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1. Upon Waking Up in the Morning (Before Getting Up)
We can begin our day with a prayer to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
We can pray: "God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit! Be with me today," and "God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit! Also be with (the names of other persons) today," thinking of our parents, brothers and sisters, children, and even those whom we cannot easily forgive. Then, with some holy water, we can make the Sign of the Cross.
With this prayer of only a few words, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit and Mama Mary will be with us, giving us graces, during the day. There are proverbs like "Many a little makes a mickle," and "A journey of a thousand miles starts with but a single step." These tell us that, instead of trying to accomplish something overnight, we should build a house little by little on the rock of love and on the cornerstones of unshakable trust and faith. Let us pray that we may deeply realize that this is how to build a spiritual castle that never collapses and is a shortcut to gaining Heaven.
2. While Washing the Face
Mama Mary said in Naju, "Always remember that the center of your prayers should be my Son Jesus Who is present in the Holy Eucharist, and become more absorbed in Him. Make haste to become flames of fervent love in adoration and reparation to the Lord Who is in the Holy Eucharist." The greatest of all the prayers that we offer up is the Mass. It is highly proper and blessing for us to direct all our prayers to Jesus, our Most Sacred Lord Who is truly present in the Blessed Sacrament with His Flesh, Blood, Soul and Divinity. Also, if we read the Holy Scripture everyday, meditating on its contents, and pray the rosary together with Mama Mary, meditating on its Mysteries, this will be beautiful gifts that we give to the Lord and Mama Mary.
However, if we offer up sacred devotions without sincere repentance, humility and love but in a superficial and hypocritical way because of our misguided spirituality, pride and self-righteousness, we may succeed in satisfying our own self-centered vanity but will not be able to give the gifts of true love to the Lord and Mama Mary regardless of how many prayers we offer up.
Thus, Our Lord and Mama Mary ardently wish that everything that we do in our lives be based on true repentance, love, and devotedness and thus we live a consecrated life. If we make repeated efforts to become consecrated to the Lord through the Blessed Mother with the most sincere devotion and love that does not neglect even the most trivial and littlest things in our lives as the Lord and the Blessed Mother have taught us through Julia in Naju, we would be praying even a few decades of the rosary more attentively and devoutly; and we would not become mistakenly proud of "our advanced spirituality" for praying tens of decades of the rosary per day. Why is that so? It is because whenever we practice the method of turning our lives into prayers at every moment, we are ceaselessly drawing closer to the Lord and Mama Mary without despair or disappointment but with a persevering faith and trust, saying, "I confess even hundreds of times per day that I am a sinner and that I am not able to purify myself with my own power; nor can I root out even my littlest evil habits. I am so weak and unworthy, but, if the Lord and the Blessed Mother work with me, I believe that the Lord's miracle of changing water into wine will happen to me also." This way, we will also be able to act upon the Blessed Mother's following words: "Not forgetting that you breathe, move, and live in Him, make haste to give Him thanks, praise, glory and adoration."
While Washing One's Face
We wash our faces every day, even several times a day. If we repeat this act without giving it a special meaning, it will just be a routine act of washing ourselves.
However, if we pray as we wash our faces (or our hands, feet, hair, or whole bodies), "Lord, I am washing away dirt from my body; please wash away dirt from my soul and the souls of . . . ," through this simple act of washing that we repeat day after day plus our offering prayers, the Lord will not only wash and wipe away dirt from our souls but also make the amazing graces, fruits of our prayers, flow into other souls as well.
3. While Opening Doors, Windows, Curtains, Bottle Caps, Etc.
Turning our lives into prayers may seem simple and easy, but it is not easy to become proficient at it. But if we persevere in practicing it, Jesus will very gladly accept our love which we give Him through Mama Mary, even if it is so tiny and will reward us with graces which are manifold greater than our efforts.
Misunderstanding and lack of understanding can sometimes arise and develop into speculations and accusations even among family members, because they do not open their hearts to each other and draw closer to each other with generous love. Eventually, they give in to the devil who instigates evil in their hearts in order to kill the sprouts of love with selfishness. Thus, they cause many wounds to each other with hatred and anger and also close their hearts toward the Lord. This way they fall into the devil's trick. They are unable to enter the Lord's infinitely merciful Sacred Heart through Mama Mary, hovering outside the gate of the Sacred Heart. Eventually, they end up in the misfortune of leaving God completely.
