Prayer for the ability to actually love other people

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Bdonoho

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I have been convicted of a lot of stuff this past year, and I think the main thing that haunts me is that I’m unbelievably self absorbed, conceited and hypocritical. I wanted to ask if you could pray for me, that I’d have real conversion, and the fortitude to persevere in the process of spiritual conversion. I was going to go to confession, but I need a deep conversion, because I look at my life and see almost no good fruit at all, just showy things done for selfish motives and almost every act of charity devoid of love.
 
God doesn’t ask us to be perfect, he asks us to be faithful. A lot of grace can be received by praying your Rosary daily. Pray and really mean it.

Praying for you.
 
Saint Michael, the archangel, defend us in battle, be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil, may God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do you, O’ Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God thrust into Hell Satan and all the other evil spirits who prowl about the world for the ruin of souls.

Amen.

†

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

†

Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Amen.

†

Prayer to Our Lady of Mental Peace

O Lady of Mental Peace,
Mother of Tranquility
and Mother of Hope,
look upon Bdonoho in this time
of weakness and unrest.

Teach her searching heart
to know that God’s Love
for her is unchanging and
unchangeable, and, that
true human love can only
begin and grow by touching
His Love.

Let your gentle Peace -
which this world cannot give
  • be always with her.
    And, help her to bring this
    same Peace into the lives
    of others.
Our Lady of Mental Peace,
  • Pray for us!
    Amen.
Jesus, Help Me!

In every need let me come to You with humble trust,
saying:
Jesus, help me!
In all my doubts, perplexities, and temptations:
Jesus, help me!
In hours of loneliness, weariness and trials:
Jesus, help me!
In the failure of my plans and hopes, in disappointments,
troubles and sorrows:
Jesus, help me!
When others fail me, and Your Grace alone can assist me:
Jesus, help me!
When I throw myself on Your tender Love as Savior:
Jesus, help me!
When my heart is cast down by failure, at seeing no good
come from my efforts:
Jesus, help me!
When I feel impatient, and my cross irritates me:
Jesus, help me!
When I am ill, and my head and hands cannot work and
I am lonely:
Jesus, help me!

Always, always, in spite of weakness, falls and short-
comings of every kind:
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, help me and never forsake me!

Amen

†
 
Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come
thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Amen.
 
I’ll pray for you.

But let me also suggest reading the autobiography of Ste Therese of Lisieux. It’s kind of a flowery 19th century kind of language, but there is a lot in it.

Her main theme is that love is shown in little ways, or can be. Few of us are capable of the heroic, and we feel inadequate spiritually when we can’t achieve it. Most of us can only manage the little things. So I find myself being self-absorbed…well, maybe I can do some small thing, just today, that isn’t. It doesn’t have to be big. It might just be giving encouragement to someone we truly dislike. It might be looking at that $15.00 in bills in my pocket and going by a church and dropping $5 of it in the poor box. I know this sounds silly, but it might be telling an elderly lady (be sure she’s a LOT older than you if you’re a man) that her eyes have a remarkable color to them.

It might be nothing but letting another car in front of you in awfully slow traffic.

Little things. St Thomas Aquinas said that most meritorious things and most evil things are a matter of habit. We develop habits, and the only way to change them is to do so consciously, one little step at a time. Eventually, it becomes second nature, either for good or for ill.

I think the truly virtuous are usually not aware that they are. I remember at a funeral a priest saying about the deceased woman (whom he knew well) that “she was holy in ways she didn’t expect were holy”.

Habits. A little at a time.

And by the way, love isn’t a feeling. It’s doing. I don’t even have to like the person I benefit in some way. I might dislike him intensely and remain disliking him intensely. But maybe I can, just once, tell him I admire something he did even if it was not much of anything. Maybe I can say one prayer for him at night, still not liking him.
 
Hail Mary,
Full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb,
Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death
Amen.
 
That is a beautiful intention and a very relatable one for me. To really desire to love and do things with unselfish motives is already a step in the right direction; so many do not even think of it! I promise I will pray for you tomorrow at Mass. Sending prayers and good intentions.
 
Saint Michael, the archangel, defend us in battle, be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil, may God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do you, O’ Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God thrust into Hell Satan and all the other evil spirits who prowl about the world for the ruin of souls.

Amen.

†

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

†

Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Amen.

†

Prayer to Our Lady of Mental Peace

O Lady of Mental Peace,
Mother of Tranquility
and Mother of Hope,
look upon Bdonoho in this time
of weakness and unrest.

Teach her searching heart
to know that God’s Love
for her is unchanging and
unchangeable, and, that
true human love can only
begin and grow by touching
His Love.

