September 2016 – Page 7 – A Collection of Prayers

The Purpose of the Cross

Lord God, heavenly Father,
in your fatherly and infinite wisdom
you place your children on earth under the cross
and we endure many troubles.
Through these you guard us against sins
and lead us to believe, hope and pray.
Have mercy on us,
and hear our prayers in every affliction and need,
and send us your gracious help
so that we may know your grace and fatherly goodness,
and praise and glorify you
with all your saints in eternity,
for you, with your Son and the Holy Spirit
alone are the eternal God.
Amen.

Source: Veit Dietrich, d. 1549, Epiphany 4

This revision/translation of The Collects of Veit Dietrich is licensed by Paul C. Stratman under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Please contact for permission for any commercial use.

Into Your Hands We Commit Ourselves

Into your hands we commit ourselves,
blessed Lord,
this night and forever.
Sun of Righteousness,
keep us from utter darkness
and let us sleep in peace,
that we may always be ready
to arise and meet you
when you come again in glory;
with the Father and the Holy Spirit
you are one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Source: Freely modified from Daily services for Christian Households, compiled and arranged by H. Stobart, 1867

Original in traditional English:

Give Your Blessing to Our Daily Work

thomas_arnold_by_thomas_phillips O Lord,
give your blessing to our daily work,
that we may do it in faith, with all our hearts,
as working for the Lord and not for human masters.
All our powers of body and mind are yours,
and we devote them to your service.
Sanctify us and the work in which we are engaged;
let us not be lazy, but diligent in spirit.
O Lord, bless our efforts
that they may bring forth in us
the fruits of true wisdom.
Teach us to seek truth and lead us to find it,
but grant that we may always speak the truth in love,
that while we know earthly things,
we may know you, and be known by you,
through and in your Son Jesus Christ.
Give us this day your Holy Spirit,
that we may be yours in body and spirit
in all our work and all our refreshments;
through Jesus Christ your Son, our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Thomas Arnold, d. 1842

Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers Ancient and Modern by Mary Wilder Tileston, Boston, Little Brown, 1914, p. 86

“with all our hearts… not for human masters” is a reference to Colossians 3:23

“let us not be lazy” is a reference to Romans 12:11

“the fruits of true wisdom” may be a reference to James 3:17

“always speak the truth in love” is a reference to Ephesians 4:15

“we may know you, and be known by you” is a reference to Galatians 4:9

“that we may be yours in body and spirit” may be a reference to 1 Thessalonians 5:23

Help Us as We Pass through This Life

O God,
the protector of all who hope in you,
without you nothing is strong and nothing is holy.
Pour out your mercy on us.
Rule us.
Guide us.
Help us as we pass through this life,
and continue in faith to eternal life;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Source: Gregorian Sacramentary, 7th-8th Century, Historic Collect for the Third Sunday after Trinity

This translation is licensed by Paul C. Stratman under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Please contact for permission for any commercial use.

Original in Latin:

Protector noster in te sperantium Deus, sine quo nihil est validum nihil sanctum, multiplica super nos misericordiam tuam, ut te rectore, te duce sic transeamus, per bona temporalia, ut non amittamus aeterna. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum filium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus sancti Deus. Per omnia secula seculorum, Amen.

Guide Those Established in Your Love

Lord,
may we always love and revere your holy name,
for you never fail to guide
those you establish firmly in your love;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Source: Sarum Rite, Gelasian Sacramentary, 8th Century

This translation is licensed by Paul C. Stratman under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Please contact for permission for any commercial use.