The Militant Prayer

I hope everyone enjoys this prayer. I believe every person who says it will benefit from it. Please like, share, and subscribe.

Many of us believe in Guardian Angels and we should because the are very real and with us at all times. This is very comforting that God assigned an specific angel to each and everyone of us at the time of our inception. They are there to help light our path to God. We just need to engage in a relationship with them. Like any relationship we must interact on a regular basis. And like any good friend we can ask for their help. In doing so we should thank them as well. And this prayer from Ste. Gertrude does just that. So let’s dive into this Angelic Prayer. O most holy angel of God, appointed by God to be my guardian, I give you thanks for all the benefits which you have ever bestowed on me in body and in soul. I praise and glorify you that you condescended to assist me with such patient fidelity, and to defend me against all the assaults of my enemies. Blessed be the hour in which you were assigned me for my guardian, my defender and my patron. In acknowledgement and return for all your loving ministries to me, I offer you the infinitely precious and noble heart of Jesus, and firmly purpose to obey you henceforward, and most faithfully to serve my God. Amen Sometimes for me, these prayers can have some challenging words and phrases in them. For instance, when it say “you condescended to assist me with such patient fidelity”. What this is say is the the angel took action that was beneath him or below his standing with loyalty, faithfulness, and commitment to us. Also, in it St. Gertrude offers up the heart of Jesus to the angel. Well since Christ has given us his heart, it is our prerogative to offer it to anyone else. So we can truly bless others with the gift of Jesus. Now a little about St. Gertrude. Saint Gertrude the Great, was born in 1256 and died in 1301. She is considered one of the most provocative spiritual writers in the long and rich history of the Church. When just a child, she was placed in the care of Benedictine nuns, perhaps because of her parents’ early deaths. Gertrude, known for being charming and able to win people over, entered the Benedictine Order at Helfta and became a nun. She devoted herself to her studies, and received an education in many different subjects. Gertrude was both fluent in Latin and very familiar with scripture and works from the Fathers of the Church, including St. Augustine. In 1281, 25-year-old Gertrude experienced her first series of visions that would continue until the day she passed away. Her visions altered her life and she saw this moment as her new birth. Her priorities turned away from secular teachings and focused more on studying Scripture and theology. Her life became full with this awakening and she was an enthusiastic student, writing for the spiritual benefit of others. She went on to become one of the great mystics of the 13th century. Along with St. Mechtilde, she practiced what is known as "nuptial mysticism," seeing herself as the bride of Christ. She embraced charity for both rich and poor, she was a simple woman with a deep solidarity with those not yet ready for the beatific vision, who are still being purified in the state of repose known as purgatory. Throughout her life, Gertrude produced numerous writings, although only a few still exist today. One of her longest surviving works is The Herald of Divine Love. Her other standing works include, her collection of Spiritual Exercises and Gertrudian Prayers. If you want to learn more about St. Gertrude the Great click on the links in the notes. Like always, thank you for praying with me today. I hope this has touched your heart in a blessed way. Finally, please like, share, subscribe, and comment below. I love you and have a blessed week. References: https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=424 https://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?p=1255 https://aleteia.org/2018/10/02/here-is-a-powerful-guardian-angel-prayer-written-by-st-gertrude-the-great/ https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/november-16-saint-gertrude-the-great-virgin/

Prayer for Pets In your infinite wisdom, Lord God, when you created the universe, you blessed us with all living creatures. We especially thank you for giving us our pets, who are our friends and who bring us so much joy in life. Their presence very often helps us get through trying times. Kindly bless my pet. May my pet continue giving me joy and remind me of your power. May we realize that as our pets trust us to take care of them, so we should trust you to take care of us, and in taking care of them, we share your love for all creatures. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen If you’re watching then most likely you have a pet or lots of pets like our family. Over the years we have had dogs, cats, bunnies, fish, turtles, lizards, and even hermit crabs. Pets bring us so much happiness in our lives it’s hard to imagine a life without them. Prayer is attributed to St. Francis of Assisi but I’m not absolutely sure if he authored it. St. Francis is the patron saint of Animals, Merchants & Ecology. He was born in 1181 and died in 1226. St. Francis is an interesting Saint and there are myriads of websites and books dedicated to his life and teachings. Most notably he is know for the development of the Franciscan Order. But he was also known to communicate with animals in a special way, he would preach to them. There are stories of St. Francis interacting with birds, a wolf, a lamb, a rabbit, and even fish. So if you want to read some of those stories please click on links in the notes. As always, thank you for praying with me and I hope it has touched you and your pet in a blessed way Remember to like, subscribe, share, and comment. I love you and have a beautiful week. https://catholicworldmission.org/who-is-saint-francis/ https://www.monasteryicons.com/product/Saint-Francis-and-the-Animals/did-you-know https://www.franciscanmedia.org/st-anthony-messenger/october-2017/st-francis-and-the-animals/ https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=50 https://prayerist.com/prayer/animalsstfrancis

