How To Pray For Others?

[Theresita Nerita]

Hi guys,

Anyone like to share how exactly they pray for others? Is there a particular wording or devotion that you use when praying for other people's prayer requests? What "works"?

Just looking for a little help and insight.

Also, Any success stories?

Thanks!!

Edited July 12, 2012 by Theresita Nerita

[MissyP89]

I just say whatever comes to my mind. "Lord, so-and-so is really going through a hard time right now. Give them the strength and grace to keep going, and help me see the best way to support them..." etc.

[cmotherofpirl]

In my Office book under the yearly section I have listed the death dates, anniversaries, and ordinations of all the people I know, worked with etc., so nobody gets left out. I used to try to keep a list during the day but I kept losing the list, so now I immediately say a short prayer and commend them to a Saint and God. I also pray when I hear the firetruck or ambulance, pray when passing a Church, or when I am frustrated."Lord have mercy" covers quite a bit, as does Sts Jude and Anthony.

[i<3franciscans]

[size=4][color=#000000][font=Times][color=#800000][i][font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]O Saint Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires.[/font][/i][/color][/font][/color]
[color=#000000][font=Times][color=#800000][i][font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]O Saint Joseph, 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.[/font][/i][/color][/font][/color]
[color=#000000][font=Times][color=#800000][i][font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]O Saint 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. Amen[/font][/i][/color][/font][/color]
[color=#000000][font=Times][color=#800000][i][font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]O Saint Joseph, hear my prayers and obtain my petitions. O Saint Joseph, pray for me. (Mention your intention)[/font][/i][/color][/font][/color][/size]


[i]That novena prayer has worked wonders for a friend of mine.[/i]

[PadrePioOfPietrelcino]

A couple times a week I sit down and review all of the various people I have been made aware of needing prayers. I the pray a rosary or two throughout the day specifically for these people. I'm enrolled in the Confraternity of the most Holy Rosary and strive to pray at least one a day. Most commonly I offer these up for a specific purpose. My family, Holy Father's intentions, Grace of the Holy Spirit to guide and protect mt Archbishop, Priests, Seminarians. I try to keep different intentions separate in each Rosary and as I meditate on the mysteries I try to think also about how they relate to the intention. I also try to keep prayers for people suffering and prayers for thanksgiving separate because it helps me to focus more. As well I try to say short prayers for each of these things when I go to Adoration and before mass in a more extemporaneous silent prayer.

I hope I didn't muddle my explanation too much and it makes sense.

[PadrePioOfPietrelcino]

Oh and I always add "may your will be done, and may we have the Grace to accept it if we are unable to understand."

[BarbTherese]

I have a written list of my special intentions and add to it as necessary. On feastdays e.g. an Apostle - I pray for our heirarchy; for a martyr, I pray for all who may suffer in any way at all; on Doctors of The Church, I pray for all baptized; for Our Lady's special days, I pray for mankind - and so on and so forth. As each feastday comes along, I settle on what intention will apply for that day.
I have special patron saints and ask their prayers for all my intentions and myself.
I once asked my director (priest) many years ago how he remembered to pray for all his intentions. He told me that he goes to the Chapel and prays "for all those I should pray for, for all who have asked for my prayers and for those who need them". I tried this, but it seemed for me at that time anyway, something of a cop out. I tried various means that might work for me and eventually settled on my written list and special intentions on various feast days. At times I am quite comfortable to pray "for all those I should pray for, all who have asked for my prayers and those who might need them". Other days regularly, I sit down with my list and recall each intention along with prayer to my patrons. Of my patrons, I ask them to pray always that what The Church teaches, The Gospel and Scripture may be always on my mind, on my lips, in my actions and in my heart - and that The Lord will grant me true recognition and insight, sorrow, and His Mercy on all my failings". Because of the circumstances of my way of life, I feel I probably have more time, at times, than many.

The Divine Office too has daily intercessions and especially at Morning and Evening Prayer. Over a year one prays for absolutely everything, including the salvation of all mankind. These intercessions are particuarly beautiful. The Our Father after the Intercessions is a review of a whole rule of life inclujding that God's Will may always be done in all things.

Edited July 15, 2012 by BarbaraTherese

[xTrishaxLynnx]

If it's a specific issue that has been ongoing, I say a prayer or even a Novena for the intercession of a saint who is patron of that issue or one close to it. Or sometimes it's just "Lord, give __(person's name)__ the clarity of mind to discern Your will in _(their situation)_ and the courage and grace to trust in You and follow Your will with joy." (That's one I say for myself quite often, as well!)

If the person simply asks for prayers in general, I will do what comes naturally and say a few Hail Marys or Our Fathers or some other appropriate prayer for them.

You'll find a way that you're comfortable with.

