If you’re feeling stressed or worried, I have a solution that isn’t very difficult and will bring you peace. One thing I know that I can do for those I love in any circumstance is to pray for them. Whether we pray in our own words, the prayer Jesus taught us (The Our Father), by reading Scripture, attending or watching Mass online, or through any number of devotions, prayer is powerful in answering our call and soothing the soul.

I often ask the Virgin Mary to pray with me. Mary is our finest example of discipleship and a mother who loves all her children. She appeared to visionaries on numerous occasions to urge us to follow her son’s teachings and devote ourselves to growing closer to Him.

The faithful have called on Mary since ancient times. The Sub tuum praesidium is the oldest known prayer to Mary and dates to the third century. This meaningful prayer covers our most basic pleas.

We turn to you for protection, Holy Mother of God. Listen to our prayers, and help us in our needs. Save us from every danger, Glorious and blessed Virgin.

The rosary is another Marian devotion that is incredibly effective. Meditating on the Mysteries of our Christian faith and the rhythm of the sequence of prayers is calming, reassuring, and inspiring. Recognized as a weapon against sin by saints such as Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, the power of the rosary is especially realized in the most challenging of times.

Maintaining peace and sanity in the midst of the COVID-19 shadow is only a prayer away.

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(If you’d like an easy way to pray the rosary or one that will enhance your devotion, see The Rosary Prayer by Prayer, available from Amazon.com, ACTA Publications, and my website.) Fatima at 100. Fatima Today is available from ACTA Publications.

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Photo: Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima, Portugal.

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My last post on Midwest Mary, What to Do in Quarantine.