#effective prayers

Padre Pio says God is “obliged” to answer this type of prayer

With these, he will grant us his graces and help in everything.

When we are physically near someone we love, we naturally speak with them. Not all the time, of course, as people who love each other can also be in silence together. But it would be strange if we spent a whole day or even several hours saying nothing to a loved one sitting beside us.

The saints apply that same principle to God. He is near us, speaking to our hearts, and we should speak back. Our words can be as simple as any greeting we’d make to a parent, child, spouse, or sibling in the same room as us.

“Jesus, I trust in you,” is one example. Or simply, “Abba.” “Jesus, be Jesus in my life” can be a beautiful prayer, or “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I love you. Save souls.”

These short prayers will spring naturally to our hearts if we live in the awareness that we are constantly, unfailingly in the presence of God. While it is not possible to have that awareness at the forefront of our minds all the time, with practice, we can become aware of God’s closeness many, many times throughout the day.

“We’ve got to be convinced that God is always near us. We live as though he were far away, in the heavens high above, and we forget that he is also continually by our side,” said St. Josemaria Escriva.

We’ve got to be convinced that God is always near us.

In the long tradition of the Church, various names have been given to these short prayers — our little hellos — that we speak to Our Lord throughout the day. They are called aspirations, or ejaculatory prayers (from the Latin for bursting forth), or as well, “arrow” prayers.

This last title was used by Padre Pio when he described these short, spontaneous prayers. He said they are like “arrows that wound God’s heart.”

What’s more, the beloved Italian saint said that arrow prayers have a special power in bringing down God’s grace upon us.

Writing in December of 1914, he said that it was not exaggerated to affirm that God is obliged to answer these prayers:

… this word is not at all exaggerated in this case …

I urge you continually to renew the right intention you had at the beginning and to recite ejaculatory prayers from time to time. Those prayers are like arrows that wound God’s heart and oblige him — and this word is not at all exaggerated in this case — oblige him, I tell you, to grant you his graces and his help in everything. __________

Effective prayers that take less than a second

We've got to be convinced that God is always near us. We live as though he were far away, and we forget that he is also continually by our side.

While it is essential to set aside time each day dedicated specifically to prayer, it is also important to guard against pigeonholing your spiritual life into that 15- or 20-minute slot. We have to make sure we don’t have a “checklist” attitude of okay, I’ve done my prayer thing, so now I get on with “real” life.

Just as our relationships with each other need more than 15-minute slots, so too our relationship with God needs spontaneous “hello”s and “how are you doing”s and “I love you”s.

Here are some ideas for little “text messages” you might raise to God throughout the day:

Jesus, I trust in you. (from St. Faustina)

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee. (from the Miraculous Medal)

Jesus, remember me. (from the prayer of the “good thief” on the cross)

God will provide. (what Abraham told Isaac when he asked what animal they would sacrifice)

Allow me to praise Thee, O Holy Virgin; give me strength against Thine enemies. (from Blessed Duns Scotus)

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, my family is yours. Guard them in your heart.

My Jesus, thank you.

Jesus in the Holy Sacrament of the altar, I give you my heart.

Jesus, you are mine and I am yours.

I shall wait for my Lord and Savior.

Lord, to you I lift up my heart.

One way to go deeper in the liturgy is to use a phrase from the Collect or one of the other prayers of the Mass as an aspiration for the week. Many of the antiphons of the Liturgy of the Hours also will serve as beautiful aspirations.

But the important thing is not to merely follow some sort of formula, as that again brings the danger of falling into a “checklist” spirituality. Allow the aspirations to come from your heart, as short and sweet as you want.

Thank him for everything, because everything is good.

Heavenly Father, on this blessed Friday, I humbly ask for Your blessings upon us.

May our day be filled with peace, joy, and abundant grace.

Guide our steps, ease our burdens, and grant us success in all our endeavors.

Open the doors of opportunity and bestow upon us Your infinite mercy.

May we find peace in our heart, strength in our spirit, and light in our path.

This we ask in the Powerful and Mighty Name of Jesus.

***Today's Devotion*** is called, "A Big Head Leads to Spiritual Deformity" . There is a wrong and a right way to work for the Lord. Let thins devotion encourage you! Romans 12:16 . #harmony #kindness #reallove #unity #churchpeople #randomnestfamily #now

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.Romans 12:16 Be confident in the Lord Alone God has given us unique gifts. Some lord their gifts over others, because they feel their calling is more important. One thing that irritates me is seeing a big-headed leader with false humility, filled with pride. That’s an…