Stewards for Christ

Day 1   Open my heart Lord that I may offer love and forgiveness through your merciful love. Only through your love can you heal the memory of all the pain and hurt from my past childhood. Oh Holy Spirit beloved of my soul I call upon you to lead me to all the memories that need your healing. Penetrate my heart and heal it from within that I may find solace and peace. I give you permission to go deep within my heart and heal the memory of all the painful words said which resulted in childhood separation within our family. Holy Spirit I thank you in advance for all that you are going to do for the healing of distorted childhood memories. Amen

Prayer Offerings: Lord, I offer all my past childhood sufferings for the conversion of sinners.

(E1) Pray one Divine Mercy and one Holy Rosary.

https://www.thedivinemercy.org

http://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/devotions/holy-rosary-390

Day 2 Father, you are our Dad in heaven and on earth. You called us to be your sons and daughters. Help us to have hearts like Jesus. Teach us to love you in all seasons so, we may love all our brothers, sisters and siblings, no matter how different they are. Father you made each one of us unique and you love us with all our weaknesses, faults and imperfections. Help us to love our siblings this same way through your love and mercy. Jesus, you taught us a new commandment. You said, “Love one another; as I have Loved you, that you also love one another.” John 13:34 Jesus, heal and purify my heart. Amen    (E2) Repeat Offering and Prayers.

Day 3 God, help me to accept those siblings who choose not to live in peace with us throughout our childhood and adult lives. Lord bless our separated brothers and sisters. God, help us to accept those siblings that refuse to speak to us throughout our childhood and adult lives. Lord bless our separated brothers and sisters. God help us to accept those siblings that looked down on us as we were growing up as children and continues into adulthood. Lord bless our separated brothers and sisters. God help us to accept those siblings who dislike us for unknown and unexplainable reasons. Lord Bless our separated brothers and sisters. God help us to accept those siblings who have hurt us with words or actions and empty arguments. Lord bless our separated brothers and sisters. God help me to accept those siblings that do not love us throughout our lives. Help me to love them no matter how distant they become. Lord bless our separated brothers and sisters; give us the grace to love them with all the love that you poured into our hearts. In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen (E3) Repeat Offering and Prayers. 

Day 4 Oh, Holy Spirit, I pray to you today for your help to go to the root of the memory of when I first began to separate myself from my sibling. Holy Spirit, I give you permission to go deep into my memory and begin to heal all past wounds that need healing. Oh, Holy Spirit, I know I cannot do this on my own. You are my consoler and my healer. Come Holy Spirit, come deep into my heart as I surrender myself to you. Oh, Holy Spirit, I give you permission to help me search deep into the wounds of my heart. These wounds stop me from going to you for help in caring and loving my sibling. Although they have caused the hurt and pain, I choose to forgive them. Oh, Holy Spirit, help me to begin the process of healing and forgiving my sibling. Lord, begin to heal the the wounds that continue to linger in my heart. Come Holy Spirit come. Oh, Holy Spirit Beloved of my soul I Adore you. I thank you for all that you are going to do for me today. In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen (E4) Repeat Offering and Prayers.

Day 5: My Lord, permit me not to succumb to strange gods before you: Allow no other distracting interests as I yearn to spend precious time with you in adoration. My Lord, lead me not into temptation: Help me not be tempted to replace you with other gods like television, drug and alcohol addictions, sports obsession and betting, fast foods and unhealthy snacks to name a few. My Lord, remove any obstacle that prevents me from hearing and obeying your Will. Give us this day our daily Bread:

Forgive me my Lord for I occasionally put off going to Reconciliation before Mass. Teach me to discern a clear conscience as I kneel before you, and may I never receive the Eucharist unworthily. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us: I pray I always love and forgive my brothers, sisters and those around me whether at work or at home with family and love my neighbor as myself. Father, you know my heart, teach me to know you and to love like you. Amen. (E5) Repeat Offering and Prayers.

Day 6 Holy Spirit please help me to pray this before going to bed at night.

Give me the grace to recognize my sin that I may be conscious of the sin that alienates me from God. If I have any unconfessed sin, I pray that you will reveal it to me. Forgive me Father if I have offended you in any way.

(Mention your sins) Pray the Act of Contrition below after confessing your sins.

O, my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee; and I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of he’ll, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen. (E6) Repeat Offering and Prayers.

Day 7 A Day of repentance.

Today I prayed the 7 Penitential Psalms 6; 32; 38; 51; 102; 130; 143.

Confession of sins requires a limitless trust in the Mercy of God. When I sin, I must become conscious of my iniquity that alienates me from God. I will ask the Holy Spirit to help me go deep into the root of my sin. Holy Spirit please reveal to me any unconfessed sins. Oh Lord I pray that my heart will be transformed by you and may you infuse in me a renewed Spirit through the sacrament of reconciliation. Come Holy Spirit, Come. (E7) Repeat Offering and Prayers.

