Christian Prayer – Page 120 – A Collection of Prayers

Let Labor for You Be My Delight

Give me, O Lord,
an obedient spirit,
and a teachable mind.
Let me be cheerful without lightness,
sorrowful yet rejoicing,
fearing you without doubting,
and trusting you without tempting you.
Let me be joyful at nothing except what pleases you,
and sorrowful for nothing except what displeases you.
Let labor for you be my delight,
and all my rest be found in you.
Give me a willing spirit, and a diligent soul,
that I may seek to know your will,
and when I know it, that I perform it faithfully,
to the honor and glory of your blessed name.
Amen.

Source: Modified from A Book of Prayers: Together with Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Ancient and Modern, Ed. Charles Leffingwell, Morehouse Publishing Company, 1921, p. 40 #2

Cleanse Our Hearts, Hear Our Prayers

O Lord, open our lips
that we may bless your holy name.
Cleanse our hearts from all vain, evil,
and wandering thoughts,
that we may worthily and devoutly offer up
our prayers and praises to you,
and be heard in the presence of your divine majesty;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Unknown

Source: of this version: Modified from A Book of Prayers: Together with Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Ancient and Modern, Ed. Charles Leffingwell, Morehouse Publishing Company, 1921, p. 33 #2

In Pity and Mercy, Forgive

O God,
eternal Light,
Splendor of the stars,
Clearness of the night,
boundless Enlightener of the darkness,
grant us to pass this night in security and peace,
and if we have this day collected any stain of sin,
in pity and mercy, forgive.
Hear our prayers and grant our request;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Mozarabic Rite

Source of this version: Modified from A Book of Prayers: Together with Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Ancient and Modern, Ed. Charles Leffingwell, Morehouse Publishing Company, 1921, p. 24 #3

Our Minds Are Awake to You

The day is past, O Lord,
and we offer you our evening prayer.
Whatever in us is darkened by the night of sin
illumine with the brightness of your light,
and while our eyes are closed in sleep,
our minds may be awake to you,
so that, at the close of night,
we may welcome with your praises
the return of day.
Amen.

Source: Mozarabic Rite

A Communion Prayer

Lord, am not worthy
that you should come under the roof of my soul,
nor do you have in me fitting place to lay your head.
But, as you humbled yourself to lie in a manger,
as you did not reject the thief on the cross confessing you,
so let me, too, a wretched, and excessive sinner,
partake of the immaculate, supernatural,
lifegiving, and saving mysteries
of your all-holy body
and your precious blood.

Source: Lancelot Andrewes

Preserve Us from Cares

My most gracious God,
preserve me from the cares of this life,
so that I should not become entangled by them,
and from the many desires of the flesh,
so that I should not be ensnared by pleasure,
and from whatever is an obstacle to the soul,
so that I should not be broken with troubles,
and be overthrown.
Amen.

Source: Thomas à Kempis

A Blessing

The power of the Father govern and protect me,
the wisdom of the Son teach and enlighten me,
the influence of the Holy Spirit renew and quicken me.
The blessing of the everlasting and all holy Trinity
be with me,
now and forevermore.
Amen.

Source: Unknown.

“me” can be substituted with “us” or “you“

Power to Withstand Temptations

Lord,
give your people power
to withstand the temptations
of the world,
the flesh,
and the devil,
and with pure hearts and minds
to follow you,
the only true God;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Unknown.

For Mercy

O Lord, you gave your apostles peace,
shed down on us all your holy calm;
gather together with your hand
all those who are scattered,
and bring them like sheep into the fold of your holy Church,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Strengthen and confirm me, O Lord, by your cross,
on the rock of faith,
that my mind be not shaken by the attacks of the enemy.
For you alone are holy.

You know, O Lord,
how many and great are my sins,
you know how often I sin,
from day to day,
from hour to hour,
in the things I do
and the things I leave undone.
No more, O Lord,
no more, O Lord my God,
will I provoke you.
No more shall my desire be for anything but you,
for you alone are truly lovable.
And if again I offend in anything,
I humbly ask your mercy
to grant me strength
to live in a manner more pleasing to you.
Amen.

Source: Theodore the Studite

Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts

A Mozarabic Blessing (2)

May the infinite and glorious Trinity,
the Father, the + Son, and the Holy Spirit,
direct our life in good works,
and after our passage through this world,
grant to us eternal rest with the righteous.
Grant this, O eternal and almighty God.
Amen.

Source: Mozarabic Liturgy

Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts