Prayer Reflecting on the Shooting in Colorado, May 7

Colorado school shooting: 8 students injured at STEM ...

Guard us, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
preserve us from violent men.
Psalm 140

O Lord, you know the minds of all,
and your plans are often hidden from us.
But you have given us this promise:
“For those who love God all things work together for good,
for those who are called according to his purpose.”
(Romans 8:28)
We cry out to you,
calm the rage of all who plan evil.
Heal the wounded.
Comfort those who mourn.
Strengthen those who serve.
Draw us closer to you.
Move our hearts to love and mercy,
and our actions to compassion and service.
Remind us all that
“the present form of this world is passing away,” (1 Corinthians 7:31)
and that around your throne,
Good Shepherd,
you will wipe every tear from our eyes. (Revelation 7:17)
Amen.

© 2017 Paul C. Stratman
on A Collection of Prayers

Reposted from Prayer reflecting on the Shooting in Las Vegas, October 1, 2017

A Prayer about Mothers

Our Father in heaven,
from whom every family in heaven and on earth
receives its name,
you describe your tender comfort
as being like a mother’s comfort.
We give thanks for mothers,
who comfort,
who teach,
who nurture,
who feed,
who love.
Continue to give them patience and strength.
Receive the cares they cast on you.
We pray for children;
open their eyes
to their mothers’ open arms,
to their mothers’ love,
to their mothers’ sacrifices
of time and effort.
We pray for those who weep
when they think of their mothers,
and mothers who weep
when they think of their children.
With your love
heal broken hearts,
and guide us with your love
to remove the walls we often build
between ourselves
and those who should be closest.
Fill the void of loss
with friends, family,
and with your own assurance
of your tender care;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

© 2017 Paul C. Stratman

Creative Commons License
A Prayer about Mothers by Paul C. Stratman is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Please contact for any commercial usage.

“from whom…” is a reference to Ephesians 3:15.

“You describe…” is a reference to Isaiah 66:13

“Receive the cares…” is a reference to 1 Peter 5:7

The last section “We pray for those who weep…” is in part a reflection on Psalm 27:10.

See also “A Prayer about Fathers.”

The painting The Madonna of the Pinks, Raphael, probably before 1507 was chosen simply to be a depiction of a mother with a child.

Sarum Kyrie eleison. No. 3.

III. Kyrie, Fons Bonitatis
On the Epiphany, Whitsun (Pentecost) Day especially.

O Lord, fountain of goodness, Father unbegotten, from whom all good things come, have mercy on us.

O Lord, you sent your Son to suffer for the sins of the world that he might save it, have mercy on us.

O Lord, you bestow the sevenfold gifts of the Spirit, by whom heaven and earth are filled, have mercy on us.

O Christ, the only-begotten of God the Father, whom the holy prophets wondrously foretold to be born into the world of a virgin, have mercy on us.

O holy Christ, Lord of heaven, theme of glorious song, before whom the highest angels ever stand, chanting the praise of your divinity, have mercy on us.

O Christ, from heaven accept our prayers. We devoutly and humbly worship you on earth, calling to you, gentle Jesus, have mercy on us.

O Lord, gracious Spirit, in union with the Father and the Son, consisting of one nature, proceeding from both, have mercy on us.

O Lord, who appeared in the form of a dove when Christ was baptized in the water of Jordan, have mercy on us.

O Lord, fire divine, kindle our hearts that we may proclaim you, have mercy on us. 

Source: The Sarum Missal in English, Part II, Alcuin Club Collections, No. XI

Original in Latin:

Kyrie, fons bonitatis, Pater ingenite a quo bona cuncta procedunt, eleison.
Kyrie, qui pati natum mundi pro crimine, ipsum ut salvaret, misisti, eleison.
Kyrie, qui septiformis dans dona pneumatis, a quo cælum, terra replentur, eleison.

Christe, unice Dei Patris genite, quem de Virgine nasciturum mundo mirifice sancti predixerunt prophetæ, eleison.
Christe hagie, cæli compos regiæ, melos gloriæ cui semper astans pro numine angelorum decantat apex, eleison.
Christe cælitus, adsis nostris precibus, pronis mentibus quem in terris devote colimus, ad te pie Iesu clamamus, eleison.

Kyrie, spiritus alme, cohærens Patri natoque, unius usiæ consistendo, flans ab utroque, eleison.
Kyrie, qui baptizato in Iordanis unda Christo, effulgens specie columbina apparuisti, eleison.
Kyrie, ignis divine, pectora nostra succende, ut digni pariter decantare possimus semper, eleison.

SarumAd.png

Sarum Kyrie eleison. No. 2

II. Kyrie,  Rex Genitor Ingenite
On all other double Feasts.

Lord, King, Father unbegotten, true Being, have mercy on us.

Lord, fountain of light and maker of all things, have mercy on us.

Lord, you sealed us with the form of your image, have mercy on us.

Christ, in the form of God, partaker of our human nature, have mercy on us.

Christ, the rising dawn, by whom all things were made, have mercy on us.

Christ, perfect Wisdom, have mercy on us.

Lord, quickening Spirit, power of life, have mercy on us.

Lord, proceeding from both the Father and the Son, in whom are all things, have mercy on us.

Lord, the cleanser of iniquities and bestower of grace, have mercy on us.

Lord, on account of our offenses, do not leave us, have mercy on us.

Comforter of the sorrowing soul, have mercy on us.

