MARY, OUR MOTHER

VATICAN - Prayers for Lent - Acts of Faith, Hope, Charity and Sorrow (2)

Vatican City (Fides Service) - One often sees even very young children at Sunday Mass, in the arms of the mother as she receives communion. From their mother and father children learn to know, love and believe in Jesus, they learn that sin displeases Jesus and that we must try to avoid it. They learn to speak to Jesus and ask his forgiveness, to long to see Him in heaven and to pray for His grace to love brothers and sisters, neighbors and everyone as God loves them.

From their mothers many children learn night prayers, Acts of Faith, Hope Charity and Sorrow and then “goodnight Jesus, goodnight Mother in heaven”.

I still use the night prayers I learned as a child from my mother: three Hail Marys, the Memorare, the Prayer to St Michael, Acts of Faith, Hope Charity and Sorrow and the Act of Adoration of the children of Fatima, the prayer to my Guardian Angel and the prayer to St Joseph.

Sad to say today these prayers are forgotten by many and the younger generations have never heard of them…

It is time to become again like children and desire ‘pure spiritual milk’ so we may grow in faith (1st Letter of Peter). We must not be ashamed to resume these prayers, to teach them to our children. They are important for growing in our faith, becoming mature Christians.

At Fatima, Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco, aged 9, 7, and 6, learned two prayers from Our Lady and from the Angel, two prayers which reassume the four Acts mentioned above:

«My God I believe, adore, hope and love you. I ask you to forgive all those who do not believe, adore, hope and love you .
«O Good Jesus forgive us our sins, preserve us from the fires of Hell, take all souls to heaven especially those most in need your mercy.»

(to be continued)
(J.M.) (Agenzia Fides 14/3/2007, righe 33, parole 494)

Links:
Prayer
http://www.fides.org/ita/approfondire/preghiere/altre/atto_dolore.doc