Jesus, Whose Light Pierces the Black Clouds Over Our Stormy Sea


Torch of The Faith News on Sunday 16 October 2016 - 15:11:26 | by admin

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St. Raphael Kalinowski bearing the Light of Christ to the World.

We were praying the Rosary last night with a lit candle before our image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. At the end of the Rosary prayers, we prayed heartfelt words of our own, to ask for the light of Christ to shine into the present darkness.

As we retired for the evening a little later, I quite unexpectedly came across a prayer of St. Raphael Kalinowski. He was a Polish Carmelite priest who lived between 1835 and 1907. St. Raphael was an outstanding confessor and spiritual director, saying that ''when he was receiving penitents, he felt himself to be a treasury of Divine Mercy.''

One of his key expressions was ''Mary always and in everything.'' St. Raphael died on November 15th, 1907, the feast for all Carmelite souls who are deceased.

Coming across his life story and prayer after praying that Rosary last night seemed like a real answer to prayer to us. St. Raphael's own prayer therefore follows for your edification on this Holy XXII Sunday after Pentecost in the Traditional Calendar.

Jesus, hope of suffering humanity, our refuge and our strength, whose light pierces the black clouds that hang over our stormy sea, enlighten our eyes so that we can direct ourselves toward You Who are our harbour. Guide our barque with the rudder of the nails of Your cross, lest we drown in the storm. With the arms of this cross rescue us from the turbulent waters and draw us to Yourself, our only repose, Morning Star, Sun of Justice, for with our eyes obscured by tears, we can catch a glimpse of You there, on the shores of our heavenly homeland. Redeemed by You, we pray: Salvos nos fac propter nomen tuum - ''Save us for the sake of Your Holy Name.'' And all this through Mary.

For further encouraging examples of lives and mystical prayers of this nature, we highly recommend the book, Drink of the Stream - Prayers of Carmelites, compiled by Penny Hickey O.C.D.S, and published by Ignatius Press.

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel - Pray for us!

St. Raphael Kalinowski - Pray for us!  


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