A SHIELD OF PRAYER

THIS WEBPAGE IS ALSO
AVAILABLE AS A PODCAST HERE

Do you feel anxious, worried, or depressed about the way things are going nowadays? It’s not hard to be that way. Inflation is soaring, the economy is cooling and people increasingly have to figure out how to afford both driving to work and feeding their families.

In a world where increasingly up is seen as down, right as wrong, and sanity as insanity, it seems it’s clear we are all being challenged as never before, at least not in recent decades. When you don’t know who to trust these days even trust in God can be sorely tried!

Too many voices both in the church and in society at large, are clamoring to change and even uproot honored traditions that have been a bedrock for civility and justice for ages!

And yet, in spite of everything going wrong God still wants to give us a solid foundation under our feet, one firmly rooted in prayer, in the midst of so much shifting sand, that can be a way out of the politically correct madness.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told his disciples, and by extension all of us as well to "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you” (Matt 7:7) so He can answer our prayers, or at least, if our wants are not of His will, to make our trials and tribulations more bearable with His help!

And, what’s more, we are to persevere in prayer, much like the widow with the dishonest judge (Luke 18:1-8) or even the person who calls on his friend to give him three loaves of bread at midnight after his friend and his children are all tucked away to go to sleep (Luke 11:5-8).

So, what can this mean in terms of our response? St. Paul gave us a good famous answer in his letter to the Ephesians when he told them to, as he put it:

“Put on the armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore put on the armor of God…having fastened the belt of truth around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the equipment of the gospel of peace; besides all these, taking the shield of faith, with which you can quench all the flaming darts of the Evil One. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.” (Eph 6:11-18)

St. Jerome wrote in the 4th century in his commentary on this letter that “To put on the armor of God is to put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Called truth and righteousness, our Savior is our belt and our breastplate. Called the living Word of God, he is the sword who is sharp on both sides.”

With this in mind we thought this would be a good time to point out an important weapon in our spiritual arsenal, that is to say the shield of faith St. Paul mentions. Think of it as being the shield of prayer which can reinforce that shield of faith!

We’ve put together a selection of favorite prayers from our website www.ourcatholicprayers.com that are reasonably short and easy to memorize that you can use to help you cope during especially stressful days.

We will provide links to more information about each of these prayers from our website, and hope any one of more of them can help provide relief, comfort, strength, and above all, God’s grace in these very difficult and trying times!

Feel free to check on our Sitemap for any other prayers that you might find helpful, or even inspiring to bring you closer to Our Lord and Our Lady. And remember as well, perseverance in prayer is key! Keep God’s channel of grace open to you.

Also feel free to bookmark this page, and to say these prayers anytime and anywhere, especially when you feel most in need of some kind of emotional relief when the  world gets to be all too much for you!

In the case of longer prayers, we have a direct link to those supplications. We at Our Catholic Prayers will keep your intentions in ours as well! And feel free to post prayer requests on our site.

Here are the prayers:

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be (in English and Latin)

The exorcist Father Gary Thomas once commented that "The Devil hates Latin, it is the universal language of the Church." We’re including these first three of the most popular prayers in Latin here. Others can be found on this page. 

Our Father,
who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Pater noster, qui es in cælis,
sanctificetur nomen tuum;
adveniat regnum tuum;
fiat voluntas tua,
sicut in caelo et in terra.
Panem nostrum cotidianum da nobis hodie,
et dimitte nobis debita nostra,
sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris;
et ne nos inducas in tentationem
Sed libera nos a malo. Amen

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. Amen.

Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum.
Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus,
nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.

Glory be to the Father
and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning
is now, and ever shall be
world without end. Amen.

Glória Patri
et Fílio
et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio,
et nunc et semper
et in sæ´cula sæculórum. Amen.

The Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful
And kindle in them the fire of Your love
V: Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created
R: And You shall renew the face of the earth

Let us Pray:
O God, Who instructed the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, Grant us in the same Spirit to be truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen

There is also this short prayer to the Holy Spirit which is very easy to memorize! 

Holy Spirit, sweet Guest of my soul,
Abide in me and grant that I may ever abide in Thee!

This next prayer, the Hail Holy Queen is also the concluding prayer of the Rosary.

Hail Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, Our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us. And after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement O loving O sweet Virgin Mary.

V. Pray for us oh Holy Mother of God.
(This line is read by one person when the Hail Holy Queen is being recited in a group setting.)

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
(This line is the response given by the group.)

And here is that prayer in Latin, in which it is often sung in group settings:

Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae;
vita, dulcedo et spes nostra, salve.
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Hevae.
Ad te suspiramus gementes et flentes
in hac lacrimarum valle.
Eia ergo, advocata nostra,
illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte.
Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,
nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.
O clemens, o pia, o dulcis Virgo Maria.

