FAUSTO GOMEZ OP
The Christian life is a moral and spiritual life – a connection with God, with others and with creation. It is a daily life in God’s presence, that is, a prayerful life. Like the disciples, we ask the Lord: “Lord, teach us to pray” (Lk 11:1).
Here are some suggestions for daily prayers, or sayings and quotes that are helpful.
When one wakes up, one can sit on the side of the bed and pray: “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Thank you, Lord, for the night that just passed. O that today I would listen to God’s voice” (cf. Ps 95:7).
We invoke daily the grace of the Holy Spirit: “Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful…”
Contemplating the new day: “Dear Lord, I offer to you this day through your Son Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit: Give us this day our daily bread. Keep us this day without sin; ‘Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.’”
Reading the Bible, and praying the Psalms or some verses may also be a good option. Some favorites are:
“The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?” (Ps 27:1).
“As a deer longs for running streams, so my soul longss for you, O God” (Ps 42:1).
“How good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity” (Ps 133:1).
“If the Lord does not build the house, in vain do its builders labor” (Ps 127:1).
“O Lord, do not abandon me in my old age” (Ps 71:1, 9).
“Though this outer nature of ours is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day” (2 Cor 4:16).
“The sufferings of this world are nothing to be compared with the glory that will be revealed to us”(Rom 8:18).
“This is what the Lord asks of you, only this: To act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with your God” (Mi 6:8).
One may appeal to the saints of his/her devotion and, above all and in the first place, to Our Lady: Mother Mary, St. Joseph, St. Dominic, St. Teresa of Avila, St. John Paul II, St. Teresa of Kolkata…- pray for us. The recitation of a mystery of the Rosary here and there is always an easy and fruitful prayer. Or just say an Our Father or a Hail Mary or a Glory Be…
The recitation of favorite prayerful quotes helps many people:
“I pray You’ll be our eyes and watch us where we go” (The Prayer).
“Thou have made us for Thyself and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee” (St. Augustine).
“Life is a series of moments either lived or lost” (Buddhist saying)
“Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner” (The Russian Pilgrim)
“Acquire inner peace, and thousands around you will find liberation” (St. Seraphim).
“Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you… God alone suffices” (St. Teresa of Avila).
“In the evening of life, we shall be examined on love” (St. John of the Cross).
“It is only with the heart that we can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye” (The Little Prince)
“To know, and not to do, is not yet to know”
“We are Easter People and Alleluia is our song!”
Our work is our modest contribution to God’s creation and its constant renewal. We need to “pray and work” (St. Benedict). Words to ponder: “When you work with love you bind yourself to yourself, and to one another, and to God… And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy”(Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet).
There must be a time to relax – daily. One may just walk leisurely or sit silently in a park, greeting others who are seated warmly, contemplating the contagious smile of a child, the serene face of an old woman, the leaves of a tree moved by the wind, the song of a bird…
Take some time daily for an adequate exercise. As stewards of our own life, we try to eat healthy food, and one tells himself not to overeat or to overdrink. I repeat to myself: “The healthiest and happiest way of living is Jesus’ way.”
It is joyful and healing to do some daily acts of compassion. Prayer connects us to God. Compassion connects us to others, particularly the needy, the sick and the poor. Our mercy towards the needy – or lack of it – will be examined at our last judgment. One repeats to himself or herself Jesus’ words: “What you did to the least of my brothers and sisters, you did it to me” (Mt 25:40). A kind greeting, an Our Father for all our companions in the bus, alms for the old poor person at the gate of the temple – little acts of compassion!
And before going to bed! One sits on the side of the bed and prays. It is very healthy for us physically and spiritually to ask for forgiveness from God, and from those whom we have – or may have – offended. In turn, we forgive those who have offended us. We count our blessings!
“Thank you, Lord. Sorry, Lord. Help me, Lord. I love you, Lord.”
“Give eternal rest to those who have died today, and to our loved ones.”
Into your hands I commend my spirit.
“Give us a tranquil night and a holy end.”
“Jesus, Mary, St. Joseph, St. Francis, St. Martin de Porres, St. Padre Pio, our Guardian Angel, pray for us.”
“In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, amen.” Good night.
(By the way, if you cannot sleep, do not count sheep, but “talk to the shepherd”!)
(Image: Fotorech@pixabay.com)
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