The Prayer Podcast

This week’s topic is about identifying areas of wickedness in our lives and snuffing them out. Lord Jesus, we glorify You and we praise Your Holy Name. For it was by your cross and resurrection that you have set us free from the grips of death. By becoming the spotless lamb to be slain, you paid the ultimate price for us so that we may gain eternal life through faith in You. Lord, by our own will we have brought sin into the world and continued to live out that sin through the ages. We confess our wickedness. We have failed to love you above all things and to love our neighbors as ourselves. We stubbornly turn away from you in our times of need and instead put our faith in things of this world. As the Church Militant, we must be concerned not only of the evils of this world, but of the “heavenly realms”. Lord, be with us in that battle in our daily lives. Let us hold fast to you and our Mother Mary, whose intercession we pray for. Thank you so much again for praying along with us and all of The Prayer Podcast listeners. Our hope is that we are able to provide you with another tool to bring you closer to God. If you have any specific prayer intentions, questions, or feedback for The Prayer Podcast, please check out: https://theprayerpodcast.fm/welcome to connect with us or sign up to be a part of our prayer chain email list. We are also available on all social media platforms. If you are interested in supporting this ministry, please visit https://www.theprayerpodcast.fm/support.

This week’s topic is the virtue of charity, agape, caritas. When you hear the word “charity” you may think of your favorite non-profit that helps those less fortunate in your neighborhood. But, what we are reflecting on today is the virtue of charity. The English word charity comes from the latin caritas. Caritas was translated from the Greek word agape which is the word for the highest form of love. It literally means to love God and others for the sake of God. In John 15:13 Jesus describes agape love to us: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” He then goes on to personify this type of love by being crucified and dying for the forgiveness of our sins so that we may gain eternal life. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that Jesus makes charity the new commandment. By loving his own "to the end," he makes manifest the Father's love which he receives. By loving one another, the disciples imitate the love of Jesus which they themselves receive. This is shown when Jesus says: "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love." And again: "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” THIS is charity! The fruits of charity are joy, peace, and mercy; Love or Charity is itself the fulfillment of all our works. There is the goal; that is why we run: we run toward it, and once we reach it, in it we shall find rest. (CCC 1822-1829) Thank you so much again for praying along with us and all of The Prayer Podcast listeners. Our hope is that we are able to provide you with another tool to bring you closer to God. If you have any specific prayer intentions, questions, or feedback for The Prayer Podcast, please check out: https://theprayerpodcast.fm/welcome to connect with us or sign up to be a part of our prayer chain email list. We are also available on all social media platforms. If you are interested in supporting this ministry, please visit https://www.theprayerpodcast.fm/support.

The Holy Rosary has come about over many centuries. There are very early traditions of the faithful praying and meditating on God through prayer beads. In the 13th century, Saint Dominic was a given a vision of our Blessed Mother where she instructed him on how to the pray the rosary. Then in the 20th century in Fatima, Portugal, our Lady instructed the children to add the 'O My Jesus' prayer to the end of each decade in order to pray for world peace. The Holy Rosary can be prayed in private or in a group. Its repetition and methodical pattern is meant to bring you into contemplative and meditative prayer. The Holy Rosary is THE weapon of choice in spiritual warfare and in striving to grow in holiness. Never forget the amazing power of our Mother's intercession. Learn more about the rosary http://bit.ly/3bi4sGy. God bless you! Find the full prayer below. Monday: JOYFUL Tuesday: SORROWFUL Wednesday: GLORIOUS Thursday: LUMINOUS Friday: SORROWFUL Saturday: JOYFUL Sundays of Advent and Christmas: JOYFUL Sundays of Lent: SORROWFUL Other Sundays: GLORIOUS The Luminous Mysteries The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan. Fruit of the Mystery: Openness to the Holy Spirit, the Healer. The Wedding at Cana. Fruit of the Mystery: To Jesus through Mary, Understanding of the ability to manifest-through faith. Jesus' Proclamation of the Kingdom of God. Fruit of the Mystery: Trust in God (Call of Conversion to the Messiah) The Transfiguration. Fruit of the Mystery: Desire for Holiness. The Institution of the Eucharist. Fruit of the Mystery: Adoration. The Holy Rosary Make the Sign of the Cross. Holding the Crucifix, say the Apostles' Creed. On the first bead, say an Our Father. Say one Hail Mary on each of the next three beads. Say the Glory Be. For each of the five decades, announce the Mystery (perhaps followed by a brief reading from Scripture) then say the Our Father. While fingering each of the ten beads of the decade, next say ten Hail Marys while meditating on the Mystery. Then say a Glory Be and the Fatima Prayer, O My Jesus. After saying the five decades, say the Hail, Holy Queen, followed by this dialogue and prayer: V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Let us pray: O God, whose Only Begotten Son, by his life, Death, and Resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life, grant, we beseech thee, that while meditating on these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. Make the Sign of the Cross. To support this podcast: https://www.patreon.com/theprayerpodcast Please feel free to reach out to us, Matt and Sara, with any prayer requests or feedback. We'd love to hear from you! https://theprayerpodcast.fm/welcome

