The first week of the month is special in the prayer life of a Daughter of St. Paul. Why? Each day in the first week of the month is dedicated to a different Pauline devotion. These devotions are a regular part of our lives and of our prayer life, but as each month starts we remind ourselves of this by praying special prayers. I want to share some of them with you, so that maybe you can create your own devotions for the first week of the month!
Monday: Monday is dedicated to St. Paul. He is our model for the spiritual life and for carrying out our mission, so we ask his intercession for our own prayer and for our apostolic activities.
O St. Paul the Apostle, our patron, pray for us and for the apostolate of the media.
Tuesday: Tuesday is dedicated to the holy souls in purgatory. We pray for all the souls in purgatory, especially those who are in purgatory for anything media-related. (Part of our spirituality is to pray in reparation for the harm caused by the media, in addition to doing all the good we can through the media.)
O grant them pardon, Jesus Savior blest; and give their spirits light and endless rest.
Wednesday: Wednesday is dedicated to St. Joseph. St. Joseph provides for us in many, many ways. We pray to him for the unemployed, for the dying, and for the Church. As women religious, we also ask him for funds, for food, and for vocations. And as Daughters of St. Paul, we ask him for the same “intimate communication” with Jesus that he had.
O St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus Christ and true spouse of the Virgin Mary, pray for us and for the dying of this day.
Thursday: Thursday is dedicated to the guardian angels. The angels are always with us to protect us, to help us, and to inspire us. Blessed James Alberione would say that besides all that, our angels are with us to help us live in Christ.
Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom his love entrusts me here, ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.
Friday: Friday is dedicated to the Sacred Heart. (Fun fact: in the very early years of our community, before Blessed James Alberione gave us the devotion to Jesus Master Way, Truth, and Life, he encouraged us to be devoted to the Sacred Heart, because the Heart of Jesus contains His whole person!). Fridays are about praying in reparation and praying to grow in love.
Sweet Heart of my Jesus, help me love you more and more.
Saturday: In the Church, Saturdays are dedicated to the Blessed Mother, and likewise in our community, Saturdays are dedicated to Mary, Queen of Apostles. Mary is the Queen of Apostles because she is the first apostle—that is, she is the first one to give Jesus to the world. We ask her to help us be like her and give Jesus to everyone we meet, in every way!
Mary our Mother, Teacher, and Queen of the Apostles, pray for us.
Sunday: Finally, Sundays are dedicated to Jesus Master Way, Truth, and Life. Blessed James Alberione noted that Jesus is our only Master and Teacher. As Teacher, he tells us the truth, but He also is the Truth. He shows us the way to follow, but He also is the Way. He leads us to life, but He also is the Life and He desires to live His life in us.
Jesus Master, our Way, our Truth, and our Life, teach us your way of truth and holiness.
I encourage you to reflect on what devotions are meaningful to you in your prayer life. Perhaps you have a favorite saint, or a favorite image of Jesus or Mary. Or perhaps you want to get to know your patron saint or the patron saint of your parish. Ask Jesus what will help you grow closer to Him—ask Him to lead you to the devotions and prayers that will lead you to Him. Happy first week of the month!
