
Father please fill my heart with the spirit of Jesus, till I would rather die than sin again.
Please grant me the courage to face whatever sufferings must come.
Grant me wisdom to know truth from error.
Grant me a clean heart, to serve You till I die.
Grant me the Sacraments on the day of my death.

Is this a good prayer in itself? Have you any suggestions to make it a better prayer?

Also: it was recommended that I make a practice of praying this prayer every waking hour, once per hour, for forty days. Is that a good practice?
 
Last edited:
Cor_ad_Cor said:
40.png
Zaccheus:
Also: it was recommended that I make a practice of praying this prayer every waking hour, once per hour, for forty days. Is tha t a good practice?
Click to expand...
Who made such a recommendation and from where did this prayer originate?
Click to expand...
A friend of a friend. My friend is a Protestant and a good, devoted Christian. The friend of my friend I know only at second hand (and casual contact only at that). He seems a devoted Evangelical and has several beliefs I don’t share, but the idea of persistent prayer seemed good to me: and I trust my onw friend.
 
I wouldn’t say don’t do it, but I’d sure get another opinion first, say from my priest or spiritual director.

It’s not unlike Catholic practices, but it seems overwhelming and a bit much, plus we already have sufficient devotions that are practical and realistic to live out. I think this kind of thing might lead the average person to disappointment from failure to fulfillment.
 
When I sees something like “say it fir forty days” I have a bit of a knee jerk reaction: Why 40? Why not 28 (4 weeks) or some other number? too often I find someone associating that with a semi-unspoken method of “binding God”.

since you don’t mention that, I suspect that the prayer is either one that has been around for some time and may possibly be associated with some particular devotion, and/or is a carryover possibly from someone who was Catholic and left the Church for another faith community, taking that along as one of those “back of the mind talismans” (i.e. they are not entirely removed from the Church, but for whatever reason not able to square up with that reality).

I don’t seen any particular problem with the prayer (I refuse to go into “it might be tainted” territory). The 40 days is curious, but there certainly are a number of prayers we learn along the way which we carry with us through our life. I suspect the source was originally Catholic.
 
Zaccheus said:
Also: it was recommended that I make a practice of praying this prayer every waking hour, once per hour, for forty days. Is tha t a good practice?
Click to expand...
Just wondering and I don’t mean to be rude or advising agsinst this practice, but why not just go to confession and receive an actual sacrament?
 
ratio1 said:
Just wondering and I don’t mean to be rude or advising agsinst this practice, but why not just go to confession and receive an actual sacrament?
Click to expand...
I don’t mean this prayer as a substitute for the sacraments, Ratio1.
 
In that case I think it looks pretty good. Maybe except the second paragraph. It can be misunderstood by some to mean no need to fill etc if you achieve etc…
 
Last edited:
ratio1 said:
In that case I think it looks pretty good. Maybe except the second paragraph. It can be misunderstood by some to mean no need to fill etc if you achieve etc…
Click to expand...
Ah. You make a good point. I wouldn’t want to leave anyone with the impression that I thought that.
 
That prayer is beautiful Zaccheus. In one way or another I say the same prayer. If you feel like saying it for 40 days go ahead. But remember, what is important is that God knows your heart…He hears you whether you say for 40 days or if you only say it when you actually mean the words.
God bless you
 
Zaccheus said:
A friend of a friend. My friend is a Protestant and a good, devoted Christian. The friend of my friend I know only at second hand (and casual contact only at that). He seems a devoted Evangelical and has several beliefs I don’t share, but the idea of persistent prayer seemed good to me: and I trust my onw friend.
Click to expand...
Persistent prayer is fine, but having to say a prayer every waking hour for 40 days is a bit much. I pray regularly 4 times a day (I set an alarm) and at other times throughout the day and even I think it’s a bit much to be saying a prayer 8 or 12 times a day for “every waking hour”. You can try it if you wish, but something like three times a day would be a lot more realistic.

Also, be careful of adopting Protestant prayer practices. They mean well but it is better to follow the Catholic practices to avoid falling into error.
 
Last edited:
@otjm @ratio1 @observing @Tis_Bearself
I thank each of you. I plan to keep the prayer but from now on only once a day, and maybe change it a little. God bless you all.
 
Last edited:
I like the Our Father – because Jesus gave it to us. I like the prayer your friend made. Prayer is not to be forced – if you want to pray that prayer – go for it but don’t make it an obligation. Then you might be heading in a difficult path. The Our Father is what Jesus taught us and that makes it pretty special. Of course I also go to Mary and pray the rosary. I also like the Jesus prayer very much.
 
I don’t get the “till I would rather die than sin again” part. It suggests the choice faced by martyrs, but for most of us the choice is never “sin or die.” How do you understand that part of the prayer?
 
@Divine3 I like those prayers also, and I pray the rosary. 🙂

@Beryllos The idea is to become totally devoted to the Father. Not to ask for martyrdom.
 
There may be a more positive/affirmative way to express that devotion. For example, one could pray “Father please fill my heart with the spirit of Jesus, till I would choose good even if it cost me my life.”

My wording is not particularly eloquent or worthy to be prayed. I only wrote it as an illustration of the desire to be good, as contrasted to the desire not to be bad.
 
Last edited:
Beryllos said:
There may be a more positive/affirmative way to express that devotion. For example, one could pray “Father please fill my heart with the spirit of Jesus, till I would choose good even if it cost me my life.”

My wording is not particularly eloquent or worthy to be prayed. I only wrote it as an illustration of the desire to be good, as contrasted to the desire not to be bad.
Click to expand...
I like it. 🙂
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top