Before we start, I’d like to ask you something small but powerful. While you listen to this message, take a moment to leave a comment telling us where you’re watching from. It’s a beautiful reminder that faith connects people from all around the world across countries, cultures, and even generations.

We live in a world that feels busy and heavy. So many people go to bed feeling worried, tired, or even sad. Every day is full of problems and noise. But what if your nights could become peaceful, holy, and full of God’s presence? Pope Leo XIV, the new leader of the Catholic Church, believes they can. He was chosen to lead the church after Pope Francis passed away on May 8th, 2025. Pope Leo is known not just for being smart and kind, but for his deep spiritual gifts. He can sense things that most people cannot, especially when it comes to the soul and how God works in our lives.

One of the first things he shared as pope was a special message about how to end your day with the Holy Spirit. He says, “Sleep is not just something your body needs. It’s a sacred gift from God. At night, our souls are very open to God’s voice, but at the same time, the enemy, Satan, tries to take advantage of that time. He brings fear, anxiety, and bad dreams to weaken us.” So, Pope Leo taught something powerful. Four simple prayers to say to the Holy Spirit before you go to sleep. These four things are: gratitude, confession, protection, guidance. They are not just bedtime prayers. They are tools for spiritual battle. They invite angels. They push away darkness. They help your soul rest in God’s peace. Let’s walk through each of these one by one and hear real stories from people who tried them and found amazing peace.

Let’s begin with the first prayer. Gratitude. Before you go to sleep, say this simple prayer. “Thank you, Holy Spirit, for being with me today. Thank you for guiding me, protecting me, and loving me.” Why is this prayer so important? Pope Leo says, “Giving thanks opens the door to God’s presence.” The Bible tells us in Psalm 100:4 that we should enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. Let me tell you about a woman named Elena. She was a school teacher in Madrid. For months, she had a hard time sleeping. She would lie in bed full of fear and her dreams were filled with chaos. Then she heard about this prayer. She tried it and something changed immediately. Her room felt peaceful. Her dreams turned from scary to calming, like walking through a beautiful garden. Every morning she woke up feeling stronger, as if God had touched her heart during the night. This isn’t just Elena’s story. Pope Leo shared another one, too. A fisherman from Naples had been dealing with stress and sadness. His job was hard and his nights were even harder. But when he started praying with gratitude, he said it felt like the sky opened. He described light filling his room. And for the first time in years, he slept peacefully. Gratitude is powerful. It brings angels close. It turns your eyes from problems to God’s love. It doesn’t matter if your day was hard. When you say thank you, even in pain, the Holy Spirit comes close.

The second thing Pope Leo wants us to pray is confession. Before sleep, say, “Holy Spirit, forgive me for anything I did today that hurt you. Please clean my heart and make it pure.” The Bible tells us in 1 John 1:9 that if we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive us. Confession isn’t just about feeling bad. It’s about being free. It removes the weight from our hearts. Pope Leo told a story about a mother from Florence. She had a bad argument with her daughter and felt very guilty. At night, she couldn’t sleep because of the shame. But then she started saying this confession prayer. She said it felt like chains were breaking. Her sleep became peaceful. And the next morning she apologized to her daughter with a calm and open heart. There’s something healing about admitting our faults to God. The Holy Spirit doesn’t come to judge you. He comes to wash your heart clean. When you lay down your burdens, you’re telling God, “I trust you.” Confession can heal relationships. It can bring back joy. One teacher from Lisbon started praying this every night. And soon she dreamed of reconciliation. Later she made peace with a friend she hadn’t spoken to in years.

Now let’s move to the third prayer. Protection. Say this at night. “Holy Spirit, please protect my heart, mind, and body tonight. Surround me with angels and keep all harm away.” Pope Leo reminds us that nighttime can be a spiritual battlefield. Fear, nightmares, anxiety, these don’t come from God, but the Holy Spirit can protect you. Psalm 91:11 says, “He will command his angels to guard you.” There was a seminarian from Palermo who had nightmares almost every night. They made him scared to fall asleep. But when he started praying this protection prayer, he said it was like angels stood around his bed. The nightmares stopped. A family in Naples had strange things happen in their home. Noises, cold feelings, and fear. But after they started praying for protection, it all stopped. Their home became peaceful and safe. Pope Leo even shared a story about a visitor to the Vatican who brought a book that had been used in the occult. The Pope felt something wrong immediately. That’s how real spiritual danger is. But when we pray for protection, we put up a wall of light that the enemy cannot cross.

Last is the prayer for guidance. Say, “Holy Spirit, speak to me in my dreams. Show me your will and guide me for tomorrow.” The Bible tells us in Joel 2:28 that God gives dreams and visions to his people. Many people think dreams don’t matter, but Pope Leo says they can carry powerful messages. A man in Milan had a hard business decision to make. He prayed this prayer. That night, he dreamed of a path through a storm. When he woke up, he knew what to do. He followed that direction and it led to blessings. A student in Florence was stressed about school. She prayed this prayer and began having peaceful dreams that gave her confidence. A farmer in Tuscany didn’t know whether to sell his land. After praying, he dreamed of a huge harvest. He kept his land, and that year it produced more than ever. Dreams are one way the Holy Spirit speaks. He may bring a Bible verse to your mind, show you peace, or send angels to reassure you.

How to start this practice in your life. So, how do you bring all of this into your own bedtime routine? Here’s what Pope Leo suggests. Pick a quiet place. You can light a candle or hold a cross. Start small. Maybe just say the gratitude prayer at first. Be consistent. Try it every night. Keep a journal. Write down dreams or feelings after you pray. Over time, this becomes more than a bedtime habit. It becomes a relationship with the Holy Spirit. One woman from Seville kept a dream journal and discovered that God was slowly guiding her to forgive someone. Over time, she and her sibling became close again.

What if it feels hard? Some people will feel doubt. Others might get distracted. That’s okay. Pope Leo says to take it slow. Even one small prayer is a big step. If you feel distracted, just try saying the prayers softly while lying in bed. If you feel resistance, say a Hail Mary first and ask the Virgin Mary to help protect your heart.

Final words from Pope Leo. When you invite the Holy Spirit into your night, you are making your room into a holy place. You are making your dreams sacred. You are giving your soul to God while you sleep. These four prayers, gratitude, confession, protection, and guidance will help you rest in peace, wake up in hope, and walk through life with strength. So tonight, before you go to bed, speak to the Holy Spirit. Say thank you. Say you’re sorry. Ask for safety. Ask for direction. God is waiting to meet you in the silence. He is ready to fill your dreams with light.