LET US PRAY FOR THE UNBELIEVERS

A friend asked the question: How do I pray for unbelievers? How do I pray effectively? I trust that every Christian regularly prays for family or friends or colleagues or neighbors who do not yet know the Lord. And while we can and must pray for matters related to their lives and circumstances, the emphasis of our prayers must always be for their salvation. Here are some ways the Bible can guide our prayers.

Prayers for Salvation

We begin with prayers for salvation. Each of these prayers seeks the same thing, but in a different way or from a different angle or using different language. Each of them is grounded in a specific text of Scripture.

Pray that God would circumcise their hearts. Circumcision was the Old Testament sign of entering into God’s covenant, of being God’s people. To have a circumcised heart symbolizes having a heart that is fully joined to God, fully submissive to him. “And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live” (Deuteronomy 30:6).

Pray that God would give them a heart of flesh. The Bible contrasts a heart of flesh, a heart that is alive and responsive to God, to a heart of stone, a heart that is cold and unyielding. Pray that God would work within these unbelievers to change their hearts. “And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh…” (Ezekiel 11:19).

Pray that God would put his Spirit within them. The great joy of salvation is being indwelled by God himself. Pray that God would grant this honor to those unbelievers, that he would choose to take up residence within them. “And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules” (Ezekiel 36:27).

Pray that they would come to Christ. If unbelievers are to come to salvation, there is just one way. They must come through Christ and Christ alone. “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’” (John 14:6). Remember, too, that he is the one who calls them to come and to be relieved of the burden of their sin (see Matthew 11:28-30).

Pray that God would open their hearts to believe the gospel. Once more, God must initiate and people must respond. So pray that God would open the hearts of these unbelievers so they can in turn believe, just as Lydia did. “The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul” (Acts 16:14).

Pray that God would free them from the slavery of sin. Unbelievers may believe they are free, but they are in fact enslaved. They are slaves of sin, bound by their sin and sinfulness. Pray that God would liberate them by his gospel. “But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed” (Romans 6:17).

Pray that God would remove Satan’s blinding influence . Unbelievers have been blinded by Satan and will only ever be able to see and appreciate the gospel if God works within them. So pray that God would give them sight—spiritual sight. “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4).

Pray that God would grant them repentance. Unbelievers cannot repent without the enabling grace of God. So pray that God would grant them repentance, that this repentance would lead them to a knowledge of the truth. Pray as well that they would come to their senses and that they would escape from the devil’s snare. “God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:25-26).

Prayers For You

You have prayed for unbelievers using different words and approaching from different angles. But you should also pray for yourself.

Pray that you will develop relationship with them. For people to be saved they must first hear the good news of the gospel. For them to hear the good news of the gospel, they must first encounter Christians—Christians like you. Pray that you would develop deeper, more significant relationship with them so you can, in turn, speak truth. “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” (Romans 10:14).

Pray for opportunities to minister to them. Many people come to faith after seeing Christ’s loved displayed through the ministry of Christians. Pray for opportunities to minister to unbelievers so that your ministry can have an evangelistic effect. “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

Pray for them faithfully and persistently. Our temptation is to grow discouraged in prayer, to pray for a while and, when we see no visible results, to give up. But God calls us to persevere in prayer. “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2). (See also the parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18:1-8.)

Pray for a burden to plead for their souls. Paul was willing to tell the church at Rome of his great longing to see the salvation of the lost. Do you share this deep longing? Pray that God would give you a great burden for souls. “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved” (Romans 10:1).

Pray for boldness in generating and taking opportunities to speak the gospel. Even Paul longed for this boldness and for the confidence that he was speaking the right and best words. Pray that God would give you the boldness and, that when you take the opportunities, that he would then guide your words. “[Pray] also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel…” (Ephesians 6:19).

Pray for other believers to encounter them. God almost always uses a succession of people to share the gospel with people before they are saved. Pray, then, that God would lead other Christians into the lives of the unbelievers you love, that they too would provide an example of Christian living and that they too would speak the gospel. “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:6).

Other Prayers

Here are a few more biblical emphases to guide your prayers.

Pray that God would use any circumstance to do his work in them. We pray to a God who is sovereign and who sovereignly works his good will. Often he saves people through difficult circumstances, through bringing them to the very end of themselves. Pray, then, that God would arrange circumstances, whether easy or difficult, to lead them to salvation. “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word” (Psalm 119:67). As you pray for the unbelievers you love, always pray to God: “your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).

