A Gulag Survivor's Prayer of Surrender

Oct 4, 2024

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Servant of God Fr. Walter Ciszek spent 23 years in Siberian prison camps for his faith in Jesus. After being released from prison, he returned to the United States and became a renowned spiritual director.

In this episode, Fr. Michael Wegenka joins Jessica to dive into a prayer of surrender that Fr. Ciszek wrote for one of his directees. Fr. Michael and Jess discuss:

Fr. Ciszek's spirituality of surrender and trust in God
The line of the prayer, "I ask the grace to accept the sadness in my heart as your will for me in this present moment." Is God's will for me to be sad?
Fr. Ciszek's teaching on finding God in the present moment
How you can find healing in seeking God in the present moment

Here is the text of Fr. Ciszek's prayer:

Prayer of Surrender
Lord Jesus Christ, I ask the grace to accept the sadness in my heart, as your will for me, in this moment. I offer it up, in union with your sufferings, for those who are in deepest need of your redeeming grace. I surrender myself to your Father's will and I ask you to help me to move on to the next task that you have set for me.
Spirit of Christ, help me to enter into a deeper union with you. Lead me away from dwelling on the hurt I feel:
to thoughts of charity for those who need my love,
to thoughts of compassion for those who need my care, and
to thoughts of giving to those who need my help.
As I give myself to you, help me to provide for the salvation of those who come to me in need.
May I find my healing in this giving.
May I always accept God's will.
May I find my true self by living for others in a spirit of sacrifice and suffering.
May I die more fully to myself and live more fully in you.
As I seek to surrender to the Father's will, may I come to trust that he will do everything for me.

To learn more about Fr. Ciszek, visit his League website here.

Fr. Michael Wegenka, S.J., is a Jesuit priest from Houston, Texas. He has worked at Regis Jesuit High School as well as his alma mater, Strake Jesuit in Houson. He was ordained in 2018 and is currently working as a vocation promoter for the UCS Province of Jesuits.