Prayers Loved by My Dearest Grandmother

Matilde Castro Santos

My loving grandmother instilled in each of us religious values with the belief that we can impart peace and love to all.  She is in heaven now, and we will always cherish the memorable times we spent with her.  In memory of her, I would like to share some of the prayers she loved.  RIP Matilde Castro Santos.

Grandma’s Favorite Prayers:

Act of Love

Dear Jesus, I love you with my whole heart, my whole soul, and all my strength.  May the love of Your own Sacred Heart fill my soul and purify it so that I may die to the world for love of You, as You died on the Cross for love of me.  My God, You are all mine; grant that I may be all Yours in time and in eternity.

Act of Hope 

Good Jesus, in You alone I place all my hope.  You are my salvation and my strength, the Source of all good.  Through Your mercy, through Your Passion and Death, I hope to obtain the pardon of my sins, the grace of final perseverance, and a happy eternity.

PRAYERS FOR EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK

Sunday

The Most Holy Trinity

Most blessed Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, behold us kneeling in Your Divine presence.  We humble ourselves deeply and beg of You the forgiveness of our sins.  We adore You, almighty Father, and with all our hearts we thank You for having given us Your Divine Son Jesus to be our Redeemer.

We adore You, Word of God, Jesus our Redeemer, and with all our hearts we thank You for having taken human flesh upon Yourself and having become priest and victim for our redemption in the sacrifice of the Cross, a sacrifice that, through Your great love, You renew upon our altars.

We adore you, Divine Spirit, and with all our hearts we thank You for having worked the unfathomable mystery of the Incarnation of the Word of God with such great love for us, a blessing that is being continually extended and increased in the Sacrament of the Eucharist.  By this adorable mystery grant us and all poor sinners Your holy grace.  Pour forth Your sacred gifts upon us and upon all redeemed souls.

Monday

The Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit, Divine Paraclete, Father of the poor, Consoler of the afflicted, and Sanctifier of souls, behold us prostrate in Your presence.  We adore You with deepest submission and we repeat with the seraphim who stand before Your throne; “Holy, holy, holy!”

You filled the soul of Mary with immense graces and inflamed the hearts of the apostles with holy zeal; enkindle our hearts with Your love.  You are a supernatural light; enlighten us that we may understand eternal things.  You appeared as a dove; grant us purity of life.

You came as a wind full of sweetness; disperse the storms of passion that rise in us.  You appeared as a tongue; teach us to sing Your praises without ceasing.  You came forth in a cloud; cover us with the shade of Your protection.

O Bestower of heavenly gifts, vivify us by Your grace, sanctify us by Your love, and govern us by Your infinite mercy, so that we may never cease blessing, praising, and loving You now during our earthly lives and later in heaven for all eternity.

Tuesday

All Angels and Saints

Heavenly Father, in praising Your Angels and Saints we praise Your glory, for by honoring them we honor You, their Creator.  Their splendor shows us our greatness, which infinitely surpasses that of all creation.

In Your loving providence, You saw fit to send your Angels to watch over us.  Grant that we may always be under their protection and one day enjoy their company in heaven.

Heavenly Father, You are glorified in Your Saints, for their glory is the crowning of Your gifts.  You provide an example for us by their lives on earth, You give us their friendship by our communion with them.  You grant us strength and protection through their prayer for the Church, and You spur us on to victory over evil and the price of eternal glory by this great company of witnesses.

Grant that we who aspire to take part in their joy may be filled with the Spirit that blessed their lives, so that, after sharing their faith on earth, we may also experience their peace in heaven.

Wednesday

St. Joseph

Holy Joseph, you were always most just; make us relish what is right.  You sustained Jesus and Mary in time of trial; sustain us by your help.  You provided for all the needs of Jesus and Mary; help the needy of the whole world.  You rescued Jesus from Herod who sought to kill Him; save us from our many sins.

You were the foster father of Christ, the priest-victim; make priests faithful to their calling.  You were the foster father of Christ, the divine physician; sustain the sick and obtain relief for them.  You died the holiest of deaths in the arms of Jesus and Mary; intercede for the dying.  You were the intrepid guardian of the Holy Family; protect all Christian families.

You cared for Jesus with true fatherly love; protect all children in the world.  You were a dedicated and honest worker in your trade as a carpenter; teach us to labor for Jesus.  You were the faithful and chaste spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary; preserve in all hearts a love of fidelity and purity.  You were a model single person and a model father later on; help all human beings to imitate your virtues.

Thursday

The Blessed Sacrament

Lord Jesus, at the Last Supper as You sat at table with Yourself to the Father as the spotless lamb, the acceptable gift that renders perfect praise to Him.  You have given us the memorial of Your Passion to bring us its saving power until the end of time.  In this great Sacrament You feed Your people and strengthen them in holiness, so that the human family may come to walk in the light of one faith, and in one communion of love.  We are fed at Your table and grow into Your risen likeness.  

Lord Jesus, You are the Eternal and True Priest Who established this unending sacrifice.  You offered Yourself as a Victim for our deliverance and You taught us to offer it throughout time in memory of You.  As we eat Your Body that You gave for us, we grow in strength.  As we drink Your Blood that You poured out for us, we are washed clean.

Lord Jesus, let the power of Your Eucharist pervade every aspect of our daily lives.  Let Your consecration transform all our action and all the events of each day into supernatural agents that form Your Mystical Body.

Friday

The Holy Cross

Lord Jesus, from the height of Your throne of suffering You reveal the depth of Your love for us.  Lifted up from the world on the Cross, You draw everyone to Yourself.

The Cross is both the symbol and the act by which You raised up the world from all its sin and weakness.  But You also ask for our cooperation.

Help us to die to self so that we may live for You and our fellow human beings.  Set us free from the slavery of our passions, our prejudices, and our selfishness.  Enable us to endure the pains and trials of this life and really help to change the world in our own small way.

Keep before our minds the conviction that in the Cross is salvation and life as well as defense against our enemies.  Through the Cross heavenly grace is given us, our minds are strengthened, and we experience spiritual joy.  In the Cross is the height of virtue and the perfection of all sanctity.  Let us take up our Cross, and follow You through earthly sorrow into eternal happiness in heaven. 

Saturday

The Blessed Virgin Mary

Virgin Mother of God, most august Mother of the Church, we commend the whole Church to you.

You bear the seer name of “Help of Bishops”; keep the bishops in your care, and be at their side and at the side of the priests, religious, and laity who offer them help in sustaining the difficult work of the pastoral office.

From the Cross, the Divine Savior, your Son, gave you as a most loving Mother to the disciple whom He loved; remember, the Christian people who commit themselves to you.

Be mindful of all your children; join to their prayers your special power and authority with God.  Keep their faith whole and lasting, strengthen their hope, and enkindle their love.  Come to the aid of those who find themselves in hardship, in need, in danger, and especially those who are suffering from persecution.

We commend the whole human race to your Immaculate Heart, O Virgin Mother of God.  Lead it to acknowledge Jesus as the one true Savior.  Drive far from it all the calamities provoked by sin.  Bring it peace, which consists in truth, justice, liberty, and love.