Category: Bright’s Ancient Collects

Inward Peace and Goodwill

O Lord Jesus Christ,
by your incarnation you united
things earthly and heavenly.
Fill us with the sweetness
of inward peace and goodwill,
that we may join the heavenly host
in singing praises to your glory;
for you live and reign
with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Source: Gregorian Rite, 6th Century

Source of this version: Freely modified from Collects and Prayers for Use in Church,  United Lutheran Church in America, 1935

Variant, as a blessing:

And may He, Who through His Incarnation united earthly things with Heavenly, fill us with the sweetness of inward peace and good will, and make us partakers with the Heavenly Host. Amen.

Source of this version: The Priest to the Altar: Or Aids to the Devout Celebration of Holy Communion Chiefly After the Ancient English Use of Sarum, Peter Goldsmith Medd,
Rivingtons, 1879, 11th Century

 

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Make Us Watchful

Advent 1

O Lord our God,
make us watchful and heedful
as we await the coming of your Son,
Christ our Lord,
that when he comes and knocks,
he will find us not sleeping in sins
but awake and rejoicing in his praises;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Source: Gelasian Sacramentary 

Source of this version: Modified from Ancient Collects, and Other Prayers, ed. William Bright, 1902, p. 16 #4

 

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Purify Our Consciences

Advent 1

O Lord,
purify our consciences by your daily presence,
that when your Son, our Lord comes,
he may find in us a place prepared for himself;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Gelasian Sacramentary 

Source of this version: Modified from Ancient Collects, and Other Prayers, ed. William Bright, 1902, p. 16 #3

 

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For Those Who Suffer

Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior,
for us you bore the agony of the cross.
Draw near to your servant _____,
who suffers pain,*
and make all things serve your good purpose,
that by your grace he may know
that the sufferings of this present time
are not worth comparing
with the glory that is to be revealed to us;
with the Father and the Holy Spirit
you live and reign,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Source: Freely modified from William Bright, Bright’s Ancient Collects, p. 237 #3

Also found here: Collects and Prayers for use in Church,  United Lutheran Church in America, 1935, #243

*the word pain can be substituted with something more specific: illness, weakness, depression, setbacks in treatment, slow recovery, trouble of mind, etc.

“make all things serve your good purpose” is a reference to Romans 8:28

“the sufferings of this present time…” is a reference to Romans 8:18

“who suffers pain” in the original prayer was “who suffers pain or trouble of mind, (especially N.), hallow all their crosses in this life, and crown them hereafter, where all tears are wiped away where with the Father &c ”

 

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For the Gift of a New Day

We give you thanks
for the rest of the past night
and for the gift of a new day
with its opportunities to please you.
Grant that we may pass its hours
in the complete freedom of your service,
that at evening we may again give you thanks;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: The Eastern Church

Source of this version: Freely modified from  Prayers of the Early Church,  ed.  J. Manning Potts,  The Upper Room, Nashville, Tennessee, © 1953 (Public domain in the U.S.)

Variant:

We give you thanks,
Holy Lord, Father Almighty, everlasting God,
for you have been pleased to bring us through the night
to the hours of morning;
Grant us to pass this day without sin,
so that at evening we may again give you thanks;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Source: Gelasian

Source of this version: Modified from:  Ancient Collects, and Other Prayers, ed. William Bright, 1902, p. 6 #3

Also found here:  Prayers Ancient and Modern by Mary Wilder Tileston, Boston, Little Brown, 1914, p. 323 #2

 

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For the Spirit of Prayer

O almighty God,
every good prayer comes from you,
and you pour out the Spirit of grace and prayer
on all who desire it.
Deliver us from coldness of heart
and wanderings of mind
when we draw near you,
that with steadfast thoughts
and warmed affections
we may worship you in spirit and in truth;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: William Bright, Ancient Collects, p. 233 #1

This prayer was written by William Bright himself “in imitation of the ancient model.”

Original in traditional English:

O Almighty God, from Whom every good prayer cometh, and Who pourest out on all who desire it the Spirit of grace and supplications; deliver us, when we draw nigh to Thee, from coldness of heart and wanderings of mind; that with steadfast thoughts and kindled affections we may worship Thee in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

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Preserve Us from Faithless Fears

O most loving Father,
you want us to give thanks for all things,
to dread nothing but losing you,
and to cast all our anxiety on you
because you care for us.
Preserve us from faithless fears and worldly anxieties
and grant that no clouds of this mortal life
may hide from us the light of that love
which is immortal,
and which you have shown us
in your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

Source: William Bright

Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers Ancient and Modern
by Mary Wilder Tileston, Boston, Little Brown, 1914, p. 46 #2

“cast all our anxiety on you” is a reference to 1 Peter 5:7

 

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A Sarum Blessing for the Sick

old_sarum_cathedral_reconstructionMay the Father,
who created all things in the beginning, bless you.
May the + Son of God heal you.
May the Holy Spirit enlighten you,
guard your body, save your soul,
direct your thoughts,
and bring you safe to the heavenly country,
where he lives and reigns,
God, in a perfect Trinity,
forever and ever.

Source: Sarum Rite

Source of this version: Modified from Ancient Collects, and Other Prayers, ed. William Bright, 1902, p. 193 #2

Graphic: Model of Old Sarum (Salisbury) Cathedral, Wikipedia.com

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