The Holy Rosary has come about over many centuries. There are very early traditions of the faithful praying and meditating on God through prayer beads. In the 13th century, Saint Dominic was a given a vision of our Blessed Mother where she instructed him on how to the pray the rosary. Then in the 20th century in Fatima, Portugal, our Lady instructed the children to add the 'O My Jesus' prayer to the end of each decade in order to pray for world peace. The Holy Rosary can be prayed in private or in a group. Its repetition and methodical pattern is meant to bring you into contemplative and meditative prayer. The Holy Rosary is THE weapon of choice in spiritual warfare and in striving to grow in holiness. Never forget the amazing power of our Mother's intercession. Learn more about the rosary http://bit.ly/3bi4sGy. God bless you! Find the full prayer below. Monday: JOYFUL Tuesday: SORROWFUL Wednesday: GLORIOUS Thursday: LUMINOUS Friday: SORROWFUL Saturday: JOYFUL Sundays of Advent and Christmas: JOYFUL Sundays of Lent: SORROWFUL Other Sundays: GLORIOUS The Glorious Mysteries The Resurrection. Fruit of the Mystery: Faith The Ascension. Fruit of the Mystery: Hope, Desire to Ascend to Heaven The Descent of the Holy Spirit. Fruit of the Mystery: Love of God, Holy Wisdom to know the truth and share it with everyone, Divine Charity, Worship of the Holy Spirit The Assumption of Mary. Fruit of the Mystery: Union with Mary and True Devotion to Mary The Coronation of the Virgin. Fruit of the Mystery: Perseverance and an Increase in Virtue (Trust in Mary's Intercession) The Holy Rosary Make the Sign of the Cross. Holding the Crucifix, say the Apostles' Creed. On the first bead, say an Our Father. Say one Hail Mary on each of the next three beads. Say the Glory Be. For each of the five decades, announce the Mystery (perhaps followed by a brief reading from Scripture) then say the Our Father. While fingering each of the ten beads of the decade, next say ten Hail Marys while meditating on the Mystery. Then say a Glory Be and the Fatima Prayer, O My Jesus. After saying the five decades, say the Hail, Holy Queen, followed by this dialogue and prayer: V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Let us pray: O God, whose Only Begotten Son, by his life, Death, and Resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life, grant, we beseech thee, that while meditating on these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. Make the Sign of the Cross. To support this podcast: https://www.patreon.com/theprayerpodcast Please feel free to reach out to us, Matt and Sara, with any prayer requests or feedback. We'd love to hear from you! https://theprayerpodcast.fm/welcome

The Holy Rosary has come about over many centuries. There are very early traditions of the faithful praying and meditating on God through prayer beads. In the 13th century, Saint Dominic was a given a vision of our Blessed Mother where she instructed him on how to the pray the rosary. Then in the 20th century in Fatima, Portugal, our Lady instructed the children to add the 'O My Jesus' prayer to the end of each decade in order to pray for world peace. The Holy Rosary can be prayed in private or in a group. Its repetition and methodical pattern is meant to bring you into contemplative and meditative prayer. The Holy Rosary is THE weapon of choice in spiritual warfare and in striving to grow in holiness. Never forget the amazing power of our Mother's intercession. Learn more about the rosary here: http://bit.ly/3bi4sGy. God bless you! Find the full prayer below. Monday: JOYFUL Tuesday: SORROWFUL Wednesday: GLORIOUS Thursday: LUMINOUS Friday: SORROWFUL Saturday: JOYFUL Sundays of Advent and Christmas: JOYFUL Sundays of Lent: SORROWFUL Other Sundays: GLORIOUS The Sorrowful Mysteries The Agony in the Garden. Fruit of the Mystery: Sorrow for Sin, Uniformity with the Will of God The Scourging at the Pillar. Fruit of the Mystery: Mortification (Purity) The Crowning with Thorns. Fruit of the Mystery: Contempt of the World (Moral Courage) The Carrying of the Cross. Fruit of the Mystery: Patience The Crucifixion and Death of our Lord. Fruit of the Mystery: Perseverance in Faith, Grace for a Holy Death (Forgiveness) The Holy Rosary Make the Sign of the Cross. Holding the Crucifix, say the Apostles' Creed. On the first bead, say an Our Father. Say one Hail Mary on each of the next three beads. Say the Glory Be. For each of the five decades, announce the Mystery (perhaps followed by a brief reading from Scripture) then say the Our Father. While fingering each of the ten beads of the decade, next say ten Hail Marys while meditating on the Mystery. Then say a Glory Be and the Fatima Prayer, O My Jesus. After saying the five decades, say the Hail, Holy Queen, followed by this dialogue and prayer: V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Let us pray: O God, whose Only Begotten Son, by his life, Death, and Resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life, grant, we beseech thee, that while meditating on these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. Make the Sign of the Cross. To support this podcast: https://www.patreon.com/theprayerpodcast Please feel free to reach out to us, Matt and Sara, with any prayer requests or feedback. We'd love to hear from you! https://theprayerpodcast.fm/welcome