Ancient Prayer for Virtue O Lord and Master of my life, give me not the spirit of sloth, faint-heartedness, lust of power, and idle talk. (prostration) But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant. (prostration) Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own errors and not to judge my brother, for Thou art blessed unto ages of ages. Amen (prostration) This prayer was written by St. Ephraim the Syrian (AD 305-373). And isn’t interesting how someone more than 1600 years ago prayed for the exact things we do today. We need to constantly ask God for his grace to overcome our laziness, loss of hope, pride, and gossip. We need to be more aware of our current spiritual state and get off our rear side to be more charitable and loving. We need to quit thinking that we deserve so much, but rather with humility be satisfied and thankful with what we do have. And finally, quit participating in spreading those nasty seeds, which spread the weeds of gossip. This solid advice is as good today as it was back then. This Prayer of St. Ephraim is the best known of his writings which is recited at every service during Great Lent and other fasting periods in Eastern Christianity. For some background, St. Ephraim was a deacon in the early church. He was best known for his artful meditations on the symbols of Christian faith and his stand against heresy made him a popular source of inspiration throughout the church. He composed over 400 hymns. He drew on the models and methods of early Rabbinic Judaism, he engaged skillfully with Greek science and philosophy, and he used the Mesopotamian/Persian tradition of mystery symbolism. The most important of his works are his lyric, teaching hymns. These hymns are full of rich, poetic imagery drawn from biblical sources, folk tradition, and other religions and philosophies. If you are interested in the structure of his poetry click on the link in the notes. Ephraim also wrote verse homilies and prose work. He is considered to have a huge influence in bringing song to mass. One somewhat comical story is that St. Basil invited Saint Ephraim to accept a bishop’s throne, but Ephraim faked being crazy until another was ordained in order to avoid the honor, humbly regarding himself as unworthy of it. In his final days, the inhabitants of his home of Edessa were suffering from a devastating famine. By the influence of his word, the saint persuaded the wealthy to render aid to those in need, allowing him to build a poor-house for the poor and sick. This just scratched the surface of St. Ephraim’s life. If you would like to learn more about his works go to the notes and click on the links below. He also wrote the first Syriac commentary on the Pentateuch (i.e. “Five Books”) of Moses. He wrote many prayers and hymns, thereby enriching the Church’s liturgical services. Famous prayers of Saint Ephraim are to the Most Holy Trinity, to the Son of God, and to the Most Holy Theotokos. He composed hymns for the Twelve Great Feasts of the Lord (the Nativity of Christ, the Baptism, the Resurrection), and funeral hymns. Saint Ephraim’s Prayer of Repentance, “O Lord and Master of my life...”, is recited during Great Lent, and it summons Christians to spiritual renewal. The most complete, critical text of authentic Ephraim was compiled between 1955 and 1979 by Dom Edmund Beck OSB as part of the Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium. https://saintephraim.com/st-ephraim-the-syrian/ https://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?p=3084 https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2019/01/saint-ephraim-syrian-in-ecclesiastical.html https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2016/01/28/100328-venerable-ephraim-the-syrian

