ST. BARNABAS CHURCH PRAYER

Lord, you know what is best for our church family. Give us what you will, when you will, and as much as you will. Do with us as you think best, and as it pleases you and brings you the most honor. Place each of us where you will, and use us according to your wisdom. We are in your hand as your servants, ready to do all that you command. We want to live, not for ourselves, but for you. We want to serve you fittingly, and faithfully, through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

This wonderful prayer comes to us from the writings of St. Thomas a Kempis and keeps us focused on who we are as a church. We’ve prayed this as a church since our early beginnings and continue each and every Sunday.

When You Pray Alone

Be still for a few moments and bring to mind the fact that you are with God, who created the whole world, who is the source of love and who alone gives true peace.

Reflect on the Cross and remember that you are with God, who made you, loves you and cares about every part of your life. Pray this prayer, pausing at the end of each request:

Lord, overshadow me with your Spirit...
Take away all distraction and inattention...
Make my soul still…
Speak Lord, I am listening...

If there is anything you wish to thank God for, tell Him:

Thank you Lord for all your goodness and loving kindness to me and to my family and friends, especially for this... and this... and this... I praise you not only with my lips, but with my life for these and all your blessings. Amen.

If you are in trouble or worried, pray:

Lord, I am distressed, in anguish and fearful. I'm anxious because... and… and… Strengthen me with your Spirit and help me go on believing in your love even when I cannot understand. When the path is dark, let the light of faith shine in my heart and renew your Holy Spirit within me. Amen.

If you know someone who needs your prayers, remember that God wants to use you as a channel of His love.

Lord Jesus, I pray especially for… and… and…and… I offer to you all those who are dear to me, especially... and… and… I pray especially for those who need their faith renewed, for those who have neglected or forgotten their prayers today and for those who have no one to pray for them. Give to each the blessing of your peace. I ask this in Jesus' Name.

To end your prayer time, pray.

Thank you, Jesus, for this time together. I rededicate my life to you now. Fill me with your Holy Spirit to guide and keep me always in your Presence. Amen.

Adapted from a prayer card-St. John the Divine, Houston

Click here for a printable version (requires the adobe pdf reader)

Mealtime Prayers

God is great, God is good. Let us thank Him for our food. Amen.

For what we are about to receive. May the Lord make us truly thankful. Amen.

Bless us, O Lord, and these thy gifts. which, of thy bounty we are about to receive. Amen.

Bless, O Lord, this food to our use, and us to Your loving service. Make us always mindful of the needs of others. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

Give us grateful hearts, our Father, for all thy mercies, and make us mindful of the needs of others; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Bless, O Lord, thy gifts to our use and us to thy service, for Christ’s sake. Amen.

For these and all his mercies, God’s holy Name be blessed and praised; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For our creation, preservation, and all the blessings, of our life, we give Thee thanks. Amen.

Bless, O Lord, these gifts to our use and us to thy service and keep us ever mindful of the needs of others, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Bless, O Lord, this food for thy use, and make us ever mindful of the wants and needs of others. Amen

May the Lord accept this our offering, and bless our food that it may bring us strength in our body, vigor in our mind, and selfless devotion in our heart for His service. Amen.

Lord our God You invite us to the banquet of your wisdom, give us for nourishment both the bread of the earth and your living word. Bless this meal, and grant us entry to Your banquet. Amen.

We bless you, O Lord, for your steadfast love and for your wonderful works among us. For You satisfy those who are thirsty and the hungry you fill with good things. Glory to you, O Lord, for being the provider of food for our bodies and the true nourishment of our souls. Amen.

Christ our God, bless us Your servants, our home, the food and drink before us for You are the Source of all blessings, now and forever and ever. Amen.

Lord Jesus Christ our God, You, who blessed the five loaves in the wilderness and fed the multitudes of men, women and children, Bless also these, Your gifts, and increase them for the hungry people in the world. You are the One who blesses and sanctifies all things and to You we give glory forever. Amen.

