The (YFC-Illinois) Word Weapons Cache Issue 3 September 26, 2001 Sometimes we take prayers to be weapons in our daily struggle to be thankful and joyous in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is never easy to remember His scarifice on the Cross and its meanings for each of us. That's why we often call our faith in the Lord a "battle" for which we will "fight" to believe in. The Word's "Weapons Cache" booklet offers you prayers to use. 26.9.01 The Jesus Prayer A prayer meant to be repeated over and over so that one gets caught up in the rhythm of the prayer. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on me, a sinner. ==== More prayers can be copied from St. Jane Frances Church in Pasadena, Maryland. ==== For Mercy Almighty and eternal God, look on the heart of your son and on the praise and satisfaction he offers you for sinners. In your goodness pardon those who ask your mercy, in the name of Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit now and forever. Amen. ==== An Act of Contrition O God, I am sorry with my whole heart for all my sins because you are Goodness itself and sin is an offense against you. Therefore I firmly resolve, with the help of your grace, not to sin again and to avoid the occasions of sin. ==== For Forgiveness of Sins (The Confetior) I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned through my own fault, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do; and I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin, all the angels and saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God. ==== Soul of Christ Soul of Christ, be my sanctification; Body of Christ, be my salvation; Blood of Christ, fill all my veins; Water of Christ's side, wash out my stains; Passion of Christ, my comfort be; O good Jesus, listen to me: In thy wounds I fain would hide, Never to be parted from thy side; Guard me, should the foe assail me; Call me when my life shall fail me; Bid me come to thee above, With thy saints to sing thy love World without end. Amen. Tr. John Henry Newman ==== Anima Christi Soul of Christ, sanctify me. Body of Christ, heal me. Blood of Christ, drench me. Water from the side of Christ, wash me. Passion of Christ, strengthen me. Good Jesus, hear me. In your wounds, shelter me. From turning away keep me. From the evil one, protect me. At the hour of my death, call me. Into your presence lead me, to praise you with all your saints for ever and ever. Amen. ==== To Christ, Our Only Teacher Thank you, Jesus, for bringing me this far. In your light I see the light of my life. Your teaching is brief and to the point: You persuade us to trust in our heavenly Father; you command us to love one another. What is easier than to believe in God? What is sweeter than to love him? Your yoke is pleasant, your burden is light, you, the one and only Teacher! You promise everything to those who obey your teaching; you ask nothing too hard for a believer, nothing a lover can refuse. Your promises to your disciples are true, entirely true, nothing but the truth. Even more, you promise us yourself, the perfection of all that can be made perfect. Thank you, Jesus, now and always. Amen. Nicholas of Cusa ==== Praises of God You are holy, Lord, the only God, and your deeds are wonderful. You are strong. You are great. You are the Most High, You are almighty. You, holy Father, are King of heaven and earth. You are Three and One, Lord God, all good. You are Good, all Good, supreme Good, Lord God, living and true. You are love, You are wisdom. You are humility, You are endurance. You are rest, You are peace. You are joy and gladness. You are justice and moderation. You are all our riches, And you suffice for us. You are beauty. You are gentleness. You are our protector, You are our guardian and defender. You are courage. You are our haven and our hope. You are our faith, Our great consolation. You are our eternal life, Great and wonderful Lord, God almighty, Merciful Savior. St. Francis of Assisi ==== The Divine Praises Blessed be God. Blessed be his holy name. Blessed be Jesus, true God and true Man. Blessed be the name of Jesus. Blessed be his most Sacred Heart. Blessed be his most Precious Blood. Blessed be Jesus in the most holy Sacrament of the Altar. Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete. Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy. Blessed be her holy and Immaculate Conception. Blessed be her glorious Assumption. Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother. Blessed be St. Joseph her most chaste spouse. Blessed be God in his angels and in his saints. ==== Prayer to Mary We turn to you for protection, holy Mother of God. Listen to our prayers and help us in our needs. Save us from every danger, glorious and blessed Virgin. ==== St. Patrick's Breastplate Christ, be with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ where I lie, Christ where I sit, Christ where I arise, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me. Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is of the Lord, Salvation is of the Christ. May your salvation, O Lord, be ever with us. ==== Prayer of St. Francis Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. ==== Day by Day Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, For all the benefits and blessings which you have given me, For all the pains and insults which you have borne for me. Merciful Friend, Brother and Redeemer, May I know you more clearly, Love you more dearly, And follow you more nearly, Day by day. St. Richard of Chichester ==== My Gift Lord, I freely yield all my freedom to you. Take my memory, my intellect and my entire will. You have given me anything I am or have; I give it all back to you to stand under your will alone. Your love and your grace are enough for me; I shall ask for nothing more. St. Ignatius Loyola ==== The Transfer of A Touch By Dick Eastman Once in Communist Romania, while I was attempting to teach vital prayer principles through a struggling interpreter, I found it impossible to continue. It seemed that no matter how I would phrase a concept, he could not find the Romanian words. Before I realized what was happening, I started to weep. Then, the interpreter began to weep. Soon, the whole room was filled with a baptism of brokenness, and I had hardly preached a few sentences. I had been trying to challenge these leaders to cultivate a new hunger for God in prayer, but no matter how hard I tried, my words failed. Then, in an instant, God baptized the entire group into a hunger for His presence. Mere words could never have caused this. In that moment, God spoke clearly: "These leaders have not heard your words, they have heard your heart. I have sent you here to teach with your tears." That day God miraculously took something from my heart and placed it in the heart of every person present. I couldn't fully understand it, but it reminded me of such Bible passages as Numbers 11:10-25 (where God transferred the touch from Moses's life to the 70 elders in Israel) and II Kings 2:1-15 where Elijah tossed down his mantle for the waiting Elisha. The more I meditated on these passages the more I realized there was something of an unexplainable longing in my heart for God's presence that He wanted to transfer to others. lt was a work only He could do. I also realized that my growing hunger for God had produced an increasing desire for various key qualities of spirit. Indeed, the more I longed for God, the stronger these qualities became. It soon dawned on me that if God were to take my heart and place it in the heart of another, these longings would also fill their hearts. And further, if He transferred their hearts' desires to me, I would benefit greatly from their "heart' qualities as well. This, I thought, was true fellowship! I share the following personal aspects of "spirit" (qualities from my walk in Jesus) with a longing to see God flood4your heart with a growing desire for all seven qualities. 1. A Spirit of Serving (Mark 10:44-45) The more we desire to be like Jesus, the more we will find a growing desire to serve others, for Jesus was a true servant. 2. A Spirit of Laughing (Psalm 16:11) In my personal life I've discovered the delight of God's presence which is the fullness of joy. I believe humor and its resulting laughter is a precious gift from God. 3. A Spirit of Giving (Luke 6:38) The more my wife Dee and I have learned to give, the more we've been blessed. "Giving," indeed is "living." May God give us all giving hearts. 4. A Spirit of Renewing (Mary 6:30-31) In some of the busiest times of our lives, God has taught us the secret of "coming away to rest awhile". 5. A Spirit of Waiting (Isaiah 40:31) Every unusual blessing of God, and every significant new development of ministry, began in my life out of a time of waiting on God." 6. A Spirit of Searching (Deut. 17:18-20) The more I've searched the Word of God, the more I've found myself longing for more of God. God's Word is, indeed, an expression of His very nature and character. 7. A Spirit of Weeping (Psalm 126:5-6) Both a hunger for God and a hunger for souls will bring a spirit of tears. As Charles Spurgeon said, tears are "liquid prayer." ==== May today there be peace within you. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. I believe that friends are quiet angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.