Let your gentle Peace -
which this world cannot give
  • be always with her.
    And, help her to bring this
    same Peace into the lives
    of others.
Our Lady of Mental Peace,
  • Pray for us!
    Amen.
Jesus, Help Me!

In every need let me come to You with humble trust,
saying:
Jesus, help me!
In all my doubts, perplexities, and temptations:
Jesus, help me!
In hours of loneliness, weariness and trials:
Jesus, help me!
In the failure of my plans and hopes, in disappointments,
troubles and sorrows:
Jesus, help me!
When others fail me, and Your Grace alone can assist me:
Jesus, help me!
When I throw myself on Your tender Love as Savior:
Jesus, help me!
When my heart is cast down by failure, at seeing no good
come from my efforts:
Jesus, help me!
When I feel impatient, and my cross irritates me:
Jesus, help me!
When I am ill, and my head and hands cannot work and
I am lonely:
Jesus, help me!

Always, always, in spite of weakness, falls and short-
comings of every kind:
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, help me and never forsake me!

Amen

†
 
Bdonoho said:
I have been convicted of a lot of stuff this past year, and I think the main thing that haunts me is that I’m unbelievably self absorbed, conceited and hypocritical. I wanted to ask if you could pray for me, that I’d have real conversion, and the fortitude to persevere in the process of spiritual conversion. I was going to go to confession, but I need a deep conversion, because I look at my life and see almost no good fruit at all, just showy things done for selfish motives and almost every act of charity devoid of love.
Click to expand...
I understand you completely. I too long to look into the faces that Jesus loves (all created human beings) and love them like he does. But I’m too self absorbed… I’ll pray for you and please pray for me…

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory Be
 
Bdonoho said:
I have been convicted of a lot of stuff this past year, and I think the main thing that haunts me is that I’m unbelievably self absorbed, conceited and hypocritical. I wanted to ask if you could pray for me, that I’d have real conversion, and the fortitude to persevere in the process of spiritual conversion. I was going to go to confession, but I need a deep conversion, because I look at my life and see almost no good fruit at all, just showy things done for selfish motives and almost every act of charity devoid of love.
Click to expand...
Prayer said. And I too often find myself feeling this way so could you (and anyone else reading this of course) pray for me as well? Glad this thread exists. Last night I was reading the beginning of 1 Corinthians chapter 13, which talks about love (specifically verses 4-7) and realized how often my love fails to meet those standards.

I have however found that autobiography mentioned by Ridgerunner to be helpful as well. Keep working on building good habits. At times that seems like all I can try to do.
 
Bdonoho said:
I have been convicted of a lot of stuff this past year, and I think the main thing that haunts me is that I’m unbelievably self absorbed, conceited and hypocritical. I wanted to ask if you could pray for me, that I’d have real conversion, and the fortitude to persevere in the process of spiritual conversion. I was going to go to confession, but I need a deep conversion, because I look at my life and see almost no good fruit at all, just showy things done for selfish motives and almost every act of charity devoid of love.
Click to expand...
Pray the Rosary and by all means, got to confession—so much grace there. God changed my life via those two means.
 
Saint Michael, the archangel, defend us in battle, be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil, may God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do you, O’ Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God thrust into Hell Satan and all the other evil spirits who prowl about the world for the ruin of souls.

Amen.

†

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

†

Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Amen.

†

Prayer to Our Lady of Mental Peace

O Lady of Mental Peace,
Mother of Tranquility
and Mother of Hope,
look upon Bdonoho in this time
of weakness and unrest.

Teach her searching heart
to know that God’s Love
for her is unchanging and
unchangeable, and, that
true human love can only
begin and grow by touching
His Love.

Let your gentle Peace -
which this world cannot give
  • be always with her.
    And, help her to bring this
    same Peace into the lives
    of others.
Our Lady of Mental Peace,
  • Pray for us!
    Amen.
Jesus, Help Me!

In every need let me come to You with humble trust,
saying:
Jesus, help me!
In all my doubts, perplexities, and temptations:
Jesus, help me!
In hours of loneliness, weariness and trials:
Jesus, help me!
In the failure of my plans and hopes, in disappointments,
troubles and sorrows:
Jesus, help me!
When others fail me, and Your Grace alone can assist me:
Jesus, help me!
When I throw myself on Your tender Love as Savior:
Jesus, help me!
When my heart is cast down by failure, at seeing no good
come from my efforts:
Jesus, help me!
When I feel impatient, and my cross irritates me:
Jesus, help me!
When I am ill, and my head and hands cannot work and
I am lonely:
Jesus, help me!

Always, always, in spite of weakness, falls and short-
comings of every kind:
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, help me and never forsake me!

Amen

†
 
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