For food in a world where many walk in hunger For friends in a world where many walk alone For faith in a world where many walk in fear We give you thanks, O Lord. Amen. (Anglican Church of Canada)

Thank you for the world so sweet, Thank you for the food we eat, Thank you for the birds that sing, Thank you God for everything. Amen.

God our Father, God our Father, Who gives all, who gives all, Thank you for this dinner, Thank you for this dinner, Amen. Amen. (to the tune of Frere Jacques)

Dear Jesus: Thank you for this food. Bless us all and keep us from harm. Guide and direct us, through all our days. Amen!

Loving Father, we thank you for this food, And for all your blessings to us. Lord Jesus, come and be our guest, And take your place at this table. Holy Spirit, as this food feeds our bodies, So we pray you would nourish our souls. Amen

Lord Jesus Christ, As you blessed many with the five loaves and the two fishes, may we too, know your blessing as we share this food, your peace in our hearts, and your love in our lives. Amen.

Lord Jesus Christ, Friend of sinners, we thank you for friendship, Prince of peace, we ask you that we may be peacemakers. Lord of all, we thank you for this food. Bless it to our bodies, we pray. Amen

Lord, Bless this bunch, while we munch our lunch. Amen.

The Angelus

Jean-François Millet (L'angélus, 1857-1858)

The Angelus Prayer is a traditional devotion used morning, noon, and evening in honor of the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is also appropriate before or after Mass.   Originally prayed in Latin, it gets its name from the opening words, “Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariæ.” (The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary).

The Angelus is a devotion in memory of the Incarnation.  It consists of three texts describing the mystery, recited as versicle and response alternately with the salutation "Hail, Mary!"

This devotion is recited three times daily, about 6am, noon and 6pm. At these hours a bell known as the Angelus bell is rung. This is still rung in some churches. Click here to hear an example of the Angelus Bell.

The Prayer:

V.        The Angel of the Lord announced unto Mary.
R.         And she conceived by the Holy Ghost.

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 our death.

V.        Behold the handmaid of the Lord!
R.         Be it unto me according to thy word!

Hail, Mary . . .

V.        And the Word was made flesh,
R.         And dwelt among us.

Hail, Mary . . .

V.        Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
R.         That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.

We beseech Thee, O Lord, pour thy grace into our hearts: that, we have known the incarnation of thy Son Jesus Christ by the message of an angel, so by his Cross and Passion + we may be brought unto the glory of His resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord.  A M E N.

Five Finger Prayer List

1. Your thumb is nearest to you. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a "sweet duty."

2. The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. Keep them in your prayers.

3. The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators. These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They need God's guidance.

4. The fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger; as any piano teacher will testify, (and dental hygienist! That is why we use it to fulcrum in the patient's mouth! :-)). It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain. They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them.

5. And lastly comes our little finger; the smallest finger of all. Which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the Bible says, "The least shall be the greatest among you." Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.

Excerpted from “The Bible Way to Prayer” by Mary Kathleen Glavich, SND

PRAYERS FROM THE BIBLE

There are three ways to personalize scripture:

1. Substitute “I” and “me” for other pronouns:

I Thessalonians 5:9-10 – For God has destined me not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for me, so that whether I am awake or asleep I may live with him.

Matthew 22:37 – I shall love the Lord, my God, with all my heart and with all my soul, and with all my mind.

2. Substitute your name for a pronoun in the verse:

Ephesians 1:3-14 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed Ginger in Christ with every spiritual blessings in the heavenly places, just as he chose Ginger in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined Ginger for adoption as his child through Jesus Christ.

3. Insert your name periodically:

Luke 9:23,25 – If you, Rosemary, want to be a follower of mine, renounce yourself, take up your cross every day, and follow me…What gain is it, Rosemary, for you to have won the whole world and to have lost or ruined your very self?

Personalize questions that Jesus asked others:

Do you want to be made well? (John 5:6)
Why are you afraid, you of little faith? (Matt 8:26)
Do you wish to go away? (John 6:67)
What do you want me to do for you? (Luke 18:41)
Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live…Do you believe this? (John 11:25-26)
Do you love me? (John 21:16)

Listen for God’s birthday message to you in that day’s readings.

