St. Teresa...

Let nothing affright thee,

Nothing dismay thee.

All is passing,

God ever remains.

Patience obtains all.

Whoever possesses God

Cannot lack anything

God alone suffices.

Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch.

Ten Practical Prayer Tips from the Carmelite Sisters

•Take a line from the liturgy of the day and repeat it during the day – a new line every day. The responsorial psalm and the Gospel Acclamation theme are good ones to use.


•Let a spiritual thought from a hymn or a book or Mass be as background music in your mind during the day.


•Take a holy card (or picture) of Christ and place it where you can see it so that you may think of Him.


•Make a spiritual communion every hour. I set the stop watch I use.


•Fix your inward gaze upon Him amidst your occupations.


•Find a “trigger moment,” such as putting your keys on the desk; turning off the computer, or laying out clothes for the next day that can serve as a reminder to take a moment for short prayer.


•Instead of a coffee break, take a short prayer break. In the mid-morning or mid-afternoon, get up and move into a different space and think of God.


•I think of God every time I look at a watch or clock.


•I sing hymns in my heart during the day.


•Make Spiritual aspirations during the day. (See below)

What are Spiritual Aspirations?

(From the spiritual works of St. Francis de Sales)

“My child, aspire continually to God, by brief, ardent upliftings of heart; praise God, invoke His aid, cast yourself in spirit at the Foot of His Cross, adore His Goodness, offer your whole soul a thousand times a day to Him, fix your inward gaze upon Him, stretch out your hands to be led by Him, as a little child to its father, clasp Him to your breast as a fragrant bouquet.

In short, enkindle by every possible action your love for God, your tender, passionate desire for the Heavenly Bridegroom of souls. Such is prayer of aspiration, as it was so earnestly inculcated by Saint Augustine; and be sure, my child, that if you seek such nearness and intimacy with God your whole soul will imbibe the perfume of His Perfections.

Neither is this a difficult practice – it may be interwoven with all our duties and occupations, without hindering any; for neither the spiritual retreat of which I have spoken, nor these inward upliftings of the heart, cause more than a very brief distraction, which, so far from being any hindrance, will rather promote whatever you are doing. The practice of these short aspirations can supply all our deficiencies, but without a true contemplative life cannot be lived, and the active life will be but imperfect.” – St. Francis de Sales

http://www.integratedcatholiclife.org/2011/10/ask-a-carmelite-ten-practical-prayer-tips-camelite-sisters/

Psalms of Comfort

In Thee, O LORD, I have taken refuge;

Let me never be ashamed

In Thy righteousness deliver me.

Incline Thine ear to me, rescue me quickly;

Be Thou to me a rock of strength
(refuge, protection);

A stronghold to save me.

For Thou art my rock and my fortress;

For Thy name's sake Thou wilt lead me and guide me....

.

For Thou art my strength.

Into Thy hand I commit my spirit;

Thou has ransomed me, O LORD, God of truth.

.

Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress;

My eye is wasted away from grief,
my soul and my body also.

For my life is spent with sorrow,

And my years with sighing;

My strength has failed...

And my body has wasted away.

.

Because of all my adversaries,
I have become a reproach,

Especially to my neighbors,

And an object of dread to my acquaintances;

Those who see me in the street flee from me.

I am forgotten as a dead man, out of mind,

I am like a broken vessel.

For I have heard the whispering of many,

Terror is on every side;

While they took counsel together against me,

They schemed to take away my life.

~Psalm 31:1-3,4b,9-13 NASB

.

Since I am afflicted and needy,

Let the LORD be mindful of me;

Thou art my help and my deliverer;

Do not delay, O my God.

~Psalm 40:17 NASB

Cast your burden (what He has given you)

upon the Lord, and He will sustain you.

He never will allow the righteous

to be shaken (to totter).

~Psalm 55:22 NASB

How to recite the Holy Rosary

1. SAY THESE PRAYERS…

IN THE NAME of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. (As you
say this, with your right hand touch your
forehead when you say Father, touch your
breastbone when you say Son, touch your
left shoulder when you say Holy, and touch
your right shoulder when you say Spirit.)

I BELIEVE IN GOD, the Father almighty,
Creator of Heaven and earth. And in Jesus
Christ, His only Son, our Lord, Who was
conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the
Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate;
was crucified, died, and was buried. He
descended into Hell. The third day He rose
again from the dead. He ascended into
Heaven, and sits at the right hand of God,
the Father almighty. He shall come again to
judge the living and the dead. I believe in
the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of
sins, the resurrection of the body, and life
everlasting. Amen.

OUR FATHER, Who art in Heaven,
hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom
come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in
Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive
those who trespass against us. And lead us
not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Amen.

HAIL MARY, full of grace, the Lord is
with thee. Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us
sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

GLORY BE to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the
beginning is now, and ever shall be, world
without end. Amen.

O MY JESUS, forgive us our sins, save us
from the fires of Hell; lead all souls to
Heaven, especially those in most need of
Thy mercy. Amen.

HAIL HOLY QUEEN, mother of mercy;
our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To
thee do we cry, poor banished children of
Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this vale of tears.
Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine
eyes of mercy toward us. And after this, our
exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy
womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet
Virgin Mary. Pray for us, O holy Mother of
God, that we may be made worthy of the
promises of Christ. Amen.

