pastorstratman

Lord’s Prayer as a Paraphrase for Use in Worship

This Prayer of the Church, based on the Lord’s Prayer, is adapted from Luther’s Deutsches Messe in which he recommends, “After the sermon shall follow a public paraphrase of the Lord’s Prayer … in this or a better fashion.” (LW Vol. 53, p. 78-79). The words of the Lord’s Prayer are printed in italics. Since this prayer includes the Lord’s Prayer in it, the Lord’s Prayer need not be used elsewhere in the service.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH / LORD’S PRAYER

M: Dear friends in Christ, since we have come in the name of the Lord to receive his holy Supper, I invite you to lift up your hearts to God and pray with me as Christ has taught us and graciously promised to hear us.

M: God, our Father in heaven, look with mercy on us, your needy children on earth. Grant us grace, so that your holy name be hallowed by us and all the world, through the pure and true teaching of your Word; graciously turn from us all false doctrine and evil living, by which your precious name is being blasphemed and profaned. Lord, in your mercy,

C: Hear our prayer.

M: Your kingdom come to us and expand, that all transgressors who are blinded and bound in the devil’s kingdom be brought to know Jesus Christ, your Son, by faith, and that the number of Christians may grow. Lord, in your mercy,

C: Hear our prayer.

M: May we be strengthened by your Spirit to do and to respect your will, both in life and death, in good times and bad, and always to break, slay, and sacrifice our own wills. Lord, in your mercy,

C: Hear our prayer.

M: Give us our daily bread, preserve us from greed and selfish cares, and help us to trust that you will provide for all our needs. Lord, in your mercy,

C: Hear our prayer.

M: Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us, so that our hearts may rest and rejoice in a good conscience before you, and that no sin may ever frighten or alarm us. Lord, in your mercy,

C: Hear our prayer.

M: Lead us not into temptation but help us by your Spirit to subdue our sinful desires, despise the sinful world and its ways. Lord, in your mercy,

C: Hear our prayer.

M: Lastly, O heavenly Father, deliver us from all evil of both body and soul, now and forever. Lord, in your mercy.

C: Hear our prayer.

Special prayers and intercessions may follow.

M: We trust, O Lord, in your great mercy that you will hear and answer us; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

C: Amen.

Source: Martin Luther

Source of this version: Modified from Luther’s Works, American edition, Vol. 53, p. 78-79

Keep Your Scriptures in Our Minds

Lord God, let us keep your Scriptures in mind
and meditate on them day and night,
persevering in prayer, always on watch.
We beg you, Lord, to give us real knowledge of what we read,
and to show us not only how to understand it,
but how to put it into practice,
and to obtain spiritual gifts
enlightened by the teaching of the Holy Spirit,
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
whose power and glory will endure throughout all ages.
Amen.

Source: Origen of Alexandria

Source of this version: http://www.hebronpc.com/Cover.10.05.08.Bulletin%5B1%5D.pdf

“Meditate on them day and night” is a reference to Psalm 1.

“Persevering in prayer” is a reference to Romans 12:12.

“Put it into practice” is a reference to James 1:22.

“Obtain spiritual gifts” in the original is “obtain spiritual graces.” In the ancient church, sometimes grace was understood as undeserved love, sometimes it was understood as a specific gift from God, or something that enables us to please him.

“Enlightened by the teaching” original is “enlightened by the law.”

Help Us Recognize Your Voice

File:Praying Hands - Albrecht Durer.png - Wikimedia Commons

O God in heaven, have mercy on us!
Lord Jesus Christ, intercede for your people,
deliver us at the opportune time,
preserve in us the true genuine Christian faith,
collect your scattered sheep with your voice,
your divine Word as Holy Writ calls it.
Help us to recognize your voice,
help us not to be allured by the madness of the world,
so that we may never fall away from you,
O Lord Jesus Christ.

Source: Albrecht Dürer. The classic etching “Praying Hands” is also by Albrecht Dürer.

Source of this version: http://www.historyofpainters.com/durer.htm

Shine in Our Hearts

O Lord Jesus Christ,
you are the sun of the world,
evermore arising, and never going down,
which by your most welcome appearing and sight,
brings forth, preserves, nourishes,
and refreshes all things,
as well that are in heaven as also that are on earth;

We beg you mercifully and faithfully to shine in our hearts,
so that the night and darkness of sins,
and the mist of errors on every side
may be driven away;
with you brightly shining in our hearts
we may all our life go without stumbling or offense,
and may decently and seemly walk as in the day time,
being pure and clean from the works of darkness,
and abounding in all good works
which God has prepared us to walk in;
you who with the Father and with the Holy Ghost
live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.

