My prayers are always a combination of a recited prayer and then very plain conversation with Our Lord. I try to thank Him for the numerous blessings I have in my life, and often I pray for the deceased, especially my brother who passed away 18 years ago. I know that we are always supposed to pray for the deceased, but I have a hard time finding the words in plain language. I don’t know what to ask for in the name of my brother. That he’s in the right place by now? That he is closer to Jesus? That he has found eternal peace? What specific words would you use in a prayer to Our Lord about a beloved member of your family who has died?
Fr. Rocky: Your question reminds me of the time when the disciples approached Jesus and one of them asked Him, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Lk 11:1). That’s when he taught them the Our Father.
From your description of your daily prayer ritual, it sounds like you are well on your way to being a good pray-er. I especially like the part of your daily “litany of thanksgiving” and your prayers for the dead. The Church always remembers the dead at Mass and often at other times, too.
You should pray for your brother’s salvation: that he be in heaven with God, the angels, and the saints and not just in a “better place” or in “the right place”. Try to gain a plenary indulgence for your brother and offer it up for the repose of his soul. The easiest way to do that is to spend an hour in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and be sure to go to Mass and Communion that week, go to confession, pray for the Holy Father and be detached from the desire to sin. That should just about do it.
Let me recommend two traditional prayers for the dead: “May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.”
Or the longer one: “Let us pray. All powerful and merciful God, we commend to you (N.) your servant. In your mercy and love, blot out the sins he (she) has committed through human weakness. In this world, he (she) has died; let him (her) live with you forever. We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.”