Prayer To St Paul Of The Cross? Top Answer Update

Prayers of Jesus in the Canonical Gospels

Christ on the Mount of Olives, by Josef Untersberger, by Josef Untersberger

There are a number of instances in which the canonical Gospels describe Jesus Christ praying to God.

Recorded prayers[ edit ]

The Gospels record words that Jesus spoke in prayer:

Other references to praying Jesus[ edit ]

Other references to Jesus’ prayer include:

In addition, Jesus spoke grace before the miracles of the feeding, at the Last Supper, and at the Lord’s Supper.

R. A. Torrey notes that Jesus prayed both early in the morning and throughout the night, that he prayed both before and after the great events of his life, and that he prayed “when life was unusually busy.”[1]

See also[edit]

Prayer is perhaps the most powerful

power that we possess. Clemens von

Alexandria said, “Prayer holds

Company with God.” By doing

prayer a part of your daily life,

You will feel the divine presence

which holds the key to peace and love.

–

“And Satan trembles when he sees

The weakest saint on his knees.”

~ William Cowper

–

The 15 strongest prayers

–

1)

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven,

Blessed be your name.

your kingdom come.

Your will be done on earth

how it is in heaven

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our sins

while we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

for yours is the kingdom

and power and glory forever.

Amen.

Matthew 6:9-13

–

2)

Breathe me in, o Holy Spirit,

that my thoughts are all holy.

Act in me, O Holy Spirit,

that my work also be holy

Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit,

that I love, but which is sacred

Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit,

to defend all that is sacred

Lead me then, O Holy Spirit,

that I may always be holy.

Amen

mother Teresa

–

3)

The lord is my shepherd; I will not want.

He lets me lie down on green meadows:

He leads me to still waters.

He restores my soul: he leads me into the

ways of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Yes, though I walk through the valley of

shadow of death, I fear no evil: for

you’re with me; your staff and your staff them

console me. You prepare a table

me in the presence of my enemies: you

anoint my head with oil; my mug is running

Above. Verily, goodness and mercy will

Follow me all the days of my life: and I

will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

psalm 23

–

4)

O gracious and holy father,

give us wisdom to perceive you,

intelligence to understand you

zeal to seek you,

patience to wait for you

eyes to see you

a heart to meditate on you,

and a life to proclaim you

through the power of the spirit

from Jesus Christ our Lord.

Saint Benedict

–

5)

morning prayer

Thank you for keeping me safe

the night, please watch over me meanwhile

the day and keep me from harm.

give me strength, oh lord,

so that I can make the right decisions

be kind and good to others.

Please protect my family and friends,

all day and into the night,

and please always let me know it’s you

always with me

guide me and love me.

In the name of Jesus Christ I pray

Amen.

–

6)

Christ with me, Christ before me,

Christ behind me, Christ in me,

Christ below me, Christ above me,

Christ on my right, Christ on my left,

Christ where I lie, Christ where I sit

Christ where I rise

Christ in the heart of all who

think of me, Christ in your mouth

from everyone who speaks of me

Christ in every eye that sees me

Christ in every ear that hears me.

Saint Patrick

–

7)

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity

Accepting the things I can’t change;

courage to change the things I can;

And wisdom to know the difference.

Live one day at a time;

Enjoy one moment at a time;

accept hardship as a path to peace;

Take as he did, this sinful world

As it is, not the way I want it;

Trust that he will do everything right

If I submit to His will;

So that I can be reasonably happy in this life,

And extremely happy with him

Forever and forever in the next.

Reinhold Niebuhr

–

8th)

Bless all who worship you

from the rising of the sun,

until its demise.

give us of your goodness;

Inspire us with your love;

Guide us by your Spirit;

protect us by your power;

in your mercy receive us

now and always.

5th century prayer

–

9)

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hate let me sow love

Where there is injury, forgive,

Where there is doubt, faith

Where there is despair, there is hope

Where there is darkness, there is light

Where there is sadness, there is joy.

O Divine Master, grant me that I may not

Many seek comfort than comfort,

not so much to understand as to

understand not to be loved so much as

love; because in giving we receive,

In forgiveness we are forgiven

in dying we are born to eternal life.

St. Francis of Assisi

–

10)

I will raise my eyes to the hills.

Where is my help coming from?

My help comes from the Lord

who made heaven and earth.

He will not allow your foot to be moved:

who protects you will not slumber.

Behold, whoever preserves Israel will do it

neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper: The Lord is yours

shadow on your right hand.

The sun won’t beat you by day

nor the moon at night.

The Lord keep you from all evil:

he will keep your soul. The Lord shall

Guard your exit and your entrance

from now on and even forever.

Psalm 121:1-8

–

11)

Soul of Christ, sanctify me.

Body of Christ heal me.

Blood of Christ, drink me.

Water from Christ’s side, wash me.

Passion of the Christ, strengthen me.

Good Jesus, hear me.

protect me in your wounds

Keep me from turning away.

Protect me from evil.

In the hour of my death call me.

lead me into your presence

to praise you with all your saints

forever and ever. Amen.

Anima of Christ

–

12)

May there always be work

to do for your hands.

May your wallet always last

a coin or two.

May the sun always shine

on your window pane.

May a rainbow be assured

to follow every rain

May a friend’s hand

always be near you, and

May God fill your heart

with pleasure to please you.

Irish prayer

–

13)

May the power of God guide me

the power of God keep me today.

May the wisdom of God teach me

God’s eye watches over me

God’s ear hears me

the Word of God gives me sweet words,

God’s hand protect me

and the way of God guide me.

Saint Patrick

–

14)

I don’t ask you to walk smooth paths

Also, don’t carry a light load.

I pray for strength and fortitude

Climb the rock-strewn road.

Give me such courage that I can scale

Only the hardest peaks

And transform every stumbling block

Into a diving board.

Gail Brook Burkett

–

fifteen)

O Holy Spirit

descend abundantly

in my heart.

Light up the dark

corners of it

neglected apartment

and scatter yours

happy rays.

St. Augustine of Hippo

Catholic prayers

Prayers for those who practice the faith of the Roman Catholic Church.

sign of the cross

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Our father

Sanctified be our Father who art in heaven

your name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done,

on earth as in heaven. Give us ours today

daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we do

forgive those who transgress against us; and guide us

not in temptation, but deliver us from evil.

>> Prayer card

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Ave Maria

Ave Maria,

full of grace

The Lord is with you.

Blessed are you among women

and blessed is the fruit

your body, Jesus.

Holy Maria,

Mother of God,

pray now for us sinners,

and at the hour of our death.

>> Prayer card

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glory be

glory be to the father

and to the son

and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, so it is now

and will always be

world without end.

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Apostle Creed

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth;

and in Jesus Christ his only begotten Son our Lord,

Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.

He descended into Hell; on the third day he rose from the dead;

He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there he will come 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.

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Nicene Creed

I believe in one god

the Father Almighty

creator of heaven and earth,

of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ

the only begotten son of God

born of the Father before all times,

God of God, Light of Light,

true god of true god,

begotten, not made,

consubstantial with the father.

Through him all things are made.

For us and for our salvation

He came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit

was embodied by the Virgin Mary,

and become human.

He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate;

He suffered death and was buried

and rose again on the third day

in accordance with Scripture.

He ascended to heaven

and sits at the right hand of the father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,

and his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

proceeding from the Father and the Son.

With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.

He spoke through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic church.

I confess a baptism for the forgiveness of sins,

and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead,

and the life of the world to come.

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Guardian Angel prayer

angel of god,

my dear guardian,

Whom God’s love

obliges me here

On this day,

be by my side

to light and guard,

rule and leadership.

>> Prayer card

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Prayer to Saint Archangel Michael

Archangel Michael,

defend us in battle.

Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil.

May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,

and do you

O prince of heavenly hosts,

by the power of God,

push satan into hell

and all the evil spirits

who roam the world

seeks the downfall of souls.

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act of repentance

My God, I repent of my sins with all my heart.

In choosing to do the wrong thing and not to do the good thing,

I have sinned against you whom I should love above all else.

I have every intention, with your help, to repent, to sin no more,

and to avoid what leads me to sin.

Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us.

In his name. My God, have mercy.

> prayer card

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The Holy Rosary

Begin with the sign of the cross:

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Then recite the creed:

I believe in God the Father Almighty

creator of heaven and earth,

and in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord.

He was conceived by the Holy Spirit

and born of the Virgin Mary.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died and was buried.

He descended into hell.

On the third day he rose again.

He ascended to heaven

and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.

He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit

the Holy Catholic Church,

the community of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and eternal life.

Then say 1 “Our Father”, 3 “Ave Mary’s” for the virtues of faith, hope and charity; and then 1 “Glory be”:

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, On earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we also forgive those who have trespassed against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of death.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, so it is now and always will be, world without end.

The rosary is divided into three parts, each having five mysteries. As you meditate on the mysteries, recite for each mystery:

1 “Our Father”

10 “Ave Mary’s” and

1 “Glory be”

After each mystery, the “Fatima prayer” is said.

O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are most in need of Your mercy.

It all adds up to a decade.

After the completion of the five mysteries (five decades) it says to the “Hail Holy Queen”:

Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope. We call to you, poor banished children of Eve. To you we send our sighs mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. So turn your eyes of mercy upon us, most gracious Advocate, and after this exile show us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus. O gentle, o loving, o sweet Virgin Mary.

Pray for us, Holy Mother of God.

So that we may be worthy of Christ’s promises.

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

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The Magnificat

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

My spirit rejoices in God my Savior

for he regarded his lowly servant with benevolence.

From this day forward all generations will call me blessed:

Almighty has done great things for me

and holy is his name.

He is merciful to those who fear him

in every generation.

He showed the strength of his arm

he has scattered the proud in their vanity.