Source: The Sarum Missal in English, Part II, Alcuin Club Collections, No. XI

Original in Latin:

Kirrie rex genitor ingenite uera essentia eleyson.
Kirrie luminis fons et rerum conditor eleyson .
Kirrie qui nos tuę imaginis signasti specie eleyson.
Christe lux oriens per quem sunt omnia eleyson.
Christe qui perfecta es sapientia eleyson.
Christe dei forma humane particeps eleyson.
Kirrie spiritus uiuifice uitę uis eleyson.
Kirrie utriusque uapor in quo cuncta’ eleyson.
Kirrie expurgator scelerum et largitor gratie
Petimus: propter nostras offensas noli nos relinquere
O consolator dolentis anime eleyson,

SarumAd.png

Psalm Prayer for Psalm 63

Prayer after Psalm 63

Author of Light,
eternal God,
pour out your everlasting radiance on us,
who earnestly seek you,
that our lips may praise you,
our lives bless you,
and our meditations glorify you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Source: Ludolph of Saxony, d. 1378

Translation in traditional English, from the Sarum Psalter:

Author of Light! Eternal God! do Thou pour everlasting radiance upon us, who, at day-break, watch for Thee; so that our lips may praise Thee, our life bless Thee, our morning meditations glorify Thee, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

SarumAd.png

 

Sarum Kyrie eleison. No. 1.

I. Pater Creator Omnium
On all principal Feasts.

God, Creator of all things, our God, in your pity, have mercy on us.

To you, Christ, King of kings, rejoicing in praise together, we pray, have mercy on us.

To you belongs praise, virtue, peace, and dominion forever and ever, have mercy on us.

Christ, our only king, co-eternal Son of the gracious Father, have mercy on us.

You saved lost humanity, restoring all from death to life, have mercy on us.

Jesus, good Shepherd, so the sheep of your pasture will not perish, have mercy on us.

Spirit, Comforter, we your people pray, have mercy on us.

Lord, our strength and our eternal salvation, have mercy on us.

Supreme and one God, mercifully grant us the gifts of life, and in your kindness, have mercy on us.

Source: The Sarum Missal in English, Part II, Alcuin Club Collections, No. XI,11th-15th centuries

Original (or similar text) in Latin:
Pater creator omnium tu theos ymon nostri pie eleyson .
Tibi laudes coniubilantes regum rex pie orainus te eleyson.
Laus uirtus pax et imperium cui est semper sine fine eleyson .
Christe rex unice patris almi nate coeternęt eleyson.
Qui perditum hominem saluasti de morte reddens uitę eleyson.
Ne pereant pascue oues tuę ihesu pastor bone eleyson .
Kirri soter agye supplices imas te exoramus eleyson.
Uirtus nostra domine atque salus uera in eternum eleyson.
Trine deus et une uite donat nobis tribue misertus nostrique tu digneris eleyson.

SarumAd.png

For Divine Help and Protection

You are our helper, Mighty One.
and you are no respecter of persons.
Help all your people
bought with the precious blood of Christ.

You are our fortress and defender.
No one can snatch us from your hand.
There is no other God like you.
In you we trust.

Sanctify us through your truth.
Your Word is truth.

Preserve us
and all your people
from injury and deceit,
from fear of the enemy,
from the arrow that flies by day,
and the trouble that walks in the darkness,
and grant us eternal life
in Christ, your Son, our Lord and Savior.

Source: Liturgy of the Greek Church.
Source of this version: Service and Prayers for Church and Home edited by Wilbur Patterson Thirkield, 1918

Give us Faithful Hearts

O Lord, give us
wise, self-controlled,
patient, understanding,
devout, faithful,
and courageous hearts.
Fill our souls with
devotion to your service,
and strength against all temptations;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Source: Archbishop Laud, 1573
Source of this version: Service and Prayers for Church and Home edited by Wilbur Patterson Thirkield, 1918

Original in traditional English:

Give unto us, O Lord, we humbly beseech thee, a wise, a sober, a patient, an understanding, a devout, a religious, a courageous heart; a soul full of devotion to do thee service, strength against all temptations, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Mozarabic Morning Prayers

From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised! (Psalm 113:3)
Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore! (Psalm 113:2)

O God, your name is praised from the rising of the sun until it sets. Fill our hearts with knowledge and open our lips in your praise. Since you are blessed with due honor forever and ever, so may you be praised from the east to the west by all nations.
Amen.

Through your mercy, O our God, you are blessed, and live and govern all things, now and forever.
Amen.

 

It is right, O Lord, to declare your praise in the morning.
And your truth in the evening.

Let our morning prayer rise to you, O Lord. Since you receive our praise and have compassion on our weakness, grant that this day may be one of joy, peace and quietness and without stain of sin, so that being delivered from temptation, we may glorify you in the evening as our eternal King.
Amen.

Through your mercy, O our God, you are blessed, and live and govern all things, now and forever.
Amen.

Source: Mozarabic, 7th century
Source of this version: Freely modified from The Revised Prayer-book of the Reformed Spanish Church. p. 11-12, 26. Scripture reverences from the English Standard Version.

 

Mozarabic, ad.

Mozarabic Evening Prayer

At evening, morning and noon,
It is right, O Lord, that we should praise you.

Lord God almighty, you have made one day of the evening, the morning, and noon.  You have ordered the sun in its rising and setting. Make your way through the darkness of our hearts, that being enlightened by you, we may know you as the true God and our eternal light.
Amen.

Through your mercy, O our God, you are blessed, and live and govern all things, now and forever.
Amen.

Source: Mozarabic, 7th century
Source of this version: Freely modified from The Revised Prayer-book of the Reformed Spanish Church, p. 39

 

Mozarabic, ad.

Christian Prayer, Banner