Category: Prayers of the Early Church (Potts)

Look on Us in Your Tender Love

Lord our God,
of might inconceivable,
of glory incomprehensible,
of mercy immeasurable,
of goodness unspeakable;
O Master, look down on us in your tender love,
and show us and those who pray with us
your rich mercy and compassion.
Amen.

Source: The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

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 Greek

Κύριε ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν,
οὗ τὸ κράτος ἀνείκαστον
καὶ ἡ δόξα ἀκατάληπτος·
οὗ τὸ ἔλεος ἀμέτρητον
καὶ ἡ φιλανθρωπία ἄφατος·
αὐτός, ∆έσποτα, κατὰ τὴν εὐσπλαγχνίαν σου, ἐπίβλεψον ἐφ’ ἡμᾶς
καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν ἅγιον οἶκον τοῦτον,
καὶ ποίησον μεθ’ ἡμῶν καὶ τῶν συνευχομένων ἡμῖν,
πλούσια τὰ ἐλέη σου καὶ τοὺς οἰκτιρμούς σου.

 

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Abba, Father


Abba, Father,
be a tender father toward us your servants.
Govern, protect, preserve,
sanctify, guide, and console us.
Let us be so warmed with love for you,
that we may never forget you,
O most merciful Lord, most tender Father;
for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

Source: Old Gallican 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.)

Also found here: Ancient Collects, and Other Prayers, ed. William Bright, 1902, p. 78 #2

“Abba, Father” is a reference to Romans 8:15

“Let us be so warmed with love…” in the original is “Let us be so warmed with love for you, that we may not be despised by you,”

 

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Joy and Gladness

Praise to you, O Lord,
for you have nourished us from youth
and you give food to all living things.
Fill our hearts with joy and gladness
and provide for all our needs,
that we may abound in every good work;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
To him, with you and the Holy Spirit
be glory, honor, might, majesty and dominion,
forever and ever.
Amen.

Source: Apostolic Constitutions

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.)

“nourished us from youth” is a reference to Ecclesiasticus 50:22  (Apocrypha)

“give food to all living things.” is a reference to Psalm 145:16

Open the Eyes of our Mind

O loving Master,
shine into our hearts
by the pure light of knowing you,
open the eyes of our minds to reflect on your teaching,
and put into us the holy respect of your blessed commandments.
Lead us to set aside all that is worldly
that we may follow a spiritual life,
thinking and doing all things as it pleases you.
For you are our sanctification
and our illumination,
and to you we give all glory,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
now and forever.
Amen.

Source: Eastern Church Liturgy.

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.), also in Ancient Collects, William Bright, p. 6#1.

This prayer may be the origin of verses from Luther’s hymn, “We now implore God the Holy Ghost”:

Shine in our hearts, O most precious Light,
That we Jesus Christ may know aright,
Clinging to our Savior, whose blood has bought us,
Who again to our homeland has brought us.
Lord, have mercy!

 

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Keep Us From All Hurtful Things

In the evening and morning and noonday
we praise you, we thank you, and we pray:
Master of all,
let our prayers rise before you as incense.
Do not let our hearts turn away
to words or thoughts of wickedness,
but keep us from all things that might hurt us;
for our eyes look to you, O Lord,
and our hope is in you.
Do not let us be ashamed, O our God;
for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Source: Eastern Church Vespers

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.)

Also found in Ancient Collects, and Other Prayers, ed. William Bright, 1902, p. 9 #1

“Let our prayers rise before you as incense ” is a reference to Psalm 141:2

“Our hope is in you” is a reference to Psalm 25:5

“Do not let us be ashamed” is a reference to Psalm 25:20

 

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A Prayer for Peace

O God, you are the bottomless well of peace,
the heavenly sea of love,
the fountain of blessings,
and the giver  of affection,
and you send peace to those who receive it.

Open to us this day the sea of your love,
and water us with the flowing streams of your grace.
Make us children of quietness, and heirs of peace.
Enkindle the fire of your love in us;
plant holy reverence for you in us;
strengthen our weakness by your power;
bind us closely to you and to each other
in one firm bond of unity;
for the sake of Jesus Christ.
Amen.

Source: Syrian Clementine Liturgy, (attributed to Clement of Rome, c. 96)

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.)

Also found here: Ancient Collects, and Other Prayers, ed. William Bright, 1902, p. 80 #2

“plant holy reverence for you in us” in the original is “plant your fear in us”

 

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When Two or Three Gather

Almighty God,
you have given us grace at this time
to make our common prayers to you,
and you promise that when two or three
are gathered together in your name
you will grant their requests.
O Lord, fulfill the desires and prayers of your servants,
as you know what is best for us,
granting us in this world knowledge of your truth,
and in the world to come, life everlasting.
Amen.

Source: St. John Chrysostom

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

“two or three calling your name” is a reference to Matthew 18:20

 

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Even Two or Three

O Lord God,
you have taught us to pray all together,
and have promised to hear the united voices
of two or three calling your name;
hear now, O Lord, the prayers of your servants.
Save us, and in this world give us knowledge of your truth,
and in the world to come life everlasting;
for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Armenian Liturgy

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

“two or three calling your name” is a reference to Matthew 18:20

This prayer is similar to an early prayer by St. John Chrysostom.

 

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Confession of Sin

You see all things.
We have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed.
Blot out our transgressions,
be merciful to us sinners,
and grant that our names may be found
written in the book of life,
for the sake of Christ Jesus our Savior.
Amen.

Source: Nerses of Clajes (St. Nerses I)

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

“Blot out our transgressions” is a reference to Psalm 51:1

“Written in the book of life” is a reference to Revelation 13:8

 

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For Purity

O Holy Spirit of God,
very God,
you descended on Christ at the river Jordan,
on the apostles in the upper room;
we have sinned against heaven and before you;
purify us again with your divine fire,
and have mercy on us;
for Christ’s sake.
Amen.

Source: Nerses of Clajes (St. Nerses I)

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

 

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