[quote]forbes wrote:
This may be a weird question, but can a Catholic provide a little snippet of how one should pray? Like for example, when I pray I say something along the lines of:
“Lord Jesus, I thank you for your sacrifice on the cross, taking my place of death. I ask that you please forgive me of my sins, and bless my family indeed.”
In my prayer I pray directly to Jesus. But since Catholics pray to the Saints to pray for them, I was wondering how that would manifest in a prayer.[/quote]
There is all kinds of ways to pray, but the best way to pray is to actually pray. You’d be surprised how many people forget that you actually have to pray, and just think the He knows what I need.
The best prayer is the one that Jesus gave us the Our Father:
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.
The Saints described the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father) as “truly the summary of the whole gospel.”
The second best prayer is the Rosary, which includes the Our Father, it was characterized as weapon, one of the strongest weapons in spiritual warfare.
Other prayers that I personally use is the Efficacious Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus (I got this from Bl. Padre Pio), I use this for my daily prayers for those that I pray for.
I. O my Jesus, You said “verily I say to You, ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you,” behold I knock, I seek and I ask for the grace of…
Say the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I put all trust in Thee.
II. O my Jesus, You said, “verily I say to You, whatsoever you shall ask the Father in My name, He will give to you,” behold in your name I ask the Father for the grace of…
Say the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I put all trust in Thee.
III. O my Jesus, You said, “verily I say to You, heaven and earth shall pass away but My words shall pass away,” behold I encouraged by your infallible words, now ask for the grade of…
Say the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I put all trust in Thee.
IV. O Sacred Heart of Jesus to whom one thing alone is impossible, namely, not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us miserable sinners and grant us the grace which we ask of Thee through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, your and our tender Mother.
Say the Salve Regina.
St. Joseph, Foster Father of Jesus, pray for us.
P.S. So, you know the Hail Mary and Glory Be:
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 death.
Amen.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now,
and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
P.P.S.
This is the Salve Regina in English, since I’m sure you don’t read or know Latin:
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve;
to thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then, most gracious advocate,
thine eyes of mercy toward us;
and after this our exile,
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
V. Pray for us O holy Mother of God,
R. that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.