Urban Prayer

I was having a hard time personally, professionally things were working out well. We were living abroad and I was helping run a big investment fund and was soon to be in charge of it when the founder moved back to the States. So I should have been happy but I was not. I called my brother and told him I was anxious, scared, uncertain and had no idea what to do about it. He told me he had the answer, guaranteed me he had the answer. He is a smart tough, street saavy guy - runs car dealerships in the heart of Chicago. So I did not expect to receive a rosary in the mail from him shortly thereafter. But I did.

I was born Catholic, my parents were Catholic school products through college, but I only lasted through a few months of First Grade in a Catholic school. One day I refused to go back to school and my parents enrolled me in the local public school. In my world there were two religons, Catholic and Public. Catholics went to Catholic school and Publics went to Public school. I became a Public. And with that, I stopped believing in anything the Catholic church espoused. I got hung up on the "walking on water", "feeding the masses with fish and loaves" and the seven days story. I lost or maybe never had a belief in a higher power.

As I got older, I redeveloped a faith in a higher power through a few twelve step programs but never could get comfortable with organized religon. So when I got the rosary I had to go to the internet to figure out how to use it. It took me about an hour to say it that night. In case you don't know - its 5 or 6 Our Fathers interspersed amongst 50 or more Hail Mary's and a few other Glory Be's and ones I still need to read from a sheet of paper.

When I finished my first rosary I had a serene calmness and knew that it was time to move back home. That my wife was not prospering and we should head back to a place she and I both would prosper. It was crystal clear to me. What had been a lurking uncertainty became a simple decision. The process was complicated, I needed to say the rosary a lot over the next six months, but it worked out well for all of us. The rosary gave me the strength I needed to take the risks involved with our decision and the energy to follow through.

So I am having another hard time, now professionally. And again I reached out to my brother. This time he gave me a simple prayer. Again - guaranteed to work. And it has. So I offer it you below - in hopes that it may help you the way it has helped me. And if it does help you, please print it off and publish it somewhere else os that it amy help others as well.

PRAYER TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN

(Never known to fail.) Oh, most beatiful flower of Mt. Carmel, fruitful vine, splendor of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me in my necessity. Oh, Star of the Sea, help me and show me, herein you are my mother. Oh, Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth! I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to succor me in this necessity. There are none that can withstand your power. Oh, show me herein you are my mother. Oh Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee (3x). Holy Mother I place this cause in your hands (3x). Holy Spirit, you who solve all problems, light all roads so that I may attain my goal. You who gave me the devine gift to forgive and forget all evil against me and that in all instances in my life you are with me. I want in htis short prayer to thank you for all things as you confirm once again that I never want to be separated from you in Enternal Glory. Thank you for your mercy toward me and mine.

This prayer must be said on three consecutive days. After the third day, the request will be granted. And remember this prayer must be published afterr the request is granted.