I love one-liners that provide a fitting response to a particular moment or situation. For instance, we have a quote by Winston Churchill1 displayed in our kitchen that advises, “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” Another (anonymous) one in our office reads, “If at first you do succeed, try not to look astonished!”
While shorts like these – usually in the form of a witty quip or insightful observation – can lighten the mood or clarify a point, another kind can provide a targeted cry for help during a harrowing predicament. A brief one-line prayer can bridge the gulf between Heaven and a crisis we are facing.
Of course, anything can be a prayer if our intention is to speak with God in that moment. In fact, some of my go-to’s are pertinent-to-the-moment fragments of longer, traditional prayers. As the saying goes, sometimes less is more, and these abbreviated exclamations are all the more potent for their heart-felt brevity at times when all that can be mustered are a few coherent words.
A side benefit for parents with impressionable minds within earshot? These one-liners can also serve as a poignant lesson in bringing it all, including short desperate pleas, to a loving and listening God. One example from my own childhood was when one of us kids was disgruntled about something and my mother urged the grumbler to, “Offer it up.” I became familiar with the phrase well before I grasped what that meant. But it was there, nestled in my memory for when I grew into it.
Here are the top ten that I call upon when facing tough moments.
✟ Thy Will be done. (From The Lord’s Prayer)
Sitting in the waiting room of Family Court, this was the phrase that introduced me to and convinced me of the unmistakable power of prayerful one-liners. Fear and anxiety had made it impossible for me to focus enough to recite The Our Father in its entirety. Giving up, I honed in on “Thy Will be done” as a lifeline to sanity. Almost instantly, a peaceful calm settled over me and I knew, no matter the immediate outcome, that God was watching over the whole situation. Worst case scenario? He would bring good from bad.
That was years ago, and the ruling (thanks for asking!) was what I had initially hoped – the petition was dismissed as unmerited. Since then, in many less harrowing circumstances and not always resulting in the hoped-for outcome, I have continued to find great comfort and peace in the simple grounding phrase. The words remind me that God is already in the midst of my storm, that He is the only One Who is all-knowing and all-good, and I cannot possibly go wrong in praying that His Will be the one that is accomplished.
✟ Oh Lord, make haste to help me. (Psalms 69:2)
While I’m frequently in a hurry, and usually upset when my procrastinatory pace is at odds with an obligation, deadline, or appointment, that’s not where this “make haste to help me” prayer comes in.
Rather, the plea typically arises at a crossroads where a decision, the right decision, needs to be made and His wisdom and guidance are desperately needed. Then there are other times when I’ve called on His power to ward off an overwhelming or significant temptation. (Am I the only grown-up who has wanted to run away from home?!)
Again, while hardly an abracadabra phenomenon nor necessarily providing a wish-come-true change of circumstances, He has nonetheless never failed to provide a response tailor-made so as to be undeniably discernible to me and the particulars of my situation.
✟ Jesus, I trust in You. (As given from Jesus to St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun and mystic who lived from 1905-1938; intended as an inscription for the Divine Mercy image)
This was my mother’s favorite. I hope it wasn’t my adolescent and young adult behavior that inspired her reliance on it, but I can’t be sure.
For me, when there is no end in sight of a dilemma, and no recognizable God-approved plan emerging, these five words help on several levels. For one, it’s a reminder that God does not intend nor want our lives here on Earth to be miserable. We are precious to Him. Second, it’s a reminder that God is ultimately in charge, and that He is perfect at His job. He does not fail. And third, this world is His creation, and His Will ultimately prevails. We can relax our grip on the problematic situation and invite God to enter.
✟ Jesus, I surrender myself to you; take care of everything. (From The Surrender Novena, as given in conversation with Jesus, to priest and mystic Father Dolindo Ruotolo who lived from 1882-1970.)
There is so much out of our control, even beyond our field of influence. I came across the Surrender Novena at a good time – and by “good” I mean a time when I was open to seeing that my urge to take action most definitely was not the prudent course. While a beautiful and reassuring novena, it is challenging to implement, as it runs counter to our inclination to take matters into our own hands.
Ready to stretch your trust in God? I highly recommend the full version, especially when in combat with repeated, intertwined or an avalanche of worries. In critical times, this one-liner can help us learn to get out of the way and let God be God.
✟ God, use this. (Or variations, like as-Mom-said, Lord, I offer this up.)
I am a wimp when it comes to suffering – sometimes even sacrifices I choose, and almost always those I don’t. However, there is one positive thing that can shift our focus and provide a measure of relief: no anguish need be wasted. My pain, wimpy or stoic, can be a gain for someone.