Praying much, attending daily Masses, and offering up other devotions are good and important, but, before everything else, it is important for us to open our hearts to each other and to the Lord and Mama Mary. However, it is not a simple or easy task to keep our hearts open.
If we make diligent and persistent efforts to turn our lives into prayers according to the methods which the Blessed Mother instructed Julia, we will experience the amazing graces of our hearts, which have remained tightly closed, opening up.
While Opening Doors, Windows, Curtains, Bottle Caps, Etc.
"Lord, I am opening (mention what you are opening) in this world, but please open the doors of our hearts. Amen."
If you are having trouble with someone, say, "Lord, I am opening (mention what you are opening), but please open the heart of (name the person). Amen."
We open and close doors many times every day, but, instead of squandering those opportunities, we can open and close doors together with the Lord by offering up prayers. Then, the Lord, Who is Love Itself and does not take lightly even the littlest efforts that we make, will open our hearts.
However, looking impatiently for answers to our prayers is not the right attitude. We cannot start simple conversations with the Lord that way. Therefore, let's not be attached to the results. Instead, we should make steady efforts, completely trusting the Lord through Mama Mary, firmly believing and trusting that the Lord will answer our prayers some day. This may seem simplistic, but is one way of expressing our unchanging love for and faith in the Lord and Mama Mary. Even if we do not feel this right away, the Lord does live with us in our lives, very gladly accepts our prayers, and, when the appointed time arrives, will grant us what we are praying for. More importantly, we will surely discover the amazing reality that the Lord and the Blessed Mother are dwelling in the center of our souls through this devotion of turning our lives into prayers.
4. When Putting On or Taking Off Shoes
May special graces and love of Our Lord and Mama Mary be with all those who practice the life of prayer.
We sometimes experience spiritual dryness, and this can lead us to doubts, frustration, and despair. When spiritual thirst persists, we find our free will too weak to sustain our faith and love toward the Lord unceasingly. How painful will it be for us when even the souls being near the state of perfection have found it so unbearable! If we drop the string of faith that we have toward Our Lord and Mama Mary when we are in such a state, we will be seriously offending God and give the devils much pleasure. Jesus said: "The devil will try to shake your faith and trust (in Me). Do not lose trust even briefly so that the devil may not sneak into your hearts.
When you are lacking in trust, you not only hurt My Heart, but also sadden God
the Father." (September 14, 1988)
When we fall into this adversity in our lives, we can get closer to Our Lord through Mama Mary by turning our lives into prayers. Our prayers in the middle of adversity are the dearest gifts that we can give to Our Lord and the Heavenly Mother, much more precious than the prayers in a trouble-free state. Not only does it bring great joy and consolation to Our Lord and Mama Mary, but also brings us heavenly reward.
Though this may not be verified with our eyes in this world, we will realize in the next world how much love, joy, and consolation we have brought to Our Lord and Mama Mary by offering up trifles and things that seem meaningless.
While Putting On or Taking Off Shoes
1. Putting on shoes (gently): "Lord, let me feel Your love wherever I put on these shoes. Amen."
2. Taking off shoes: "Lord, take darkness away from our souls. Amen."
3. Arranging shoes neatly: "Lord, restore order and love within us as I arrange these shoes in order. Amen."
Bad habits are easy to acquire, but extremely hard to get rid of once they settle in. When we choose to get rid of the evil things by offering up trifles like putting on or taking off shoes, Our Lord and Mama Mary will help and guide us with the light and mercy from their Hearts, and we will go untouched by the darkness.
5. In the Bathroom
In Buddhist temples, the washroom is called "Hae-Woo So", meaning the place where you get rid of problems and anxieties. When the Buddhist monks wash their faces or arrange things, they regard it as an opportunity to reach perfection; they do these things with sincere hearts, as if they are cleaning their minds or restoring their inner order. This may look similar to our turning life into prayers. There is a basic difference between the two, however. In the Buddhist practice, it is oneself that creates the result of behaviors, whereas in ours it is God.
A life of prayer starts with a recognition of our human nature, which is vulnerable to sin, and the limitation of human efforts to purify ourselves. Human beings can get rid of the bad habits and find healing for their sick spirits only when they invite the Lord and Mama Mary into their lives, and allow them to stay.
