Stay With Me, A Prayer by St. Pio of Pietrelcina

I recently came across this prayer by St. Pio of Pietrelcina. It has no title, but it could be called “Stay With Me.” Stay With Me, my novel, is a traditional love story (eros) of a man and a woman, not primarily the story of God’s sacrificial love (agape). But it’s that erotic love that serves as the strong foundation of a lasting marriage, which prepares the husband and wife for eternal union with God, who is Love. It is that union for which St. Pio begs in this prayer.

Prayer by Padre Pio, Stay With Me

4 thoughts on “Stay With Me, A Prayer by St. Pio of Pietrelcina

  1. I love this prayer. The first time I read it was at our church. Someone had put prayer cards in the pews, wanting to give everyone a private prayer to say after Holy Communion. The words spoke deeply to my soul. I wanted to make them my words, my prayer. Thanks for sharing this!

  2. I love St. Padre Pio! The name of the prayer is “Stay With Me, Lord.” Here it is in its entirety:

    Stay with me, Lord, for it is necessary to have
    You present so that I do not forget You.
    You know how easily I abandon You.
    Stay with me, Lord, because I am weak
    and I need Your strength,
    that I may not fall so often.
    Stay with me, Lord, for You are my life,
    and without You, I am without fervor.
    Stay with me, Lord, for You are my light,
    and without You, I am in darkness.
    Stay with me, Lord, to show me Your will.
    Stay with me, Lord, so that I hear Your voice
    and follow You.
    Stay with me, Lord, for I desire to love You
    very much, and always be in Your company.
    Stay with me, Lord, if You wish me to be faithful to You.
    Stay with me, Lord, for as poor as my soul is,
    I want it to be a place of consolation for You, a nest of love.
    Stay with me, Jesus, for it is getting late and the day is coming to a close, and life passes;
    death, judgment, eternity approaches. It is necessary to renew my strength,
    so that I will not stop along the way and for that, I need You.
    It is getting late and death approaches,
    I fear the darkness, the temptations, the dryness, the cross, the sorrows.
    O how I need You, my Jesus, in this night of exile!
    Stay with me tonight, Jesus, in life with all its dangers. I need You.
    Let me recognize You as Your disciples did at the breaking of the bread,
    so that the Eucharistic Communion be the Light which disperses the darkness,
    the force which sustains me, the unique joy of my heart.
    Stay with me, Lord, because at the hour of my death, I want to remain united to You,
    if not by communion, at least by grace and love.
    Stay with me, Jesus, I do not ask for divine consolation, because I do not merit it,
    but the gift of Your Presence, oh yes, I ask this of You!
    Stay with me, Lord, for it is You alone I look for, Your Love, Your Grace, Your Will, Your Heart,
    Your Spirit, because I love You and ask no other reward but to love You more and more.
    With a firm love, I will love You with all my heart while on earth
    and continue to love You perfectly during all eternity. Amen.

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