Blessed John Henry Newman Prayer 'Learning Christ'

Tuesday 9th October

Blessed John Henry Newman
Priest, founder of a religious community, theologian
(1801-1890)

        This day that has brought us together here in Birmingham is a most auspicious one. In the first place, it is the Lord's Day, Sunday, the day when our Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead and changed the course of human history for ever, offering new life and hope to all who live in darkness and in the shadow of death. (...)Yet there is another, more joyful reason why this is an auspicious day for Great Britain, for the Midlands, for Birmingham. It is the day that sees Cardinal John Henry Newman formally raised to the altars and declared Blessed.(...)

       Praise to the Holiest in the height

And in the depth be praise;
In all his words most wonderful,
Most sure in all his ways!
(The Dream of Gerontius).

(Homily of his holiness Benedict XVI - Mass with the beatification of venerable cardinal John Henry Newman - Birmingham - Sunday, 19 September 2010)

http://dailygospel.org/main.php?language=AM&module=saintfeast&id=10498&fd=0

PRAYER:

Learning Christ

Teach me, my Lord,

to be sweet and gentle

in all the events of life;

In disappointments,

in the thoughtlessness of others,

in the insincerity of those I trusted,

in the unfaithfulness of those

on whom I relied.

Let me put myself aside

to think of the happiness of others,

to hide my little pains and heartaches,

so that I may be the only one

to suffer from them.

Teach me to profit by the suffering

that comes across my path.

Let me so use it that it may mellow me,

not harden or embitter me;

that it may make me patient,

not irritable’

that it may make me

broad in my forgiveness,

not narrow, haughty or overbearing.

May no one be less good

for having come within my influence.

No one less pure, less true,

Less kind, less noble

for having been a fellow‐traveler

in our journey toward eternal life.

As I go my rounds

from one distraction to another

let me whisper, from time to time,

a word of love to You.

May my life be lived in the supernatural,

full of power for good,

and strong in its purpose of sanctity.

Dear Jesus,

help me to spread your fragrance

everywhere.

Flood my soul with Your spirit and life.

Penetrate and possess my whole being

so completely that my life may be

only a radiance of Yours.

Shine through me

and be so in me

that every soul I come in contact with

may feel Your presence in my soul.

Let them look up and see no longer me, but only JESUS.

Cardinal Newman

‐‐The Father Gilbert Prayer Book © 1965

PRAYER - other type layout for card use.

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Prayer used by Cardinal Newman

Teach me, my Lord, to be sweet and gentle in all the events of life - in disappointments, in the thoughtlessness of others, in the insincerity of those whom I trusted, in the unfaithfulness of those on whom I relied.

Let me put myself aside to think of the happiness of others, to hide my little pains and heartaches, so that I may be the only one to suffer from them.

Teach me to profit by the suffering that comes across my path. Let me so use it that it may mellow me, not harden and embitter me; that it may make me patient not irritable, that it may make me broad in my forgiveness; not haughty and overbearing.

May no one be less good for having come within my influence, no one less pure, less kind, less noble for having been a fellow traveller in our journey towards Eternal Life. As I go my rounds from one distraction to another, let me whisper from time to time a word of love to Thee. May my life be spent in the supernatural full of power for good, strong in its purpose of Sanctity. Amen.

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