aint Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle; be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, 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 seeking the ruin of souls. Amen. St. Michael performs four offices: 1) He fights against Satan 2) He rescues the souls of the faithful from the power of the enemy, especially at the hour of death 3) He is the champion of God’s people and the patron of the Church 4) He attends the dying and brings their souls to the judgment Hold fast to this spiritual weapon—pray it daily! So why do this? Well, because prayer is so important during spiritual warfare! As Fr. Mark Goring of of St. Mary’s Parish states, “We are in a spiritual battle,” and “The devil wants us to despair–to feel no hope. “When we find ourselves under attack or under oppression…we need to know how to respond based on God’s word,” he explains. “These prayers need to be prayed with confidence” 1) The Jesus Prayer “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” 2) The Prayer Of Trust Fr. Goring suggests ways to say this prayer: “Jesus, I trust in You.” “Wounds of Christ, I trust in You.” “Heart that was pierced for me, I trust in You.” He continues, explaining that “this calling on the name of Jesus will burn the demons. They will flee.” 3) “Father, Thy Will Be Done” Fr. Goring says that the prayer, “Father, Thy Will be done,” fights the demons “trying to impose their will.” “When the demons try to impose their diabolical will on us, we can respond, ‘Abba, Father. Thy Will Be Done!” And also Fr. Robert J. Carr who wrote “Everyday Spiritual Warfare” asks if we ever think of ourselves as engaged in spiritual warfare? In reality fighting temptation and living the gospel are themselves forms of spiritual warfare. Therefore, believe it or not we actually engage in this battle everyday. Further, don’t want to forget the prize of this battle, our soul. Our own and those of others. Are there rules of spiritual warfare? Sure there are, in fact St. Paul has a famous passage where he describes the tools to fight this battle. He reminds us in the sixth chapter of his letter to the Ephesians that our battle is not against human forces, but against principalities and powers the evil spirits in regions above. This is an important distinction because whenever we are in battle, it is important to define our enemy. This is no less true in spiritual warfare. If we do not do this, then our response may appear to lead us to victory when, in fact, it leads us to defeat. Because if we fight the wrong enemy, they win. Therefore, here are three steps in engaging in spiritual warfare that are important in order to be successful. 1) Define the enemy 2) Determine the desires of the enemy 3) Do the opposite It may sound easier than it actually is. Just remember keep focused on being open to God’s will and pray constantly. And it helps if you use the most powerful weapon of all the Holy Rosary. Prayers - ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL (stmichaelmonroe.com) St. Michael, His Prayer, And The Version You've Never Seen - Good Catholic “Burn the Demons”: Priest Reveals 3 Powerful Prayers for Spiritual Battle – EWTN Global Catholic Television Network Everyday Spiritual Warfare - Featured Today - Catholic Online

Litany of Humility O Jesus, meek and humble of heart, Hear me. From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being loved, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being extolled, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being honored, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being praised, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being preferred to others, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being consulted, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being approved, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being humiliated, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being despised, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of suffering rebukes, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being calumniated, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being forgotten, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being ridiculed, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being wronged, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being suspected, Deliver me, O Jesus. That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That others may be esteemed more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That others may be chosen and I set aside, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That others may be praised and I go unnoticed, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That others may be preferred to me in everything, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. Wow! That is a powerful prayer. My recommendation would be to say this prayer at least once per week because it battles our nature. Our nature to be prideful. Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind…… it is Pride which has been the chief cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began.1 Augustine and Aquinas both taught that pride was the root of sin.2 From an academic point of view, Harvard psychologist, Gordon Allport observed, Any neurotic is living a life, which in some respects, is extreme in its self-centeredness… the region of ones misery represents a complete preoccupation with their-self . The very nature of the neurotic disorder is tied to pride. If the sufferer is hypersensitive, resentful, or overcritical, they may be indicating a fear that they will not appear to advantage in competitive situations where they want to show their worth. If they are chronically indecisive, they are showing fear that they may do the wrong thing and be discredited. If they are over-scrupulous and self-critical, they may be endeavoring to show how praiseworthy they really are. Thus, most neuroses, are, from the point of view of religion, mixed with the sin of pride.4 Pride brings anger, greed, drunkenness, sadness, and a plethora of negative actions and emotions. But remember all those are mere flea bites in comparison, because it was through Pride that Lucifer became satan. While pride is a universal problem, humility is a universal solution. Humility puts God and others before ourselves. It brings patience, kindness, and Christ-like charity. We must remember that God takes pleasure in our efforts to humble ourselves, and he loves to bless and exalt the humble. In today’s society you may be considered weak if we are humble, but as C.S. Lewis stated “Humility is not thinking less of ourselves, it is thinking of ourselves less”. The author of the Litany of Humility is Cardinal Merry del Val. He was the Secretary of State to Pope St. Pius X from 1903 through 1914. He advanced in authority quickly due to his broad mind, deep human sympathies, and strong character. He was also considered a relentless worker. It was said he could speak Spanish, English, French, Italian, and German without an accent. So it is understandable that someone of his talent would ask God for humility. References: https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/devotions/litany-of-humility-245 https://www.jstor.org/stable/20500591?read-now=1&oauth_data=eyJlbWFpbCI6Im1wdHNtZXllckBnbWFpbC5jb20iLCJpbnN0aXR1dGlvbklkcyI6W119&seq=2#page_scan_tab_contents https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=9263 https://www.cslewisinstitute.org/resources/pride-and-humility/ 1. C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New York: Simon & Schuster Touchstone edition, 1996), 109, 111. 2. See Augustine, The City of God 14.13; Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, ques. 84. 4. Gordon Allport, quoted in Solomon Schimmel, The Seven Deadly Sins (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997), 28.

