Yes, I don't pray for many particular intentions, as consecration to Mary has taken that burden off my shoulders. I used to feel so stretched thin trying to pray for all the intentions I felt in my heart. By just letting our heavenly mother receive our feeble prayers, they are augmented and multiplied by her and go a lot farther to where they are needed most. I used to think, wow, my heavenly mother just doubled my rosary, but that is humanly thinking. How about multiplying my prayers by 100, or 1,000...that I think is what is going on. Esepcially if we are sacrificing to pray. our heavenly mother knows how much I value sleep...and my body seems to have always needed a lot of it. So, when I get up well before the sun to say my prayers before I have to be to work at 7am or 7:30am, then I do think those prayers go even farther as God will never be outdone in generosity.
First thing every day I pray the drops of holy blood Followed by three hail Marys for Pope Francis as he requested Then say my daily intentions, mainly for Family. Each day here are the rest of my must do prayers: St Michael The Archangel The Magnificat Rosary Confraternity Prayer Prayer to St Gertrude Three O'Clock Prayer The Rosary (My Fatima Consecration) Divine Mercy Chaplet. In between all them are usually a lot of other prayers, sometimes almost constant, especially when driving. I try to speak deeply in prayer last thing before I fall asleep each night. I have been following this routine for nearly two years now. Praying for help with prayer will always pay off I find. I always feel I could be doing more though.
When making a sacrifice it doesn't have to ge anything huge . . .think of St.Therese that Little Fkower who said "the little way". Years ago I gave up cream and sugar in my coffee, it took a while to adjust, but that was not a biggie. This summer I gave up ice cream . . .you can let someone go in front of you in the checkout lane. You can slow down to let a driver out into the road. You can call someone on the phone to cheer them up, even if you are busy. Many little things can be a sacrifice. The same with prayer, if you can't say a whole rosary, just do a decade and meditate on that mystery . . .even thinking about prayer is a prayer.
all summer long I would run off to church between 2 and 3pm and spend time before the tabernacle and crucifix and pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet and read the reading from Divine Mercy on the APP on my Iphone of all things (a treasure from Stockbridge Mass)....It kept me so spiritually on target and then I went back to work and feel like I am falling apart. I need to get back to going to church after work....back 2 weeks and already sliding away.....life doesn't have to get in the way if I set my priorities....
The life of a saint Its a constant battle...but the highs are so good and the lows are so Devastating. One baby step forward gets you one step closer to heaven. Brother al
