Devotional Prayers

A couple of weeks ago, while I was on sabbatical (at least that's what I'm calling it), my sister tagged me...again. This tag asked to tell about your three favorite devotional prayers. Even though it is late, here are my favorites:

1. The rosary. I pray the rosary when I can't sleep instead of counting sheep. The rosary is mostly Hail Mary's and Our Fathers. There are 5 decades that you pray Hail Mary and between each decade you pray an Our Father and a Glory Be. I'm suppose to pray another prayer but I didn't learn it so, unless I have the words in front of me, I don't say it. There are four mysteries that correspond to a specific day. I know the Sorrowful Mysteries are on Friday and the Glorious Mysteries are on Sunday. (Can you tell I don't pray it correctly? I do if I have my booklet in front of me.)

2. The Hail Mary. Since we are Jesus' brothers and sisters, the Virgin Mary is our mother also. The Hail Mary is such a pretty prayer. I especially love the praying the prayer by singing the song. It is beautiful.

3. Novena to St. Theresa the Little Flower. A novena is a prayer you pray for x number of days. Usually you are asking for a specific request. I first heard of this novena when my brother was deployed during the first Gulf War. My mother received a set of earrings shaped like a rose from someone (don't remember who). She started crying. When we asked her about it, she told us that when you pray the novena, St. Theresa will send you a rose to let you know she hears you. Mom had been praying for my brother's safety. I tried it when we were selling our first house. On the day that the house was being shown by the couple that bought the house, I received a card from my aunt. The card had roses on it...not a drawing or painting, but a snapshot of real roses! And I prayed it another time (forgot what I was praying for) and received my rose in a very mysterious way: I had gone to the grocery store back in the day when the groceries were placed in brown paper bags. When I turned the bag over to fold it up, a small rose bud fell out of the bag. Where did it come from? I didn't buy any flowers and I didn't go anywhere near the floral department! I believe it could only have come from St. Theresa!

Have a blessed week! (And don't forget to say your prayers!)