When we turn our lives into prayers, we are professing to the Lord our belief that healing of the sick souls and internal wounds is possible only with His presence. That is also an act of entrusting to Our Lord to Whom nothing is impossible. In doing so, we continue to profess: "Nothing is impossible when you (the Lord and Mama Mary) are with me."
Do not forget that Our Lord and Mama Mary want our persistent efforts. It will not be a true faith or real entrustment if we pray with expectation of an immediate answer to our prayers. It may take a year, ten years, or even our entire lifetime for our prayers to be answered, but when we stand firm in faith, we will eventually realize that we have always been in the grace and presence of Our Lord and Mama Mary.
In the Bathroom
"Lord, I am removing wastes from my body. Remove all the dirty things from my soul and the souls of (names of persons)."
Remember that this is only an example of how to pray, to illustrate how to turn everything in our lives into prayers. We can adjust the method according to our situation and circumstances. May the Holy Spirit lead us in our prayers.
6. Trimming Fingernails/Toenails or Plugging/Unplugging Something
May the Lord's love and peace be always with those who try to practice the life of prayers.
We often feel sorry about something we did or didn't do. Likewise, we are forgetful on many occasions and miss many opportunities, even after we have decided to practice the devotion of turning our lives into prayers; and then we feel regretful. However, Our Lord is not limited in our dimension of time; His presence transcends time and space. It means that the offering up of any moment in the past has the same effect. Do not just regret, but offer up regrets whenever they come to your mind.
Trimming Fingernails and Toenails
We can pray: "Lord! I am cutting out what is not needed on my body. Cut out everything that is not needed from my soul and the souls of (name persons)." Unnecessary things are pride, jealousy, envy, greed, sloth, hatred, fury, anger, lust, etc.
Plugging in electric chord
Wishing that the Lord and Mama Mary connect our sick and wounded souls with the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we can pray: "Lord! I am now plugging in this chord. Let our hearts become connected with your Sacred Heart. Amen."
Unplugging electric chord
We can pray: "Lord, I am now unplugging this chord. Let our hearts be disconnected from our deep-rooted evil habits and thoughts. Amen."
7. When Peeling Fruits (or Eggs, Onions, Garlic, Etc.)
"If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord" (Romans 14:8). Since Jesus is the Lord of the living and the dead, Julia has lived a consecrated life to the Lord, confessing: "I put myself at your disposal because we belong to you, whether I live or die."
It is an undeniable truth that every one of us must face the divine judgment after our death. God will pay us back according to our work on earth. Since God wants us to avoid sins out of love, not in fear of judgment, Mama Mary desires that all our hearts stay ablaze with the love of God. The fire of love towards the Lord takes away all sins, evils, and temptations to sin. Mama Mary teaches us that to stay in the flames of the Divine love, we should turn our lives into prayers from the moment we wake up until our bedtime. Mama Mary will be pleased when we all change our lives by turning them into prayers. In the same context, Mama Mary once told us: "Everyone has defects or imperfections. However, when you repent and ask the Lord for forgiveness, and renew your determination to correct them through the Sacred Heart, I, together with my Son Jesus, will be delighted to help you."
When Peeling Fruits (or Eggs, Onions, Garlic, Etc.)
"Lord! Please peel away the shell or dirt covering our souls so that we may become simple and little souls. Amen."
Let us work hard to stand purer and more honest before the Lord and our brothers and sisters by reflecting on the state of our lives day after day. Each one of us must reflect on whether our hearts are consistent with their outer appearances, or are just covered with hypocrisy and self-deception.
It is not easy to give up or correct the evil (everything that keeps us from approaching the Lord and Mama Mary) hidden deeply in our hearts, even after we discover and admit it by the grace of the Lord. Especially, it is impossible if we are not even aware of the evil within our hearts. We must keep in mind that every deception and falsehood fades away before the Lord, who is Love and Light Itself, just as a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes before the morning sun; what is hidden will be revealed. Hypocrisy and self-deception do serious harm to our souls and the souls of others. If we pray that Our Lord take away impurity in our souls with His grace, even when we do such trivial things as peeling fruits, the Lord will make our souls purer and more sincere.
Let's have faith and start practicing.
8. When Walking Downstairs
The Lord said, "Firmly believe that the path of love with a humble spirit is the only way you should walk." Mama Mary also said, "Shouldn't we lower ourselves just as Jesus lowered himself? Let us lower ourselves thinking of Jesus on Mt. Calvary, and walk down to the lower place from the higher. I want all of you to walk the way of perfection with me, through poverty, humility, obedience, and purity."
