Catholic Book Publishing Corp. - Healing Prayers for Everyday

Come to Me, all you who are weary and overburdened,
and I will give you rest (Mt 11:28).

By
Rev. Robert De Grandis, S.S.J.

Illustrated

CATHOLIC BOOK PUBLISHING CORP.

New Jersey

NIHIL OBSTAT: Rev. Msgr. James M. Cafone, M.A., S.T.D.
Censor Librorum

IMPRIMATUR: Most Rev. John J. Myers, J.C.D., D.D.
Archbishop of Newark

The Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur are official declarations that a book or a pamphlet is free of doctrinal or moral error. No implication is contained therein that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur agree with the contents, opinions or statements expressed.

(T-192)

ISBN 978-089942-547-4

2006 Catholic Book Publishing Corp., N.J.

www.catholicbookpublishing.com

O UR journey through life presents many challenges to our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being and with them come opportunities for healing. We all have our share of brokenness. We all need to bring our woundedness and suffering before the Lord every day.

As we age, physical diminishments begin to take their toll and soon our lives are consumed with doctors and medicines. Psychic pain has no regard for age, gender, or race as fears take their hold over us. Depression, anger, anxiety, and unforgiveness rob us of the health and happiness that we seek as Gods beloved children. Loss of faith and hope lead us to a spiritual night of the soul that brings unrelenting anguish and prevents us from knowing the joy and freedom that we have been promised.

Knowing the human condition as intimately as He does, Jesus wants to carry our burdens and lighten our load. When we turn to Him with childlike humility, everything changes for us. The powerful force of Gods love can break through any pain and suffering we encounter.

Scripture tells us that all who believe will have eternal life in Him (Jn 3:15). Time in Scripture leads us into eternal values. We are led to reflect upon death, judgment, eternity, heaven, and hell; where weve come from; where were going; Gods plan for our lives. Time in Scripture leads us to lift our eyes above the horizon of our daily concerns to the very heart of human life. As we study the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit will teach us the deeper truths of life.

Father Lawrence Jenco spent 19 months as a prisoner in Lebanon, often enduring some appalling deprivations. Some months after his release when he was speaking at a convention of Catholic campus ministers in New Orleans, Father Jenco said that he relied on three great nourishments while he was imprisonedMass, the Bible and conversation. He knew the Eucharistic prayers by heart and used ordinary bread for Communion hosts.

If you were a prisoner, or were dying, and someone said, I have Gods word here for you, dont you think you would listen? It would be something you would want to take in. Dont wait for a crisis. Begin now to absorb the word of God. One helpful hint is to leave a Bible on the kitchen table. (Life revolves around the kitchen table.) From time to time ask the Lord to speak to you through a verse. Just as you nibble on food during the day, nibble on Scripture during the day. We must be rooted in Gods word; the word is intended to inflame our hearts so that we want to respond to the Lord.

The word of the Lord as we hear it and respond to it in our hearts can be healing whenever we attend Mass. The prayers, responses, psalms, and suggested songs for the Mass focus upon the Scripture readings. It is here that we find the theme that runs through the entirety of Mass. All prayers during the Mass support that theme. Listen for it as you attend your next Mass. God is speaking to His people in a powerful way, calling us to receive His healing love.

Come, Holy Spirit,

fill the hearts of Your faithful

and enkindle in them the fire of Your love.

Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created.

And You shall renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray.

O God, You instructed the hearts of the faithful

by the light of the Holy Spirit.

Grant us by the same Holy Spirit

to have a right judgment in all things

and ever to rejoice in His consolation.

Let me not,

O Lord,

be puffed up with worldly wisdom,

which passes away.

Grant me that love which never abates,

that I may not choose to know anything among human beings

but Jesus and Him crucified.

I pray to You, loving Jesus,

that as You have graciously given me

to drink in with delight the words of Your knowledge,

so You would mercifully grant me

to attain one day to You,

the Fountain of all wisdom,

and to appear forever before Your face.

BE holy in all that you do just as God Who called you is holy. The Scripture says, Be holy because I am holy.

1 Pet 1:15-16

R EFLECTION. There are five levels of healing. The first level is spiritual healing.

Spiritual healing is eternal and will be with us into eternal life. How consoling that even if we do not receive physical healing, we can receive spiritual healing.

P RAYER. Heavenly Father, I want to be holy. Please give me and my family the spiritual healing we need to live the Christian life. Please send Your Holy Spirit to fill us with peace, love, and joy.

THE Lord says, I will no longer remember their sins and evil deeds.

Heb 10:17

R EFLECTION. A health worker once said that the topic most people talk to her about is guilt. Jesus wants to heal us of the terrible burden of guilt.

What are the five most shameful events of your life? Have you truly forgiven yourself for each of these?

P RAYER. Lord Jesus, heal the guilt and shame that remain from the painful events of my life. Set me free so that I can love myself and love others as You are calling me to do.

LET us be concerned for one another to help one another to show love and to do good.

Heb 10:24

R EFLECTION. One of the ways we can love each other is by praying for each other.

To love anyone is to want what is best for that person and to do what we reasonably can to bring goodness to that individual. Healing can be defined as an answer to prayer.

P RAYER. Lord Jesus, I want to love all people especially my own family. I pray for the individuals who cause me the most pain. Thank You, Lord, that I am able to love them in this way.

CURE the sick.... You received without payment; give in the same way.

Mt 10:8

R EFLECTION. Jesus came to give us the Good News in two ways. One was by preaching and the other was by healing.