He overthrew the mighty from their thrones,

and exalted the lowly.

He filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He came to the rescue of his servant Israel

for he remembered his promise of mercy,

the promise he made to our fathers,

for Abraham and his children forever.

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The Angelus

The angel of the Lord explained to Mary:

And she received the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you; Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and in the hour of

our death. Amen.

Behold, the handmaid of the Lord: it be done to me according to your word.

Ave Maria . . .

And the Word became flesh: And dwelt among us.

Ave Maria . . .

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may become worthy of Christ’s promises.

Let’s pray:

Pour, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ your Son was made known by the message of an angel, are brought by His passion and cross to the glory of His resurrection through the same Christ our Lord.

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the memory

Remember, O Most Gracious Virgin Mary, it has never been known that anyone fleeing for your protection, imploring your help, or seeking your intercession was left without help.

Inspired by this trust, I fly to you, O virgin of virgins, my mother; I come to you, before you I stand sinful and sad. O Mother of the Incarnate Word, do not despise my requests, but hear and answer me in Your mercy.

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Salve Regina (Hail Holy Queen)

Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy.

Hail, our life, our sweetness and our hope.

we scream to you

poor exiled children of Eve;

To you we send up our sighs,

sadness and crying,

in this vale of tears.

So turn to me, most gracious advocate,

your eyes of mercy to us;

and afterwards show us our exile

the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus.

O kind, o loving,

O sweet Virgin Mary.

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Rosary of Divine Mercy

Make the sign of the cross

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Optional opening prayers

You passed away, Jesus, but the fountain of life gushed forth for souls and the ocean of mercy opened to the whole world. O source of life, unfathomable divine mercy, envelop the whole world and pour over us.

O blood and water that flowed from the heart of Jesus as a fountain of mercy for us, I trust in you!

Our father

Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; your kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread; and forgive us our transgressions as we forgive those who transgress against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Ave Maria

Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death, Amen.

The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ his only begotten Son our Lord, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, crucified; died and was buried. He descended into Hell; on the third day he rose from the dead; He ascended into heaven, seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come 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.

The Eternal Father

Eternal Father, I offer you the body and blood, soul and divinity of your beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.

About the ten little pearls of each decade

For the sake of his painful suffering, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Repeat for the remaining decades

On the “Our Father” bead say the “Eternal Father” (6) and on the following “Hail Mary” beads the 10 say “For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion” (7).

Complete with the Holy God (repeat 3 times)

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Optional closing prayer

Eternal God, in whom mercy is infinite and the treasure of compassion inexhaustible, look upon us kindly and increase your mercy within us, so that in difficult moments we may not become despondent or discouraged, but submit ourselves with confidence to your holy will, which is love and is mercy itself.

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Litany of Mary

Lord, have mercy.

Christ have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

God our Father in heaven, have mercy on us.

God Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

God Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, pray for us.

Holy Mother of God, pray for us.

Most Revered Virgins, pray for us.

Mother of Christ, pray for us.

Mother of the Church, pray for us.

Mother of Divine Grace, pray for us.

Pure Mother, pray for us.

Mother of chaste love, pray for us.

Mother and Virgin, pray for us.

Sinless mother, pray for us.

Dear mothers, pray for us.

Model of motherhood, pray for us.

Mother of Good Counsel, pray for us.

Mother of our Creator, pray for us.

Mother of our Redeemer, pray for us.

Wise maiden, pray for us.

Justly blessed Virgin, pray for us.

Justifiably famous Virgo, pray for us.

Mighty Virgin, pray for us.

Virgin gentle in mercy, pray for us.

Faithful Virgin, pray for us.

Mirror of Justice, pray for us.

Throne of Wisdom, pray for us.

Because of our joy, pray for us.

Sanctuary of the Spirit, pray for us.

Glory to Israel, pray for us.

Vessel of selfless devotion, pray for us.

Mystical rose, pray for us.

Tower of David, pray for us.

Tower of ivory, pray for us.

House of gold, pray for us.

Ark of the Covenant pray for us.

Gate of Heaven, pray for us.

Morning star, pray for us.

Health of the sick, pray for us.

refuge of sinners, pray for us.

Consolation to the sorrowful, pray for us.

Christian help, pray for us.

Queen of angels, pray for us.

Queen of Patriarchs and Prophets, pray for us.

Queen of Apostles and Martyrs, pray for us.

Queen of confessors and virgins, pray for us.

Queen of all saints, pray for us.

Queen conceived without sin, pray for us.

Queen taken up into heaven, pray for us.

Queen of the Rosary, pray for us.

Queen of families, pray for us.

Queen of Peace, pray for us.

Blessed be the name of the Virgin Mary now and forever.

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Greetings, Joseph

Hail Joseph, image of the Eternal Father;

Hail, Joseph, keeper of the Eternal Son;

Hail Joseph, Temple of the Eternal Spirit;

Hail Joseph, beloved of the Trinity.

Hail Joseph, husband and companion of Our Lady.

Hail Joseph, friend of angels.

Hail, Joseph, believer in miracles.

Hail Joseph, follower of dreams.

Hail Joseph, lover of simplicity.

Hail, Joseph, paragon of righteousness;

Hail, Joseph, model of meekness and patience;

Hail Joseph, model of humility and obedience.

Blessed are the eyes that have seen what you have seen.

Blessed are the ears that have heard what you have heard.

Blessed are the arms that have embraced what you have embraced.

Blessed is the womb that held what you held.

Blessed is the heart that loved what you loved.

Blessed is the Father who chose you;

Blessed is the son who loved you:

Blessed is the spirit that sanctified you.

Blessed be Mary, your wife, who honored and loved you.

Blessed is the angel who protected and guided you.

And blessed be all who remember and honor you.

– Father Jean-Jacques Olier

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act of belief

O my God, I firmly believe that You are one God in three divine Persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; I believe that your divine Son became man and died for our sins and that he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths that the Holy Catholic Church teaches because You have revealed them, who neither can nor deceive.

>> Prayer card

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act of hope

O my God, I trust in Your infinite goodness and promises and hope through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, to obtain the forgiveness of my sins, the help of Your grace and eternal life.

>> Prayer card

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act of love

Oh my God, I love you more than anything with all my heart and soul because you are quite good and worthy of all love. For love of You, I love my neighbor as myself. I forgive those who have hurt me and I ask forgiveness for those I have hurt.

>> Prayer card

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Prayer for Vocations by Pope Benedict XVI

O Father, arise among Christians

plentiful and holy callings to the priesthood,

who keep the faith alive

and keep the blessed memory of your Son Jesus

through the preaching of his word

and the administration of the sacraments,

with which you renew your faithfulness again and again.

Grant us holy servants of your altar,

who are careful and fervent custodians of the Eucharist,

the sacrament of the supreme gift of Christ

for the salvation of the world.

Call servants of your mercy,

that through the Sacrament of Reconciliation

spread the joy of your forgiveness.

Grant, O Father, that the Church may welcome her with joy

the numerous promptings of your Son’s Spirit

and, docile to His teachings,

May she take care of vocations to the ministerial priesthood

and to consecrated life.

Support the bishops, priests and deacons,

consecrated persons and all baptized in Christ,

so that they may faithfully fulfill their mission

in the service of the gospel.

We pray this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Mary, Queen of the Apostles, pray for us.

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Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hate, let me sow love.

Where there is injury, forgive.

Where there is doubt, believe.

Where there is despair, there is hope.

Where there is darkness, there is light.

Where there is sadness, there is joy.

O divine master,

admit that I seek not so much to be comforted as to comfort;

to be understood, how to understand;

to be loved, how to love.

Because in giving we receive.

It is in forgiveness that we are pardoned

and in dying we are born to eternal life.

Alternate version:

Lord, make me a channel of your peace,

that I can bring love where there is hate;

That where it’s wrong

I can bring the spirit of forgiveness;

that I can bring harmony where there is discord;

that I bring truth where there is error;

where there is doubt I can bring faith;

that I bring hope where there is despair;

that I bring light where there is shadow;

that I can bring joy where there is sadness.

Lord, let me rather seek it

to comfort than to be comforted;

to understand than to be understood;

to love than to be loved.

Because through self-forgetfulness one finds.

Through forgiveness one is forgiven.

By dying one awakens to eternal life.

>> Prayer card

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Prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas

Lord, Father, almighty and ever living God, I thank You for

though I am a sinner, your useless servant, not

because of my worth, but in the goodness of your mercy,

You have nourished me with the precious body and blood of Your Son,

our Lord Jesus Christ.

I pray this holy communion doesn’t bring me

condemnation and punishment, but forgiveness and redemption.

May it be a helm of faith and a shield of goodwill.

May it cleanse me from evil ways and put an end to my evil passions.

May it bring me charity and patience, humility and obedience,

and growth in power to do good.

May it be my strong defense against all my enemies visible and invisible, and the perfect calming of all my evil impulses,

physically and mentally.

May it unite me more closely with you, the one true God, and guide me

safely through death to eternal happiness with you.

And I pray that you will lead me, a sinner, to the banquet where you,

with Your Son and Holy Spirit, are true and perfect light, perfect fulfillment, eternal joy, joy without end and perfect

happiness to your saints. Grant this through Christ our Lord,

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Prayer of St. Dominic

May God the Father who made us bless us.

May God the Son send His healing among us.

May God the Holy Spirit work in us and

give us eyes to see, ears to hear,

and hands that your work can be done.

May we walk and preach the word of

god to all

May the angel of peace watch over us and

lead us at last by God’s grace to

Kingdom.

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Prayer of Saint Benedict

gracious and holy father,

grant us the mind to understand you,

reason to recognize you, eagerness to seek you,

wisdom to find you, a spirit to know you,

a heart to meditate on you.

may our ears hear you, may our eyes see you,

and may our tongues proclaim you.

grant us grace that our way of life pleases you,

that we have the patience to wait for you

and the perseverance to seek you.

