Prayer for hope & strength

-Tison Thomas-

Sometimes every one of us feels like no one really cares or understands us. This is especially true for many of the youngsters that we teach. There are times when we all feel lonely, having the feelings of emptiness and hopelessness and questioning the real meaning and purpose of life. St. Ignatius of Loyola went through many of these during his conversion. He calls this a state of desolation.  Desolation often manifests into the state of loneliness. St. Ignatius of Loyola has a beautiful prayer that helped him in his state of isolation and loneliness:

                        O Christ Jesus,

when all is darkness
and we feel our weakness and helplessness,
give us the sense of Your presence,
Your love, and Your strength.
Help us to have perfect trust
in Your protecting love
and strengthening power,
so that nothing may frighten or worry us,
for, living close to You,
we shall see Your hand,
Your purpose, Your will through all things.

 

Psalm 23 calls God our light and salvation.

¹The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
²He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
³he restores my soul.

He leads me in right paths
for his name’s sake.

⁴Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff—
they comfort me.

 

St. Paul reminds us that “Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth!” and “If God is with us who can be against us…” and “When I am weak then I am strong…” Jesus taught us that we are a people of hope and not a people of despair. We have to keep our eyes towards heaven and eternity, where He promised a dwelling place for all of us with Jesus, the Angels and Saints in a state of permanent happiness.

 

We all have to pray for each other, especially our youth, for those who are in despair and desolation and those who are in purgatory. May God give the strength to all those who endure desolation, isolation and loneliness and May the good Lord lead all of us to His happiness.