Vader (Father)

I have been most fortunate in receiving a compelling prayer from Belgium entitled Vader (Father).  It was composed by Flemish chemistry professor Mark Waterinckx, with whom I have communicated previously, and it is receiving world-wide circulation.

He writes:  "I  have the honour to send you the English translation of my Dutch prayer 'Vader' (I have it in 17 languages already).

It's a very strong prayer I composed when I was in deep misery on the feast day of Saint Thomas More long ago.

I have many good reactions on my prayer by 1 archbishop (Pakistan), 1 bishop (France), many priests (whole world).

If you like it, please spread it among your friends.

It helps me (and others) a lot every day.

 

The original text  by me was in Flemish (Dutch). English translation was made by a good friend professor Octaaf Boie around 80 yrs. old, now almost 100! 

 

I have translations in Arabic, Vietnamese, Dutch, Slovakian, Tschechish, Indonesian, Chinese, Portuguese, Polish, Rumanian, French, German, English, Italian, Spanish, Croatian, Danish, and awaiting others."

 

Mark Waterinckx can be reached here: markwaterinckx AT skynet.be 

Following is the English translation as it was emailed to me.

 

Father, forgive it to me:

not my will, but Thine be done.

Father, I am a sinful human being and still Thou lovest me.

I want to serve Thee and still I am weak. 

The good I long to do, I do not do, 

and the bad that I do not want to do, that I do.

And still Lord, Thou lovest me in the same way as Thou loved Peter,

who three times denied Thee. 

Father I am a haughty fool. 

I want to be a saint,

but everything I do is wrong.

I want to be an  instrument of Thy Peace

and never I succeed.

Lord, I am of good will, but I feel myself incomprehended. 

But still, Lord, thanks for everything,

for Thy Creation, for Life itself.

Lord, to Thee belongs all glory.  I thank Thee.

I cannot do without Thy Love. 

Never let anything separate me from Thee.

Destroy whatever is wrong in me. 

Lord, embrace me with Thy divine Love.

I totally trust in Thee with endless confidence. 

Do with me whatever seems good to Thee.

I thank Thee for the crosses.

I thank Thee for the favours. 

My God I believe in Thee.  I adore Thee

I hope on Thee, I love Thee. 

I ask Thy pardon for those who do not believe in Thee;

who do not adore Thee; who do not hope on Thee;

who do not love Thee.

Lord, come in to my heart.

Thou died on the Cross for my sins.

I too will give my life for Thee, Father. 

Have pity on my soul.

I want to die with Thee and to rise with Thee.

Father I love Thee; I thank Thee.

 

View my Catholic books Here.

Follow Jesus and not the News.

Follow Jesus and not the news.  Follow Christ and not the world. 

Two short selections from the Catholic classic The Imitation of Christ. 

“Count the whole world as naught; seek to be alone with God before all outward things.” 

 

CHAPTER 44. OF NOT TROUBLING OURSELVES ABOUT OUTWARD THINGS

My Son, in many things it behooves thee to be ignorant, and to esteem thyself as one dead upon the earth, and as one to whom the whole world is crucified. Many things also thou must pass by with deaf ear, and must rather think upon those things which belong unto thy peace. It is more profitable to turn away thine eyes from those things that displease, and to leave each man to his own opinion, than to give thyself to discourses of strife. If thou stand well with God and hast His judgment in thy mind, thou wilt verily easily bear to be as one conquered.

 “O Lord, to what have we come? Behold a temporal loss is mourned over; for a trifling gain we labor and hurry; and spiritual loss passes away into forgetfulness, and we rarely recover it. That which profits little or nothing is looked after, and that which is altogether necessary is negligently passed by; because the whole man slides away to outward things, and unless he quickly recovers himself in outward things he willingly lieth down.” 

 CHAPTER 53. THAT THE GRACE OF GOD DOTH NOT JOIN ITSELF TO THOSE WHO MIND EARTHLY THINGS

My Son, precious is My grace, it suffers not itself to be joined with outward things, nor with earthly consolations. Therefore thou ought to cast away all things which hinder grace, if thou longest to receive the outpouring thereof. Seek a secret place for thyself, love to dwell alone with thyself, desire the conversation of no one; but rather pour out thy devout prayer to God, that thou may possess a contrite mind and a pure conscience. Count the whole world as naught; seek to be alone with God before all outward things. For thou canst not be alone with Me, and at the same time be delighted with transitory things. Thou ought to be separated from thy acquaintances and dear friends, and keep thy mind free from all worldly comfort. So the blessed Apostle Peter beseeches, that Christ's faithful ones bear themselves in this world as strangers and pilgrims. [1 Peter 2:11.] 

Oh how great a confidence shall there be to the dying man whom no affection to anything detains in the world? But to have a heart so separated from all things, a sickly soul doth not yet comprehend, nor doth the carnal man know the liberty of the spiritual man. But if indeed he desire to be spiritually minded, he must renounce both those who are far off, and those who are near, and to beware of no man more than himself. If thou perfectly conquer thyself, very easily shalt thou subdue all things besides. Perfect victory is the triumph over oneself. For whoso keeps himself in subjection, in such manner that the sensual affections obey the reason, and the reason in all things obeys Me, he truly is conqueror of himself, and lord of the world. 

If thou desire to climb to this height, thou ought to start bravely, and to lay the ax to the root, to the end that thou may pull up and destroy the hidden inordinate inclination towards thyself, and towards all selfish and earthly good. From this sin, that a man loves himself too inordinately, almost everything hangs which needs to be utterly overcome: when that evil is conquered and put under foot, there shall be great peace and tranquility continually. But because few strive earnestly to die perfectly to themselves, and do not heartily go forth from themselves, therefore do they remain entangled in themselves, and cannot be raised in spirit above themselves. But he who desires to walk at liberty with Me, must of necessity mortify all his evil and inordinate affections, and must cling to no creature with selfish love.

View my Catholic writings Here.