The Holy Rosary has come about over many centuries. There are very early traditions of the faithful praying and meditating on God through prayer beads. In the 13th century, Saint Dominic was a given a vision of our Blessed Mother where she instructed him on how to the pray the rosary. Then in the 20th century in Fatima, Portugal, our Lady instructed the children to add the 'O My Jesus' prayer to the end of each decade in order to pray for world peace. The Holy Rosary can be prayed in private or in a group. Its repetition and methodical pattern is meant to bring you into contemplative and meditative prayer. The Holy Rosary is THE weapon of choice in spiritual warfare and in striving to grow in holiness. Never forget the amazing power of our Mother's intercession. Learn more about the rosary http://bit.ly/3bi4sGy. God bless you! Find the full prayer below. Monday: JOYFUL Tuesday: SORROWFUL Wednesday: GLORIOUS Thursday: LUMINOUS Friday: SORROWFUL Saturday: JOYFUL Sundays of Advent and Christmas: JOYFUL Sundays of Lent: SORROWFUL Other Sundays: GLORIOUS The Joyful Mysteries The Annunciation. Fruit of the Mystery: Humility The Visitation. Fruit of the Mystery: Love of Neighbor The Nativity. Fruit of the Mystery: Poverty, Detachment from the things of the world, Contempt of Riches, Love of the Poor The Presentation of Jesus at the Temple. Fruit of the Mystery: Gift of Wisdom and Purity of mind and body (Obedience) The Finding of Jesus in the Temple. Fruit of the Mystery: True Conversion (Piety, Joy of Finding Jesus) The Holy Rosary Make the Sign of the Cross. Holding the Crucifix, say the Apostles' Creed. On the first bead, say an Our Father. Say one Hail Mary on each of the next three beads. Say the Glory Be. For each of the five decades, announce the Mystery (perhaps followed by a brief reading from Scripture) then say the Our Father. While fingering each of the ten beads of the decade, next say ten Hail Marys while meditating on the Mystery. Then say a Glory Be and the Fatima Prayer, O My Jesus. After saying the five decades, say the Hail, Holy Queen, followed by this dialogue and prayer: V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Let us pray: O God, whose Only Begotten Son, by his life, Death, and Resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life, grant, we beseech thee, that while meditating on these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. Make the Sign of the Cross. To support this podcast: https://www.patreon.com/theprayerpodcast Please feel free to reach out to us, Matt and Sara, with any prayer requests or feedback. We'd love to hear from you! https://theprayerpodcast.fm/welcome

This week we are discussing “the just man,” Saint Joseph. Pope Francis describes Saint Joseph as “a beloved father, a tender and loving father, an obedient father, an accepting father; a father who is creatively courageous, a working father, a father in the shadows.” From the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception in 2020 to the same feast in 2021, Pope Francis has announced this current liturgical year to be the “Year of Saint Joseph.” What an amazing reminder for us all to be vulnerable and striving to please the Will of God! What do we know about the foster-father of our Lord? What can we take from both scripture and tradition to paint a picture of the saintly father figure we venerate today? Saint Joseph is described in the Bible as “a just man” and of the royal line of King David. He is righteous and answered the Lord’s call to be Mary’s husband and the protector of the Holy Family. While there are not many details of his life and death contained within Sacred Scripture, we are able to infer the type of man he must have been to be able to hold the sacred position of earthly fatherhood to God Incarnate. Saint Teresa of Avila tells us: “Knowing by experience St. Joseph’s astonishing influence with God, I would wish to persuade everyone to honor him with particular devotion. I have always seen those who honored him in a special manner make progress in virtue, for this heavenly protector favors in a striking manner the spiritual advancement of souls who commend themselves to him.” And Blessed Pope Pius IX implores us to: “Go to Joseph! Have recourse with special confidence to St. Joseph, for his protection is most powerful, as he is the patron of the universal Church.” If you want for information or resources on this year's dedication to Saint Joseph, check out: yearofstjoseph.org. Thank you so much again for praying along with us and all of The Prayer Podcast listeners. Our hope is that we are able to provide you with another tool to bring you closer to God. If you have any specific prayer intentions, questions, or feedback for The Prayer Podcast, please check out: https://theprayerpodcast.fm/welcome to connect with us or sign up to be a part of our prayer chain email list. We are also available on all social media platforms. If you are interested in supporting this ministry, please visit our Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/theprayerpodcast.