Grant us a perfect end – your holy presence,

a blessed resurrection and everlasting life.

We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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From “The Breastplate of St. Patrick”

Christ be with me, Christ in me,

Christ behind me, Christ in front of me,

Christ beside me, Christ to win me,

Christ to comfort and restore me.

Christ below me, Christ above me,

Christ at rest, Christ in peril,

Christ in the hearts of all who love me,

Christ in the mouth of friend and stranger.

– Cecil F. Alexander

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Prayer in honor of St. Peter Julian Eymard

Merciful God of our ancestors,

They led Peter Julian Eymard,

like Jacob in times past,

on a path of faith.

Under the guidance of your gentle spirit,

Peter Julian discovered the gift of love

in the Eucharist your Son Jesus

offered for the hunger of mankind.

Grant that we may

Celebrate this mystery worthily,

adore it deeply, and

announces it prophetically

to your greater glory.

Saint Peter Julian Eymard,

apostles of the Eucharist,

pray for us!

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Prayer to Saint Christopher

Grant me, O Lord, a steady hand and a watchful eye.

That no one will get hurt if I walk by.

You gave life, I pray that no action of mine may take away or impair this gift of Yours.

Protect those, dear sir, who bear my company from the evils of fire and all calamities.

Teach me to use my car for others; Do not miss the beauty of the world for the love of exaggerated speed; so that I can go my way with joy and courtesy.

Saint Christopher, holy patron saint of travelers, protect me and guide me safely to my destiny.

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The fragrance of Christ

Help me to spread your fragrance wherever I go – let me preach you without preaching, not by words but by my example – by the attracting power, the compassionate influence of what I do, the apparent fullness of love that my heart carries for you.

-John Henry Newman

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Dear God

Dear God,

Please reveal your sublime beauty to us

that’s everywhere, everywhere, everywhere,

so we’ll never be afraid again.

my divine love, my love,

Please let’s touch

your face.

– St. Francis of Assisi

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Prayer for the Year of Faith

Eternal God, you called your church to this at the Second Vatican Council

arouse anew the treasures of grace that dwell in their hearts, and offer

we ask you for a new fiery Pentecost. In faithfulness to this call,

Sanctify your church with a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit that we

could set the world on fire with liberating truth and radiant beauty

your beloved Son, Jesus Christ; because you, o father, are him

lover of humanity. Amen.

– Pope Benedict XVI

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The Rosary

The Mysteries of the Holy Rosary

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way of the cross

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By Charles L Quarles

Mention of the witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection brings to mind figures such as Peter, John, the remaining members of the eleven, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Salome, Cleopas and his companion. Paul could only get an honorable mention. Finally he did not see the rolled away stone. He did not hear the angel’s announcement: “He is not here, for he has risen!” Perhaps he never looked into the empty tomb. In the forty days after the resurrection, when Jesus presented himself to his disciples with many infallible proofs, Paul was admittedly absent.

Despite this, Paul insists that he is a resurrection witness equal to these other witnesses. The account of Jesus’ appearance to Paul after the resurrection is detailed three times in Acts and is mentioned repeatedly by Paul himself in his letters. These various reports and references are remarkably consistent and early. Not only is Paul a valid witness of Jesus’ resurrection, at least as far as the canon of history is concerned, he is one of the most important of all such witnesses.

THE POST RESURRECTION APPEARANCE AGAINST PAUL

Jesus’ post-Resurrection appearance to Paul is detailed at Acts 9:1-19; 22:6-16; and 26:12-23. After the initial account of the experience, Luke might have saved considerable effort and space by simply saying, “And Paul reported to the crowd/Agrippa how Jesus appeared to him on the way to Damascus,” or something similar. Luke’s insistence on recording the incident three times in detail in Acts underscores the importance of the incident in Luke’s mind.

Scholars sometimes focus intensely on the differences between the three accounts, overlooking their great similarity. Two or more accounts agree on the following:

Occasion (9:2; 22:5; 26:12) – Paul traveled to Damascus to deliver arrested believers to Jerusalem for trial. Time (22:6; 26:13) – The event occurred around noon or noon. Location (9:2–3; 22:6; 26:13)—The event occurred on the Jerusalem-Damascus road, near Damascus. Apparition (9:3; 22:6; 26:13) – A light from heaven flashed around Paul. Response (9:4; 22:7; 26:14) – Paul (and his companions) fell to the ground, apparently in awe. Initial Dialogue (9:4-5; 22:7-8; 26:14-15) – A voice asks, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” Paul replies, “Who are you, Lord?” The Lord replies, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.” There are only minor differences between the three dialogue summaries. The account at 22:8 adds the title “the Nazarene.” The 26:14 account adds, “It is hard for you to tread on the spikes.” (Verses in this article are from the HCSB translation unless otherwise noted.) The Command of the Lord (9: 6; 22:10) – The Lord commanded Paul: “Get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” Consequences (9:8–9; 22:11) – Paul a) is given by blinded by the intensity of the light, b) must be led to Damascus by hand, and c) fasts for three days.

The differences mainly relate to the experience of the bystanders and Paul’s call to mission to the Gentiles. In 9:3 the bystanders heard the voice but saw no one. In 22:9 those around saw the light but heard nothing. There is no real tension in the two accounts of the viewer’s visual experience. Luke simply indicated that they saw the radiant light but not the person (Jesus) speaking from the light. The contradiction in the two accounts of what bystanders heard is only apparent. The account at 9:3 indicates that the companions heard a voice, but the account at 22:9 makes it clear that only Paul understood the words spoken by the voice.

Since 26:14 indicates that the voice spoke in the Hebrew (or Aramaic) language, one wonders whether Paul’s companions were Hellenists who lacked the language that Jesus spoke. Acts 6:9 and 7:58 show that Paul collaborated with the leaders of the synagogue of the freedmen in the stoning of Stephen. These Jews (and probably Gentile proselytes) came from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia and Asia. This particular synagogue was probably established because of the language barrier that made it difficult for Hellenists to attend normal synagogue worship. When Paul returned to Jerusalem after his conversion, he focused his ministry on Hellenistic Jews (9:29), probably from the same group. This would have been a very appropriate group for Paul’s message if some of their own group had seen the light and heard the noise on the Damascus road. Although there is insufficient data to determine why the bystanders heard but did not understand the voice speaking to Paul, this explanation is at least plausible.

Another difference is that the first two accounts indicate that Ananias heard and then passed on to Paul his divine call to bring the name of Christ to the Gentiles. However, the final report commissioned Christ Paul directly:

For I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a servant and witness of what you have seen and what I am going to reveal to you. I will save you from the people and from the heathen. I am sending you to them now to open their yes so they can turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God so that through faith in Me they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share of those who are being sanctified are (Acts 26:16b–18).

To claim that this account contradicts the earlier accounts, one would have to assume that Luke has forgotten the content of the previous accounts, even though the same essential account is recorded twice, and even though the last account only precedes the episode of Paul’s appearance before Agrippa by four chapters ! On the other hand, Luke would probably have mentioned Jesus’ direct commission to Paul, at least in the first account, if such a commission had been given to set the stage for Paul’s mission to the Gentiles. Therefore, the best explanation for the difference between the first two accounts and the final account is that Luke moved the commission given by Jesus through the prophet Ananias back to the Damascus Straits episode in order to strategically shorten the account. Such an “interlacing” would have been legitimate, since the two earlier accounts presented the events in their original historical sequence, so that readers were ready to recognize the interlacing, and since Jesus’ statement, “Get up and go into the city, and it will told you what you must do” (9:6; 22:10) confirming that the commission given by Ananias did indeed carry the authority of the Lord.

Luke’s source for these accounts was likely Paul himself. Luke’s prologue to his two-volume work clearly states that the author undertook careful research that included interviewing eyewitnesses (Luke 1:1-4). Both Acts and Paul’s epistles show that Luke had frequent and direct access to Paul’s statements. The first-person plural pronouns in travel narratives in Acts show that Luke was often a traveling companion of Paul. Luke was with Paul at the time he was writing his prison letters (Col 4:14), and the two had become so close that Paul referred to him as “the beloved physician.” Moreover, Luke’s accounts of Paul’s experience are corroborated by references in Paul’s letters (1 Cor 9:1; 15:8).

THE NATURE OF THIS APPEARANCE

Scholars constantly debate whether the appearance of the resurrected Jesus was an objective or subjective experience for Paul. The Acts reports support viewing the experience as objective. The bystanders saw the light from heaven (although they did not see Jesus) and fell to the ground with Paul. They also heard the voice (although, for reasons not explicitly stated, they did not understand the words uttered by the voice). These factors indicate that Jesus’ appearance before Paul was not a mere vision that he experienced only in his imagination.

Some scholars argue that the evidence in Acts contradicts what is said in Paul’s epistles. Bruce Chilton concluded from the words “Discover his Son in me” (Gal 1:16) that Paul’s experience was not an objective event that other people witnessed (or could witness) with him, but a “personal moment of revelation , ” a “mystical breakthrough.”1 This interpretation of the Greek preposition en in the phrase translated “in me” in Galatians 1:16 has become common. Those who hold this view seem to generally assume that the Greek preposition en is the equivalent of the common English gloss “in”. This assumption is reinforced by the gloss used in many modern translations.

“[God] was pleased to reveal His Son in me. . .” NIV

“[God] was pleased to reveal His Son in me. . .” HCSB

“[God] was pleased to reveal his Son in me . . .” NASB

Although the NRSV and ESV (I will argue correctly) translate the phrase “[God] was pleased to reveal his Son to me” (italics mine), both refer to marginal notes that say “Gk . in me” or “Greek in”. The annotations give the impression that the Greek preposition is the equivalent of the English preposition “in” and seem to indicate that the translators chose an alternative rendition for theological rather than linguistic reasons.

