“Jesus likes to give himself to simple souls; we must make an effort to acquire this beautiful virtue of simplicity and to hold it in great esteem.”—Letters, Vol. 1, 677-78

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“Stay with me, Lord . . .” That was the prayer Padre Pio often recited—simple, straightforward, yet to the point. It is a reminder to us that prayers don’t need to be lengthy or filled with scholarly words and phrases. Have you ever heard a child pray? There’s a beauty in the simplicity of their conversa-tions with God. Perhaps we should try to emulate that. Sometimes prayers such as “Help,” “Thanks,” or “Give me strength” simply and powerfully express the message we wish to convey to Christ. Even if our prayers can only come out in short, simple expressions, God hears them. 
Praying with Padre Pio
St. Pio, help us remember that Christ is always with us, even when we don’t feel that he is near.