A friend gave me a very compact edition of the New Testament and I enjoy taking it with me to Mass to read before the Blessed Sacrament. And of course I have some of my favorite prayer cards tucked away between its pages. Which prayers? I’m glad you asked! They are Cardinal Manning’s Prayer for Light, the beautiful Anima Christi, St. Faustina’s Prayer for Priests, and the Regina Coeli. Text of prayers follows below. PS: For some truly beautiful Catholic cards and more with a traditional look, see TradeMark Catholic Stationery.

Prayer for Light

O Holy Spirit of God, take me as Thy Disciple.
Guide me, illuminate me, sanctify me.
Bind my hands that they may do no evil.
Cover my eyes that they may see it no more.
Sanctify my heart that evil may not dwell within me.
Be Thou my God. Be Thou my Guide
Withersoever Thou leadest me I will go.
Whatsoever Thou forbiddest me I will renounce.
And whatsoever Thou commandest me,
in Thy strength I will do.
Lead me then unto the fullness of Thy truth.
Amen.

—Cardinal Manning

Anima Christi (Soul of Christ)

Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from Christ’s side, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O good Jesus, hear me.
Within Thy wounds hide me.
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee.
From the malicious enemy defend me.
In the hour of my death call me
And bid me come unto Thee,
That I may praise Thee with Thy saints
and with Thy angels.
Forever and ever.
Amen.

(Many have speculated as to the identity of the author of the well-known and well-loved Anima Christi but all we know for certain is that the prayer is very old, dating back to around the 14th century.)

St. Faustina’s Prayer for Priests

“O my Jesus, I beg You on behalf of the whole Church: Grant it love and the light of Your Spirit, and give power to the words of Priests so that hardened hearts might be brought to repentance and return to You, O Lord. Lord, give us holy Priests; You yourself maintain them in holiness. O Divine and Great High Priest, may the power of Your mercy accompany them everywhere and protect them from the devil’s traps and snares which are continually being set for the soul of Priests.

May the power of Your mercy, O Lord, shatter and bring to naught all that might tarnish the sanctity of Priests, for You can do all things.”

—St. Faustina’s Diary #1052

Regina Coeli

Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia.
For He whom you did merit to bear, alleluia.
Has risen, as He said, alleluia.
Pray for us to God, alleluia.

V.Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.
R. For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.

Let us pray.

O God, who gave joy to the world through the resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, grant we beseech Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Well, there you have it. These are the prayers I’m working with these days. Praying over and over. Meditating on the words, meditating around and behind and through the words. Praying for light. For Light. For Love. To be a true disciple of the Lord.

May our Savior assist me always to be a true disciple worthy of so great a Lord. May He bless you too. Peace be with you.