Prayers that help me.

Here are several prayers that have helped deal with this particular health issue.
The first is from Fr. Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk who was one of the most influential Catholic writers of the 20th century.

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following Your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that, if I do this, You will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust You always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for You are ever with me, and You will never leave me to face my perils alone.


The second prayer is associated with St. Peregrine who is the patron Saint of those suffering from cancer and AIDS. I was not aware of him until Fr. Robert gave me a St. Peregrine medal. The only Peregrine I knew was a falcon.

A Prayer to St. Peregrine for One Suffering from Cancer

Dear St. Peregrine, I need your help. I feel so uncertain of my life right now.
This serious illness makes me long for a sign of God's love.
Help me to imitate your enduring faith when you faced the ugliness of cancer and surgery.
Allow me to trust the Lord the way you did in this moment of distress.

I want to be cured, but right now I ask God for the strength to bear the cross in my life.
I seek the power to proclaim God's presence in my life despite the hardship,
anguish and fear I now experience.

O Glorious St. Peregrine, be an inspiration to me and petitioner of those needed
graces from our loving Father. Amen.

And the third prayer that has helped comes from a blog, Monastic Mumblings, a Friar's Journey. I do not know it's origin.

Facing the Unknown

God of the present moment,
God Who in Jesus stills the storm
and soothes the frantic heart;
bring peace and courage to all those facing the unknown.
Give them the knowledge that You will make them equal
to whatever lies ahead.
Bring them courage to endure what cannot be avoided,
and wisdom and stamina to complete the challenges before them
for it is in Your grace that they face these challenges.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen