Non-Catholic prays Hail Mary.....and thank you

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So I considered myself a non-denominational Christian, but my wife is Catholic and I have been struggling with many Catholic ideas. I oppose a lot less than I used to.

Life has been very trying the last seven months, but recently I prayed a Hail Mary in my morning prayers a couple days. Know what - those were some of the better days I have had as of late.

I am letting go of my “Bible Alone” ideas, wondering if they have hindered my openness to the other ways God wants to talk to me.

Thank you all for replying to my posts the last few months.

Any tips for seeking His guidance in hard times?

Thank You!
Marc
 
Markie_Boy said:
So I considered myself a non-denominational Christian, but my wife is Catholic and I have been struggling with many Catholic ideas. I oppose a lot less than I used to.

Life has been very trying the last seven months, but recently I prayed a Hail Mary in my morning prayers a couple days. Know what - those were some of the better days I have had as of late.

I am letting go of my “Bible Alone” ideas, wondering if they have hindered my openness to the other ways God wants to talk to me.

Thank you all for replying to my posts the last few months.

Any tips for seeking His guidance in hard times?

Thank You!
Marc
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Thanks be to God!

It is always a glorious thing to see/hear someone getting closer to God no matter the mechanism.

Peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you and your wife!
 
Markie_Boy said:
So I considered myself a non-denominational Christian, but my wife is Catholic and I have been struggling with many Catholic ideas. I oppose a lot less than I used to.

Life has been very trying the last seven months, but recently I prayed a Hail Mary in my morning prayers a couple days. Know what - those were some of the better days I have had as of late.

I am letting go of my “Bible Alone” ideas, wondering if they have hindered my openness to the other ways God wants to talk to me.

Thank you all for replying to my posts the last few months.

Any tips for seeking His guidance in hard times?

Thank You!
Marc
Click to expand...
usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach/new-evangelization/year-of-faith/how-to-pray-the-chaplet-of-divine-mercy.cfm

Try praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet and remember the words on the Divine Mercy painting:

“Jesus I Trust In You”

The final optional prayer is the following:

“Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.”

In trying times remember to trust in Jesus and to pray for faith, wisdom and peace. Resist the urge to try and control God through prayer (the temptation can be great) but pray to give him control and trust in his plan for you.

God Bless
 
I was raised Catholic and had to learn more as an adult to come to an understanding of Mary, her role in the Church, and more specifically, in my life. I too am so glad that I did!

With regards to trying times, this book, which can be read online for free, has helped me to make some sense of it all.

I have had many answered prayers (well answered the way I would like 😉 ), but of course sometimes there seems to be no answer or help.

I read this book once a year now so I can remember that offering up my sufferings gives them meaning, can save souls, and can transform me to become like Christ little by little.

Most of all I can envision Satan stamping his little foot and crying, “I thought I had her with that one, but she turned it into a prayerrrrrr!!! I’m mellllltinnng!” lol! 😃
 
Our Mother is always trying to lead us closer to her Son. She is a wonderful guide to Christ.
 
Markie_Boy said:
…Any tips for seeking His guidance in hard times?

Thank You!
Marc
Click to expand...
Marc, I don’t know what hard times you are going through, but I will definitely be praying for you.

Remember that when you pray to Mary, she also prays for you as your advocate.

In hard times I like to meditate on John chapter 9. Sometimes hardships are there so “that the works of God might be made manifest” in them.

Also, my favorite bible passage is Matthew 6:26-34. It reminds us of how important we are to God, and that we are not to worry.

Lastly, sometimes when we are going through hard times, a shift in perspective can help us to see things from a different angle and possibly realize that our hard times are only hard because of the hardness of our hearts.

I try to start every day with the prayer of St. Francis. This prayer helps me to start my day open to being God’s “instrument” for his will. I try to focus on each line of the prayer and how it relates to something going on in my life, or a challenge that I may face that day.

I often times end the prayer with the understanding that most of my “problems” and “upsets” are self imposed as a result of me seeking to elevate my interests above God’s interests.

When I try to align myself with God’s will and offer up any sufferings I experience, I find that my days are filled with much joy and peace, and hardships become so much more bearable, and sometimes not even hardships at all.

In case you don’t know the prayer, I will post it below:
:crossrc:
Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.
:signofcross:

Hopefully this all is of some help to you and can help get you through your hard times
:gopray2:
 
Jesus prayed for unity - and so do we. From the bible alone (hey, you’re not in yet!), read Revelation 12. We see that the woman who bore the male child that was to rule the nations with a rod of iron, and who the devil pursued, also had another amazing capacity:

Revelation 12:17 (Knox): “So, in his spite against the woman, the dragon went elsewhere to make war on the rest of her children, the men who keep God’s commandments, and hold fast to the truth concerning Jesus.”

John 19:26-27 (Knox): “And Jesus, seeing his mother there, and the disciple, too, whom he loved, standing by, said to his mother, Woman, this is thy son. Then he said to the disciple, This is thy mother. And from that hour the disciple took her into his own keeping.”

Jesus gave Mary to each of us and all of us, who keep God’s commandments and hold to the truth about Jesus.

Therefore, she gratefully accepts prayer from any and all - her purpose being to lead us to her Son.
 
Great news, Markie!

I too, was once vehemently opposed to prayer or devotion to Mary.

She is the mother of the Church, Ark of the New covenant and she wants to pray for you and for the Lord to bless you.

Ask any Protestant if Mary was standing here right now, would you ask for her prayer? They’d all say yes. Well, Christ has one body, not one here and one in heaven. You can ask her to pray for you right now thanks to the communion of saints.
 
You all have been a patient bunch with some of my challenges. Coming from a literal, protestant type background, I have to say the best thing we can do to reach anyone is treat them with love and respect.

I now think it is very difficult to simply change a person’s mind, and more probable you can reach their heart. And if you do this - the mind may very well follow.

Have a great day all!
Markie Boy
 
Markie_Boy said:
You all have been a patient bunch with some of my challenges. Coming from a literal, protestant type background, I have to say the best thing we can do to reach anyone is treat them with love and respect.

I now think it is very difficult to simply change a person’s mind, and more probable you can reach their heart. And if you do this - the mind may very well follow.

Have a great day all!
Markie Boy
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…and thank you for your participation in this forum. Your ‘challenges and questions,’ the responses they prompted, and the discussions they yielded, have been helpful to others as well–(speaking for myself, but presuming I am not alone).

Hope you stick around, and continue to participate.

A blessed day to you as well.
 
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