We should become little souls that serve others instead of being served; and put into practice the requests of the Lord and Mama Mary in our lives.
When Walking Downstairs
(Meditating that the Lord came to this world not to be served but to serve.)
"Lord! Help us imitate You and lower ourselves to the end. Amen."
While we walk down one step after another, let us meditate on Jesus who lowered Himself, and pray for a soul for each step that we make.
People in this earthly life are eager to attain higher positions, prestige, and honor, and they are ready to use any means for that purpose. However, we, who realize that we are just passing through this world as pilgrims, should not waste the time of grace given to us on transitory things.
Some people receive so-called "special graces" that enable them to do something impossible by human ability. And yet, we also often see some of them aspire to receive admiration or special treatment from others for such "graces". What a pity! However great the work we do for the Lord and Mama Mary, we must attribute them solely to the Lord, and thank the Lord and Mama Mary because it is through Them that we receive such graces. If we accept honor that is not ours, what prize would we expect in the next world? We would have already received it in this world. If we direct people's love to ourselves, when it should be directed to the Lord, the graces, which were blessings in the first place, can turn into misfortunes for our souls.
When John the Baptist was asked who he was, he replied, "I am a voice in the desert to prepare the way for the Lord, to make straight paths for him." Jesus said, "Among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he." Mama Mary said, "Because the gate to Heaven is so small, only the little souls can enter through it."
We are all called to continue to lower ourselves by turning our lives into prayers, so that we may enjoy eternal happiness in Heaven.
9. When Mixing Rice with Assorted Vegetables & Making Side Dishes with
Seasonings
When Jesus prayed in Gethsemane before His Passion and Death for the salvation of mankind, He suffered agony to the extent that His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. Though being in tremendous anguish, He did not pray for Himself but for His disciples, people entrusted to His disciples, and all the people in the world. Especially, He earnestly prayed that all the people in the world become one just as He and God the Father are One. Despite His earnest prayer, however, people continue to be divided in jealousy, slander, and criticism, making Jesus suffer again the death agony of Gethsemane.
Hence, Mama Mary keeps asking, "Be one as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are One. Failure to achieve unity among yourselves will cause more bleeding from my eyes and severer pains to my Heart." As the messages of the Lord and Mama Mary teach us, we, the children of the Light, should stitch up the torn Heart of Our Lord by understanding and conceding to each other in love.
When Mixing Rice with Assorted Vegetables, and Making Side Dishes with Seasonings
For the brothers and sisters who are split and separated from each other, let us pray, "Lord! As the ingredients that we are putting in harmonize into one, help us see only the bright side and make up for the weak points in others, so that we may be one in the Holy Trinity. Amen." Or, "Lord! As the seasonings that we are putting in become one with the food, help us be united with one another and let those who eat the food with the seasoning we put in with love become reborn in love. I also hope that, in the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mama Mary, we all be dissolved into one in love. Amen."
We also should reflect upon ourselves, whether we ourselves are failing to be united in our family and communities, with our hearts closed as water and oil that will not mix together. How pleased will the devils of disunity be if we, being Christians, are split in the middle of fierce spiritual battles?
Let us be united with each other in the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mama Mary, by turning every moment of our lives into a prayer.
10. When Being Criticized and Humiliated
The Lord and Mama Mary throw the light and mercy of their Hearts on all who make every effort to turn their lives into prayers. They guide them to the life of the Resurrection and victory on the last day.
Confucius once praised one of his disciples who had died early. He said, "He was a man without anger." Indeed, to Confucius, a person of virtue is one who maintains his peace of mind and remains prudent irrespective of harsh criticisms or false accusations from others.
Yes, our strong ego won't allow us to take other's criticism or judgment as a chance for self-examination to sanctify ourselves. Rather, it often fills us up with fury and anger and tells us that we should pay back as we received.
We, the children of the humble Mama Mary, however, know the truth that everything is caused "within ourselves". We remember the message of Mama Mary, "Pray hard to be united with one another. Make reparation and sacrifice. Do not allow anger to overwhelm yourselves, and always remember the words of Jesus hanging on the Cross: Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." If we give up our egos and consecrate every moment of our lives to the Lord by meditating on the insults and false accusations that Jesus had to suffer, it will be of the same value as martyrdom to Our Lord because of the sacrifice and reparation it requires.