This week’s Advent topic is on the peace Our Lord brought into the world at His Birth. The fourth week of Advent is now upon us. As we light the fourth candle, or sometimes called the Angels’ Candle, of the Advent wreath in our homes and churches, we reflect on and echo the words of the heavenly host proclaiming the birth of Jesus: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” We must choose to accept His peace. We can do this by striving to become a person with “whom his favor rests.” Peace is a grace readily available to those who are in communion with God through the sacraments and those that make peace in their earthly relationships. As Jesus taught in The Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” Into this world came the Prince of Peace. Into this world came Love incarnate. Into this world...came the only Son of God. With only His words He commands storms to be at peace by saying “Quiet! Be still.” May He also speak such words of peace into our weary souls so that we, too, can be at peace and in communion with Him. Thank you so much again for praying along with us and all of The Prayer Podcast listeners. Our hope is that we are able to provide you with another tool to bring you closer to God. If you have any specific prayer intentions, questions, or feedback for The Prayer Podcast, please check out: https://theprayerpodcast.fm/welcome to connect with us or sign up to be a part of our prayer chain email list. We are also available on all social media platforms. If you are interested in supporting this ministry, please visit our Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/theprayerpodcast.

From The Prayer Podcast to you and your loved ones, we want to wish you a very Merry Christmas. We are so happy that you are joining us today. We now ask the Holy Spirit to be present with us as we enter into prayer. For where two or more are gathered in His name, there He will be in the midst of them. Lord, in this holy season of prayer and song and laughter, we praise you for the great wonders you have sent us: for shining star and angel's song, for infant's cry in lowly manger. We praise you for the Word made flesh in a little Child. We behold his glory, and are bathed in its radiance. Be with us as we sing the ironies of Christmas, the incomprehensible comprehended, the poetry made hard fact, the helpless Babe who cracks the world asunder. We kneel before you shepherds, innkeepers, wise men. Help us to rise bigger than we are. Amen. Thank you so much again for praying along with us and all of The Prayer Podcast listeners. Our hope is that we are able to provide you with another tool to bring you closer to God. If you have any specific prayer intentions, questions, or feedback for The Prayer Podcast, please check out: https://theprayerpodcast.fm/welcome to connect with us or sign up to be a part of our prayer chain email list. We are also available on all social media platforms. If you are interested in supporting this ministry, please visit our Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/theprayerpodcast.

This week’s Advent topic is on joy; the joy this world has experienced through the birth of Jesus. We have officially crossed the halfway point in the season of Advent as we enter into the third week of preparation for the coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ. In homes and churches across the world, we are now lighting the third candle of the Advent wreath, sometimes called the Shepherds’ Candle as the shepherds received the message of “good news of great joy that will be for all the people” from the angel of the Lord in the fields. This candle is traditionally rose in color since that is the liturgical color for joy. While happiness is a great emotion to experience, it is fleeting. Joy can be described as a much deeper state of being and is in fact a fruit of the Holy Spirit. In life, we are called to rise above just the things that make us happy. By aligning our Wills with His, we will be able to take part in the Joy of the Lord and the other fruits of His Holy Spirit. We must learn to allow ourselves to be filled up with the joy of God rather than happiness promised through the things of this world. The birth of Christ that brought Love incarnate into this world has given us a reason to rejoice and be glad. The joy found in our salvation through Jesus is something to meditate on this week. Thank you so much again for praying along with us and all of The Prayer Podcast listeners. Our hope is that we are able to provide you with another tool to bring you closer to God. If you have any specific prayer intentions, questions, or feedback for The Prayer Podcast, please check out: https://theprayerpodcast.fm/welcome to connect with us or sign up to be a part of our prayer chain email list. We are also available on all social media platforms. If you are interested in supporting this ministry, please visit our Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/theprayerpodcast.

