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
Merciful Lord,
you comfort and teach your faithful people.
Increase in your Church the holy desires which you have given.
Strengthen the hearts of those who hope in you.
Empower us to understand the depth of your promises,
that all your adopted children may see with the eyes of faith,
and patiently wait for the good things
you have not yet revealed;
through 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.)
Be gracious to our prayers,
O merciful God,
and guard your people with loving protection.
May we who confess your only Son as God,
born in our human flesh,
never be corrupted by the deceits of the devil;
through 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.)
O God,
you have taught us your divine and saving Word,
enlighten the souls of us sinners
to understand the things which have been spoken,
so that we may be doers of the Word,
and not hearers only,
striving after guileless faith,
blameless life, and pure conversation.
Release, pardon, and forgive, O God,
all our voluntary and involuntary sins,
such as we have committed in action and in word,
knowingly and ignorantly,
by night and by day,
in mind and thought,
forgive us all in goodness and love.
Sanctify, O Lord,
our souls, bodies and spirits;
examine our minds and search our consciences;
take from us all evil imaginations,
all impurity of thought,
all inclinations to lust,
all corrupt understanding,
all envy, pride and hypocrisy,
all falsehood, deceit and irregular living,
all covetousness, arrogance and sloth;
all malice, anger and wrath,
all remembrance of injuries, all blasphemy
and every motion of flesh and spirit
that is contrary to the purity of your will. Amen.
Source: Liturgy of St. James.
Freely modified from Prayers of the Early Church, ed. J. Manning Potts, The Upper Room, Nashville, Tennessee, © 1953 (Public domain in the U.S.)
“Doers of the Word and not hearers only” is a reference to James 1:22. Wording was altered to make the biblical reference clearer.
“Contrary to the purity of your will” is similar to 1 Timothy 1:10
A Collection of Prayers 