When I was a Protestant I fell for the lie that Catholics can only pray those prayers the Church approves of. Well, during Mass, yes, we have corporate prayers that the Church throughout the world is also saying. That is a part of the unity we have.
I find it beautiful to know the prayers and scripture I'll be hearing and saying during Mass this morning are the same prayers my Catholic friends will also be hearing in their churches throughout the country.
Much of my time in prayer is divided between my individual prayer and prayers from the history of the Church. Some of these old prayers I have memorized after reading them many times. Some I hope to have memorized soon because they are very beautiful and meaningful. I have known the Lord's Prayer since I was a kid. I have recently come to know more about it and it's more wonderful now.
In my former Protestant mindset I was programmed to think these prayers that so many Catholics have memorized are nothing more than "vain repetitions" and are condemned in the Bible. Catholics agree we are not to pray with vain repetitions. That's why when we pray these prayers over & over we are to make them sincere and from the heart.
Jesus did not condemn repetitious prayer. Even Jesus prayed repetitious prayers (see Matthew 26:44). He condemned vain prayer. You can pray the most unique, original prayer vainly; that's a no-no. You can pray the Lord's Prayer a thousand times sincerely; that's a good thing.
What have I found in praying some of these old prayers over & over while trying to focus on the words and set them in my heart? There's too much to say. They're like spiritual food that give me hope, strength, and courage throughout the day. They also awaken my soul to truths that I just did not get the first time...or the 100th.
One prayer I've prayed many, many times is the Fatima Prayer. I often pray it as much as five times in one day. It's a short simple prayer.
Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins. Save us from the fires of Hell. Lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy. Amen.
That's it. Seems simple & sweet. Yet, it's deceptively powerful.
So here I was one day driving to work. I said this prayer like I have hundreds of time before. I prayed it from the heart like I always try to do, but this time something was very different.
The part that says "especially those in most need of They mercy" used to mean to me those wayward souls suffering from addictions, a life of sin, and those doing their best to run from God. Well, it still does mean that, but I added one more person.
Me.
I - even though I now try to live a godly life - am still in most need of Thy mercy.
I cannot get to Heaven on my own. I am in MOST NEED of Jesus' mercy every single moment of my life. Through God's mercy will I get to heaven. Through God's mercy do my charitable acts mean anything. Through God's mercy I am saved from his justifiable wrath upon the wicked things I've done.
Tears filled my eyes. I almost had to pull to the side of the highway. I had looked in a spiritual mirror and saw that I am one of those in most need of his mercy.
And, so are all of my Christian friends who struggle and are torn between the ways of the world and the ways of Heaven.
And, so are all of my non-Christian friends.
We all are in most need of his mercy.
I thank God for these wonderful prayers that we can recite from memory. If we pray them a thousand times from the heart, these prayers help us to love God and others more & more every day.