Source: Thomas Cranmer

Source of this version: https://reformedchristianmuse.wordpress.com/2007/05/04/let-us-pray-with-thomas-cranmer/

“Sun of the world” is a reference to Malachi 4:2.

“Walk as in the day time” is a reference to John 11:9 and John 12:35.

“Works of darkness” is a reference to Ephesians 5:11.

“Good works which God has prepared us to walk in” is a reference to Ephesians 2:10.

The Voyage of Life

220px-sandro_botticelli_050

Blessed are your saints, O God and King,
who have traveled over the tempestuous sea of this mortal life,
and have made the harbor of peace and happiness.

Watch over us who are still in our dangerous voyage;
and remember such as lie exposed to the rough storms of trouble and temptations.
Frail is our vessel, and the ocean is wide;
but as in your mercy you have set our course,
so steer the vessel of our life toward the everlasting shore of peace,
and bring us at last to the quiet haven of our heart’s desire,
where you, O our God, are blessed,
and live and reign for ever and ever.

Source: St. Augustine of Hippo, 354-430

Source of this version: Modified from http://www.beliefnet.com/prayers/catholic/guidance/prayer-for-protection.aspx#stAJR5WhwHibqWSQ.99

Graphic by Sandro Botticeli from Wikipedia.com.

Love, Light and Renewal

O beloved, Love eternal, my good,
happiness which knows no bounds,
I desire to grasp you with most worthy reverence.
I desire to reserve nothing for myself.

O Everlasting Light,
surpassing all created lights:
flash your lightning from above
and penetrate all the corners of my heart.

Cleanse, beautify and revive my spirit with all its powers:
that I may cling to you with highest joy.

Source: Thomas à Kempis, Imitation of Christ

Source of this version: Modified from https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/2e9b4446/files/uploaded/502%20December%206th%20Second%20Sunday%20of%20Advent.pdf

Make Us Grounded in Your Truth

Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
grant, we pray, that we might be grounded
and settled in your truth
by the coming of your Holy Spirit in our hearts.
What we do not know, reveal to us;
what is lacking within us, make complete;
what we do know, confirm in us;
and keep us blameless in your service,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Source: Clement of Rome (c. 90)

Source of this version: http://christianicon.tumblr.com/post/37974365991/almighty-god-father-of-our-lord-jesus-christ

A Prayer for Unity

God the Father,
source of Divinity,
good beyond all that is good,
fair beyond all that is fair,
in you is calmness, peace and unity.
Repair the things that divide us from each other
and restore our unity of love
like your divine love.
And as you are above all things,
unite us in goodness and love
that we may be spiritually one,
with you and with each other,
through your peace which makes all things peaceful
and through the grace, mercy, and tenderness
of your only Son., Jesus Christ. Amen.

Source: Dionysius of the Syrian Jacobite Church, 9th Century

Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954. (New Ancient Collects, #264)

Protection under Christ’s Cross

May the cross of the + Son of God,
which is mightier than all the hosts of Satan
and more glorious than all the hosts of heaven,
abide with you in your going out and in your coming in.

By day and by night, at morning and at evening,
at all times and in all places may it protect and defend you.
From the wrath of evildoers, from the assaults of evil spirits,
from foes visible and invisible, from the snares of the devil,
from all passions that beguile the soul and body:
may it guard, protect and deliver you.
Amen.

Source: Christaraksha, India

Source of this version: https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-worship/worship/texts/pastoral/healing/protectionpeace.aspx

Also found here: http://tonusperegrinus.blogspot.com/2014/09/christaraksha-powerful-prayer-of-cross.html

*We can rightly pray this prayer if we connect “the cross of the Son of God” with his blood and death, which indeed are mightier than the hosts of Satan.

Keep Us in Peace

Keep us in peace, O Christ our God,
under the protection of your holy cross;
save us from our enemies, visible and invisible,
that we may glorify + you with thanksgiving,
with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever.

Source: Dismissal from the Armenian Orthodox liturgy

Source of this version: Modified from http://www.oremus.org/liturgy/ccp/16p&p.html