Prayers to Our Lady of Lourdes

Our Lady of Lourdes by Stephen B. Whatley

Intercessory Prayers to Our Lady of Lourdes

Prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes

Oh ever immaculate Virgin, Mother of Mercy, Health of the Sick, Refuge of Sinners, Comfortess of the Afflicted, you know my wants, my troubles, my sufferings. Look upon me with mercy. When you appeared in the grotto of Lourdes, you made it a privileged sanctuary where you dispense your favors, and where many sufferers have obtained the cure of their infirmities, both spiritual and corporal. I come, therefore, with unbounded confidence to implore your maternal intercession. My loving Mother, obtain my request. I will try to imitate your virtues so that I may one day share your company and bless you in eternity. Amen.

POPE JOHN PAUL II'S  PRAYER TO OUR LADY OF LOURDES

Hail Mary, poor and humble Woman, Blessed by the Most High! Virgin of hope, dawn of a new era, We join in your song of praise, to celebrate the Lord’s mercy, to proclaim the coming of the Kingdom and the full liberation of humanity.

Hail Mary, lowly handmaid of the Lord, Glorious Mother of Christ! Faithful Virgin, holy dwelling-place of the Word, Teach us to persevere in listening to the Word, and to be docile to the voice of the Spirit, attentive to his promptings in the depths of our conscience and to his manifestations in the events of history.

Hail Mary, Woman of sorrows, Mother of the living! Virgin spouse beneath the Cross, the new Eve, Be our guide along the paths of the world. Teach us to experience and to spread the love of Christ, to stand with you before the innumerable crosses on which your Son is still crucified.

Hail Mary, woman of faith, First of the disciples! Virgin Mother of the Church, help us always to account for the hope that is in us, with trust in human goodness and the Father’s love. Teach us to build up the world beginning from within: in the depths of silence and prayer, in the joy of fraternal love, in the unique fruitfulness of the Cross.

Holy Mary, Mother of believers, Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.

***

Regarding the painting of Our Lady of Lourdes, artist Stephen B. Whatley writes, "It was cloudy and gray in London on February 11, 2011 as I prayed in preparation to paint this tribute from my heart and soul - but just as I began, the sun broke through the clouds: my prayers were for healing for all those I know who are sick and suffering. I hope viewers will be blessed with peace, hope and healing, through faith, by seeing this painting" 

In need of prayer?  Send requests to PrayerRequest@Christian-Miracles.com

Ex-atheist describes near-death experience

Ex-atheist describes near-death experience | SouthCoastToday.com

The following excerpt is from SouthCoastToday.com:

By LINDA ANDRADE RODRIGUES

A native son and newspaper carrier for The Standard-Times in Falmouth, Howard Storm went on to earn a master's degree from the University of California Berkeley and for 20 years was an arts professor at Northern Kentucky University. An avowed atheist he believed that there was no such thing as life after death -- until the day in 1985 when he died and went to hell.

In 1985 Mr. Storm 38 and his wife Beverly were in Paris on the last day of an art tour. Buckled over by searing pain in the middle of his stomach he was rushed to the hospital. Awaiting emergency surgery he knew he was dying. He said good-bye to his wife and drifted into darkness.

Standing up he realized he was between two hospital beds. He looked at Beverly who was motionless staring at the floor sitting in the chair next to his bed. He spoke to her but she didn't seem to hear.

As he bent over to look at the face of the body in the bed he was horrified to see the resemblance that it had to his own face. But he knew that was impossible because he was standing over the person and looking at him.

Off in the distance outside the room in the hall he heard voices calling him. They were pleasant voices male and female young and old calling to him in English.

"Come out here" they said. "Don't you want to get better?"

He stepped out into the hall full of anxiety. The area seemed to be light but very hazy and he couldn't make out any details.

He followed them shuffling along in his bare feet with the memory of pain in his belly yet feeling very much alive. The fog thickened as they went on and it became gradually darker.

Overwhelmed with hopelessness he told them he would go no farther and that they were liars. He could feel their breath on him as they shouted and snarled insults.

Then they began to push and shove him about and he began to fight back. A wild frenzy of taunting screaming and hitting ensued. As he swung and kicked at them they bit him.

Even though he couldn't see anything in the darkness he was aware there were dozens or hundreds of them all around and over him and that his attempts to fight back only provoked greater merriment.

They began to tear off pieces of his flesh and he realized that he was being taken apart and eaten alive methodically slowly so that their entertainment would last as long as possible. In that wretched state he lay there in the darkness.

Suddenly remembering a prayer from childhood Sunday School class he said "Yea though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me."

To his amazement the cruel merciless beings were incited to rage by his prayer. They screamed at him 'There is no God! Nobody can hear you!" But at the same time they were backing away. He realized that saying things about God was actually driving them away and he became more forceful. They became more rabid cursing and screaming against God but in time they retreated back into the distant gloom beyond his hearing.

Alone destroyed and yet painfully alive in this horrible place he yelled out into the darkness "Jesus save me."

Far off in the darkness he saw a pinpoint of light like the faintest star in the sky. The star became brighter and brighter. As it came closer he realized that he was right in its path and he might be consumed by its brilliance.

This was a living being approximately 8 feet tall and surrounded by an oval of radiance. The brilliant intensity of the light penetrated his body. Ecstasy swept away the agony. Tangible hands and arms gently embraced him and lifted him up. He slowly rose up into the presence of the light and the torn pieces of his body miraculously healed before his eyes.

(To read an excerpt from Howard Storm's book go to www.near-death.com/storm.html.)

Read more: Howard Storm