A surprising number of evangelical commentators have adopted this translation, although they qualify the interpretation. F. F. Bruce, Gordon Fee, Don Garlington, William Hendriksen, Bruce Longenecker, and Leon Morris argued that although Paul’s Damascus Road experience was objective, the prepositional phrase en emoi meant “in me,” emphasizing the inner revelation that accompanied the event.

Although this interpretation is accepted more often than argued, the occasional arguments put forward to support the interpretation are unsatisfactory. Longenecker, for example, argues that the en emoi of 1:16 corresponds to the en emoi of 2:20 (“Christ lives in me”), which is equivalent to “in our hearts” in 4:6, thereby emphasizing inner reality the Christian experience. However, this argument does not take into account the fact that the grammatical context of each of these phrases is quite different. One cannot assume that the prepositional phrase “God pleased to reveal” works the same way as it does in the statement “Christ lives” (2:20) or “God sent the Spirit of His Son” (4:6) . Examining the use of the preposition in combination with the verb apokaluptō (‘to reveal’) or synonymous constructions in other contexts is hermeneutically a better approach than merely examining en emoi instances without sensitivity to the grammatical context.

The most important Greek lexicons and grammars show that the Greek preposition en is capable of a bewildering variety of different meanings. The preposition sometimes serves as a substitute for the normal dative of the indirect object or the advantage dative. Several of these sources cite Galatians 1:16 as an example of this usage (Nigel Turner; BDAG; BDF). If this is correct, Paul’s autobiographical statement would simply mean that “God was pleased to reveal his Son to me.” This use of the preposition is common when the preposition has a personal object and is used with verbs from the semantic domain “reveal” or “make known”.

A computer search using Accordance identified 13 cases in the LXX in which verbal constructions within this semantic domain (apokaluptō, gnorizō, phaneroō, or phaneros with different copulas) were modified by en-phrases (Judges 5:2; 1 Sam 6:2; 2 Sam 6:20; 22:16; 1 Kings 8:53; 1 Chr 16:8; 1 Macc 15:9; Ps 76:15; Prov 3:6; 11:13; Ezek 16:36; 22:10; Isa 64:1). The preposition marks the place (1 Kings 8:53; 1 Chron 16:8 [possibly indirect object]; Psalm 76:15 [possible indirect object]; Prov 3:6; Ezek 22:10; 1 Mack 15:9) , identifies the means or cause (1 Sam 6:2; 2 Sam 22:16; Eze 16:36) or serves as a marker for the indirect object (Judg 5:2 [ Vaticanus]; 2 Sam 6:20; Prov 11: 13; Isa 64:1).

This construction appears 19 times in the New Testament, mostly in the Pauline literature. The uses probably belong to the categories of time (2 Cor 11:6; 2 Thess 2:6; 1 Pet 1:5), place ( John 9:3; 2 Cor 2:14; 4:10, 11; 1 Tim 3 :16; 1 Joh 4:9; Col 3:4), instrument or means (Rom 1:17; 1 Cor 3:13; 2 Cor 11:6; 1 Joh 3:10; 4:9), sage (Eph 6:19) and indirect object (Rom 1:19; 1 Cor 11:19; 2 Cor 5:11). Twice-quoted verses (2 Cor 11:6; 1 John 4:9) contain two en clauses modifying the verbal construction.

The use of the en phrase in verbal constructions related to revelation in the LXX, NT and especially elsewhere in Paul severely limits the possibilities of interpretation. Nowhere else in the LXX or in the New Testament is the preposition en used with these constructions to indicate mere internal, subjective experience. Chilton’s treatment of the preposition involves a mechanical approach to exegesis that simply equates en with “in” and ignores the complexities of Greek syntax. Based on other biblical usages, the en phrase most likely acts as an equivalent for the indirect object.

J. B. Lightfoot argued that the preposition here means “through” and serves to identify Paul as the agent through whom God revealed the Son to others. Nigel Turner acknowledged this possibility (although he affirmed indirect object view). Some modern commentators, such as Timothy George, have adopted Lightfoot’s interpretation. However, this view finds no support in biblical parallels. Although the en has been used in the constructions examined above to express means or instruments, no clear examples express personal agency. In fact, some grammarians, such as Daniel Wallace, have argued that in the NT the preposition may never express personal agency. So scholars like Udo Schnelle are right when they claim that en emoi in Galatians 1:16 “is to be translated as a simple dative.”2

Even if the use of en to denote an internal and subjective experience were a legitimate syntactic option, clear statements elsewhere in Pauline literature would preclude such a view. For example, Paul argued that he was just as surely an apostle as the Twelve and the Lord’s brethren: “Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? (1 Cor 9:1). The Greek grammar of both questions implies an affirmative answer. The logic of Paul’s argument is that Paul’s status equals that of the Twelve and the Lord’s brethren because Jesus’ appearance before Paul after the resurrection was equivalent to what the other apostles testified to. This is also indicated by the fact that Paul put himself on the list of those to whom the risen Jesus appeared, along with Cephas, the twelve, the five hundred, James and the other apostles. Paul’s statement that “he also appeared to me” (1 Corinthians 15:8) provides a more solid description of the nature of the Damascus Road experience than the casual reader might realize. “Appeared” is the same verb used in 15:5–6 and 7 to describe those who discovered the empty tomb, saw the resurrected Jesus in the upper room, and ate with him on the shore of the Sea of ​​Galilee. The addition “also” closely ties Paul’s experience to the previously listed experiences and further suggests that Paul’s experience was very similar to theirs. It is important to note that both of these statements are contained in one of Paul’s epistles that is most commonly considered authentic, even by skeptical critical scholars, and is quite early (probably mid-1950’s).

CONCLUSION

Paul saw Jesus’ crucifixion as essential to the gospel (Rom. 1:1-8; 1 Cor. 15:3-4) and thus crucial to the forgiveness of sinners (1 Cor. 15:17). He saw in the resurrection of Jesus the basis for the believer’s resurrection hope (1 Cor 15:20-28) and courage in the face of deadly persecution (1 Cor 15:29b-34). When Paul preached the resurrection of Jesus, he did not have to rely solely on the testimonies of others. Paul was apparently relying on his own eyewitness account of Jesus’ post-resurrection appearance. This is implied by the charge: “For this purpose I appeared to you, to appoint you to be a minister and a witness of what you have seen and what I am going to reveal to you” (Acts 26:16).

Paul clearly emphasized that he had “seen the Lord on the way and conversed with him” when he returned to Jerusalem, and on this basis first Barnabas and later the disciples in Jerusalem accepted Paul (Acts 9:26-28). During his first missionary journey, Paul preached the resurrection of Jesus and used the testimonies of the Galilean disciples to support that resurrection. His words, “And we ourselves bring you good tidings of the promise made to our ancestors” (Acts 13:32) shows that Paul poses as an equally reliable witness of the resurrection. The resurrection of Jesus figured prominently in Paul’s preaching in Thessalonica (Acts 17:3), Athens (17:31) and apparently in Corinth. Paul’s question in 1 Corinthians 9:1 assumes that the church was familiar with his experience on the Damascus road, despite the absence of previous references to it in the surviving letters to the Corinthian church, and this implies that the Testimony to the appearance of Jesus after the resurrection in Paul’s standard was his sermon. This cumulative evidence shows that Paul should be considered one of the most important witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection.

About the author

CHARLES L. QUARLES, PhD, is Professor of New Testament Studies and Biblical Theology and Director of PhD Studies at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has published several books on subjects related to Jesus, Paul and the New Testament.

1 Bruce Chilton, Rabbi Paul: An Intellectual Biography (New York: Doubleday Religion, 2004), 51.

2 Udo Schnelle, Apostle Paul: His Life and Theology (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2005), 90.

[Editor’s Note: Resurrection image from Luca Giordano’s Resurrection, c. 1665, found at Wikipedia Commons.]

summary

Cross, the main symbol of the Christian religion, commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the redemptive benefits of his passion and death. The cross is thus a sign both for Christ himself and for the faith of Christians. In ceremonial usage, the sign of the cross can be a creed, a prayer, a dedication, or a blessing, depending on the context.

There are four basic types of iconographic representations of the cross: the crux quadrata, or Greek cross with four equal arms; the Crux Immissa, or Latin Cross, whose base stem is longer than the other three arms; the crux commissa in the form of the Greek letter Tau, sometimes called the Cross of St. Anthony; and the crux decussata, named for the Roman decussis or symbol of the numeral 10, also known as the cross of St. Andrew for the supposed manner of the martyrdom of St. Andrew the Apostle. Tradition favors the crux immissa as that on which Christ died, but some believe it was a crux commissa. The many variations and decorations of processional, altar, and heraldic crosses, of carved and painted crosses in churches, cemeteries, and elsewhere are developments of these four types.

Cross shapes were used as religious or other symbols long before the Christian era, but it is not always clear whether they were merely marks of identification or possession, or were important to faith and worship. Two pre-Christian forms of the cross have come into fashion in Christian use. The ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol of life – the ankh, a tau cross surmounted by a loop and known as the crux ansata – was adopted and used extensively on Coptic Christian monuments. The swastika, called Crux Gammata, consisting of four uppercase Greek letters of the letter gamma, is marked on many early Christian tombs as a veiled symbol of the cross.

Ankh Cross Crux ansata (Ankh Cross). Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Swastika as Gammadion Cross The swastika was used in early Christianity as the Gammadion Cross or Crux Gammata; Its name derives from the Greek letter gamma, the four capital letters of which form the symbol. Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.

