It's When You're Down that you need Him most in your Corner

Before you proceed, I'm doing the courtesy of telling you in advance that I'm going to talk about my faith. I'm a Catholic, so if you have any aversion to me talking about my faith, well you can skip this post.

God forbid, I don't want to be accused of proselytizing in the internet. Psst! Don't tell anyone but I'm not even interested in converting anyone to my religion. You know why? Because I think my position in the big BOSS' book up there, is kinda iffy as it is. I heard newly converts are more faithful than the born Catholics like me, in general lah. So that's why I don't talk or spread my religion to non-Catholics. I sure the hell don't want to introduce the religion to some Non-Catholics, who would turn out to be better than me thus diminishing further my position in the BOSS' book just because he/she is a better Catholic than I am. I'm not saying that only through Catholism can one enter paradize. :P No! No! I haven't died yet, so I wouldn't know. Like the bigger than life late Datuk Peter J. Mojuntin once said(someone quoted this to me), there is more than one way to 'syurga'.

Oooh! You're still reading. I warned you, now you have to forever hold your peace.

Ok, I'm going to get serious now. Only God knows how stressed and depressed I was for the past few days, not even my own mother or my wife. It doesn't help that I'm usually a silent person, I don't talk much. So my being quiet was normal to them. Running this upstart business of mine which encountered some set backs couple of days ago and being away from my son had taken its toll on me. I don't whine, at least not openly, I think that could be why I was so penned up. Maybe I should learn how to whine but I think whining is an unproductive and wasteful exercise. That is what I came to conclude having lived in a foreign country by myself for the better part of my adult life. I learned to suck it up and dealt with my problems because there was no one I could turn to. It's not like if I whine, my problems will say, "Owh! Poor Justin. I'm going to leave him alone now". 

Someone close to me lamented to me that she had abandon God because things were not going well with her. That got me thinking, why do people always do that? Why blame God for your troubles? I don't see you thanking Him when you are doing well, so why blame Him for your troubles? I remember reading somewhere, in my more active Catholic days, it said some of us are arrogant basically. We think we are in control of our lives but we're not. When we have problems, we are too arrogant to surrender our problems to God and trust that He will not forsake us. Our problems are the Crosses that we carry and God offered to carry them for us or help us carry them at least but most of the time, we snubbed Him. It is in time of great needs that He is even more present in our lives but we don't see it. He's just waiting at the door waiting to be let in and listen to our problems but we are too arrogant to think that only we could resolve our problems. 

So I decided to go to a quiet corner and prayed for the first time since like forever. I don't have anyone to share my burden with, how is praying going to hurt? So I talked to God that day. 

These are the following prayers that I read. 

Act of Fatih

O my God, I firmly believe that You are one God in three divine Persons, Father , Son and Holy Spirit.

I believe that Your divine Son became man, died for our sins, and that He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the holy Catholic Church teaches, because You have revealed them Who can neither deceive nor be deceived. 

Prayer to Christ The King

Christ Jesus, I acknowledge. You King of the universe. All that has been created has been made for You. Make full use of Your rights over me.

I renew the promises I made in Baptism, when I renounced Satan and all his pomps and works, and I promise to live a good Christian life and not to do all in my power to procure the triumph of the rights of God and Your Church.

Divine Heart of Jesus, I offer You my efforts in order to obtain that all hearts may acknowledge Your Sacred Royalty, and that thus the Kingdom of Your peace may be established throughout the universe. Amen

Prayer for the sick (for a friend)

Dear Jesus, Divine Physician and Healer of the Sick, we turn to You in this time of illness. O dearest Comforter of the Troubled, alleviate our worry and sorrow with Your gentle love, and grant us the grace and strength to accept this burden. Dear God, we place our worries in Your hands. We place our sick under Your care and humbly ask that You restore Your servant to health again. Above all, grant us the grace to acknowledge Your holy will and know that whatsoever You do, You do for the love of us. Amen.

Prayer in time of suffering (for myself)

Behold me, my beloved Jesus, weighed down under the burden of my trials and sufferings, I cast myself at Your feet, that You may renew my strength and my courage, while I rest here in Your presence. Permit me to lay down my cross in Your Sacred Heart, for only Your infinite goodness can sustain me; only Your love can help me bear my cross; only Your powerful hand can lighten its weight. O Divine King, Jesus, whose heart is so compassionate to the afflicted, I wish to live in You; suffer and die in You. During my life be to me my model and my support; At the hour of my death, be my hope and my refuge. Amen

Prayer for the souls in Purgatory (for my deceased relatives and the forgotten souls)

O gentle Heart of Jesus, ever present in the Blessed Sacrament, every consumed with burning love for the poor captive souls in Purgatory, have mercy on them.

Be not severe in Your judgments, but let some of Your Precious Blood fall upon the devouring flames. And, Merciful Savior, send Your angels to conduct them to a place of refreshment, light and peace. Amen

St Anthony. Souce : Wikipedia

Prayers to St. Anthony of Padua (for intercession)

Glorious St. Anthony, my friend and special Protection, I come to you with full confidence in my present necessity. In your overflowing generosity you hear all those who turn to you. Your influence before the throne of God is so effective that the Lord readily grants great favors at your request. 

Please listen to my humble petition in spite of my unworthiness and sinfulness. Consider only your great and constant love for Jesus and Mary, and my desire for their glory and mercy. I beg you to obtain for the grace I so greatly need (mention your petition), if it be God's will and for the good of my soul. 

I place this earnest petition in the care of the little mission children so that they may present it to you along with their innocent prayers. 

Bless me, powerful St. Anthony, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

St Jude. Source http://www.st-jude-medal.com/

Daily prayer to St Jude (I know. Seems like an overkill right but what's another prayer going to harm. He's the Patron Saint of Lost Causes, I certainly fit the bill)

O glorious Apostle St. Jue, the true relative of Jesus and Mary, I salute you through the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. 

Through his Heart, I praise and thank God for all the graces He has bestowed upon you. Humbly prostrate before you, I implore you through this heart to look down upon me with compassion. Despite not my poor prayer and let not my trust be in vain. To you has been assigned the privilege of aiding mankind in the most desperate cases. Oh, come to my aid that I may praise the mercies of God. 

All my life I will be grateful to you and will be your faithful client until I can thank you in heaven. Amen.

END

So were my prayer answered? :D. I'm not saying but think about it, why am I sharing it here... I really should start going back to Church after this.