# A Prayer from Sister Mary Teresa
*2022-10-13*

> Bill shares a personal story of how his late aunt, Sister Mary Teresa, inspired a special Christmas prayer, and he offers the prayer to listeners.

## Introducing the Episode

Welcome to the third episode of Prayer and Lunch. I’m grateful for the comments from David and Father Jeff on my website, and I hope more listeners will discover what this show is about. We’re still working out some growing pains with new technology, but now that we’re in the iTunes directory, I’m excited for a wider audience.

## How the Prayer Came to Me

The prayer I’m sharing today came from my aunt, Sister Mary Teresa, who passed away in January 1992. A few years ago, while I was praying the rosary at work, I began to mention my family and asked Sister Mary Teresa, now in heaven, to help us. After finishing the rosary I felt an indescribable joy and love, and my son gave me a big hug.

The next day I prayed again, this time in the privacy of my car during lunch. I again asked Sister Mary Teresa for assistance, and once more I was filled with a profound sense of peace that spread to everyone around me. A few months later my sister from New York recalled feeling the same joy at our aunt’s funeral twelve years earlier, confirming for me that the feeling truly came from heaven.

## A Surprising Discovery

Last December I was searching my home office for a religious book and found a Bible that had been given to me by Sister Mary Teresa years ago. Inside was a bookmark with a personal note: “Bobby, with love, Sister Mary Teresa.” The bookmark was placed in Luke chapter 1, the passage where Mary says “yes” to God’s plan. The timing was striking, as the upcoming Mass on the Saturday before Christmas will read that very passage. I asked my sister and wife about the Bible, but neither remembered giving it to me. It seemed a clear sign that God was guiding me to share this prayer.

## The Prayer

Sister Mary Teresa asked me to share this prayer, which she said should be repeated fifteen times a day from November 13 through December 25. I apologize for the delay, but better late than never. Here is the prayer:

“Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary at midnight in Bethlehem in the piercing cold. In that hour, vouchsafe, O God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires through the merits of our Savior, Jesus Christ and His blessed Mother. Amen.”

## Closing

If you would like a written copy of the prayer, you can email me at prayerandlunch@yahoo.com. Tomorrow we will celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. May God bless you and have a good lunch.

*Even from beyond the grave, the saints can guide us to deeper prayer and joy.*