[Tab'le De'Bah-Rye]

I usually just say "GOD bless such and such may your will be done in there lives." Than a 'sacred heart of jesus have mercy' on us+ an our father,than a 'immaculate heart of mary pray for us' + a hail mary and than a glory be sometimes with a paticular saint intercession like 'saint christiopher pray for us + glory be. I have started generalising my glory be's by saying st joseph pray for us,st john the baptists pray for us and a all ye 13 holy souls(the apostles+st paul) pray for us than the glory be. Though on the rare occasion i do pray particular for lets say peace or patience, same format but a 'god please grant such and such peace that your will may be done in there lives' than the our father,hail mary and glory be, sometimes also at the beggining of the praying i will include there family and friends and not just such and such. Hope some of that helps, i'm not the grandest of prayers i guess, just nice and simple. Oh and sometimes i'm so flight for time i only get out the 'GOD bless etc etc' and only one our father. It can be all said thoughtfully(mentally) in public too. The our father is avery powerful prayer that incorporates all in general 'pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. As is the 'sacred heart of jesus have mercy on US' and the 'Immaculate heart of mary,pray for US." And when i have not the time or energy you can simply thoughtfully say 'LORD GOD please help such and such + an our father.' I don't know thats just how i pray. When it comes to prayer in the spirit i'm not so good with that but i do know the comendium catechism states that prayer in the spirit should be accompanied by and our father. Prayer in the spirit is kinda like where you just chat to GOD about things and asking this or that of him i may be wrong thats just a hunch.

Onward christian souls.
JESUS iz LORD.
GOD is GOOD, GOD is LOVE, GOD SAVES.

[Egidio]

I would suggest that every so often you might ask a priest to celebrate a Holy Mass for all those whom have asked you to pray for them. Can't do more than that!!



Of course everything else you all have said is good too.



AVE MARIA!

[Tab'le De'Bah-Rye]

Thanks egedio that reminds me, another way i pray for others is offering half of what i am to recieve from the holy eucharist to be given to people of my choice. Unsure if that is heretical, so best to ask somone about that. I just go the idea from somone telling me a saint cut his cloak in half to give to a poor cold begger. And i attend holy mass often usually and not just sunday,so plenty to go around, but than even one particle jesus is fully present. i wonder how many particles make up one host.

[beatitude]

I use the rosary for intercessory prayer, offering each decade for a particular person.

Bl. Charles de Foucauld had a very simple way. He advised people to make their prayer for others part of their morning offering at the very start of the day, telling God, "Whatever I ask for myself, I ask also for others."

[emmaberry]

How do you get Masses said for those you are asked to pray for? At my parish, a Mass must be 'booked' about a year in advance-it is crazy! Thanks.

[Egidio]

[quote name='emmaberry' timestamp='1346040141' post='2474756']
How do you get Masses said for those you are asked to pray for? At my parish, a Mass must be 'booked' about a year in advance-it is crazy! Thanks.
[/quote]

You could ask your local friars or monks if your parish is busy. Sometimes you can get in touch with priests in the missions who are in need of Mass stipends and so are happy to receive Mass intentions.

For us, if someone wants a Mass said on a particular day, then we do all possible to accommodate; otherwise if no specific date is required, the intention goes at the end of a list of Mass intentions that get done one by one. But i think that different priests have different methods.

What is important though is that you at least get your intention on a list, and leave the rest up to God!

AVE MARIA!!

[Theresita Nerita]

[quote name='beatitude' timestamp='1345237619' post='2469311']
Bl. Charles de Foucauld had a very simple way. He advised people to make their prayer for others part of their morning offering at the very start of the day, telling God, "Whatever I ask for myself, I ask also for others."
[/quote]

I love this! Good ol' Bl. Charles de Foucauld.

This is so true. I only recently realized HOW true, when I realized that the whole "one Body" thing is not a metaphor but literal. As in, if we are "united" to our neighbors in love (even to our enemies!) then we are as one person. And at the same time, one with Christ. Which means a few things to me:

1) Salvation is a group project. We don't get individual grades. I thought this would be a scary thing to admit, but is in fact liberating. If my enemy and I are either saved together or lost together, I would bet it's easier for us both to be saved through Jesus's mercy than both damned through our sins.

2) Which means I can and should pray for people, not just "for" them, but "as" them. In their place. Because if we're all one in God's eyes, my prayer is as good as theirs. If I say an Our Father for a criminal, it's as if they said it. If I receive the Eucharist "for" my roommate, it's as if she received it.

3) Which liberates me to pray much more often! And sin much less, since my prayers and sins count for them too, not just me.

4) This also gives me a greater confidence in intercession - when I ask the Mother of God to pray for me, it's as if I were praying, but with her merits! How can that not be heard?

Do you guys agree, or have any better insights? (I know this is straight out of Catholicism 101, but it's a revelation to me because I'm very slow on the uptake. )