O God,
you looked on man when he had fallen to death,
and resolved to redeem him
by giving your only Son.
Grant that all who confess his glorious incarnation
may also be admitted to the fellowship of him, their Redeemer;
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Source: Ambrose
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.)
“by giving your only Son” is a reference to John 3:16
Father,
give completeness to beginners,
understanding to the little ones,
and help to those who are running their course.
Give sorrow to the negligent,
fervor to the lukewarm,
and to the mature a true humility,
for the sake of Christ Jesus our Lord.
Amen.
Source: Iranaeus of Lyon
Source of this version: Composite, mostly from Prayers of the Early Church, ed. J. Manning Potts, The Upper Room, Nashville, Tennessee, © 1953 (Public domain in the U.S.) and Glimpses of the Divine: A Spiritual Anthology for Use on Every Day of the Year, Cyril Bulley, Sussex Academic Press, 1994
“and to the mature, a true humility,” most translations render this line “and a good consummation to the perfect” Glimpses of the Divine has “and to the perfect a true humility.”
May God,
who sees all things,
and who is the Ruler of all spirits
and the Lord of all the living—
who chose our Lord Jesus Christ,
and through him chose us to be a people for his own possession—
grant to every soul that calls on his glorious and holy name,
faith, peace, patience, long-suffering,
self-control, purity, and sobriety,
to the glory of his name,
through our High Priest and Protector,
+ Jesus Christ, to whom be glory,
and majesty, and power, and honor,
both now and forever.
Amen.
Source: Clement of Rome (c. 96)
From a longer prayer in Clement’s epistle to the Corinthians.
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.)
“chose us to be a people for his own possession” is a reference to 1 Peter 2:9
O Lord,
cleanse us from our secret faults,
and mercifully forgive us from our willful sins,
that we may receive your holy things with a pure mind;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Source: Leonine Sacramentary.
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.)
“cleanse us from our secret faults” is a reference to Psalm 19:12-13
Lord,
give us a spirit
to always think and do what is right.
Since we cannot do anything good without you,
empower us to live according to your will;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Source: Leonine Sacramentary.
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.)
Original in Latin:
Largire nobis, quaesumus, Domine, semper spiritum cogitandi quae recta sunt, propitius et agendi: ut, qui sine te esse non possumus, secundum te vivere valeamus.
This prayer also appears in Die pommersche Kirchen-Ordnung und Agenda, p. 298.
O Herr, wir bltten, gib uns allezeit gnadiglich einen Geist zu gedenken und zu thun, was recht ist, auf daß wir, die wir ohne dich nicht sei können, nach dir auch leben mögen, durch Jesum Christum unsern Herrn, der mit dir in vereinigter Gottheit des heiligen Geistes lebet und regieret immer und ewiglich, Amen.
Accept our evening thanksgiving,
Fountain of every blessing,
for you have led us in safety through the length of the day.
You daily bless us with so many temporal mercies,
and have given us the hope of resurrection to eternal life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Souce: An Ancient Collect.
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.)
Almighty God,
hear our prayers for all who sin against you,
or neglect to serve you,
all who forget you,
all who leave you out of their lives.
O Lord, have mercy on them.
Lead us all to true repentance
and an earnest longing for you.
Strengthen and confirm all your faithful people,
and lift up the light of your face on them,
always renewing in them heavenly desires;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Souce: An Ancient Collect.
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.)
“Strengthen and confirm” may be a reference to 1 Peter 5:10
“lift up the light of your face on them” is a reference to Numbers 6:26 and Psalm 67:1
O Lord God,
give us peace,
for you give us all things:
the peace of rest,
the peace of the Sabbath
which has no ending:
Yes, give us rest in you,
the Sabbath of eternal life.
For you will rest in us,
as you now work in us;
and your rest shall be through us,
as your works are through us.
Amen.
Source: St. Augustine of Hippo
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.)
The mentions of Sabbath rest are references to Hebrews 4:9
Look on us, O Lord,
and let all the darkness of our souls
vanish before the beams of your brightness.
Fill us with holy love,
and open to us the treasures of your wisdom.
All our desires are known to you,
therefore complete what you have begun,
and what your Spirit has awakened us to ask in prayer.
We seek your face,
turn your face to us and show us your glory.
Then will our longing be satisfied,
and our peace shall be perfect.
Amen.
Source: St. Augustine of Hippo
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.)
Lord, my God,
Light of the blind and Strength of the weak;
indeed, also, Light of those that see,
and Strength of the strong;
listen to my soul,
and hear it crying out of the depths.
O Lord,
help us to turn and seek you;
for you have not forsaken your creatures
the way we have forsaken you, our Creator.
Let us turn and seek you,
for we know you are here in our hearts,
when we confess to you,
when we cast ourselves on you,
and weep at your feet,
after all our rugged ways;
and you gently wipe away our tears,
and we weep the more for joy;
because you, Lord, who made us,
remake and comfort us.
Hear, Lord, my prayer,
and grant that I may most entirely love you,
and rescue me, O Lord, from every temptation,
even to the end.
Amen.
Source: St. Augustine of Hippo
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.)
“Light of the blind…” may be a reference to Luke 4:18 and similar passages.
“…out of the depths” is a reference to Psalm 130:1
“Let us turn and seek you” may be a reference to Daniel 9:3 and 1 Peter 3:11
“gently wipe away our tears” may be a reference to Revelation 7:17 and Revelation 21:4
A Collection of Prayers 