Before the time of Emperor Constantine in the 4th century, Christians were extremely reluctant to depict the cross, since too open a depiction might ridicule them or put them in danger. After converting to Christianity, Constantine abolished crucifixion as a death penalty and promoted both the cross and the chi-rho monogram of Christ’s name as symbols of the Christian faith. The symbols were used in Christian art and funerary monuments from c. 350

Stone cross stone cross planted in the grass, Eifel, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. AdstockRF

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For several centuries after Constantine, Christian devotion to the cross centered on Christ’s victory over the forces of evil and death, and a realistic depiction of his suffering was avoided. The earliest crucifixes (crosses containing a representation of Christ) show Christ alive, with eyes open and arms outstretched, his deity manifest, though pierced in his manhood and dead. In the 9th century, however, artists began to emphasize the realistic aspects of Christ’s passion and death. Subsequently, Western depictions of the Crucifixion, whether painted or carved, showed increasing finesse in suggesting pain and agony. Romanesque crucifixes often depict a royal crown on Christ’s head, but later Gothic types replaced it with a crown of thorns. In the 20th century, a new focus emerged in Roman Catholicism, particularly for crucifixes in liturgical settings. Christ on the cross is crowned and clothed as king and priest, and the marks of his passion are much less pronounced.

Giunta Pisano: Crucifixion Crucifixion, painting by Giunta Pisano, c. 1250; in the Basilica of San Domenico, Bologna, Italy. George Janson

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After the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, Lutherans generally retained the ornamental and ceremonial use of the cross. However, the Reformed Churches resisted such use of the cross until the 20th century, when ornamental crosses began to appear on church buildings and communion tables. The Church of England retained the ceremonial signing with the cross in the rite of baptism. From the mid-19th century, Anglican churches saw a revival in the use of the cross. However, the crucifix is ​​almost entirely confined to private devotional use. A number of Protestant churches and homes display an empty cross, with no representation of Christ, to commemorate the crucifixion while representing death’s triumphant defeat at resurrection. See also True Cross; Crucifixion.

We sang a vineyard worship song, the chorus of which said, “To ennoble fire / our heart’s only desire / shall be holy / set apart for you, Lord / I choose to be holy / set apart for you, my Master / ready to do your will.”

When a person accepts Christ, they make a sacred vow of devotion to Jesus, promising that they will never flirt, tease, or engage in any type of romantic activity with sin. It’s easy to sing a song, but are we really serious about our commitment and dedication?

What do we think when we sing such songs? “Light a fire in my soul / I can’t hold back / I can’t control / I want more of you God / I want more of you God.” Do we really want to be filled with him or just enough to make it to heaven?

Maybe we don’t see what salvation actually is. Matthew 16:24 is such a profound statement from Jesus and deserves our deepest consideration: “Then Jesus said to his disciples, If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

The reality that we are lost and then found is the greatest gift we can ever receive. To believe with faith and be saved by His grace is a miracle from heaven. However, if no one ever mentioned it, rebirth is not without conditions or accountability. There’s more to being rescued than just raising your hand and receiving a golden ticket.

Salvation means entering into a marriage covenant with Christ and making a sacred vow to give ourselves completely to Him and to let Him reign in us as Lord and King. We’re not just dating the Lord; we should be 100% completely sold out to him. Not 50 or 60% committed. We are to walk in his presence every moment. We are to “live” with him in the holy of holies.

How many are passionate about this type of relationship? Probably not that many, which is why they call his followers remnant. The truth is that very few really want to get involved on that scale. What makes me say this? Well, we can see that hardly anyone is that radical, and we can also examine our own lives and see if we are living at this extreme spiritual level. We can do whatever we want, and that means we can be as close to God as we want to be.

However, if we’re not as close to him as possible, something must be stopping us. What is it? Is it simply a rebellious refusal to submit our will to Jesus? Do we actually have a passion to be sanctified and holy to the point where sin makes us sick? Do we rule our life or does our life rule us?

Human nature has its own ideas about living for God, and the devil is always ready to educate us with his own distorted beliefs and influences. We would rather do anything in the world than give up our independence and decision-making power.

Listen carefully, my friends. This is not an opinion or any kind of spiritual speculation. This is a sacred reality straight from God: There is only one throne upon your heart, and there can only be one of two possible kings to sit upon it: Jesus or Satan.

You may be convinced that you are responsible for your own destiny, and you may be proud that you did it “your way,” but have you been duped by the dark side and actually served yourself?

God is asking us all to look in the mirror and accept who is really the master of our thoughts and plans. Are we willing to lay down our will so that we may accept His, or are we content to let our lives be exactly as they are?

If our life today is not a representation and demonstration of the nature and character of God, then Jesus obviously does not reign on the throne of our hearts. The cross is a symbol of death and hope at the same time. Jesus died and rose from the dead. Likewise, our old nature must die in order for us to live as a brand new creation in Christ.

Read more at billyholland ministries.com.

The Stations of the Cross, also known as the Way of the Cross and the Way of the Cross (Latin Via Crucis), describes fourteen distinct moments on the day of Jesus’ death. This prayer pilgrimage is a powerful way to draw closer to Jesus any time of the year, although it is most popular during Lent.

The lovingly embraced cross of Christ never brings sadness, but joy, the joy of being saved and doing a little of what he did on the day of his death. Pope Francis

What are the Stations of the Cross?

Short origin

Tradition says that after Christ’s death and resurrection, the Blessed Mother traced the last day of Jesus every day. Over the centuries after Christ’s resurrection, this practice morphed into what we know today as the Way of the Cross. Simply put, the gospel continued to spread, as did the popularity of following in Christ’s footsteps, either in the Holy Land or with stations elsewhere. However, the word ‘stations’ was not associated with this pilgrimage until 1462, either as a replica or through the original sites; Historians credit William Wey with the term “stations”.

Franciscans and the Way of the Cross

In the early thirteenth century, Saint Francis made a pilgrimage from Assisi to the Holy Land. However, he had to obtain special permission to visit as the Crusades were still going on. In 1217, while Jerusalem was still under Muslim rule, Saint Francis established the Custody of the Holy Land with the permission of his Franciscan order. In 1342 the Vatican recognized the Franciscans as official stewards of holy places (including monasteries, churches, hospitals and other holy places). The Franciscans continue to care for the physical and original sacred sites that we recognize in the Stations of the Cross.

After this recognition, the Franciscans began to recreate these sacred moments and sites across Europe. While this movement began building the shrines outside, the Franciscans were also building stations inside – in churches across Europe. This was not approved by the Vatican at the time, but the Franciscans continued to demand that the replication of holy sites be approved by the Church. Finally, Pope Innocent XI approved. this request in 1686. Today most churches have the Stations of the Cross inside or an outside area for walking meditation.

Original and Biblical Stations

The original Stations of the Cross were passed down through tradition as we follow the footsteps of Christ’s last day on earth as we read the Gospels.

On Good Friday 1991, then Pope John Paul II celebrated the Stations of the Cross with an alternative to the original Stations of the Cross. These alternative Stations of the Cross take us back to the biblical moments that led up to the passion of Christ. For this reason we call them the “Biblical Stations of the Cross”.

Below you can read the fourteen Stations of the Cross in their original and biblical form. Both devotionals are wonderful to pray as you seek to draw closer to Christ.

14 stations

The first stop

Original: Jesus is condemned to death.

Written: Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matt. 26:36-41)

The second stop

Original: Jesus is given his cross.

Written: Jesus is betrayed and arrested by Judas (Mark 14:43-46).

The third stop

Original: Jesus falls for the first time.

Written: Jesus is condemned by the Sanhedrin (Luke 22:66-71).

The fourth station

Original: Jesus meets his mother Mary.

Written: Jesus is denied by Peter (Matthew 26:69-75)

The fifth station

Original: Simon of Cyrene helps carry the cross.

Written: Jesus is judged by Pontius Pilate (Mark 15:1-5, 15).

The sixth station

Original: Veronica wipes Jesus’ face.

Scripture: Jesus is scourged at the pillar and crowned with thorns. (John 19:1-3)

The seventh station

Original: Jesus falls the second time.

Written: Jesus carries the cross (John 19:6, 15-7)

The eighth station

Original: Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem.

Written: Jesus is helped by Simon the Cyrenian to carry the cross (Mark 15:21).

The ninth station

Original: Jesus falls for the third time.

Written: Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem (Luke 23:27-31).

The tenth station

Original: Jesus is stripped of his clothing.

Written: Jesus is crucified (Luke 23:33-34).

The eleventh station

Original: Jesus is nailed to the cross.

Written: Jesus promises his kingdom to the penitent thief (Luke 23:39-43).

The twelfth station

Original: Jesus dies on the cross. (Optional but appropriate to remain kneeling for this station)

Written: Jesus speaks to his mother and the beloved disciple (John 19: 25-27).

The thirteenth station

Original: Jesus’ body is taken down from the cross.

Written: Jesus dies on the cross (Luke 23:44-46). (Optional but appropriate to remain kneeling for this station)

The Fourteenth Station

Original: Jesus’ body is placed in the tomb.

Written: Jesus is laid in the tomb (Mt 27:57-60).

Why do we pray the Way of the Cross?

The Way of the Cross is…a school of soul-searching, conversion, inner transformation and compassion – not as sentimentality, as mere feeling, but as a disturbing experience that knocks at the door of my heart, that obliges me to get to know myself and to become a better person. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

Following Jesus on his way to death is unsettling; this is not an easy prayer. But by remembering the Way of the Cross, walking with Jesus, and taking up our own crosses as Jesus calls us to do, we are drawn out of our selfishness. We become more willing to be patient, to love, and to make sacrifices. We become more like the people God created us to be as we remember Christ’s sacrifice.

When do we pray the Way of the Cross?

The Way of the Cross is often prayed during Lent. Tradition holds that Christ died at 3 p.m. on a Friday. For this reason, many parishes offer Stations of the Cross services at this time on Fridays during Lent.