Mine comes from Revelations 7:3 and Psalm 54:9 -
You are sealed as a servant of God. You love to do my will and my law is deep in your heart.

Mottos: A scripture verse you would like to adopt as motto for your life –

“My joy lies in being close to God” (Psalm 73:28) Letter it on a card and keep it where you will see it.

Personalize passages - Look up:

i. Isaiah 43:1b-5 (Substitute your name for “you” and adjust the verbs).
ii. Romans 12:9-21 (insert your name)
iii. I Peter 1:6-9 (Change “you” to “I”; change “him” to “you” to make this a prayer).

Ready-Made Prayers and Blessings

Psalms are full of human emotions that can be used as prayers. My favorite Psalm is 62: For God alone my soul in silence waits… He alone is my rock and my salvation…In God is my safety and my honor…Put your trust in him always…Pour out your hearts before him, for God is our refuge. Do you have a favorite?

Words other people said to Jesus that we can adopt as one-liners:

i. Lord, save me! (Peter in Matthew 14:30)
ii. I believe, help my unbelief. (father of the possessed boy in Mark 9:24)
iii. Increase our faith. (The apostles in Luke 17:5)
iv. Lord, help me. (The Canaanite woman in Matthew 15:25)
v. My Lord and my God! (Thomas in John 20:28)

Repeat prayers that Jesus said:

i. Abba. (John17:1)
ii. My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want. (Matthew 26:39)
iii. Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing. (Luke 23:33)

Appropriate prayers of other Bible figures:

i. Speak Lord, for your servant is listening. (The boy Samuel in 1 Samuel 3:10)
ii. Here I am, send me! (Isaiah in Isaiah 6:8)
iii. Our Lord, come! (Paul in 1 Cor. 16:22)

Prayers for special occasions

Before beginning the Thanksgiving feast pray Philippians 4:4-7
On Christmas Eve, gather the family to read Luke 2:1-20.
Meal prayers –for variety, pray the Our Father or include another Scripture readings:

i. Exodus 16:13-15 (manna)
ii. I Kings 19:1-8 (Elijah)
iii. Proverbs 9:1-6 (Wisdom’s banquet)
iv. Psalm 111 (God gives food)
v. Mark 8:1-9 (the feeding of the 4,000)

As a night prayer, pray Psalm 91
Wedding anniversary or Valentine’s Day, pray 1 Cor.13:1-13
Before going to confession, pray parts of Psalm 51 or Luke 15:1-7
For a birthday, pray Psalm 139

Mantras – short verses to repeat over and over. St. Philip Neri observed, “It is an old custom of the servants of God to have some little prayer ready and to be frequently darting them up to Heaven during the day, lifting their minds to God out of the mire of this world. He who adopts this plan will get great fruits with little pains.”

Mantras have become popular through the chants of the monks of Taize. “Ubi caritas et amor, ubi caritas Deus ibi est.” (Where charity and love are, God is). It gets repeated over and over.

According to Revelations, even now the saints are praying a mantra. Day and night they sing, “Holy, holy, holy.”

The Psalms are a gold-mine of one–line prayers:

O God, you are my God, I seek you. (Psalm 63:1)
Be not far from me, for trouble is near. (Psalm 22:11)
I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with my whole heart. (Psalm 138:1)

Other scriptural mantras:

I am the clay, O God, and you are the potter. (Isaiah 64:8)
My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my savior. (Luke 1:47)
I stand in awe, O Lord, of your work. (Habakkuk 3:2)

Reverse mantras where God is talking to us.

I have called by name, you are mine. (Isaiah 43:1)
Do not be afraid. (Matthew 28:5)
I am with you always. (Matthew 28:20)
My grace is sufficient for you. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

God speaks to us in stillness and silence. Our encounters with God will make a difference in us. In time, we will reflect the Word that we have taken into our hearts.

May we be able to pray with the prophet Jeremiah, “Lord, when I found your words, I devoured them. They became my joy and the happiness of my heart.” (Jeremiah 15:16)

Î Î Î Î Î Î

For more information, I highly recommend the book, The Bible Way to Prayer, which is published by Twenty-Third Publications, ISBN 1-58595-108-0. The author goes into other areas of prayer such as lectio divina and tricks to memorize the order of the epistles in the Bible, to name a few.