Day 8 The Father reminds me to be like a child and do not worry about the past or the future. Last night as I began to pray, I confessed my sins to the Lord. It was a night of repentance as I lamented and poured out my heart to the Lord. The next morning after my prayers I headed out early to work.

As I started my day at work I began to pray to God as I quietly sat at my desk. Then suddenly the Lord gave me a vision and I saw myself as a child standing next to the Father. I was clinging to the Father who stood so tall next to me. I was clinging fast to God and I would not let go. I asked the Holy Spirit to help me discern the meaning of this vision. I understood that even though we sin, God forgives us like a Father forgives his children. God loves us so much that he does not want us to be afraid to ask Him for forgiveness. He wants us to come to him with a childlike heart and not be afraid to tell him “Father, I have sinned”

At the end of the day, I returned back home from work and I prayed Divine Mercy and the Holy Rosary. When I finished praying, I laid my head down to rest and in my rest, I fell asleep and I had a dream. I saw myself standing at the top of a hill overlooking a large field covered with snow. The field was far and wide as far as my eyes could see. Then suddenly I saw a man standing in the center of the field at a far distance. He was calling out to me as if he knew me. Although his voice was faint and far, I heard him say “Come and see, it really is snow, its snow, it really is snow, Come and see! Then in his excitement, I saw him picking up the snow and joyfully tossing it up in the air. As I discerned the dream, I asked the Holy Spirit who was the man calling out to me at such a far distance.

I understood it was the Lord. God was letting me know he had already forgiven my sins and my sins were as white as snow. God truly delights in us when we confess our sins. The Father rejoices in us when we open our hearts to him. When we sin we become very distant from God. I had not realized I was so distant from the Lord and I could barely hear him speaking to me. Then I awoke and I heard a voice speaking to me in my right ear. The voice said my name in a loud whisper. I suddenly awoke from my dream and opened my eyes. It was the Lord letting me know I was no longer distant and I heard him speaking to me as if he was standing right next to me.

Father, help me to always run back to you when I sin and not delay going to confession. Thank you for your Love and mercy and the forgiveness of all my sins. I thank you God our Father for the Sacrament of Reconciliation and for those who have responded to your call to the priestly ministry.

 Psalm 51: 10, 17

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.

17 The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken Spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

(E8) Repeat Offering and Prayers.

Day 9 Thank you Father for another day of life. When I awake every morning I kneel before you and give you thanks and praise always. You are my God, my rock and my stronghold, my deliverer who gives me strength, my only God.

At least I thought you were my only God until you revealed to me that I have not been faithful all these years. Today I begin my day by asking you forgiveness. Father I beg you to forgive me for all the years I spent viewing movies on television. Lord, you revealed to me that when I am spending hours viewing movies on television I am in bed with another god. Now I understand that by devoting my precious time in front of a television can become idolatry. Lord, I want to spend my time adoring you always and not wasting my precious time in front of a television. I know that when I am doing this I am not spending my time wisely. You opened my eyes to see that television makes me lazy and then I don’t feel like praying to you before going to bed. When I don’t say my prayers I am not giving you thanks and praise. When I don’t give you thanks I don’t give you all the glory and praise that you deserve for you are worthy of all my praise. Doing this leads me to spend less and less time with you. Oh Lord how sad this makes me feel.

Forgive me Father for I know now that spending time in front of a television is adoring and devoting my time to another god. Thank you Father for revealing this to me. I will begin to lament over the sin that goes against our first commandment. I will abandon this sin and ask you for forgiveness. I know now how foolish I have been wasting my time away from you. Help me to return to you wholeheartedly through prayer and devotion. I want to use my time wisely and adore you in prayer and thanksgiving.

Thank you Father for my family and everything we have. I know that everything we have comes from you. I know my life is a precious gift and I want to spend it doing your will everyday. Thank you Father for another day of life. Amen. (E9) Repeat Offering and Prayers.

Day 10 Today I pray for those who need healing of deformities and abnormalities. I thank you Lord for when I asked for healing in the name of Jesus you healed me. Lord you healed me when I was sick for many years. I thank you Lord for this divine healing. Although I was born with a deformity, this kind of healing is different. I ask you Holy Spirit, how shall I pray for deformities and abnormalities. I pray and ask you Lord for the healing of my deformity since birth. I thank you Father in advance for the healing of deformities and abnormalities. You are our divine physician and I know that nothing is impossible for you. I thank you for all that you are going to do. Thank you for your merciful love. Thank you Father for when you heal one part of my body you are healing all of me. In Jesus name I pray. (E10) Repeat Offering and Prayers.