However, you can pray the Stations of the Cross any time of the day, and you are not limited to Lent when it comes to this dedication to Christ. On Hallow, you can pray using the Stations of the Cross in a condensed “daily” format (up to 20 minutes), or you can pray the longer Stations Challenge, which takes you into the Lectio Divina for each station (10-20 minutes each). ).

How to pray: Stations of the Cross

Pinterest

Pray the Stations of the Cross at Shrines in the Challenges section of the Meditation tab via email. The most common way to pray the Stations of the Cross is in an outdoor church or shrine, guided by the images of each station in the sanctuary. But you can also pray with the stations at home! For example, you could look up pictures of train stations, sit in front of a crucifix, or close your eyes and imagine each moment. Praying with Hallow is a great way to focus on each station and moment Christ endured. Instead of making sure you go in the right order, we’ll guide you. Hallow has three different versions of the stations to guide you, including an exclusive session from Bishop Barron of Word on Fire Ministries. Below are some steps to help you start praying the Stations of the Cross. If you pray all fourteen stations, you can repeat these steps for each station.

Prepare for the first station.

Before you begin, choose which stations you want to pray with, the original or the biblical. Then, as you prepare to pray, ask yourself how you can make this time peaceful in meditation. For example, you might want to close your eyes or take a few deep breaths before you begin.

Next, make the Sign of the Cross and go to, look at, or direct your thoughts to the scene from the first station.

Name the station.

Kneel or kneel in front of the station. Then take a moment to quiet your heart and mind to be present with Christ in that moment.

If you pray with the original stations, Christ was just sentenced to death by Pontius Pilate. If you pray using the Biblical Stations, Christ is praying with His disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Pray.

We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you, for through your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Saint Alfonso de Liguori wrote this prayer along with a popular series of meditations on the stations.

meditate

Take some time to reflect on this station. You can kneel, look at a picture of the train station, close your eyes, and imagine being with Christ right now. When you are ready, you can read the associated verse or listen to your guide to Hallow as you begin to pray.

Pray.

Before each station, end your time with a prayer, e.g. B. the Lord’s Prayer. Focus on speaking honestly to God.

To repeat.

Repeat this pattern for all 14 stations.

We hope you will join us to pray the 14 day Hallow Stations of the Cross Challenge as we take you through each station at a time.

More prayer resources

Stations of the Cross, also called Stations of the Cross, a series of 14 images or carvings depicting events in Christ’s passion, from his condemnation by Pontius Pilate to his burial. The sequence of stations is as follows: (1) Jesus is condemned to death, (2) he must carry his cross, (3) he falls the first time, (4) he meets his mother, (5) Simon of Cyrene must carry the cross carry, (6) Veronica wipes Jesus’ face, (7) he falls a second time, (8) the women of Jerusalem weep over Jesus, (9) he falls a third time, (10) he undresses, (11) he is nailed to the cross, (12) he dies on the cross, (13) he is taken down from the cross, and (14) he is laid in the tomb. The images are usually placed on the interior walls of a church or chapel, but can also be placed in places such as cemeteries, corridors of hospitals and religious houses, or on mountain slopes.

Stations of the Cross First and Second Stations of the Cross, Sacred Heart Basilica, Paris. Didier B/Sam67fr

The devotional practice of visiting and praying at each of the 14 stations and meditating on the Passion of Christ derives from the practice of early Christian pilgrims who visited the sites of events in Jerusalem, taking the traditional route from the supposed location of Pilate’s house to Calvary. Tradition has it that Mary, the mother of Jesus, placed stone markers in her home outside of Jerusalem to prayerfully retrace the steps of her son’s passion, but the origin of the devotion in its present form is not clear. The number of stations originally observed in Jerusalem was considerably fewer than 14. In the early 16th century Ways of the Cross were being established in Europe and the tradition of the 14 Stations probably derived from the best known of these, that of Leuven (1505). . The Franciscans long popularized this practice, and in the 18th century they bowed to Western Christian devotion and provided 14 stations in Jerusalem. The traditional stations have recently been supplemented with the Via Lucis (Way of Light), in which the meditations focus on the Risen Christ.

Third Station of the Cross Third Station of the Cross, carving in Sacred Heart Basilica, Zagreb, Croatia. © Zatletic/Dreamstime.com

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Prayer meditation through the Stations of the Cross is particularly common during Lent and on Fridays throughout the year to commemorate Christ’s crucifixion on Good Friday. Devotion can be individual or in a group and is particularly important in Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran traditions. Each station is usually attended with a variation of the prayer: “We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. For by your holy cross you have redeemed the world” and with a reading from a relevant scripture. Both Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Alphonso Maria de’ Liguori wrote devotional guides to the Stations of the Cross, which remain popular.

Speech of Jesus described in the Gospel of John

Maesta of Jesus bidding farewell to his eleven remaining disciples, from the time of Duccio, 1308–1311.

In the New Testament, John chapters 14-17 are known as the farewell speech that Jesus gave to eleven of His disciples immediately after the conclusion of the Last Supper in Jerusalem, the night before His crucifixion.[1]

The discourse generally has different components.[2] First, Jesus tells the disciples that he will go to the Father and send the Holy Spirit to lead the disciples.[2] Jesus gives peace to the disciples and commands them to love one another. The expression of the unity of love between Jesus and his Father in the spirit as it applies to his disciples in the love of Christ is a key theme in the discourse, manifested in several reiterations of the New Commandment: “Love one another as I have loved you. “[3]

The next part of the discourse contains the allegory of the true vine, which positions Jesus as the vine (the source of life for the world) and the disciples as the branches, building on the pattern of discipleship in the Gospels.[4][5] The vine again emphasizes love among the disciples, but Jesus then warns the disciples of impending persecutions: “If the world hates you, remember that they hated me before you.”[1] “I have told you these things, so that you may have peace in me. In this world you will have difficulties. But take heart! I have conquered the world.” John 16:33

In the last part of the discourse (John 17:1-26) Jesus prays for his followers and the church to come. This is Jesus’ longest prayer in all of the Gospels and is known as the Farewell Prayer or the High Priest’s Prayer.[6][7] The central themes of the prayer are the glorification of the Father and requests for the unity of the disciples through love.[2] Jesus prays to the Father that his followers “may all be one as we are one” and that “the love with which you love me may be in them and I in them”.[2][6]

Structure and overview[ edit ]

Papyrus 108 (2nd or 3rd century) with John 17:23–24 from the end of the farewell speech

Although chapters 13 through 17 of John can be viewed as a larger, monolithic entity, most of chapter 13 can be viewed as preparation for the farewell and the farewell prayer in chapter 17 as a conclusion.

The discourse is preceded by 13:31–38 (just after Judas leaves the Last Supper), in which Jesus gives the remaining eleven disciples the New Commandment to “love one another” and Peter denies knowing him during his forthcoming crucifixion. The discourse begins after the literal cleansing (washing of the feet) and the figurative cleansing of the community of disciples through the departure of Judas.[10]

The discourse can be divided into four components:[6][11]

First Address: 14:1–31, The theme of this part is departure and return; peace and joy and is similar to the third discourse. Jesus says he will go to the Father but will send the “Comforter” for the disciples

Second Address: 15:1-17. Also called the Vine, this part is about the love of Jesus and how Jesus is the source of life for the community. In the end, this leads to the discussion of hate in the world in the next section.

Lecture 3: 15:18-16:33. This section deals again with the departure of Jesus and the Comforter who will come to the disciples; and contrasts the love of Jesus with the hate of the world.

The “Farewell Prayer”: 17:1–26. Here Jesus makes five specific requests to the Father as he prays for his disciples and the community of followers.[6]

However, this four-part structure is not universally agreed upon among scholars, and it is sometimes assumed that the third part begins at the beginning of chapter 16 of John.[2] Some scholars use a tripartite structure in which chapters 15 and 16 form a unit.[4]

The statement “I have spoken this to you” appears several times in the discourse and emphasizes that Jesus’ parting words are not to be forgotten.[12] The statement “while I am still with you” then also underlines the importance of the final teachings.[12]

This discourse is rich in Christological content, e.g. it reiterates the pre-existence of Christ in John 17:5 when Jesus refers to the glory he had with the Father “before the world was.”[13]

The four elements of discourse[edit]

Part 1: My peace I give you[edit]

The three components here are:[2]

Jesus says he will go to the Father and affirms his divine relationship with Him (14:1-14)

Commandment of Love and the Coming of the Holy Spirit (14:15–24)

Jesus gives peace and assures the disciples not to be afraid (14:25-31)

At the beginning of this part, Jesus tells the disciples that he will go to the Father, making them nervous about his departure. But he assures them that he will “prepare a place” for them in his father’s house and that they know the way there is through him.[10] The statement in John 14:6:

“I am the way and the truth and the life; none comes to the Father except through me.”

identifying Jesus as the only way to the Father was part of the teachings in the early Christian church at the time, with the apostle Peter stating in Acts 4:12:[10]

“And in no other is salvation; for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Identifying Jesus as the only way to salvation.[10] Jesus then affirms His oneness with the Father in John 14:7-9:[14]

“If you know me, then you also know my father” and “Whoever has seen me has seen the father”.

The statement in John 14:11 “I am in the Father and the Father in me” further emphasizes the special relationship between Jesus and the Father.[10]

The statement in John 14:26, “the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name” is within the framework of the “sending relationships” in John’s gospel.[15] In John 9:4 (and also 14:24) Jesus refers to the Father as “he who sent me,” and in John 20:21 it says “as the Father sent me, so I send you.” where he sends the disciple. In John 15:26 Jesus also sends the Spirit: “Which I will send to you from the Father, [even] the Spirit of truth… shall testify of me”[15] In the Gospel of John the Father is never sent, he is “the sender ‘ of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is never the sender, but is sent by the Father and Jesus (but see Filioque controversy).[15]

Jesus’ bestowal of peace in 14:27 explicitly contrasts him with political “worldly peace” by saying:[15]

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you; not as the world gives I give you.”