Thank you to Fr. Mike Schmitz2 for discussing this in one of his videos. I’ll condense and paraphrase his message: “Go ahead and ask God to remove the difficulty… but if He doesn’t, then simply offer it up, praying, ‘God, use this.’”
✟ Bless him/her; Change me.
I haven’t found the origin of this prayer, but I heard it online from Father Dave Swantek3 who credits a former spiritual director for introducing it to him at a extremely trying time in his own life.
Little did I know that, the day after hearing this, I was going to need it as I desperately (and righteously, to my way of thinking) wanted someone close to me to change before it was too late to save the relationship. Looking back, that sounds so melo-dramatic. They did not change, at least not in the way I was sure they needed to and, oddly enough (!) the world did not fall apart. But something in me shifted, and that was a good thing.
✟ Forgive me, Lord.
Sometimes we mess up. Badly. Possibly horribly. Like Moses committing murder? Like Peter denying Our Lord? Like countless other sinners-turned-saints? This prayer, or a variation thereof, was the key: they were willing to turn to God, repent and realign themselves with the salvation only He can provide. Whether an actual mortal sin or just something sinful we feel terrible about, this one-liner can hold us over until the first opportunity arises to get to Confession. Then go as quickly as possible. Particularly if it is a deadly sin, this is no time to make excuses or procrastinate. It doesn’t matter how frequently or far we fall, as long as we get back up and face our loving God in the sacraments He has provided in the way He has prescribed.
✟ Lord, help me forgive.
Sometimes others mess up. Badly. Possibly horribly. Even to the point where we’d like to erase any memory of them and their hurtful deeds from our lives.
But we’re commanded to forgive.
Nooooo! If only Jesus had realized how impossible that would be!
But wait. He did. And the command still stands.
Even if bitter anger is churning and we know it would be healthy for us to let it go, we’re correct in thinking that some things are impossible for us to forgive. We know it, and more importantly, God knows it and has provided a remedy. All things are possible through Him. This simple request, sometimes (in my experience) said falteringly, and usually (in my experience) said repeatedly, paves the way to the peace of forgiving.
✟ Have mercy on us and on the whole world. (From the Divine Mercy Chaplet, as given to St. Faustina from Jesus.)
We’ve had some very rough times on this planet in recent years. Not that it’s never happened before, but that’s the stuff of history books. When it happens in our lifespan, it can be more overwhelming and scary. And, thanks to technology, we can be in-the-know of awful tragedies and injustices around the globe as they unfold.
In addition to unplugging, which can be a great detox, we can (and should) pray hard for the people in our world, particularly for those who are making such a mess of it. To varying degrees, that includes all of us.
A prayer asking for God to shower Creation with His mercy is the most fruitful and logical remedy when disasters strike or abuses become evident. While the full Divine Mercy Chaplet is a wonderful gift that brings us into God’s merciful presence for unmerited blessings, this piece is also grace-filled.
✟ Lord, heal in me the vice of …/ Lord, grow in me the virtue of…
In some ways we can handle big sudden challenges better than the repetitive everyday battles we face. It could be that we’re captive to a persistent temptation, a sinful habit, or a trigger reaction to particular stressors, to name just a few. Yet, despite being able to identify our failing or failings, we can begin to feel powerless when it comes to stopping ourselves from falling into the same sin or when it comes to making headway in handling situations with more grace.
In that moment of humility and clarity, we have an escape route:
Lord, heal me of (for example, envy, unbridled anger, impatience, etc.)….. Or…..Lord, grow in me the virtue of (for example, charity, patience, joy, understanding, etc.)
If a persistent habit calls for professional intervention, amend the prayer to ask for guidance in finding the help needed.
More?
This is by no means an exhaustive list, not even for me. In addition to Scripture, the Church has given us so many wonderful prayers and prayerful traditions to lean on and pull from. We were never meant to feel abandoned in our troubles, but rather, to the contrary, we are called to be part of an everlasting community. Even this side of Heaven, we can be assured that God does not desire that we walk through any storm, much less go through it alone. All that is permitted is meant to call us into deeper union. That said, we also don’t need to be in full-blown crisis to utilize a quick prayer blast. Some of these have become part of frequent appeals for assistance or guidance in navigating through ordinary fallen-world days.
Do any in particular resonate with you? How about your own go-to’s? Please take a moment to share with us!
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1Winston Churchill was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1940s and 50s, most notably during the Second World War.
2 Father Mike Schmitz is currently the Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries at the University of Minnesota/Duluth. In addition, he is a speaker, author, and has a strong social media presence. He’s widely known for his podcasts, Bible in a Year, and Catechism is a Year, as well as for his YouTube videos addressing a variety of Catholic topics.
3Father Dave Swantek, currently pastor of a church in Point Pleasant, NJ, can be “located” on YouTube.