Prayers for the Sick
The practice of praying for those who are ill is one of the most ancient and cherished traditions of the Church, reflecting the very ministry of Christ who healed the sick and comforted the afflicted. These prayers may be offered for oneself or for another, entrusting their suffering to the merciful heart of God.
A General Prayer for a Sick Person
O Father of mercies and God of all comfort, our only help in time of need: We humbly beseech Thee to behold, visit, and relieve Thy sick servant (Here mention the name) for whom our prayers are desired.
Look upon him with the eyes of Thy mercy; comfort him with a sense of Thy goodness; preserve him from the temptations of the enemy; and give him patience under his affliction.
In Thy good time, restore him to health, and enable him to lead the residue of his life in Thy fear, and to Thy glory; and grant that he may finally dwell with Thee in life everlasting; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes
O ever-Immaculate Virgin, Mother of Mercy, Health of the Sick, Refuge of Sinners, Comforter of the Afflicted, thou knowest my wants, my troubles, my sufferings. Deign to cast upon me a look of mercy.
By appearing in the Grotto of Lourdes, thou wert pleased to make it a privileged sanctuary, whence thou dost dispense thy favours, and already many sufferers have obtained the cure of their infirmities, both spiritual and corporal.
I come, therefore, with the most unbounded confidence, to implore thy maternal intercession. Obtain, O loving Mother, the granting of my requests. I will endeavour to imitate thy virtues, that I may one day share thy glory, and bless thee in eternity.
Amen.
Prayer to Saint Raphael the Archangel
O Glorious Archangel St. Raphael, great prince of the heavenly court, thou art illustrious for thy gifts of wisdom and grace. Thou art a guide of those who journey by land or sea or air, consoler of the afflicted, and refuge of sinners. I beg thee, assist me in all my needs and in all the sufferings of this life, as once thou didst help the young Tobias on his travels.
Because thou art the “medicine of God,” I humbly pray thee to heal the many infirmities of my soul and the ills that afflict my body. I especially ask of thee the favour (Here mention your request) and the great grace of purity to prepare me to be the temple of the Holy Ghost.
Amen.
A Short Prayer for Resignation
Lord Jesus Christ, I accept this sickness from Thy hands, and I unite it to Thy Holy Passion. May it be for Thy honour and glory and for the salvation of my soul. I thank Thee for the graces Thou hast bestowed upon me, and I resign myself to Thy holy will, which desires only my good. If it be Thy will that I should recover my health, I beg this grace of Thee; but if it be Thy will that I should die, I commend my soul into Thy hands.
Amen.
Contexte Historique
Praying for the sick is a fundamental Christian duty, rooted in the healing ministry of Jesus Christ Himself. The Church considers visiting and caring for the sick a corporal work of mercy, and praying for them a spiritual work of mercy. These devotions are a personal and communal extension of the official Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. Throughout history, the faithful have sought the intercession of saints renowned for healing, such as Our Lady of Lourdes, Saint Raphael the Archangel (whose name means ‘God heals’), and Saint Roch. These traditional prayers provide comfort, express hope, and unite the suffering of the individual with the redemptive Passion of Christ.