O Holy Spirit, descend plentifully into my heart. Enlighten the dark corners of this dwelling and scatter there thy cheerful beams. Breath on me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy. Guard me, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy. Amen.

This week we are going to pray for the addicted. Just in the US there are over 40 million people suffer from some form of drug or alcohol disorder. So we are going to pray for them and those who care for them. Prayer for the Addicted God of mercy, we bless You in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who ministered to all who come to Him. Give Your strength to N.________, Your servant, bound by the chains of addiction. Enfold them in Your love and restore them to the freedom of God's children. Lord, look with compassion on all those who have lost their health and freedom. Restore to them the assurance of Your unfailing mercy and strengthen them in the work of recovery. To those who care for them, grant patient understanding and a love that perseveres. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Through this prayer we are seeking the intercession of St. Maximilian Kolbe, the patron saint of drug addicts. St. Maximilian Kolbe was born in 1894. At the age of 12, he saw a vision of Mary. She offered him two crowns one white for purity and one red for martyrdom, which he willingly choose both. His journey began when he and his older brother joined a seminary in Austria-Hungary where he was given his religious name of Maximilian. In 1918 he was ordained a priest. In his early years of priesthood, he published a periodical titled ‘Knight of the Immaculata’. He opened monasteries Poland, Japan, and India. He returned to Poland in 1936 and opened a hospital. During WWII in 1941 the monastery where he resided was shut down and he was arrested by the German Gestapo, then transferred to Auschwitz. During his arrest he claimed, “No one in the world can change Truth. What we can do and should do is to seek truth and to serve it when we have found it. The real conflict is the inner conflict.” The only way to change what surrounds us is first accepting the truth and then welcoming the battle within ourselves. After a prisoner escape, the Nazi guards selected 10 people to be starved to death, he volunteered to take the place of an inmate, who had a wife and kids to return to. It is said during the last days of his life Kolbe led prayers to Our Lady with the prisoners and remained calm. After two weeks of dehydration and starvation, he was the last of the group to remain alive. The guards gave him a lethal injection of carbolic acid. The stories tell that he raised his left arm and calmly awaited death. The message in his story is that no illicit drug we voluntarily take will be safe. When we ask St. Kolbe to pray for us, he protects those struggling with drug abuse and addiction. Kolbe is often depicted in a prison uniform and with a needle being injected into an arm. He is the patron saint of drug addicts, prisoners, families, and the pro-life movement. I hope this prayer has touched you or a loved one in a positive way. I love you guys, God bless you and have a blessed week. References: Prayers to St. Maximilian Kolbe – Militia of the Immaculata Saint Kolbe- Patron of Addiction – El Cid (elcidonline.com) Prayers to St. Maximilian Kolbe | Kolbe Mission St. Maximilian Kolbe - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online About St. Maximilian Kolbe - Patron Saint Article (catholicsaintmedals.com)

This is a general prayer for Marriage and Family that Pope John Paul II penned. Lord God, from you every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. Father, you are Love and Life. Through your Son, Jesus Christ, born of woman, and through the Holy Spirit, fountain of divine charity, grant that every family on earth may become for each successive generation a true shrine of life and love. Grant that your grace may guide the thoughts and actions of husbands and wives for the good of their families and of all the families in the world. Grant that the young may find in the family solid support for their human dignity and for their growth in truth and love. Grant that love, strengthened by the grace of the sacrament of marriage, may prove mightier than all the weakness and trials through which our families sometimes pass. Through the intercession of the Holy Family of Nazareth, grant that the Church may fruitfully carry out her worldwide mission in the family and through the family. Through Christ our Lord, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life for ever and ever. Amen References: Prayers for Married Couples - National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception https://www.nationalshrine.org/blog/prayers-for-married-couples/ Pope John Paul II | USCCB https://www.usccb.org/popes/pope-john-paul-ii About St. John Paul II | Saint John Paul II National Shrine (jp2shrine.org) https://www.jp2shrine.org/en/about/jp2bio.html St. Pope John Paul II - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=6996