O GOD, WHOSE only-begotten Son by
His life, death and resurrection, has
purchased for us the rewards of eternal life;
grant, we beseech Thee, that by meditating
upon these mysteries of the Most Holy
Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may
imitate what they contain and obtain what
they promise, through the same Christ our
Lord. Amen.

ANNOUNCE each mystery by saying
something like, “The third Joyful Mystery is
the Birth of Our Lord.” This is required only
when saying the Rosary in a group.

2. IN THIS ORDER…
INTRODUCTION
1. IN THE NAME…
2. I BELIEVE IN GOD…
3. OUR FATHER…
4. HAIL MARY…
5. HAIL MARY…
6. HAIL MARY…
7. GLORY BE…
8. O MY JESUS…
THE FIRST DECADE
9. ANNOUNCE…
10. OUR FATHER…
11. HAIL MARY…
12. HAIL MARY…
13. HAIL MARY…
14. HAIL MARY…
15. HAIL MARY…
16. HAIL MARY…
17. HAIL MARY…
18. HAIL MARY…
19. HAIL MARY…
20. HAIL MARY…
21. GLORY BE…
22. O MY JESUS…
THE SECOND DECADE
23. ANNOUNCE…
24. OUR FATHER…
25. HAIL MARY…
26. HAIL MARY…
27. HAIL MARY…
28. HAIL MARY…
29. HAIL MARY…
30. HAIL MARY…
31. HAIL MARY…
32. HAIL MARY…
33. HAIL MARY…
34. HAIL MARY…
35. GLORY BE…
36. O MY JESUS…
THE THIRD DECADE
37. ANNOUNCE…
38. OUR FATHER…
39. HAIL MARY…
40. HAIL MARY…
41. HAIL MARY…
42. HAIL MARY…
43. HAIL MARY…
44. HAIL MARY…
45. HAIL MARY…
46. HAIL MARY…
47. HAIL MARY…
48. HAIL MARY…
49. GLORY BE…
50. O MY JESUS…
THE FOURTH DECADE
51. ANNOUNCE…
52. OUR FATHER…
53. HAIL MARY…
54. HAIL MARY…
55. HAIL MARY…
56. HAIL MARY…
57. HAIL MARY…
58. HAIL MARY…
59. HAIL MARY…
60. HAIL MARY…
61. HAIL MARY…
62. HAIL MARY…
63. GLORY BE…
64. O MY JESUS…
THE FIFTH DECADE
65. ANNOUNCE…
66. OUR FATHER…
67. HAIL MARY…
68. HAIL MARY…
69. HAIL MARY…
70. HAIL MARY…
71. HAIL MARY…
72. HAIL MARY…
73. HAIL MARY…
74. HAIL MARY…
75. HAIL MARY…
76. HAIL MARY…
77. GLORY BE…
78. O MY JESUS…
CONCLUSION
79. HAIL HOLY QUEEN…
80. O GOD, WHOSE…
81. IN THE NAME…

3. WHILE TOUCHING THESE BEADS TO
KEEP TRACK OF YOUR PROGRESS…

4. AND SILENTLY MEDITATING ON THESE “MYSTERIES”,
OR EVENTS FROM THE LIVES OF JESUS AND MARY…
On Monday and Saturday, meditate on the “Joyful Mysteries”
First Decade (Steps 9-22): The Annunciation of Gabriel to Mary (Luke 1:26-38)
Second Decade (Steps 23-36): The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-56)
Third Decade (Steps 37-50): The Birth of Our Lord (Luke 2:1-21)
Fourth Decade (Steps 51-64): The Presentation of Our Lord (Luke 2:22-38)
Fifth Decade (Steps 65-78): The Finding of Our Lord in the Temple (Luke 2:41-52)
On Thursday, meditate on the “Luminous Mysteries”
First Decade: The Baptism of Our Lord in the River Jordan (Matthew 3:13-16)
Second Decade: The Wedding at Cana, when Christ manifested Himself (Jn 2:1-11)
Third Decade: The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:14-15)
Fourth Decade: The Transfiguration of Our Lord (Matthew 17:1-8)
Fifth Decade: The Last Supper, when Our Lord gave us the Holy Eucharist (Mt 26)
On Tuesday and Friday, meditate on the “Sorrowful Mysteries”
First Decade: The Agony of Our Lord in the Garden (Matthew 26:36-56)
Second Decade: Our Lord is Scourged at the Pillar (Matthew 27:26)
Third Decade: Our Lord is Crowned with Thorns (Matthew 27:27-31)
Fourth Decade: Our Lord Carries the Cross to Calvary (Matthew 27:32)
Fifth Decade: The Crucifixion of Our Lord (Matthew 27:33-56)
On Wednesday and Sunday, meditate on the “Glorious Mysteries”
First Decade: The Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord (John 20:1-29)
Second Decade: The Ascension of Our Lord (Luke 24:36-53)
Third Decade: The Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-41)
Fourth Decade: The Assumption of Mary into Heaven
Fifth Decade: The Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth

A MORNING PRAYER WRITTEN BY ST. THERESE

O my God! I offer Thee all my actions of this day for the intentions and for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I desire to sanctify every beat of my heart, my every thought, my simplest works, by uniting them to Its infinite merits; and I wish to make reparation for my sins by casting them into the furnace of Its Merciful Love.

O my God! I ask of Thee for myself and for those whom I hold dear, the grace to fulfill perfectly Thy Holy Will, to accept for love of Thee the joys and sorrows of this passing life, so that we may one day be united together in heaven for all Eternity.
Amen