Click here for a printable version (requires the adobe pdf reader)

The Healing Rosary

The Rosary continues to be an avenue to meditation for millions of people worldwide. Personally, I did not grow up saying the rosary; after all, it’s a Roman Catholic thing, isn’t it? Well, as I’ve discovered, the rosary is available for all Christians. I’m not going to pretend to be knowledgeable enough to give you all the historical background on how the rosary came to be; there are plenty of resources and other books to help you with that.

What I can do is share a bit about my personal experience. The traditional rosary is said every week at the church I attend and I went a few times, but it just didn’t “speak to me” as I had hoped. However, I have learned of the “healing rosary” and have been fairly regular each week at the church I work at. The healing rosary ties very well with Daughters since at the beginning we state the prayer intercessions of others as well as ourselves. Someone acts as the “leader” and then we each take turns with the five healing mysteries. It’s a wonderful low-key way to be introduced to the rosary and a great group prayer. I’ve attached this for you and encourage you to try it out. Notice how much direct quotation comes from Holy Scripture. It’s biblically-grounded prayer. It‘s not necessary to actually have a rosary to pray the healing rosary, so you can
start today.

The traditional fifteen mysteries cover key events in the life of Christ – the “Joyful,” the “Sorrowful,” and the “Glorious” Mysteries. Usually, five are prayed at a time. Each “mystery” is a themed reflection using scripture. Consider meditating with other scriptures – how about the five miracles of Jesus, the five parables, five acts of forgiveness, etc? Basically, pick a theme and find five scripture passages involving Jesus and that theme.

The following is the “Scriptural Rosary” as found in many rosary publications. Try this out at your next Daughters meeting or you may wish to consider gathering in your church or chapel on a weekly basis and lead those in your congregation in praying the healing rosary.

· Sit in a circle.
· Designate someone to be the leader to

(a) State the petitions at the beginning “We come together to ask prayers for…” {Sick, those with emotional needs, the deceased, etc.]
(b) Open with the first part of the Apostles Creed
(c) Say the “v” (verse) parts on the prologue and epilogue sections as well.

· Going around the circle, five people can each take turns leading the five mysteries. The group collectively responds with the “r” (response) parts.

Another way I use the rosary is to hold a bead between my fingers while praying our Daughters intercessions list. It can be used to focus on each name that’s said. I’m sure your prayer list can get lengthy at times and anything we can do to slow down and focus on each name is helpful.

Also, I hold my rosary when I need to remember that Jesus is with me during difficult or stressful times at home or work.

Julia Smead – DOK Spiritual Formation Committee, 2002

Click here to view/print "Prayers of the Rosary" (the adobe pdf reader is required)

A Prayer Driven Church was a workshop sponsored by the AAC and presented by Fr. John Guernsey of All Saints Church in Woodbridge, Virginia. By permission from Fr. Guernsey we have broken the 50 minute video presentation into seven audio chapters. Requires the Real Audio media program.

Grace Before Meals

Grace Before Meals is centered on one fundamental concept: the simple act of creating and sharing a meal can strengthen all kinds of relationships. Founded by Fr. Leo Patalinghug in 2003, Grace Before Meals has grown from a simple idea to a worldwide movement, producing a book, blog and even a pilot for a TV show endorsed by PBS. You will find recipes, dinner conversation starters, meal graces, enjoy webisodes from restaurants around the world. Be sure to sign up for Fr. Leo's weekly e-newsletter - it's full of ideas to inspire you and your family.

Pray as you go

Pray-as-you-go website provides a daily prayer session, designed for use on portable MP3 players, to help you pray whilst travelling to and from work, study, etc.

Sacred Space

A wonderful prayerful meditative site from the Jesuits in Ireland. Available in multiple languages!

Saying The Jesus Prayer

Learn about the Jesus Prayer - "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner"- from St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary.

Gratefulness.org

A wealth of information on the art of being grateful and learning to live in the present moment from Brother David Stendl-Rast.