Can I Ask God for Help During Mass?

Contents

The Holy Mass is much more than a liturgical act; it is an intimate encounter with God, where the faithful not only praise and give thanks, but also present their needs, pains, and desires. To ask God for help, also known as the impetratory purpose of the Holy Mass, is an expression of humility and trust in His providence.

In every Eucharist, the Church raises supplications for all humanity, showing that we are not alone in our struggles, but that we are part of a community that prays and intercedes. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches, “the Eucharist is also a sacrifice of petition in which the Church presents to the Father her prayers to obtain graces and blessings for all the faithful” (CCC 1360).

Jesus taught us: “Everything you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive” (Matthew 21:22). However, the Church reminds us that God is not merely a dispenser of wishes but a loving Father who grants us what is necessary for our salvation. We can present any petition to God if we do it with sincerity and trust in His will.

In the Mass, the Collect Prayer and the Prayer of the Faithful help us properly direct our supplications, asking for what aligns with His divine plan. Thus, our petitions should be guided by faith and acceptance of God’s will, trusting He knows what is best for us.

In this article, we will reflect on the prayers to ask God for help during the Holy Mass and how we can actively participate to present our needs with an open and trusting heart.

Keep reading to find tips on benefiting from the Holy Mass and participating with an open heart!

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In Which Prayers of the Holy Mass Can We Ask God for Help?

Throughout the Holy Mass, we find several moments where the liturgy invites us to ask God for help. These prayers for help reflect the Church’s trust that God hears and responds to the petitions of His children.

1. Collect Prayer

After the penitential act, the priest pronounces the Collect Prayer, which gathers the intentions of the entire assembly. This prayer varies according to the liturgical season and festivities, but always seeks to present our supplications before God.

The Church reminds us that at this moment we are raising our voices with the certainty that God already knows our needs and attends to them according to His divine will. It is a moment to unite our personal intentions with those of the entire Church, trusting that God hears and responds to His people.

Example:

O God, who knows our needs before we express them, listen kindly to the prayers of your people and grant us according to your will what we need most.

2. Prayer of the Faithful

Also known as Universal Prayer, this is one of the most explicit moments of supplication in the Holy Mass. Here, the assembly presents petitions for the Church, rulers, those in need, the sick, and personal intentions.

As the Church teaches, “it is the duty of the Christian community to intercede for one another, for the prayer of the righteous has great power” (James 5:16). It is a reminder that we can ask God for help not only for ourselves, but for all humanity, in communion with the universal Church.

Examples of Prayers of the Faithful:

A. For the sick:

Lord, we entrust to you all those who suffer in their bodies, but also those who suffer from a sorrow of the soul or heart. May they keep faith and hope in Jesus Christ who, through His incarnation, came to embrace the human condition and share our sorrows. May your gentle presence, through the mystery of the cross, alleviate their pains.

Let us pray to the Lord

We pray to you, Lord, for the men, women, and children who are experiencing the harsh trial of illness. Like Martha and Mary in the Gospel of John, we entrust them to you saying: “Lord, the one you love is sick”, give them the strength, patience, and confidence to know that you are with them to fight against the illness and thus continue to welcome the joys of life.

Let us pray to the Lord

B. For people who accompany, heal, and help the sick:

We ask You, Lord, for those who put their gifts at the service of the sick, so that each person who suffers may find on their path people capable of listening to them, healing them, helping them, and surrounding them with love.

Let us pray to the Lord

Lord, we pray for the medical and healthcare personnel, for the volunteers who serve the sick, for the people who care for them, hear our prayer, Lord. Give them strength, patience, perseverance, and gentleness in their delicate mission. Send Your divine Spirit to inspire their words and guide their actions.

Let us pray to the Lord

C. For families:

Lord, we entrust families to You, so that following Pope Francis’ call, they may respond to the vocation of “domestic churches” being places of exchange, love, hospitality, and service where each one can discover themselves and grow with and through others.

Let us pray to the Lord

We present to You, Lord, the families who are going through a difficult trial such as illness, unemployment, the loss of a loved one; may Your grace help them keep the hope of finding in the love that unites them to You and to each other, the strength to continue living.

Let us pray to the Lord

Lord, we pray that each family may be a fruitful place through which Your love is embodied; welcoming children, being a warm refuge for lonely or suffering people, working in service of the community, creating and sharing the beauty of life.

Let us pray to the Lord

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3. Eucharistic Prayer

In the Eucharistic Prayer, in addition to giving thanks, supplications are included for the Church to grow in unity, peace, and holiness. We pray for the Pope, bishops, and all the faithful, as well as for the deceased. This is a moment of intercession in which we trust that God will grant us the necessary graces to live according to His will.

This is a powerful moment to present our deepest needs, uniting them to Christ’s redemptive sacrifice.

We humbly ask that, by participating in the Body and Blood of Christ, the Holy Spirit may gather us in unity.

4. Prayer After Communion

At the end of Communion, the priest leads a prayer that asks God for the fruits of the Eucharist to become visible in our daily lives. It is a moment to give thanks for the grace received and to ask God for help and strength to face daily challenges, trusting that God accompanies us at all times.

Lord, may this sacrament we have received strengthen our faith, increase our hope, and kindle our charity.

How we can better live the Holy Mass to ask for God’s help:

Asking for God’s help in the Holy Mass is not just reciting prayers, but opening our hearts with trust and hope. Here are some ways to do it more consciously:

1. Offer God Our Time

It may happen that you feel there are other urgent matters or important (or VERY important) activities at the same time as the Mass. There, you have the first opportunity to be generous, put God first, and trust in His omnipotence.

