Category: Christian Prayer

You Bestow the Gift of Rest

O God,
by making the evening to succeed the day,
you bestowed the gift of rest
on human weakness.
Grant that while we enjoy
these continuing gifts of your goodness,
we may trust and thank you
from whom they come;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Source: Mozarabic, 8th century, in Daily Prayer.

Daily Prayer’s version in traditional English:

O God, who by making the evening to succeed the day, hast bestowed the gift of repose on human weakness: Grant we beseech thee that while we enjoy these continuing gifts of thy goodness, we may trust and thank him from whom they come; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

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Two Celtic Communion Prayers

The Lorrha Missal (also called the Stowe Missal) was a book containing the texts of the mass, written in Ireland in the late 8th century. The first prayer below was prayed after the consecration (Words of Institution) and before the distribution. The second prayer was the post-communion prayer.

We believe, O Lord.
We believe we have been redeemed
by the breaking of Christ’s body,
and the pouring of his blood.
We rely on this sacrament for strength,
confident that what we now hold in hope,
we will enjoy in true fulfillment in heaven;
through our Lord Jesus Christ
who reigns with you and the Holy Spirit
now and forever.
Amen.

We give you thanks, O Lord,
holy Father, almighty and eternal God,
for you have satisfied us
with the body and blood of Christ your Son.
In your mercy, O Lord,
let this sacrament not be for our condemnation or punishment,
but for our salvation and forgiveness,
for strengthening the weak
as a firm foundation against the dangers of the world.
With this communion forgive all our guilt,
and give us the heavenly joy of sharing in it;
through our Lord Jesus Christ
who reigns with you and the Holy Spirit
now and forever.
Amen.

Source: Freely modified from The Lorrha-Stowe Missal, p. 6-7.

Source of this version: Prayers from the Ancient Celtic Church, © 2018, Paul C. Stratman

Formatted as block paragraph:

We give you thanks, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God, for you have satisfied us with the body and blood of Christ your Son. In your mercy, O Lord, let this sacrament not be for our condemnation or punishment, but for our salvation and forgiveness, and for strengthening the weak as a firm foundation against the dangers of the world. With this communion forgive all our guilt and give us the heavenly joy of sharing in it; through our Lord Jesus Christ who reigns with you and the Holy Spirit now and forever.

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A Celtic Litany

The Lorrha Missal (also called the Stowe Missal) was a book containing the texts of the mass, written in Ireland in the late 8th century. The litany below is freely modified from the Litany of St. Martin from the Lorrha Missal. It would have been prayed between the reading of the Epistle and Gospel.

Let us all pray to the Lord.
Hear us, Lord, and have mercy.

With all our heart and mind,
to the Lord who looks over the earth and makes it tremble,
let us pray:
Lord, have mercy.

For blessed peace and most tranquil times for us,
for the holy church to extend from our borders to the ends of the earth,
let us pray:
Lord, have mercy.

For our pastors, teachers, servants,
and all leaders in our church,
let us pray:
Lord, have mercy.

For this place and those who live in it,
for faithful leaders,
and for all who serve to defend our land,
let us pray:
Lord, have mercy.

For those who dedicate themselves to the Lord’s service,
for the needy, for widows and orphans,
let us pray:
Lord, have mercy.

For those who travel by land, sea and air,
for those striving to live lives of repentance,
for those instructed in the Christian faith,
let us pray:
Lord, have mercy.

For those who bear fruits of mercy in Christ’s holy church,
let us pray:
Hear us, Lord almighty.

That we may live in the Christian faith and die in peace,
let us pray,
Lord, hear our prayer.

That God’s kingdom may remain among us,
that his will be done among us in the holy bonds of charity,
let us pray,
Lord, hear our prayer.

To preserve the Christian faith among us in all holiness and purity,
let us pray.
Lord, hear our prayer.

O Lord,
cleanse us from all our sins,
and restore us in your sight.
Graciously hear our prayers
and receive our praise;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Source: Freely modified from The Litany of Supplication of St. Martin in the Lorrha-Stowe Missal, p. 6-7. Translated and prepared for A Collection of Prayers. The closing prayer is a very free adaptation of the litany’s closing collect.

Original in Latin:

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A more literal translation of all the petitions may be found here: http://www.liturgies.net/Liturgies/Other/stowe.htm

 

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The Lorrha-Stowe Preface and Sanctus

The Lorrha Missal (also called the Stowe Missal) was a book containing the texts of the mass, written in Ireland in the late 8th century. It begins in the same way as the Roman rite, but becomes a beautiful poem on the attributes of God.

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It good and right.