Pray that God would extend his mercy to them. God assures us that he wishes for all people to turn to him in repentance and faith. He receives no joy from seeing people perish. Pray, then, that God would be glorified in the salvation of these people. “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

Pray with confidence. Finally, pray with confidence. God expects we will pray, God invites us to pray, God commands us to pray. Why? Because God loves to hear us pray and God loves to respond to our prayers. So as you pray for unbelievers, pray with confidence that God hears your prayers. “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (James 5:16).

Prayer to St. Benedict

🍃🌹Prayer to St. Benedict🍃


O Glorious Saint Bénédict,
Sublime model of all virtues,
Pure vessel of God's grace!
Behold me, humbly I come before you.
I implore thy loving heart to Pray for me before the throne of God.
To thee I have recourse in all the dangers that surround me. Shield me against my enemies,
Inspire me to imitate thee in all things.
May thy blessings be with me always, so that I may shun whatever God forbids and avoid the occasions of sin.
Amen 🍃🌹

PRAYERS BY SAINT BENEDICT

A PROTECTION PRAYER
"Behold, I have given you the power 'to tread upon serpents'
and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy
and nothing will harm you."
~ LUKE 10:19
"So submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil,
and he will flee from you.
~ JAMES 4:7 

A PRAYER BY SAINT BENEDICT FOR SEEKERS OF FAITH
Gracious and Holy Father,
give us the wisdom to discover You,
the intelligence to understand You,
the diligence to seek after You,
a heart to meditate upon You,

the patience to wait for You,

eyes to behold You,
and a life to proclaim You,
through the power of the Spirit of Jesus, our Lord. Amen. 

A PRAYER TO SAINT BENEDICT FOR PROTECTION
Dear Saint Benedict, I thank God for showering you with His grace to love Him above all else and to establish a monastic rule that has helped so many of His children live full and holy lives.
Through the cross of Jesus Christ, I ask you to please intercede that God might protect me, my loved ones, my home, property, possessions, and workplace today and always by your holy blessing, that we may never be separated from Jesus, Mary, and the company of all the blessed. Through your intercession may we be delivered from temptation, spiritual oppression, physical ills, and disease. Protect us from drug and alcohol abuse, impurity and immorality, objectionable companions, and negative attitudes. In Jesus' Name. Amen. 

PRAYER IN HONOR OF SAINT BENEDICT
Dear God, we praise and thank You for Who You are: The Creator and Master of the Universe, and our Father who loves us and has sent Your Son Jesus to save us from our sins.
Dear Father, You provided your holy monk, Benedict, as a leader and master in the spiritual life for a countless number of followers. Filled as he was with the spirit of all the just, You flooded him with the splendor of Your light. In the intense radiance of this light his mind was freed of hindrance and he was able to discern how incomplete all things are here below. Because of this the entire monastic company in every part of the world sings out its joy, and the Virtues on high, with all the angels, continuously praise Your glory in song.

Stir up in your Church, O Lord, the spirit that animated our Father Benedict. Fill us again with Your Holy Spirit, in order that we may learn to love what he loved and practice what he taught. As You filled Saint Benedict with the spirit of all the righteous, grant us, your servants, who celebrate his life and all the good You have accomplished through him, his followers, and his holy Rule, to be filled with his spirit, that we may faithfully accomplish Your complete Will. We ask all this through Jesus Christ Our Lord, Who with You lives and reigns, one God, world without end. Amen.

PRAYER OF SAINT BENEDICT TO SEEK AND FIND GOD

PRAYER OF SAINT BENEDICT TO SEEK AND FIND GOD

Father, in Your goodness

grant me the intellect to comprehend You,

the perception to discern You,

and the reason to appreciate You.

In Your kindness

endow me with the diligence to look for You,

the wisdom, to discover You,

and the spirit to apprehend You.

In Your graciousness

bestow on me a heart to contemplate You,

ears to hear You,

eyes to see You,

and a tongue to speak of You.

In Your mercy to confer on me

a conversation pleasing to You,

the patience to wait for You,

and the perserverance to long for You.

Grant me a perfect end, Your holy presence.  I ask this in the name of Your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

THE BLESSING

Through the invocation of the Immaculate Mother of God and ever Virgin Mary, and the intercession of Saints Benedict and Maurus, may the Power of God the Father, the Wisdom of God the Son, and the Strength of the Holy Spirit free you from your infirmities. Amen.