Surely you have experienced that if you postpone other things to participate in the Holy Mass, all kinds of miracles happen that make your time more productive, or achievements occur that you could never have accomplished on your own in that time. If it hasn’t happened to you yet, prioritize going to Mass several times, and you’ll soon experience it!

The Lord does not let Himself be outdone in generosity! Give Him your time and heart, which is all He’s interested in. He already has everything else, He needs nothing more.

2. Identify our intentions

What do I really need from God today?

Before the Holy Mass, take time to examine your life and recognize in which areas you need to ask for God’s help. Do you lack patience, strength, inner peace? Are you facing a difficult decision or a heavy emotional burden?

Being aware of our needs helps us present them with greater clarity and confidence before the altar, knowing that God invites us to come to Him: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

3. Unite our prayer with that of the Church

How can I feel part of the universal prayer of the Church?

Prayer in community has a special power because it unites us as members of the Body of Christ. When listening to the Prayer of the Faithful, try to internalize each petition and unite your heart to it.

Instead of responding automatically, do it with faith, knowing that God hears every plea: “If two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven” (Matthew 18:19).

4. Present Our Intentions at the Offertory

Have I thought about offering my concerns along with the bread and wine?

The Offertory moment is an opportunity to hand over our burdens and concerns to God. As the priest elevates the bread and wine, imagine that you are also placing your needs and those of your loved ones on the altar. This gesture helps us live with greater confidence that God takes our concerns and transforms them into blessings.

5. Trust in God’s Response

Do I trust that God will respond, even if it’s not in the way I expect?

Sometimes we ask for help expecting immediate or specific answers, but God responds in His time and in the best way for our salvation. The Holy Mass teaches us to trust in His will and to let ourselves be guided by His love. When you receive the final blessing, accept it as a reminder that God has heard your pleas and will work in your life according to His perfect plan.

The best way to ask for God’s help is during the Holy Mass, where you unite with Christ, who offers Himself to the Father for the salvation of all souls. Offer your sufferings with Him, and He will give you what is best for your salvation. Sometimes, it will coincide with what you ask for; other times, it won’t, but God will hear your plea.

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Asking God for help during Mass is an act of humility and faith. Through liturgical prayers, we present our personal needs and those of all humanity, trusting in the goodness of a God who always listens. The Holy Mass teaches us that we are not alone in our struggles; we are part of a community that prays, intercedes, and walks together towards hope.

May each Eucharist be an opportunity to approach God with an open heart, trusting that He hears your pleas and works in your life in ways we sometimes can’t even imagine.

How Do You Ask God for Help?

One can ask God for help with humility and confidence, recognizing that we depend on His grace. In the Holy Mass, this is done through various prayers, such as the Prayer of the Faithful, where the community presents its pleas to the Lord, and the Eucharistic Prayer, in which unity and peace are requested. Jesus invites us to trust in God when He says: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7). By coming to God with an open and sincere heart, we demonstrate our faith in His providence.

Which Psalm to Ask God for Help?

One of the most powerful psalms for asking God for help is Psalm 121 (120): “I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth”. This psalm reminds us that God is our protector and that His love sustains us in every difficulty. Also, Psalm 91 (90) is a confident plea in divine protection: “I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust’”. Reciting these psalms in personal prayer or during Mass can be a way to strengthen trust in God.

How to Ask God for Urgent Help?

When we need urgent help from God, we can turn to Him with a spontaneous and sincere prayer, like that of blind Bartimaeus: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:47). At Mass, we can present our petitions during the Offertory, offering our concerns along with the bread and wine. We can also pray the Our Father, in which we say: “Give us this day our daily bread”, recognizing that all grace comes from God. The key is to trust that God hears us and acts in His perfect timing.

You may be interested in: Prayers to Request an Urgent Miracle

How Can I Ask God to Help Me?

You can ask God for help through personal prayer, participating in the Eucharist, and trusting in His will. During Mass, the Collect Prayer is a special moment where the priest gathers the supplications of the community and lifts them up to God. Additionally, the Church encourages us to pray constantly, as St. Paul teaches: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6). The important thing is to ask with faith, knowing that God always responds in the best way for our salvation.

Can I Ask God for Anything?

Yes, we can ask God for anything, as long as we do it with a sincere heart and trust in His will. Jesus taught us: “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer” (Matthew 21:22). However, the Church reminds us that God is not merely a dispenser of wishes, but a loving Father who gives us what we truly need for our salvation.

During Mass, the Collect Prayer and the Prayer of the Faithful help us direct our petitions correctly, asking for what is in accordance with His divine plan. Thus, our supplications should be guided by faith and acceptance of God’s will, trusting that He knows what is best for us.

What Happens if God Doesn't Answer My Request?

When it seems that God is not responding, we must remember that His silence is also a response full of love and wisdom. Sometimes, God grants us something better than what we ask for, or simply invites us to trust and wait. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “We do not pray to change God’s will, but so that our will may be conformed to His” (CCC 2735).

The Holy Mass teaches us to accept His will with faith, especially in the Eucharistic Prayer, where we ask that His will be done, not ours. St. Paul reminds us: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). If God seems not to respond, let us continue trusting, for He always works for our good, even when we don’t understand it.

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Can I Ask God for Help During Mass?