This week’s Advent topic is on hope; hope of the promises to come. All around the world, Catholic Churches have begun this new season by lighting the first Advent candle, the “Prophecy Candle.” This candle represents hope and the fulfillment of the Lord’s promises. As we enter into the season of Advent, let us first focus on the hope found through the birth of Christ. May we acknowledge how good our Father is by keeping His promises made through the prophets which foretold the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ. According to the Catholic liturgical calendar, the first Sunday of Advent is the beginning of a new year. So happy new year to you! As we do around January 1st, this first week of Advent is a great time to refocus our minds and our hearts on the greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ. We are now in a time of waiting and deep anticipation to celebrate the first coming of the Word made flesh. From Isaiah to Micah and Jeremiah to Zechariah, among others, the Messiah’s coming was foretold over 40 times in the Old Testament and fulfilled over 40 times in the New Testament through Jesus. Thank you so much again for praying along with us and all of The Prayer Podcast listeners. Our hope is that we are able to provide you with another tool to bring you closer to God. If you have any specific prayer intentions, questions, or feedback for The Prayer Podcast, please check out: https://theprayerpodcast.fm/welcome to connect with us or sign up to be a part of our prayer chain email list. We are also available on all social media platforms. If you are interested in supporting this ministry, please visit our Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/theprayerpodcast.

This week’s topic is thanksgiving. Thanksgiving. What comes to mind when you hear that word? Feasting with your family? Maybe! But the thanksgiving we are meditating on today has to do with honoring and praising our Lord for everything He has blessed us with. In fact, we know that the word ‘thanksgiving’ holds a very important place in our journeys with Jesus because participating in the Eucharistic feast is itself an action of thanksgiving to God. Think about that. The Mass itself is a thanksgiving feast we GET to participate in every single week with our families, with the Saints, and with the heavenly host of angels. And of course, Jesus himself. St. Ambrose said, “no duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.” St. Therèse of Lisieux is quoted saying “Jesus does not demand great action from us but simply surrender and gratitude.” Thank you so much again for praying along with us and all of The Prayer Podcast listeners. Our hope is that we are able to provide you with another tool to bring you closer to God. If you have any specific prayer intentions, questions, or feedback for The Prayer Podcast, please check out: https://theprayerpodcast.fm/podcasts to connect with us or sign up to be a part of our prayer chain email list. We are also available on all social media platforms. If you are interested in supporting this ministry, please visit our Patreon page at https://patreon.com/theprayerpodcast. Thank you and may God bless you!

This week’s topic is the virtue of hope. The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes hope as “the virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit...hope keeps [us] from discouragement; it sustains [us] during times of abandonment. Buoyed up by hope, [we are] preserved from selfishness and led to happiness that flows from charity. Hope is the ‘sure and steadfast anchor of the soul...that enters...where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf.’” When is the last time you boldly brought your hopes into the hand of Our Father? Is there a relationship in your life that you Hope will receive healing and restoration? Is there a loved one in your life that you Hope will come to know God? Is there an area of your life that you Hope will be brought to life again? Jesus invites us to bring these deep longings to Him. We must remain confident that He is a loyal Father, a Father who keeps His promises. We GET to hope for a new day, a new mindset, a new heart, a new way of life, because we worship a God who is hope itself. During this prayer time together, may we choose to put on a helmet of hope and raise our hope towards heaven. Thank you so much again for praying along with us and all of The Prayer Podcast listeners. Our hope is that we are able to provide you with another tool to bring you closer to God. If you have any specific prayer intentions, questions, or feedback for The Prayer Podcast, please check out: https://theprayerpodcast.fm to connect with us or sign up to be a part of our prayer chain email list. We are also available on all social media platforms. If you are interested in supporting this ministry, please visit our Patreon page at https://patreon.com/theprayerpodcast. Thank you and may God bless you!

This week’s topic is the virtue of humility. The Catechism of the Catholic Church calls humility the “foundation of prayer” as well as a “poverty of spirit.” To live with a spirit of poverty, in need of our God, now that is true humility. With every virtue comes an opposing vice. Since humility can be described as a willingness to submit to God and to others for God’s sake, then pride can be considered the queen of all vices because, as Saint Thomas stated, pride at its core is the rejection of God in favor of oneself. Lord, we ask that your Holy Spirit of humility may be showered down upon your children. Help us to die to ourselves and take the opportunities you give us to practice and grow in humility. Please protect us from the temptation of pride that comes from the evil one. Thank you so much again for praying along with us and all of The Prayer Podcast listeners. Our hope is that we are able to provide you with another tool to bring you closer to God. If you have any specific prayer intentions, questions, or feedback for The Prayer Podcast, please check out: https://theprayerpodcast.fm to connect with us. We are also available on all social media platforms. If you are interested in supporting this ministry, please visit our Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/theprayerpodcast.