Inspired by the letters of São Paulo
Pray for children? Easy, all mothers say. But what about the husband? Who really prays for her husband every day? In our busy pace of life, spouses sometimes become a forgotten figure, “the last in line,” as some of them lament. We find time to pray for the children so they can succeed at different stages of their lives, including participating in prayer groups for mothers. But sometimes, it does not even happen in our heads to pray for our husbands! This lack of habit makes it harder for us to find the words when we want to pray for them.
Here are six suggestions for prayers based on the letters of St. Paul. They are short, effective, and easy to do prayers.
1. In order for my husband to know the love of God
“May Christ dwell in your hearts by faith, rooted and consolidated in charity, so that you may, with all Christians, understand the breadth, length, height and depth, that is, to know the charity of Christ , which defies all knowledge, and be filled with all the fullness of God “(Letter of St Paul to the Ephesians, 3: 17-19).
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I place myself in Your presence to implore you to embrace my husband’s heart with Your Sacred Heart. Help Him to have absolute confidence in You. May Your love take deep roots in Him, and may this Love extend into our lives. May my spouse know your infinite mercy, so that you may understand that your love is more real than any earthly experience.
2. That he fulfil his vocation as a husband
“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for her,
to sanctify her, to cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
to present to himself a glorious church, without blemish, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but holy and blameless.
So husbands ought to love their own wives, as to their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself “(St. Paul’s Letter to Ephesians 5: 25-28).
Prayer: Lord, according to Your will, my husband approached holiness thanks to the Sacrament of Matrimony. Fill your heart with Your love and help it fulfill its vocation, following Your path.
3. For my spouse to teach Your love to our children
“Fathers, do not exasperate your children. Rather, bring them up in the education and doctrine of the Lord “(Letter of St Paul to the Ephesians, 6: 4).
Prayer: Holy Spirit, fill my husband’s heart with Your peace, so that he may transmit your love to our children. Grant him the patience and wisdom necessary to raise our children in purity and faith. Help him lead our children along the right path and encourage them to remain close to You.
4. For the sake of our family
“My God will magnify all your needs according to His glory in Jesus Christ” (Letter of St. Paul to the Philippians, 4:19).
Prayer : Lord, You know what we need. I ask you to always grant my husband the grace to use our resources wisely, to be “poor in spirit” and generous to the needy. Amen
5. That my husband may be the man the Lord has called him to be
“Watch it! Be firm in the faith! Be men! Be strong! Whatever you do, do it in charity “(First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, 16: 13-14).
Prayer : Lord, I entrust to You all the decisions of my husband, his plans, his concerns and his whole being. May he be strong in your love and draw strength from your faith. Let it be the man You called him to be: brave, cheerful and generous. May he grow in faith, hope, and charity.
6. For my husband to always act with wisdom and discernment
“I do not cease to give thanks to God for you, remembering you in my prayers. Pray to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a spirit of wisdom that will reveal to you his knowledge; that enlighten the eyes of your heart, that you may understand what hope you have been called, how rich and glorious is the inheritance which he reserves for the saints, and what is the supreme greatness of his power toward us, that we embrace the faith “(Letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians, 1: 16-19).
Prayer:Lord Jesus, you who take the good where you go, I ask You to grant my husband the grace to follow Your steps. May he have the strength to advance with wisdom and the awareness that his choices have consequences for our family. Let his heart shine with the light of the Holy Spirit, so that he can follow steadfastly and confidently before any obstacles in the way. Amen.
Virgin Mary, Mother of God, cover my husband with your cloak, so that he may receive the graces necessary to be the protector of our family, as was St. Joseph. By his maternal embrace, Mary gives him a sense of security, to that you never feel abandoned. Amen.
