Prayers
"Consider your own call brothers and sisters..."
Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise... NRS 1 Corinthians 1:26
Prayer to know
one's vocation
one's vocation
Lord my God, my loving Father, you have made me to know you, to love you, to serve you, and thereby to find and fulfil myself. I know that you are in all things and that every path can lead me to you, but of them all there is one especially by which you want me to come to you. Since I will do what you want of me, I pray that you send your Holy Spirit to me: Into my mind to show me what you want of me; into my heart to give me the determination to do it, and to do it with all my love, with all my mind and with all my strength. Amen
Prayer to follow the call of Christ
Lord. I thank you for the gifts you have given me, especially for life, love, family and friends. Help me to know myself better and to know my talents, as I pray study and decide on my life's work. Help me to see and understand the path that you have opened for me. help me to choose a life's work which will be in response to my potential and your plans for me. If I am being invited to follow you as a priest, a brother or a sister, give me a generous heart to respond to your challenging call and the strength to follow you wherever you lead me.
Prayer of
Thomas Merton
Thomas Merton
My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me, nor do i really know myself. And the fact that I think that I am following you will, does not mean that I am actually doing so. But i believe that the desire to please you, does in fact please you. And I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if i do this, you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always, though i seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my struggles alone.
Prayer for discernment
God, I know you love me and have great plans for me. But Sometimes I am overwhelmed by the thought of my future. Show me how to walk forward one day at a time. May I take heart whilst I search openly, learn about the choices, listen to others for advice and pay attention to my own feelings. By doing these things, may I hear your call to a lifestyle and a career that will let me love as only as I can. And let me serve others with the special gift which you have given me. Amen