Day 11     Lord may your peace live in me as I seek your face and in everything I do. Let my prayers be your words as I pray throughout this day. I pray I may be an instrument of your peace to all I meet. As I call on the Holy Spirit let my thoughts be your thoughts and my words your words in my walk with you Lord. Let not my heart be troubled or afraid for your peace gives me comfort and fills my heart with joy. Thank you, Lord for another day of life. Amen (E14) Repeat Offering and Prayers.

Day 12 Jesus, you are the true vine and the Father the vine grower. Does He need to remove any branches in me not bearing fruit? Prune any so I may bear new fruit? Jesus, I pray I may remain in you and you in me for I cannot do this on my own. You revealed to me the gods of Television and Movies which detached me from your living vine. Lord, will I be cast out like a withered branch? Left on the outside from you? How long will your gaze turn from me? How long will I mourn? Forgive me Father for these idol offenses. During our private time together in Reconciliation You said I should be joyful; that this powerful sacrament brings me to you.  I will return to you, my God. I will lament as needed according to your will Lord with faithfulness to you. My Lord, I am here beside you. Where do you need me now? How do I serve you? Lead me to move forward. Where to stand still? Shall anything I do be blessed? Please know that I don’t need or want other gods. Father I choose you and you alone. I want to cling fast to you, my Abba. I will wait for you. Father in heaven I give you praise. Yes, you are so good to me Dad. Father I love you too. Blessed be the Lord. (E15) Repeat Offering and Prayers.

Day 13 Joy in finding Jesus. Today I contemplated on the Fifth Joyful Mystery. Father, I pray that when I am lost in my spiritual walk with Jesus and distant myself from Him I pray that I will encounter him in my own temple. For I am a temple of the Holy Spirt. Help me to seek your Beloved Son, Jesus Christ within me. As long as I have the Holy Spirit in me through Baptism I am never lost and abandoned. I can never be truly lost as long as I keep asking Jesus questions for he is my teacher and the Holy Spirit is my guide. Amen. (E18) Repeat Offering and Prayers.

Day 14 Jesus, you called me friend and invited me to have an intimate friendship with you. You said I am no longer a slave; you are my friend. Jesus, you gave us one last commandment before you ascended to the Father. You said: This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. Jesus, help me to be patient with those who do not love me. Strengthen me to pray for my enemy, those who persecute me. Help me to bless those that hate me. Forgive them Father for they know not what they do. Jesus, I will continue to pray Divine Mercy for all my brothers and sisters. For the sake of your sorrowful passion have mercy on us and on the whole world. Amen. (E19) Repeat Offering and Prayers.

Day 15 Lord, today I pray you help me to always listen when reading scripture because it is in that moment you open my heart to pay attention and understand your Word. Lord, I give you permission to enter my heart, do with me what you will. Amen Acts of the Apostles 16: 11-15 (E20) Repeat Offering and Prayers.

Day 16 Thank you, Father, for another day of Life! Thank you for loving me even when I drift away from you. Yes, I am a drifter. Drifting when I sin; when I don’t pray deep from my heart; when I don’t share my inner thoughts with you, and when I’m just not faithful. I am like a leaf that falls from a tree blown far off into the desert.

Thank you, Father for the Holy Spirit. He is that force blowing like a strong wind when I wander off. He delivers me to the desert to remind me of where I’ve been and where I am. He is beside me every step of the way. Even when my steps do not follow yours. O Holy Spirit my guide, seek me like a shepherd that seeks his lost sheep when they wander off. Father I pray I listen to your voice and follow the light of your Holy Spirit. Thank you, Father, for sending us the Advocate. You knew we would need him every day of our lives. Father, today I begin my first day of the Novena to the Holy Spirit. I ask you to renew the Sevenfold Gifts in me by water and the Holy Spirit. I am like the blind man who no longer sees the gifts in front of him. 

O Holy Spirit, hear my plea, enlighten my mind, strengthen my will and inflame my heart with the love of God. Renew your holy gifts in me so I may continue my journey to seek God’s Will every day of my life. Amen. (E24) Repeat Offering and Prayers.

https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/devotions/special-novenas-79

Day 17 Lord you drive away and scatter all my enemies and those who hate me flee from me. I rejoice and celebrate before you, my God. I praise you every day for you are worthy of my praise and I give you all the glory for all you do for me. You are a defender of all who are faithful to you. Lord, you help me prosper in everything I do. I pray that I will never leave you in times of trouble and persecution from all my enemies. Help me to always take courage and conquer all my fears in this world. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. (E27) Repeat Offering and Prayers.

Day 18 Jesus, I pray, help me to be consecrated in the truth. Only through you Jesus can we inherit eternal life. I hope one day I may share in this joy with you. So, as you and the Father are one, help me to be one with you. Jesus, protect me in the name of the Father and guard me that I may not be lost in this world. I ask that you keep me from the evil one for I do not belong to this world. Jesus, consecrate me in the truth as you send me into the world. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. (E29) Repeat Offering and Prayers.