May God's holy will be done, and may it be done to you as you wish and pray, for the praise and honor of the most holy Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

(The priest or deacon then blesses the sick person with the relic of the Cross of the medal of Saint Benedict saying...) May the blessing Almighty God, of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit descend upon you and abide with you forever. R. Amen.

(The sick person then kisses the relic or the medal of Saint Benedict).

If necessary, you may repeat this blessing three times.  You may also celebrate three Votive Masses in honor of the Passion, of Saint Maurus the Abbot, and for the Holy Souls in Purgatory.  As an alternative, you may pray twenty decades of the Holy Rosary for the intentions of the sick person.

SAINT SCHOLASTICA AND THE BENEDICTINE NUNS

The twin sister of Saint Benedict, Saint Scholastica, was born in Nursia in the year 480. Just like her brother, she dedicated her life to God at an early age.  During Saint Benedict's reign in Monte Cassino, Scholastica founded a convent of Women in Plombariola, a town close to Monte Cassino.  It is also believed that Benedict directed Scholastica's convent, which in turn made Saint Scholastica the first Benedictine nun.

The brother and sister were very close. The two held a final meeting outside of Saint Benedict's monastery, and three days later Saint Scholastica died, and Saint Benedict had her body buried in his own tomb.

Although the early history of the Benedictine nuns is not concrete, we do know that great English nun-scholars like Hilda of Whitby and Lioba of Wimbourne influenced Europe with their teaching.  During the 10th century new confederations emerged, such as Cluny, which were crucial in shaping Europe during the "Benedictine Centuries".  They served as the foundation in which many different Benedictine convents sprouted from, up to modern day.

Daily Prayer To Mary For the Month of May

Daily Prayer To The Blessed Virgin Mary For The Month Of May

O most August and Blessed Virgin Mary! Holy Mother of God! Glorious Queen of Heaven and earth! Powerful Protectress of those who love Thee, and unfailing Advocate of all who invoke Thee! Look down, we beseech Thee, from Thy throne of glory on Thy devoted children; accept the solemn offering we present Thee in this month of May, specially dedicated to Thee, and receive our ardent, humble desires, that by our love and fervor we might worthily honor Thee, who, next to God, art deserving of all honor.




Receive us, O Mother of Mercy, among Thy best beloved children; extend to us Thy maternal tenderness and solicitude; obtain for us a place in the Heart of Jesus, and a special share in the gifts of His grace. O deign, we beseech Thee, to recognize our claims on Thy protection, to watch over our spiritual and temporal interests, as well as those of all who are dear to us. O Immaculate Queen of the Universe, do Thou infuse into our souls the spirit of Christ, and teach us like Thyself to become meek, humble, obedient, charitable, patient, and submissive to the Will of God.




May our hearts burn with the love of Thy Divine Son, and of Thee, His blessed Mother, not for this month alone, but for time and eternity. May we thirst for the promotion of His honor and Thine, and contribute, as far as we can, to its extension. Receive us, O Mary, the refuge of sinners! Grant us a Mother's blessing and a Mother's care, now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Please Share This Prayer To The Blessed Virgin Mary to Others 

KEEPING A ROSARY AND ITS BEAUTIFUL STORY

Keep a Rosary, even of the little ones, under the pillow. Knowing that a Rosary is within reach, is like having Mary beside you, just like our own mother, always ready to help us. it is a  comfort knowing we have our mother at our side.

Meaningful actions gain more strength when their origin is known.

Why do not you know the history of the Holy Rosary?
I always asked myself: Who would have thought of repeating the Beads of Mary so many times? What’s the point? Now it is understood and each time they pray it, each Hail Mary is a precious rose for the Virgin. I am sure we all know this beautiful prayer that is the Holy Rosary.

Here is a beautiful story about the Rosary …

A legend tells that a Brother (who was not a priest) of the Order of the Dominicans, could not read or write, so he could not read the Psalms, as was the custom in the convents of the time.

Then, when he finished his work at night (he was the doorman, the sweeper, the gardener, etc …) he went to the convent chapel and knelt in front of the image of the Virgin Mary, and recited 150 Hail Marys ( the number of the psalms), then he retired to his cell to sleep.

In the morning, at dawn, he got up before all his brothers and went to the chapel to repeat his habit of greeting the Virgin.

