ST. FRANCIS DE SALES' PRAYER IN TIME OF SORROW / by Joe Castorino

Based on the guidelines of St. Francis de Sales

O God, to you I lift up my soul,

to you, who are my only joy,

and my only consolation.

O God of mercy…!

My most good God…!

My sweet Savior…!

O God of my heart…!

My joy and my hope…!

My cherished Spouse…!

Well-beloved of my soul…!

I vigorously oppose

any tendency to sadness,

and I will persevere

by singing spiritual canticles…

Even though it may be

without relish,

I embrace this crucifix

and I spiritually kiss

your feet and hands;

I lift up my eyes

and my hands

to Heaven,

raising my voice to God

in words of love

and confidence.

My beloved to me,

and I to Him…

A bundle of myrrh

is my Beloved to me…

My eyes strain after you,

O my God, saying,

“When will you comfort me?…”

O Jesus, be a Jesus to me…

Vive Jésus, and my soul shall live…

Who shall ever separate me

from the love of God…

Jesus, I surrender to you.

Jesus, I trust in you.

I do not doubt

that after you, O God,

have put me on trial,

you will deliver me

from this evil:

for after the wound of Love,

I will then experience

Divine Mercy in the dark night!

Amen.

(Another excellent prayer, when experiencing the Dark Night of Disorder in the Soul, is St. Louis de Montfort’s Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary.)