Day 19 Jesús I believe you are praying for me and interceding between the Father and me. Jesús I believe you are in me and I in You. I thank God He sent you to us so we could know the Father through You and save us from our sins. I pray one day I may see you and the Father face to face and see your glory. Thank you, Jesus, for making known to us the love of the Father through you. We can say we know the Father’s love through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. (E30) Repeat Offering and Prayers.

Day 20 Oh Mary, Blessed Mother of the church, intercede and pray for me that I may be more devoted to prayer. I in turn ask the Holy Spirit to send more graces and his power so I can do his will. Oh, Holy Spirit enlighten my mind to know the truth about God and myself. Enkindle in my heart Holy Spirit the fire of your love and the fire of God’s love. Give me more wisdom, knowledge, counsel and charity and the love needed to love others through God’s love. Father give me the grace to love you whole heartedly that I may be faithful to you in all seasons. I pray Father in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, your beloved Son. Amen. (E34) Repeat Offering and Prayers.

Day 21 Lord, I rejoice in you as my heart leaps for joy when I proclaim your word. I will tell of your greatness when I speak of your glory. When I go through trials, tests and enduring afflictions, my spirit delights in you, my God. Blessed are those who believe in your decrees, laws, precepts, statutes, for I delight in your commandments. I pray you will favor me your servant as I face all my trials in life. Oh my God you do great and wonderful deeds and Holy is your name. You promised your mercy from age to age and to our ancestors for your mercy endures forever. Thank you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit for Holy is your name forever and ever. amen.

A prayer after reading Luke 1:39-56 (E41) Repeat Offering and Prayers.

Day 22 I start out small like a mustard seed within my 120 Days of Walking with God and although I hardly can keep up, I know Jesus intercedes and prays for me standing between me and the Father. He breaks me, melts me, and molds me as he fills me with the Holy Spirit and that is a joyful consolation. I am not giving up. I have Jesus Christ in me and I am in Him for I know nothing is impossible for God. He is my hope. I can rejoice knowing God renews in me a Spirit of expectation. I may be small like a mustard seed, but I trust in Jesus to help me grow spiritually every day of my life. Thank you, Father, for this day of life and another day of my walk with you. I love you my heavenly Father. (E54) Repeat Offering and Prayers.

Day 23 Love of Enemies In today’s society we are surrounded by so much hatred and evil that it would only be natural to respond by hating our enemy in return but Jesus wants us to be supernatural. Not to respond with a self-love but rather a Christian love. If we love our enemy there will be pain and suffering but there will also be fruits. Jesus wants us to love our enemy. He showed us how on the cross but, with great pain and suffering comes the fruits of conversion. Jesus paid that price for us on the cross but, if we want to follow Jesus, we must imitate him and walk in his steps.

Prayer: Jesus I will continue to love those who hate me regardless of how many times they reject me. I choose to love my enemy even when it hurts not to be loved in return. When love seems hopeless and gone, I want to be the love that is missing whether in my family or in my neighbor, at work or in the people I meet. Jesus, you never give up on me and you never stop loving me. You can turn the bad into good if we allow you to use us. Jesus, nothing is impossible for you when we love those who do not know how to love their neighbor. Thank you, Jesus, for loving me unconditionally. (E56) Repeat Offering and Prayers.

Day 24 Matthew 9:9-13 In today’s reading Jesus says, “I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” Jesus I am thankful that you came to call on the sick, those who need a physician. When I find myself distant from you and lost in my own sin I know there is hope. I know I can run back to you and find solace in your mercy when I seek you in reconciliation. Jesus I will seek you all the days of my life. Although I am a sinner I know I have a future with you. You are my hope in a world filled with uncertainty.  (E73) Repeat Offering and Prayers.

Day 25 Lord I need your graces every day help me not to break your commandments. Help me obey your laws so I may teach others who do not know you. Jesus, I know that as long as I am guided by your Spirit, I live to do your will. Teach me your commandments through your lessons, trials and tests so that I may be a living testimony of your Word. Only through this I can be a witness to your love and mercy. Thank you, Jesus, for teaching me every day through your Holy Spirit for I can do nothing on my own.

(E50) Repeat Offering and Prayers

Day 26 Lord send us your Spirit.

Jesus, you ascended into heaven and took your seat at the right hand of the Father and showed us the way home. You are our hope and inspiration. As we wait for the promise of the Father, we wait for the renewal of Baptism with the Holy Spirit. Lord send us your Spirit and fill us with your power and all the gifts. Equip us to do the work of building up the Body of Christ as a ministry through your Spirit. Father I pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

(E23) Repeat Offering and Prayers

© Yolanda Ann Andrade 2021

Photo courtesy by Guadalupe I Frakes