V. Ora pro nobis, sancta Dei Genitrix.
R. Ut digni efficamur promissionibus Christi.

Speaking of our Blessed Mother, there is this powerful devotion to Mary known as the Three Hail Marys. Here is one of several versions of this devotion. It is short and simple and best prayed in the morning and in the evening in the fight against mortal sin. These lines are prayed three times:

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. Amen.

By thy Immaculate Conception O Mary, make my body pure and my soul holy, my Mother, preserve me this day (or night) from mortal sin.

In addition to these prayers to Our Lord's Blessed Mother, we also have this wonderful prayer to Our Lord's foster-father, St. Joseph, the Patron Saint of the Universal Church, whose intercession, when needed can be very powerful!

Oh St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires.

Oh St. Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your divine son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, our Lord; so that having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers.

Oh St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms. I dare not approach while he reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss his fine head for me, and ask him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, patron of departing souls, pray for us. Amen

The texts for these next two prayers are available on the links below. These are both easy to pray, but they are a little more extensive, which is why they are available here as direct links:

The Rosary (which can be prayed in individual decades)

The Divine Mercy Chaplet

And now, here are two well-known prayers that can be especially helpful in very trying times in one’s life!

The Serenity Prayer

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things that I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

St. Teresa’s Bookmark (attributed to the great Saint Teresa of Avila!)

Let nothing disturb you,
Let nothing frighten you,
All things are passing;
God only is changeless.
Patience gains all things.
Who has God wants nothing.
God alone suffices.

Next is the Saint Michael Prayer, which is also very good and has been said often after Masses!

Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host,
by the Divine Power of God,
cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowel about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Next is this Prayer to St. Jude who is often called on for his intercession in very difficult or even impossible cases!

Most holy Apostle, Saint Jude Thaddeus, friend of Jesus, I place myself in your care at this difficult time. Help me know that I need not face my troubles alone. Please join me in my need, asking God to send me: consolation in my sorrow, courage in my fear, and healing in the midst of my suffering. Ask our loving Lord to fill me with the grace to accept whatever may lie ahead for me and my loved ones, and to strengthen my faith in God's healing powers. Thank you, Saint Jude Thaddeus, for the promise of hope you hold out to all who believe, and inspire me to give this gift of hope to others as it has been given to me.

V. Saint Jude, Apostle of Hope
R. Pray for us!

The Memorare (This is a wonderful prayer to our Blessed Mother!)

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

And now, speaking of prayers to the Blessed Mother we now offer the Angelus, which is traditionally prayed at noon and at 6 pm. You can pray this on your own but it is often prayed in a group setting as well.

The Angelus

V. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
R. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
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. Amen
V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
R. Be it done unto me according to thy word.
Hail Mary, etc.
V. And the Word was made Flesh.
R. And dwelt among us.
Hail Mary, etc.
V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

LET US PRAY
Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts, that we to whom the Incarnation of Christ Thy Son was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen

Next we have a version of the well-known Act of Contrition. We say this prayer after Confession but it is also often prayed by the faithful at night before retiring following a brief examination of conscience concerning the events of that day.

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of Heaven and the pains of Hell, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, Who art all-good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace to confess my sins, to do penance and to amend my life. Amen.

And now, we move from a prayer that finishes a day to one that can start it.

A Morning Offering (This is a great way to start your day in prayer!)

O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world. I offer them for all the intentions of your Sacred Heart: the salvation of souls, the reparation for sin, and the reunion of all Christians. I offer them for the intentions of our bishops and of all Apostles of Prayer, and in particular for those recommended by our Holy Father this month.

Some other Offering Prayers

Oh my Jesus, I offer this for love of Thee, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Dear Lord,
I offer you (whatever your concern or problem here)
For the conversion of sinners
For the forgiveness of sins
In reparation for sins and
For the salvation of souls. Amen.

The Guardian Angel Prayer (A tribute to one’s Guardian Angel)

Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this day [or night] be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.

And now we have these select Aspirations short prayers that are especially easy to memorize! These are taken from this page. 

Note as well that just saying the name Jesus is very powerful and Our Lord’s name is its own prayer when said reverently with love and supplication!

First, we start with this line from what is known as the Surrender Novena Prayer, which can be said in a novena or just by itself!

Oh my Jesus, I surrender myself to You. Take care of everything!

Next, we have what is known as the Jesus Prayer, which is also a very good Aspiration!

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

And these as well:

Heart of Jesus, I put my trust in Thee!

Jesus I trust in You!

Jesus, I love You; Jesus, have mercy; Jesus, make Your will mine!

Jesus, Mary, I love you. Save souls!

And last, but by no means least, an angel taught the three Fatima visionaries this prayer, known as the Pardon Prayer:

My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love Thee! I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love Thee.

And, finally we have this Spiritual Communion (a great prayer to say anytime you can’t take Holy Communion, anytime, anywhere!)

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there, and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.