I personally looked for prayers of healing I gravitated to this one due to it addressing the whole of one’s self; mind, body, soul, and spirit. Powerful Healing Prayer by St. Padre Pio Heavenly Father, I thank You for loving me. I thank You for sending Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to the world to save and to set me free. I trust in Your power and grace that sustain and restore me. Loving Father, touch me now with Your healing hands, for I believe that Your will is for me to be well in mind, body, soul and spirit. Cover me with the Most Precious Blood of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, from the top of my head to the soles of my feet. Cast anything that should not be in me. Root out any unhealthy and abnormal cells. Open any blocked arteries or veins and rebuild and replenish any damaged areas. Remove all inflammation and cleanse any infection by the power of Jesus’ Precious Blood. Let the fire of Your healing love pass through my entire body to heal and make new any diseased areas so that my body will function the way You created it to function. Touch also my mind and my emotion, even the deepest recessesof my heart. Saturate my entire being with Your presence, love, joy, and peace and draw me ever closer to You every moment of my life. And Father, fill me with Your Holy Spirit and empower me to do Your works so that my life will bring glory and honor to Your Holy Name. I ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. As I personally looked for prayers of healing I gravitated to this one due to it addressin g the whole of one’s self; mind, body, soul, and spirit. I hope this pray can bring you and your loved one’s healing. References: https://padrepiodevotions.org/ https://laycistercians.com/catholic-prayer-healing-sick/

As I personally looked for prayers of healing I gravitated to this one due to it addressing the whole of one’s self; mind, body, soul, and spirit. I hope this pray can bring you and your loved one’s healing. PRAYER FOR HEALING Heavenly Father, I thank You for loving me. I thank You for sending Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to the world to save and to set me free. I trust in Your power and grace that sustain and restore me. Loving Father, touch me now with Your healing hands, for I believe that Your will is for me to be well in mind, body, soul and spirit. Cover me with the Most Precious Blood of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, from the top of my head to the soles of my feet. Cast anything that should not be in me. Root out any unhealthy and abnormal cells. Open any blocked arteries or veins and rebuild and replenish any damaged areas. Remove all inflammation and cleanse any infection by the power of Jesus’ Precious Blood. Let the fire of Your healing love pass through my entire body to heal and make new any diseased areas so that my body will function the way You created it to function. Touch also my mind and my emotion, even the deepest recesses of my heart. Saturate my entire being with Your presence, love, joy, and peace and draw me ever closer to You every moment of my life. And Father, fill me with Your Holy Spirit and empower me to do Your works so that my life will bring glory and honor to Your Holy Name. I ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. References: https://padrepiodevotions.org/a-short-biography/ https://laycistercians.com/?s=prayers+for+healing+and+recovery

In this video, we will pray a simple prayer to help us with anxiety. I decided to do this one because of so much anxiety in our lives today. I really hope it can give you a starting point and some resources to use. Here are some of the sites that I went to for information: https://aleteia.org/2018/06/05/this-simple-prayer-of-st-teresa-of-avila-can-calm-your-nerves-when-youre-afraid-or-anxious/ https://aleteia.org/2017/10/15/the-unexpected-humor-of-st-teresa-of-avila/ https://www.catholic.com/search?q=prayer%20for%20anxiety https://spsmw.org/2022/10/15/facts-inspiration-and-reflection-starters-saint-teresa-of-avila/?unapproved=492623&moderation-hash=0c271f5cb4103b20657d50a7f32afe47#comment-492623 https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-teresa-of-avila/?utm_term=&utm_campaign=Resources&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&hsa_acc=9501521413&hsa_cam=18093610486&hsa_grp=141066356355&hsa_ad=617450209355&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=dsa-1727635635506&hsa_kw=&hsa_mt=&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3 I talk a bit about the author of the prayer, St. Theresa of Avila, who she was and what she accomplished. Finally, I did add one piece of scripture in this video because it helps us lean on our Lord for the relief from the distress we are experiencing.

This is our first prayer together. It is a prayer to say before praying to sanctify the place in which you are praying. It is called the Sanctus or Holy Holy Holy. The Orders Canons Regular of the Holy Cross use this often prior to prayer. Here is their website. https://cruzios.org/

This video explains what we are going to try to achieve, which is put together prayers that when you need one you can search and find one that you need.