The Fragrance Prayer of Cardinal Saint John Henry Newman - Radiating Christ

Nearly two centuries ago, John Henry Newman was England's most well-known Anglican priest, until he risked everything to become a Catholic. Now he is a Catholic saint.

John Henry Newman (1801-1890) was an Anglican clergyman who converted to the Catholic Church at age 44 and was ordained a priest. A theologian and Church historian, he devoted his life to Catholic education, pastoral work, and writing. He founded the Catholic University of Ireland in 1854 and was named a cardinal by Pope Leo XIII in 1879. He was canonized by Pope Francis on October 13, 2019. His feast day is September 24. 

Radiating Christ Prayer by Cardinal Newman

Here is a beautiful prayer by Blessed Cardinal John Henry Newman. This Prayer was recited daily after Communion by Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta and her Sisters of Charity. This Prayer is also known as the Fragrance Prayer.

The Frangrance Prayer 

Dear Jesus, help me to spread Your fragrance wherever I go.

Flood my soul with Your spirit and life.

Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly, that my life may only be a radiance of Yours.

Shine through me, and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel Your presence in my soul.

Let them look up and see no longer me, but only Jesus!

Stay with me and then I shall begin to shine as You shine, so to shine as to be a light to others.

The light, O Jesus, will be all from You; none of it will be mine. It will be you, shining on others through me.

Let me thus praise You the way You love best, by shining on those around me.

Let me preach You without preaching, not by words but by my example, by the catching force of the sympathetic influence of what I do, the evident fullness of the love my heart bears to You.

Amen.

Listen to this prayer put to music by Tom Booth here.

Short Writing - The Mission of My Life

God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission. I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next. I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good; I shall do His work. I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place, while not intending it if I do but keep His commandments.

Therefore, I will trust Him, whatever I am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him, in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him. If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him. He does nothing in vain. He knows what He is about. He may take away my friends. He may throw me among strangers. He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide my future from me. Still, He knows what He is about.

One of his Quotes

"The Christian has a deep, silent, hidden peace, which the world sees not... The Christian is cheerful, easy, kind, gentle, courteous, candid, unassuming; has no pretence... with so little that is unusual or striking in his bearing, that he may easily be taken at first sight for an ordinary man."