Koestenberger states that this would likely contrast the “Heavenly Peace” of Jesus with the secular attempts at peace of the time, such as the Pax Romana instituted by Emperor Augustus.[15] The use of the word peace (Greek eirene) is rare in John’s gospel and apart from another instance in the farewell speech (16:33) it is only used of the risen Jesus in John 20:19-26.[16]

Part 2: I am the vine, you are the branches[edit]

Christ the True Vine, 16th century Greek icon, 16th century Greek icon

This part is a meditation on Jesus as the source of life for the community and builds on the pattern of discipleship in the Gospels.[4][5]

In the beginning, Jesus says, “I am the true vine,” leading to the use of the term “The Vine” to refer to this teaching.[4] The disciples (and thus the church) are then referred to as the branches hanging from the vine:

“I am the vine, you are the branches: whoever abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without me you can do nothing.” – John 15:5

The passages in John 15:9-10 then draw parallels between the relationship between Jesus and the disciples and that of the Father and Jesus:[5]

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you”

“Keep my commandments…as I have kept my Father’s commandments”.

Later in the discourse, this pattern is repeated in John 17:18, where Jesus “sends the disciples into the world,” just as the Father sent him into the world.[10]

This pattern of discipleship again emphasizes the teachings of the Good Shepherd in John 10:1-21, in which one “lays down his life” in obedience. [5] [17]

The theme of the teaching then emphasizes that abiding in Jesus bears fruit and is a way of dying.[4] And Jesus now calls his disciples friends:

“You are my friends if you do as I command you.” – John 15:14

This part of the discourse ends again in 15:17 with the reiteration of the importance of love: “This is what I command you, that you may love one another.”[4]

Part 3: When the world hates you[edit]

Stained glass window with a quote from the farewell speech: “In the world shall ye have tribulation.”

In John 15:18–16:33, Jesus prepares his disciples for conflict and hatred in the world, reminding them that he also faced adversity:[1]

“If the world hated you, you know it hated me before it hated you.” … “They hated me for no reason.”

He warns the disciples of coming persecutions and says:[1]

“If they persecuted me, they will persecute you too”

This in turn draws parallels between Jesus and his disciples as drawn earlier in the discourse.[4] In the first letter of John (3:13) the brethren are reminded again: “Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you.”[4] Jesus again draws parallels and says in John 15:23:

“Whoever hates me hates my father”

But Jesus comforts the disciples by assuring them that he will send the “Spirit of truth” to bear his testimony:[1]

“But when the Comforter comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, [even] the Spirit of truth proceeding from the Father, he will testify of me”

And Jesus adds that the Holy Spirit will not arrive unless He goes, pointing out that the continuation of His work in the world is carried out by the Holy Spirit.[18]

Jesus also assures the disciples of the Father’s love for them, again drawing parallels:[4]

“Father himself loves you because you loved me and believed that I came from the Father.”

“In the world you have tribulations: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

After these statements, Jesus begins a series of prayers for the disciples.

Part 4: Farewell prayer [ edit ]

John 17:1-26 is commonly known as the Farewell Prayer or the High Priests Prayer as it is an intercession for the coming Church. [6] [19] It is by far the longest prayer of Jesus in all the gospels.[7] While the first parts of the discourse are addressed to the disciples, this last part addresses the Father while Jesus raises his eyes to heaven and prays.[6]

The prayer takes place at a unique moment in Jesus’ ministry, at the end of his final instructions to his followers and at the beginning of his passion.[7] After the prayer is completed, the events of Jesus’ passion and the end of his earthly life unfold rather quickly.[7] In prayer, Jesus renders an account of his earthly ministry to the Father one last time and, by praying to him, affirms his total dependence on the Father.[7]

The prayer begins with Jesus’ request for his glorification by the Father in view of the completion of his work and continues to an intercession for the success of the works of his disciples and the community of his followers.[6]

A central theme of prayer is the glorification of the Father. In the first part, Jesus speaks to the Father about their relationship and indirectly repeats this to the disciples.[2]

Then Jesus reflects on the nature of their relationship and asks the Father to glorify him as he glorified the father as he did in his mortal ministry – referring to the theme of eternal life as stated in John 17:3 :[2]

“And this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God”

The farewell prayer consists of the following five requests:[6]

17:1-5: Request for glory because of the completion of his work

17:6-10: Prayers for his disciples

17:11-19: Request for the preservation and sanctification of “his own” in the world

17:20–23: Petition on Unity of “His”

17:24–26: Petition for the union of “his” with himself

The last two petitions are for unity, characterized by:

“I gave them the glory that you gave me, that they might be one as we are one.” – John 17:22

“I have made your name known to them and will make it known, so that the love with which you love me may be in them and I in them.” – John 17:26

the final request being for Jesus’ eternal unity with his followers.[2]

Jesus (right) is accused by the Pharisees the day after the Last Supper, by Duccio

The references to “thy name” in John 17:6 and John 17:26 emphasize the importance of God’s name in Christianity, which is used in Christian teachings (e.g., “divine truth” revealed to believers “who believe on his name”) , as at John 1:12.[20][21]

Historicity[ edit ]

The Jesus Seminar has argued that the verses John 14:30-31 represent a conclusion and that the next three chapters were inserted later in the text. This argument considers the farewell speech to be inauthentic and postulates that it was constructed after Jesus’ death.[22] Similarly, Stephen Harris has questioned the authenticity of the discourse because it appears only in John and not in the synoptic gospels.[23] Scholars such as Herman Ridderbos, however, see John 14:30-31 as only the “temporary conclusion” of this part of the discourse and not the conclusion of the entire discourse.[12]

Fernando Segovia has argued that the Discourse originally consisted only of chapter 14 and the other chapters were added later, but Gary M. Burge disagrees with this argument given the work’s overall theological and literary unity and that the Discourse has much in common with it being gospel as a whole whole, e.g. the themes of Jesus’ death and resurrection and his care for his own.[24]

In 2004 Scott Kellum published a detailed analysis of the literary unity of the entire Farewell Discourse, stating that this shows that it was written by a single author and that its structure and placement within the Gospel of John is consistent with the rest of the Gospel.[9][ 25]

See also[edit]

One of the most powerful things we can do for someone who is dying is to pray for their peace, comfort, and salvation in Jesus Christ. Here are 10 powerful prayers for someone who is dying. Along with the prayers are printable images for you to use or share.

prayer for the last days

Lord of our salvation, as our loved one nears the end of their life, we pray that you would give them freedom from pain. Because he trusts in Jesus, give him the confidence that being away from the body means being present with you. Help him deal with financial and other matters while he is able. Help him enjoy some sweet time with family and friends in these final days. Amen.

Prayer for a loved one with terminal cancer

Merciful Lord, I am praying for my loved one who is in terminal cancer. Help her to know that she didn’t lose this fight because she will soon be with you in paradise. May she lift her eyes to You for help in these last days. If she needs to do something right with someone, may she do it now. Help her to prepare her heart for eternity with you and to be able to share her faith with others. Amen.

Prayer for a peaceful death

Giver of Peace, I intercede for this dear one and I ask you to grant him a peaceful death. Give him comfort in his soul that You will lift him up in the last days. Ease his fear of death and ease any pain he might have. Allay his worries for those he leaves behind. May he know that his help is in your name, creator of heaven and earth. Remind him that those who trust in you will stay with you forever. Amen.

prayer for comfort

God our helper, we bring you our loved one who is near death. We pray that you will bring an anointing of comfort to her and her family. Let her know that you have forgiveness. May they be comforted in your loving devotion and in your abundance of salvation. May our loved one have the comfort of knowing that they are at peace with you and that their family is at peace with them and with each other. Amen.

prayer for hope

Faithful Father, we pray that you will instill hope in our loved one as they have been faced with a grim prognosis. Remind them that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. May she focus on the things of the spirit. Give her hope that her spirit will live when her body is dead because Jesus bought righteousness on the cross. Help her to wait patiently for the hope that lies ahead. Amen.

prayer for salvation

Merciful one, we ask for the salvation of our loved one who is near death. May he turn to you in the face of his mortality, immortal. Help us to lead him to the truth and be a witness of the eternal life that awaits those who call on your name. May he confess his sins and be forgiven. May he believe in his heart that your death and resurrection have prepared a way for him to live with you forever. Amen.

prayer for mercy

God our refuge, we pray for our loved one who is in his last days. We pray that you will show her mercy. We pray that you will take away this pain she is experiencing in her body. And we pray that her heart is ready to meet you soon. Remind them that mercy triumphs over judgment for those who are in Christ. May she keep herself in the love of God as she awaits the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring her eternal life. Amen.

Prayer for loved ones in hospice care

God our stronghold, we exalt our dear one who has been admitted to the hospice. May you bring comfort to her body and kind caretakers to help her. May you comfort her family and bless them with sweet memories of these last days. May she place her trust in Jesus, who will keep her from faltering and joyfully present her blameless before Your glorious presence. Amen.

Prayer for the loss of a loved one

God of comfort, we pray that your loving arms will enclose the family and friends of this loved one who has just passed away. We pray that you will ease their pain and feelings of loss. As they go through the grieving process, may they have your comfort. Verily, You are close to those who are heartbroken and You help those whose spirits are broken. When they miss the company of their loved one, may they feel your presence with them. Amen.

Prayer for the fear and insecurity of the bereaved

Lord, our comfort, we pray for this family who have lost their loved one. We pray that you will ease any fear or uncertainty you may be feeling. Give them comfort that their loved one is now face to face with you. Relieve any stress you may have about finances and may these matters be settled soon. Ease their fear of life without their loved one. Help them with all the tasks that need to be done in the coming days, weeks and months. Amen.

