One of my favorite prayer books is called the Raccolta. I know, the title sounds like an entre at an Italian restaurant. But Raccolta is actually an abbreviation of the full title, which is a bit overwhelming: Raccolta di orazioni e pie opere per le quali sono state concesse dai Sommi Pontefici le Sante Indulgenze. That translates to Collection of Prayers and Pious Works for Which Holy Indulgences Have Been Conceded by the Supreme Pontiffs.
Many editions of the Raccolta have been published from 1807 to 1952. And while it’s a great resource, the prayers often sound antiquated to our modern ears, and I have to pray them slowly and reverently or I find myself just reading words.
I have other antique collections, including a 165-year-old book titled, St. John’s Manual, consisting of 1,200 pages of prayers, devotions, Scripture, catechism and Catholic doctrine. In the preface, the authors said, “St. John’s Manual is, it is hoped, the most complete and accurate prayer book ever offered to the Catholic community in the United States.”
It still may hold that distinction, although some works by Father Francis Xavier Lasance possibly rival it. Father Lasance, who died at 86 in 1946, wrote 39 devotional books and sold millions of copies. He refused compensation, and the profits went to charity to buy prayer books for those would couldn’t afford them.
I own several of his works, including The Blessed Sacrament Prayerbook, Our Lady Book, Prisoner of Love, the Father Lasance Prayerbook and Holiness and Happiness.
One thing these classics have in common is the language sounds anachronistic and can be as challenging as Shakespeare. You’ll frequently encounter words like “vouchsafe,” “succor,” “invoke,” “chastise,” “render,” “entreat,” “wherefore,” “dwelt,” “wert,” “dost,” “recourse” and a lot of verbs that end in “est.” They also have convoluted compound-complex sentences that go on and on and can be quite confusing.
Sometimes I find myself mouthing the words without paying attention to their meaning, and that’s never good.
I have to remember what Jesus said: “In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. This is how you are to pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and do not subject us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one.”
It’s so easy to “babble like the pagans” and use a lot of words. Jesus understood the value of simplicity and that prayer from the heart is more efficacious than prolonged recitation of sentences. Besides, the best prayers are often the simplest.
Among my favorites is one Jesus gave St. Faustina Kowalska: “Jesus, I trust in you.” Easier said than done, but the more you say it, the easier it becomes. And never let a day go by without also saying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, which he also gave her. It saves a lot of souls.
Another prayer I say every day is the Chaplet of the Blessed Sacrament, which was approved by St. Pius X in 1911. It is said on 33 beads, one for each year of Our Savior’s life. On the medal recite, “Since I cannot now receive Thee, my Jesus, in Holy Communion, come spiritually into my heart, and make it Thine forever.” On each bead say, “Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament have mercy on us!”
A simple prayer, which has a long time-honored tradition in the Orthodox Church, is the Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Many Eastern saints and monks prayed those words throughout the day throughout their lives.
The center of our devotions should be the rosary, with its meditations on Jesus and the Blessed Mother. Pious tradition holds that she gave it to St. Dominic in 1208, and over the centuries it has been endorsed by saints and popes. St. Padre Pio said, “The rosary is the weapon for these times.” And St. Francis de Sales affirmed that “The greatest method of praying is to pray the rosary.”
If possible, pray the Rosary in front of the tabernacle or during Eucharistic Adoration, where you can talk to Jesus heart to heart and take the time to listen to what he has to say.
Powerful prayers were given to the three shepherd children at Fatima by the Blessed Mother and the Angel of Peace, which should be said often in our troubled times. Here are three of them:
In 1916, the Angel of Peace taught them what is known as the “theological prayer:” “My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love You! And I began pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love You”
Also, the Trinitarian Prayer: “Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore You profoundly. I offer You the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifference by which He is offended. By the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg the conversion of poor sinners.”
Our Lady told the children: “Sacrifice yourselves for sinners, and say [this prayer] many times, especially whenever you make some sacrifice: O Jesus, it is for love of You, for the conversion of sinners and reparation for sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.”
Always remember to offer your suffering to Jesus, and he will use it to save those wandering in darkness. A few words are sufficient: “I give my suffering to Jesus for the sake of the work He must do to save others.”
I say several morning offerings, including this short and powerful one: “Dear God in heaven, I pledge my allegiance to you. I give you my life, my work and my heart. In turn, give me the grace of obeying your every direction to the fullest possible extent.”
My favorite morning prayer was written by a young girl named Nikole Drummond, who was suffering a debilitating illness. When she was 17 during a period of intense pain, she wrote:
“Lord, let me wake up every morning and be thankful for the wonderful life that you have given me.
Help me to see the good in things.
Help me to be happy with who I am and the life I am living. Lead me down the path you have set for me.
Guide me in the way that I get to show the world my gifts.
I put all in your hands, Jesus. Use me as your vessel.
I thank you for my health, love, abilities, family, friends, and most of all this life. I will do great things in your name.”