Brother Superior noticed that every day, when he arrived at the chapel to celebrate morning prayers with all the monks, there was an exquisite smell of freshly cut roses and he became curious, so he asked everyone who was in charge of adorn the altar of the Virgin so beautifully, to which the answer was that none did, and the rose bushes in the garden were not missing their flowers.

The lay brother became seriously ill; the other monks noticed that the altar of the Virgin did not have the usual roses, and they deduced that it was the Brother who put the roses. But how?

Nobody had ever seen him leave the convent, nor did they know that he bought the beautiful roses.

One morning he was surprised that he had risen, but they could not find him anywhere.

At last, they met in the chapel, and each monk who entered was amazed, for the lay brother was kneeling in front of the image of the Virgin, ecstatically reciting his Hail Marys, and each one that addressed the Lady, a rose appeared in the vases

Thus at the end of his 150 greetings, he fell dead at the feet of the Virgin.

Over the years, Santo Domingo de Guzmán, (it is said that by revelation of the Blessed Virgin); He divided the 150 Hail Marys into three groups of 50, and associated them with the meditation of the Bible: The Joyful Mysteries, the Sorrowful Mysteries and the Glorious Mysteries, to which Blessed Pope John Paul II added the Luminous Mysteries.

The Benefits of the Rosary:

• When you carry your Rosary, it is a headache for Satan
• When you use your Rosary, Satan collapses
• When he sees you praying the Rosary, he vanishes
• We are going to pray the rosary every time, in order to keep Satan vanished.
• Did you know that when you try to share this message, Satan is going to try to discourage you?
  By sharing this message, you collaborate to accelerate the triumph of the Virgin Mary! 

Share it with your friends and prayer partners and then see how the Holy Spirit works !! 

THE PROMISES OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY TO THOSE WHO PRAY THE ROSARY EVERYDAY

The  Promises of Our Lady to Those Who Pray the Rosary 

Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall receive signal graces.

I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.

The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.

The Rosary will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire for eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.

The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall not perish.

Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its sacred mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of eternal life.

Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church.

Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plenititude of His graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the merits of the saints in paradise.

I shall deliver from Purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.

The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in Heaven.

You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary.

All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.

I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death.

All who recite the Rosary are my sons and daughters, and brothers and sisters of my only Son Jesus Christ.

Devotion of my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.

Sharing these promises with family and friends will bring you great blessings. 

SAINT BENEDICT'S MEDAL

On the back is a cross, containing the letters C S S M L - N D S M D, initials of the words Crux sacra sit mihi lux! ... ("May the holy cross be my light! May the dragon never be my overlord!"). The large C S P B stand for Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti ("The Cross of [our] Holy Father Benedict").

In Scripture, St. Peter tells us to be sober and watchful because, “your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). The devil is real, and he wants to destroy you and me through any means possible. That’s why it’s so important that we fight back with the spiritual weapons of prayer and faith.One of the powerful weapons in spiritual combat is the St. Benedict medal. Honored and employed for centuries, this medal has been associated with many miracles, as well as with powers of exorcism.

Use of the Medal

There is no special way prescribed for carrying or wearing the Medal of St. Benedict. It can be worn on a chain around the neck, attached to one’s rosary, kept in one’s pocket or purse, or placed in one’s car or home. Some of the faithful often put the medal into the foundations of houses and building, on the walls of barns and sheds, or in one’s place of business. The purpose of using the medal in any of the above ways is to call down God’s blessing and protection upon us, wherever we are, and upon our homes and possessions, especially through the intercession of St. Benedict. By the conscious and devout use of the medal, it becomes, as it were, a constant silent prayer and reminder to us of our dignity as followers of Christ. 

The medal is a prayer of exorcism against Satan, a prayer for strength in time of temptation, a prayer for peace among ourselves and among the nations of the world, a prayer that the Cross of Christ be our light and guide, a prayer of firm rejection of all that is evil, a prayer of petition that we may with Christian courage “walk in God’s ways, with the Gospel as our guide,” as St. Benedict urges us. 

A profitable spiritual experience can be ours if we but take the time to study the array of inscriptions and representations found on the two sides of the medal. The lessons found there can be pondered over and over to bring true peace of mind and heart into our lives as we struggle to overcome the weaknesses of our human nature and realize that our human condition is not perfect, but that with the help of God and the intercession of the saints our condition can become better. 

