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What is Prayer?
Prayer is the act of asking for gifts or graces from God. Petition
is the principal act of prayer where one seeks a union with God.
This is also done in thanksgiving and praise.
By prayer we acknowledge our neediness and dependence upon God's
power and goodness. Prayer implies the deepest reverence for God.
Prayer presupposes our faith in God and hope in His goodness.
There is no set time to pray or definite words for one to pray.
We pray with our hearts, in our minds and in the company of others.
We pray to soothe troubled minds, to heal injured and sick bodies,
for personal means and acceptance. We pray in formal recitations
of written prayer or in the silence of our inner thoughts. The
over all goal and belief is that God hears all prayer.
Prayer to St. John the Baptist
God, You raised up St. John the Baptist to prepare a perfect people
for Christ. Fill Your people with the joy of possessing His grace,
and direct the minds of all the faithful in the way of peace and
salvation. Grant that, as St. John was martyred for truth and
justice, so we may energetically profess our Faith in You, and
lead others to the Way, the Truth, and Eternal Life. Amen.
What is a Litany
A litany is a form of prayer consisting of a number of petitions,
used in church services and processions, The word 'litany' comes
from the Latin litania, from the Greek ??t? (litê), meaning
"prayer" or "supplication".
After three centuries of bloody persecution peace was granted
to the Church and public devotions became common. Processions
called 'litanies' were frequently held where pictures and other
religious emblems were carried. During the Middle Ages, litanies
were created in honor of God the Father, of God the Son, of God
the Holy Ghost, of the Precious Blood, of the Blessed Virgin,
of the Immaculate Conception, of the saints honored in different
countries and for the souls in Purgatory. Today the litanies approved
for public recitation are: of All Saints, of Loreto, of the Holy
Name, of the Sacred Heart, and of St. Joseph.
Litany prayer of St. John the Baptist
Lord, have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven, Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Ghost, Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, Pray for us.
Queen of Prophets, Pray for us.
Queen of Martyrs, Pray for us.
St. John the Baptist, Pray for us.
St. John the Baptist, precursor of Christ, Pray for us.
St. John the Baptist, glorious forerunner of the Sun of Justice,
Pray for us.
St. John the Baptist, minister of Baptism to Jesus, Pray for us.
St. John the Baptist, burning and shining lamp of the world, Pray
for us.
St. John the Baptist, angel of purity before thy birth, Pray for
us.
St. John the Baptist, special friend and favorite of Christ, Pray
for us.
St. John the Baptist, heavenly contemplative, whose element was
prayer, Pray for us.
St. John the Baptist, intrepid preacher of truth, Pray for us.
St. John the Baptist, voice crying in the wilderness, Pray for
us.
St. John the Baptist, miracle of mortification and penance, Pray
for us.
St. John the Baptist, example of profound humility, Pray for us.
St. John the Baptist, glorious martyr of zeal for God's holy law,
Pray for us.
St. John the Baptist, gloriously fulfilling thy mission, Pray
for us.
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