Whenever we are faced with this situation, we should remember that Our Lord paid back judgment and humiliation with His perpetual love, turning evil into good.
When Being Harshly Criticized or Abused
We shall not join evil by responding in the same manner but make the Sign of the Cross over our lips and ask Our Lord to give us power to forgive and love them. "Lord! Forgive them and have mercy on them. Amen."
When Being Falsely Accused and Criticized
Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" for those who crucified Him. Let us also pray: "Lord! They do not know what they are doing is sinful. Have mercy on them and forgive them. Amen."
11. When A Mistake Is Spoken (Spiritual Fasting)
May the love, peace, and joy of the Lord be with those who make a continuous effort to turn their lives into prayers.
In all of her authentic apparitions around the world, Mama Mary keeps emphasizing the importance of prayer, sacrifice, and reparation.
It is true that many brothers and sisters in the Church offer up a great deal of prayer, sacrifice, and reparation in response to Mama Mary's wish. Indeed, prayer, sacrifice, and reparation are of significant importance. But they alone are not good enough to please Our Lord. Mama Mary says, "Love and sincerity rather than flowers and appearances make me happy." And God says, "I do not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but I look at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7) What Our Lord and Mama Mary really want from us is not acts of only apparent faith, but rather sincerity and spiritual fasting. Herein lies the importance of turning every moment of our lives into a prayer.
Fasting, sacrifice, and reparation without any effort to get rid of the sins that reside in us are not only meaningless, but may lead to hypocrisy, no matter how beautiful and holy they may look. True fasting for our souls is to get rid of all evils, such as judgment, anger, swearing, hatred, vanity, and pride, and to offer them up to Our Lord. This is the true sacrifice and reparation that purifies our souls and protects us from spiritual dangers. This is the shortcut to the sanctification and perfection that Our Lord and Mama Mary want to guide us to.
One thing to remember: when we have already done that which we should have avoided, the Lord of Mercy still waits for us to repent and reflect on our sins, making confession for a new start.
When a Mistake is Spoken (Also, When We Have Judged and Criticized Others)
Pray: "Lord! I made a verbal mistake and I take it back. Forgive me and bless me. Amen." Make the Sign of the Cross on your lips and offer up yourself for your own resurrection. Our Lord achieved victory after death on the Cross. Our sin is our death, and over our sin we will achieve victory. However, do not forget that offering up our sins will not substitute for the sacrament of Confession.
12. Eating Leftover Foods (Meditating on the souls that are about to go away from God)
Even though we now live in an age of unprecedented scientific advances and material riches, numerous people are suffering and dying of unidentified or incurable diseases, wars, hunger, natural calamities, and other disasters that occur at many places in the world. Among the many people who die every day, how many would have been prepared for their death and been spiritually awake?
We do not know the day and time when the Lord will come, nor the time when we will leave this world. How sad will it be if we face a sudden end, unprepared and still absorbed in the things of this world, still attached to them! How can we say, seeing and hearing about many others who die in sudden, unexpected disasters, that we will be safe from such misfortunes?
Now we will have a chance to think about the souls that go away from God, and how we can pray for them. I suggest that you do as follows when you see food that is thrown away but not yet spoiled.
"Lord! I am now eating leftover foods with the prayer that You accept and use my sacrifice to save the souls that have been abandoned and neglected. Also, I beg You to feed those who are physically and spiritually starving with necessary nutrition."
This way, Our Lord will change our little sacrifices into immeasurable graces for those poor souls.
A story of Julia tells us a lot about how to turn every moment of our lives into a prayer, even when we throw away unnecessary things.
One day, Julia was laboriously writing down something on a little piece of paper. Someone asked her why she didn't use a larger piece of paper instead of having trouble with the little one.
She replied, "To us, this is just a useless crumpled piece of paper that is troublesome to write on, but I want to offer up the inconvenience as a little sacrifice for the souls that have been neglected. Disposing of this useless piece of paper itself has no meaning, but when we turn even this kind of a trivial action into prayer, its significance will be greater than that of superficial prayers."
This story reminds us to let every moment of our lives become meaningful for our souls. Glory to Our Lord and praise to Mama Mary. Amen.
My dear brothers and sisters who are practicing a life of prayers! The above is more than simply being frugal or conserving materials. I hope that all of us become aware of the importance and greatness of this devotion that we can practice for the love of Our Lord and neighbors, and work at it in our daily lives.
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