M A Y
Prayer for May First
O GOD, on this day, dedicated through long centuries to the honoring of Mary, Mother of Your divine Son, look down upon us Your children gathered here, and upon the millions of others who are also assembling in unnumbered other places throughout America, to pray for the people of Russia and for all those in countries under the influence of Communism. We pray that all these, our brothers and sisters in Christ, now dominated by the opponents of the Savior, may soon enjoy the full freedom to exercise those human rights and personal liberties that come from You and You alone.
We thank You, O heavenly Father, for the guidance given to our Founding Fathers in recognizing that "all men" of all nations "are endowed by their Creator with unalienable right," and in realizing at the very birth of our nation that the chief purpose of government is to safeguard these divine rights for even the least of us. Enable us, O God, to do all in our power to share with "all men" our heritage, Your precious blessings of true freedom.
We pray especially for those misguided souls who are spreading a hatred of You and of Your children throughout all nations. May we be enlightened and strengthened by the Holy Spirit never to "be overcome by evil, but overcome evil by good" (Romans 12:21); that we may comprehend fully the sublime lesson of Your Incarnate Son: "Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you and pray for them that persecute you" (Matthew 5:44).
Inspire us, O God, with a love of all men, and especially for those who suffer and are persecuted; teach us to go in Your name, as Christ-bearers, to bring love where there is hate, light of Christian principles where there is darkness of error; help us for Your honor and Glory to renew the face of the earth. Enable us never to flinch where truth and justice are assailed. May we serve You as other Christs by prayer and good works by bringing into every phase of private and public life the only truth that can make me free, the only love that embraces all mankind, the only peace that will last through the eternal ages.
Be so kind as to heed our fervent prayer, almighty God, that we, Your sons and daughters, despite our many weaknesses and failures, may be found worthy instruments of Your peace and messengers of Your love, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer For Choosing A State Of Life
FROM all eternity, O Lord, You planned my very existence and my destiny. You Wrapped me in Your love in baptism and gave me the Faith to lead me to an eternal life of happiness with You. You have showered me with Your graces and You have been always ready with Your mercy and forgiveness when I have fallen. Now I beg You for the light I so earnestly need that I may find the way of life in which lies the best fulfillment of Your will. Whatever state this may be, give me the grace necessary to embrace it with love of Your holy will, as devotedly as Your Blessed Mother did Your will. I offer myself to You now, trusting in Your wisdom and love to direct me in working out my salvation and in helping others to know and come close to You, so that I may find my reward in union with You for ever and ever. Amen.
A Prayer to Mary for Charity
DEAR Mother Mary, you lived for many years in the little country town of Nazareth. You had neighbors, good and bad. And you had occasion to talk about them to other people, and to listen to what others said about them. But we know, Mary, that in all your conversations with your neighbors, and about them, you never committed the least sin.
Make us realize, dear Mother, that there are no people who are so bad that we cannot say something good about them. Teach us to speak of the good things people do, instead of the evil. And when we must speak of the evil deeds, let us condemn the deed, and not the doer. Your own Son died on the cross to wipe away such deeds, and to save the men that do them.
Help us, when the conversation begins to become harmful to our neighbor, to turn it to other subjects with prudence and tact.
Mother Mary, you were always a good neighbor. The very thought of you, when the temptation to indulge in sinful gossip comes, will be a great help to us. You, Mary, are the Mother of divine Love; teach us to practice great charity and kindness in all our dealings with our fellow human beings. Amen.
A Prayer to the Holy Spirit
MOST Holy Spirit of God, Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, there was a day (or there will be) when, by Your infinite mercy, the Most Reverend Bishop called me by name, and said, "I sign you with the sign of the cross, and I confirm you with the chrism of salvation; in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen." That was the day on which I was confirmed. On that blessed day the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and fortitude, of knowledge and piety, and of wholesome, childlike fear of You, was called down upon me. On that blessed day, when the holy oil was traced in the form of a cross upon my brow, my soul was sealed with the seal of Your Spirit, and was marked with an indelible mark. I was made, body and soul, a temple of Your Holy Spirit. Dear God, let me today once more thank you for the wonderful grace of confirmation. Let me never do anything that would violate or desecrate the temple that has been dedicated and consecrated to You. Let me never be ashamed of my badge of Christian soldiership. Let me serve You faithfully and bravely, no matter how long the fight, nor how intense or dangerous the battle may be. Help me to realize that as long as I fight bravely, and stay close to Christ, I can be absolutely certain of final victory, and so find my most perfect happiness in the complete possession of God forever in heaven. Amen.