The Medal of St. Benedict can serve as a constant reminder of the need for us to take up our cross daily and “follow the true King, Christ our Lord,” and thus learn “to share in his heavenly kingdom,” as St. Benedict urges us in the Prolog of his Rule. 

By a re-script of the Sacred Congregation of Religious (4 May 1965) lay Oblates of St. Benedict are permitted to wear the Medal of St. Benedict instead of the small black cloth scapular formerly worn. By a decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites (6 March 1959), the Blessing of St. Maur over the sick is permitted to be given with a Medal of St. Benedict instead of with a relic of the True Cross, since the latter is difficult to obtain. 

Blessing of the Medal of Saint Benedict 

Medals of Saint Benedict are sacramentals that may be blessed legitimately by any priest or deacon — not necessarily a Benedictine (Instr., 26 Sept. 1964; Can. 1168). The following English form may be used. 

Our help is in the name of the Lord. 

Who made heaven and earth. 

In the name of God the Father + almighty, who made heaven and earth, the seas and all that is in them, I exorcise these medals against the power and attacks of the evil one. May all who use these medals devoutly be blessed with health of soul and body. In the name of the Father + almighty, of the Son + Jesus Christ our Lord, and of the Holy + Spirit the Paraclete, and in the love of the same Lord Jesus Christ who will come on the last day to judge the living and the dead, and the world by fire. 

Amen. 

Let us pray. 

Almighty God, the boundless source of all good things, we humbly ask that, through the intercession of Saint Benedict, you pour out your blessings + upon these medals. May those who use them devoutly and earnestly strive to perform good works be blessed by you with health of soul and body, the grace of a holy life, and remission of the temporal punishment due to sin. May they also with the help of your merciful love, resist the temptation of the evil one and strive to exercise true charity and justice toward all, so that one day they may appear sinless and holy in your sight. This we ask through Christ our Lord. 

Amen. 

The cleric then sprinkles the medals with holy water.

PRAYER TO CONSECRATE YOUR CHILDREN UNDER THE PROTECTION OF SAINT JOSEPH

Worried about your children? Place them under the protection of St. Joseph with this prayer

St. Joseph, foster-father of Jesus, similarly knew the anxieties of parenthood. He did not always fully understand his son and the mission for which he came to earth. Joseph simply had to trust that all would be well.

For these reasons many parents have turned to St. Joseph over the centuries and ask for his special protection over their children. He is known to be a powerful intercessor and can ensure that God will hear the cry of any parent who calls out in faith. Below is one such prayer that will consecrate your children to St. Joseph and entrust them to his loving care.

O glorious St. Joseph, to you God committed the care of His only begotten Son amid the many dangers of this world. We come to you and ask you to take under your special protection the children God has given us. Through holy baptism they became children of God and members of His holy Church. We consecrate them to you today, that through this consecration they may become your foster children. Guard them, guide their steps in life, form their hearts after the hearts of Jesus and Mary.

St. Joseph, who felt the tribulation and worry of a parent when the child Jesus was lost, protect our dear children for time and eternity. May you be their father and counsellor. Let them, like Jesus, grow in age as well as in wisdom and grace before God and men. Preserve them from the corruption of his world, and give us the grace one day to be united with them in Heaven forever. Amen.

SAY THIS PRAYER AS YOU BLESS YOUR CHILDREN

Children are blessings to us, they need our blessings.Whether they are going to school or simply walking out of the house, pray this prayer over them.

When our children walk out the front door and leave a parent’s watchful gaze, it can be difficult to trust that they will be in good hands. The world is a dangerous place and any number of things could happen that are out of our control.

Yet, our heart can be at peace when we entrust their life to God, putting him in charge of protecting our children from any harm. If we can’t protect them, surely he can cover them with his powerful arm.

Below is a prayer from the book of Numbers, said by the priest over the people of Israel. It is a prayer that is well-known and is sometimes used by Catholic priests today during the liturgy. As a parent, you have the authority to bless your children using similar words, and your blessing can have a profound effect upon them. Don’t be afraid to use it and let your heart be at ease, knowing that whatever might happen, God is in control.

May the Lord bless you and keep you!
May the Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you!
May the Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace! (Numbers 6:24-26)

You can end this prayer with a blessing upon the forehead, making the sign of the cross and saying, “May God bless you and protect you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

God bless us together with our children...