Recently I have begun to really look hard at the words of the various prayers I recite every day. I wonder if many of us do that, really look at them and try and grasp what you’re praying. Be careful what you pray for…

The words and meanings of many prayers lose their impact after they’ve been recited so often. Whether it’s the “Our Father” or the “Hail Mary,” we become immune to the words and what we are praying for.

As an example is this post on the Hail Mary in which I focus on a single line: Pray for us sinners. In it I say, “A thought had popped into my mind while praying the Rosary today…

The line in the second verse, “…pray for us sinners…” struck me.

It reads “pray for us sinners,” not “pray for me, a sinner.”

The Rosary is the devotional prayer most closely associated with Catholics. And rightly so, with the prayer’s popularity over the centuries and given that at any one time, there are probably hundreds of thousands (or more!) Catholics praying it around the clock, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

Someone, somewhere, right now, is praying a Rosary. Which mean that given the “pray for us sinners,” wording, there are thousands of people asking the Blessed Mother’s intercession for everyone and for each other, including you, right now.”

A sobering thought, especially if you’re going through a bad time. You are not alone. Someone, actually, a whole massive number of someones, are praying for you right now….”

If you are reading this, then there is an excellent chance that you have at least a basic book of Catholic prayers. Grab it and read the Morning Offering, and the Acts of Faith, Hope and Charity; especially if they are the traditional versions. Read them. Yes, you’ve probably read them 10,000 times already…. read them again, very slowly and ponder each line. Be like Mary, who “ponder these things in her heart.” Contemplate them, try to read them as if for the first time. They are really mind-blowing when you consider the words and what you are asking and declaring. (Not to mention the scary consideration of the “Our Father” in which you are asking God to forgive you of your sins only on the condition that you forgive others first. Think about that!)

But for your convenience:

MORNING OFFERING

O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I offer You my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day for all the intentions
of Your Sacred Heart,
in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world,
in reparation for my sins,
for the intentions of all my relatives and friends,
and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father.

ACT OF FAITH

O MY GOD, I firmly believe that Thou art one God in Three Divine Persons, Father, Son and Holy Ghost. I believe that Thy Divine Son became Man, and died for our sins, and that He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches, because Thou hast revealed them, Who canst neither deceive nor be deceived.

ACT OF HOPE

O MY GOD, relying on Thy almighty power and infinite mercy and promises, I
hope to obtain pardon of my sins, the help of Thy grace, and Life Everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer.

ACT OF CHARITY

O MY GOD, I love Thee above all things, with my whole heart and soul, because Thou art all-good and worthy of all love. I love my neighbor as myself for the love of Thee. I forgive all who have injured me, and ask pardon of all whom I have injured.

Ponder every line, carefully. Perhaps your prayer life will be rejuvenated a little and you’ll see prayer in a different light. You can try this with other prayers as well.

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