When I was a little girl, my mother came into my room every night before bedtime so we could say our prayers. She would sit on the edge of my twin bed while I lay under the covers with my head on the pillow. “Our Father, who art in heaven,” she would begin, and I would join her in reciting the Lord’s Prayer. After that came the “Mary” prayer, which begins, “Hail, Mary, full of grace…” From there, we prayed for family and friends and even for distant people we’d heard about on the news. She always ended with the “Lighten our Darkness” prayer.

I found great comfort in this nightly ritual. It gave me not only a sense of peace but also a deep belief that there were positive forces in the universe watching over us. That belief continues to comfort me even now.

Here is the “Lighten our Darkness” prayer:

Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of thy only Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

This prayer is one I often say when I am feeling afraid. It reassures me to believe that forces of good will defend us against danger. I admit to a childlike faith, one born from those many nights lying in bed with my mother beside me, offering both safety and love in a world that can sometimes feel full of peril.

Thank you, Mom.