Paul probably accomplished more for God than any other person in history. He planted churches, he saw souls saved by the thousands, he wrote about two-thirds of the New Testament, he was persecuted for the gospel. The apostle Paul was a mighty man of God! But what impresses me most about Paul is his inner life with God, his life of prayer.

The apostle Paul was a man of prayer. His writings show that he lived in constant communion with the Father, and he commanded us to do the same. In this article we will cover the main aspects of Paul’s prayer life and how we can follow his example. Let’s start.

Paul sang praises to God

“But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the captives were listening to them.” (Acts 16:25)

“And do not get drunk on wine in which there is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord, giving thanks always to God the Father for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:18-20 )

“For when I pray in tongues, my spirit prays, but my mind is barren. Then what is the conclusion? I will pray with the spirit and I will also pray with the mind. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the mind.” (1 Corinthians 14:14-15)

Singing was a big part of the apostle Paul’s prayer life. The Bible commands us to “enter into its gates with thanksgiving, and into its courts with praise” (Psalm 100:4). So when we come before the Lord in prayer, we should sing to Him and worship Him by raising our voice. Regardless of how we sound good or bad, we sound good to God.

Singing also brings our heart right before Him and helps us to enter His presence with our eyes on Him instead of on this world. I believed Paul recognized this when he worshiped the Lord through singing.

This is also what Jesus taught his disciples in Matthew chapter 6 when he told us to start praying by saying, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” He instructed his disciples to to begin worship. (Related article: How to pray like Jesus).

Paul interceded for the churches

Paul had a burden on the church. He wanted the church to walk in all that has been given to us in Christ. He streamed into the church of his day in three ways: by example, by teaching, and by prayer. We can learn from him in each of these categories, but we will continue to focus on prayer and try to answer the question, “What did the apostle Paul pray as he prayed for the church?”

#1: He would pray for wisdom and revelation.

“Therefore, after hearing of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I continue to thank you and mention you in my prayers, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory , may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, illuminating the eyes of your mind; that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the overwhelming greatness of his power in us, which we believe, according to the working of his mighty power which he exercises worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him in the heavenly places at his right hand” (Ephesians 1:15-20)

“For this reason, from the day we heard it, we also continue to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, fruitful in every good work, and growing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious power, for all patience and long-suffering with joy.” (Colossians 1:9-11)

Paul would pray for wisdom and revelation to increase for God’s people. As you study these scriptures, you will find that everything that follows Paul’s prayer for wisdom and revelation is a list of the fruits that would come as a result of the answer to prayer. That is why in both passages he says after each prayer “that you may”.

#2: He would thank God for every believer.

“Therefore, after I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I continue to thank you and mention you in my prayers.” (Ephesians 1:15-16)

“I thank my God in every memory of you, always in my every prayer as I ask with joy for you all.” (Philippians 1:3-4)

“First of all, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you that your faith is spoken of in all the world.” (Romans 1:8)

We should be thankful for everyone who accepts Christ. It helps us keep a correct view of the people being prayed for.

We seldom thank God for other believers today, but for Paul it was a necessity. The people in these churches were not perfect, but they were perfected by the living God, and for that we should be thankful.

There was only one church in the scriptures where the apostle Paul did not mention thanking God for them or praying for them, and that was the Galatian church.

The reason why? They were rejecting the true gospel by resorting to the works of the law, so Paul didn’t give his usual introduction. He tried with all his might to rebuke her. So as long as the individual has accepted Christ, we thank God for him.

Paul thanked God and prayed for everything

“Pray without ceasing, give thanks in everything; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

“In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ always and for everything give thanks to God the Father.” (Ephesians 5:20)

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6)

Paul lived in constant fellowship with the Father. We know this because he tells the church to “pray without ceasing,” “give thanks for all things,” and “in all things through prayer.”

Praying continuously may seem like a daunting task, but it is not impossible. What Paul can do, we can do too.

The apostle Paul was not a special person. Perhaps he received revelation directly from the Lord, and he was undoubtedly a mighty man of God. But he was no different than you and me. He was made of the same amount of dirt as we were, he had the same 24 hours a day as us, and he needed to be rescued just like us.

Let us follow Paul’s example and live in constant communion with God. (Related article: Pray Without Ceasing: What Is It and How To Do It).

Paul spoke a lot in tongues!

“I thank my God that I speak in tongues more than all of you” (1 Corinthians 14:18)

In 1 Corinthians 14 the apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth about the organization of the gifts of the Spirit within a church. And he mentions that he speaks in tongues more than anyone else. This is impressive!

Paul says with confidence that he speaks more in tongues than any believer in the city of Corinth.

This means that he was likely speaking in tongues when waking up in the morning between meals and laying his head down at night.

“For when I pray in tongues, my spirit prays, but my mind is barren. Then what is the conclusion? I will pray with the spirit and I will also pray with the mind. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the mind.” (1 Corinthians 14:14-15)

This is my favorite passage of Scripture because more than any other Scripture it reveals Paul’s inner life in fellowship with the Lord. We have already used this scripture to see that Paul sang praises to God in His prayer time, but more is revealed here.

Paul alternated between praying with his understanding and praying in the spirit. This means that when he went to spend secret time with the Lord, he spoke in tongues 50% of the time. That’s powerful! (Related article: Singing in the Spirit: What It Is and How To)

I believe when Paul was asked, “How can I gain strength in prayer? he would respond with a mention of tongues. (Related Articles: 5 Benefits of Speaking in Tongues and Speaking in Tongues: 5 Things to Know From the Bible).

Conclusion

I once heard someone say, “If we want the same power as the apostles, we must do what the apostles did.”

The man I heard saying that was Reinhard Bonnke. He was an evangelist in Africa who saw millions come to Christ and he was the founder of Christ to all nations. If you haven’t heard of him, I suggest you check him out. His statement is simple, but true nonetheless.

Paul was a living example to us. And if we want the same fruit that he bore, we must walk after the same pattern that he lived, and more importantly, he prayed.

Would you like to pray a biblical prayer found in the New Testament? These nine prayers are found in the text of the Gospels and Epistles. Learn more about them. You may wish to pray them verbatim in certain circumstances or use them as inspiration for prayer. The beginnings of the passages are quoted. You may want to look up the full verses to read, understand, and use.

When His disciples asked to learn how to pray, Jesus gave them this simple prayer. It shows different aspects of prayer. First, it acknowledges and praises God and His works and submission to His will. Then it asks God for basic needs. It asks forgiveness for our wrongdoing and affirms that we must act compassionately towards others. It requires that we be able to resist temptation.

Matthew 6:9-13 (ESV)

“Then pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’”

The Tax Collector’s Prayer

How are you supposed to pray when you know you’ve done something wrong? The publican in this parable prayed humbly, and the parable says his prayers were answered. This is in comparison to the Pharisee who stands in front and proudly declares his worthiness.

Luke 18:13 (NLT)

“But the tax collector stood at a distance and did not even dare lift his eyes to heaven while he was praying. Instead he beat his chest in grief and said, ‘Oh God, have mercy on me, for I am a sinner.’

The intercessory prayer of Christ

In John 17, Jesus says a long prayer of intercession, first for his own glory, then for his disciples, and then for all believers. The full text can serve as inspiration in many circumstances.

John 17 (NLT)

“When Jesus had finished saying these words, he looked up to heaven and said, ‘Father, the time has come. Glorify your son so he can restore glory to you. For you have given him authority over all on the face of the whole earth. He gives eternal life to everyone you have given him. And that is the way to have eternal life – to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent to earth…'”

Stephen’s prayer at his stoning

Stephen was the first martyr. His prayer at his death was an example for all who die for their faith. Even as he died, he prayed for those who killed him. These are very brief prayers, but they show a devout adherence to Christ’s principles of turning the other cheek and showing love to your enemies.

Acts 7:59-60 (NIV)

“As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he fell on his knees and cried out, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ As soon as he said that, he fell asleep.”

Paul’s prayer to know God’s will

Paul wrote to the new Christian church and told them how he was praying for them. This could be a way to pray for someone with a new found faith.

Colossians 1:9-12 (NIV)

“For this reason, since the day we heard from you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and insight. And we pray this so that you may live worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all might according to his glorious might, that you may have great perseverance and patience and give gladly thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.”

Paul’s prayer for spiritual wisdom

Similarly, Paul wrote to the new Christian church in Ephesus to say that he was praying for them for spiritual wisdom and growth. Look up the full passages for additional words to inspire you as you pray for a congregation or an individual believer.

Ephesians 1:15-23 (NLT)

“Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere, I have not stopped thanking God for you. I keep praying for you, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and discernment that you may grow in your knowledge of God…”

Ephesians 3:14-21 (NIV)

“Therefore I kneel before the Father from whom all his family in heaven and on earth takes their name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power by his Spirit within you, that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, and I pray that you who are rooted and grounded in love, together with have power among all the saints to comprehend how vast and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know that love which surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of the whole fullness of God…”

Paul’s Prayer for Partners in Ministry

These verses can be useful for praying for those in the ministry. The passage continues in more detail for more inspiration.

Philippians 1:3-11

“Every time I think of you, I thank my God. Each time I pray, it is with joy that I make my requests for all of you, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News of Christ from the time you first heard it until now. And I am sure that God, who began the good work in you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day of Christ Jesus’ return…”

A praise

This prayer is suitable for praising God. It’s short enough to pray for literally, but it’s also packed with meaning that you can use to ponder the nature of God.

Jude 1:24-25 (NLT)

“Now all glory be to God, who can keep you from falling away and without a single mistake will bring you into his glorious presence with great joy. All glory to him who alone is God our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power and authority are His before all time and in the present and beyond all time! Amen.”