PRAYER IN NEED

Mother, take us caringly beneath your mantle,
that our homeland may forever be in heaven,
shelter us from hunger, pestilence and fire,
for we turn to you in greatest need and sorrow.

Tell your Son,
as once you did here in his lifetime,
when he helped the people in their need and trouble:
Lord, they have run out of wine,
and food is lacking.
Then we may be certain
we will gain a hearing.

He elected you as second Eve,
the Woman: you should save and win for us
what Eve abandoned,
drawing all mankind with her to its destruction;
but from you salvation's waves are ever flowing.

Following the Father's plans of love and wisdom,
earth should always be a vale of tears and sorrows
till transfiguration's sun arises brightly
and reflects the bliss and joy of heaven's glory.

With your Son, the Saviour,
you have been commissioned
to restore to us the life of grace we wasted,
keeping from us many of earth's tribulations,
or allaying them and working our salvation.

Let your mother-heart today
reveal its riches where the devil's forces
stir and show their power;
manifest your power and exceeding kindness
in their fullest flowering, Helpmate of the Saviour.

As your Son while he still lived on earth
amongst us comforted and healed the sick,
and fed the hungry, 
go with him through our ranks imparting blessings,
Placing your almighty arm at our disposal.

Visibly reveal yourself as that great portent conquering
the needs of earth and Satan's cunning;
let the peoples find in you their real protection,
and proclaim you Mediatrix of our salvation.

Our distress has grown to such immense proportions
that without your help we shall most surely perish; 
You alone can save us from complete destruction:
come and see, we gather pleadingly around you.

 So we ask that with your Son
you may protect us
from the storms of time
and from hell's raging fury.
And for all eternity
we want to thank you,
praising you for being Mother of the peoples.

We would like to make your name known with great courage,
and lead to your shrine the people
we encounter that together with you here
and up in heaven they may praise the Triune God with jubilation.

Amen.

(Father Joseph Kentenich,
Heavenwards, Dachau, 07.12.1944)

Spiritual Communion

My Jesus, 
I believe that you are present in this Holy Sacrament of the altar. 
I love you above all things 
and I passionately desire to receive you into my soul. 
Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, 
come spiritually into my soul 
so that I may unite myself wholly to you now and forever. Amen.

(Based on a prayer of St Alphonsus Liguori)