It is truly good, right and salutary
for us to give thanks to you always and everywhere,
holy Lord, almighty and eternal God,
through Christ our Lord;
with your only Son and the Holy Spirit you are
one immortal God,
incorruptible and unchangeable God,
invisible and faithful God,
wonderful and praiseworthy God,
honorable and mighty God,
most high and magnificent God,
living and true God,
wise and powerful God,
holy and glorious God,
great and good God,
awesome and peaceful God,
beautiful and righteous God,
pure and benevolent God,
blessed and just God,
pious and holy God,
not one singular person,
but one Trinity of substance.

We believe you.
We bless you.
We adore you.
We praise your name forever and ever
through him who is the salvation of the world,
through him who is the life of humanity,
through him who is the resurrection of the dead.

Through him the angels praise your majesty,
the dominions adore,
the powers of the highest heaven tremble,
the virtues of the blessed seraphim rejoice together.
We pray, grant that we may join our voices with theirs, confessing you and saying:

Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of Sabaoth.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who came down from heaven that he might live on the earth, be made fully human, and gave his flesh as a sacrificial victim, and by his passion gave eternal life to those who believe.

Source: Lorrha-Stowe Missal, eighth century. Translated by Paul C. Stratman for A Collection of Prayers.

Original in Latin:

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A facsimile of the book can be seen here: https://archive.org/details/stowemissalmsdii01cath

 

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Give Us Wisdom to Redeem the Time

O Lord God of time and eternity,
you make us creatures of time
that, when time is over,
we may attain your blessed eternity;
With time, your gift,
give us also wisdom to redeem the time,
lest our day of grace be lost;
for our Lord Jesus’ sake.

Source: Modified from Christina G. Rosetti in Daily Prayer.

Original in traditional English:

O Lord God of time and eternity,
who makest us creatures of time
that, when time is over,
we may attain thy blessed eternity;
With time, thy gift,
give us also wisdom to redeem the time,
lest our day of grace be lost;
for our Lord Jesus’ sake.

This prayer reflects on Colossians 4:5.

The Changes and Varieties of the World

Guide us, Lord,
in all the changes and varieties of the world;
that we may have evenness and tranquility of spirit:
that we may not grumble in adversity
nor  grow proud in prosperity,
but in serene faith surrender our souls
to your most divine will;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Source: From Jeremy Taylor, 1613-1667

Source of this version: Modified from https://prayersascending.blogspot.com/

Original in traditional English:

Guide us, Lord, in all the changes and varieties of the world; that we may have evenness and tranquility of spirit: that we may not murmur in adversity nor in prosperity wax proud, but in serene faith resign our souls to thy divinest will; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

You Have Called Me

O Lord, you have called me to open my hand,
that you might fill it:
but I would not open it;
I held the world fast,
and kept my hand shut,
and would not let it go.
But you alone can open it for me;
not my hand only, but my mouth;
not my mouth, but my heart also.
Grant that I may know nothing but you,
account all things a loss compared with you,
and endeavor to be transformed
to be like you.

Source: From Jeremy Taylor, 1613-1667

Source of this version: Modified from http://anglicanhistory.org/taylor/worthy/7.2.html

Original in traditional English:

Thou hast called unto me to open my hand, and thou wouldest fill it: but I would not open it; I held the world fast, and kept my hand shut, and would not let it go. But do thou open it for me; not my hand only, but my mouth; not my mouth, but my heart also.

Grant that I may know nothing but thee, account all things loss in comparison of thee, and endeavour to be made conformable to thee, …

Before Your Glorious Throne

Before the glorious throne of your majesty, O Lord,
and the exalted throne of your honor
and the awesome judgement seat of your burning love
and the absolving altar which your command has established,
and the place where your glory dwells,
we, your people and the sheep of your fold,
kneel with thousands of the cherubim singing Alleluia,
and many times ten thousand seraphim and archangels
acclaiming your holiness, worshiping,
confessing, and praising you at all times,
O Lord of all, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, forever. Amen.

Source: Chaldean Liturgy.

Source of this version: Modified from https://annunciation-ottawa.com/entering

Purify Our Souls and Bodies

O God,
in your deep counsel
and foresight for humanity,
you sent your Son to heal the hearts of the weak[1]
and purify our souls and bodies.
You are the Savior of body and soul.
You are the loving bestower of eternal happiness!
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Source: Gelasian Sacramentary, fifth century

Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Early Church, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1953, also in The New Ancient Collects, #100.

[1] “sent your Son…” Original translation: “…hast appointed holy fasts, whereby the hearts of the weak might receive salutary healing…”

 

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