Category: Prayers of the Middle Ages (Potts)

O Lord my God,
do not be far from me.
My God, have regard to help me.
I have many thoughts and great fears afflicting my soul.
How will I pass through unhurt?
How will I break them to pieces?
This is my hope, my one only consolation,
to flee to you in every tribulation,
to trust in you,
to call on you from my inmost heart,
and to wait patiently for your consolation.

Source: Thomas à Kempis
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.

O most gracious God,
every good and perfect gift comes from you.
Work in us both to will and to act according to your will.
Enlighten our minds that we may know you,
and let us not be unfruitful in that knowledge.
Lord, work in our hearts a true faith,
a purifying hope, and an unfeigned love towards you.
Give us a full trust in you, zeal for you,
reverence of all things that relate to you.
Make us fearful of offending you,
thankful for your mercies,
humble under your corrections,
devout in your service,
and sorrowful for our sins.
Grant that in all things
we may behave ourselves so as befits a creature to his Creator,
a servant to his Lord.
Make us diligent in all our duties,
watchful against all temptations,
pure and temperate and moderate in your most lawful enjoyments,
that they may never become a snare to us.
Help us, O Lord,
to act towards our neighbor
that we may never transgress your royal law
of loving him as ourselves.
Finally, O Lord,
sanctify us throughout,
that our whole spirit, soul and body,
may be preserved blameless to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ;
to whom with you and the Holy Spirit
be all honor and glory forever. 

Source: Thomas à Kempis
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.

Almighty and eternal God,
have mercy on your servants, our friends.
Keep them continually under your protection,
and direct them according to your gracious favor
in the way of eternal salvation.
May they desire whatever pleases you,
and with all their strength strive to do it.
As they trust in your mercy, O Lord,
graciously assist them with your heavenly help,
that they may always diligently serve you,
and be separated from you by no temptations;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Source: Thomas à Kempis
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.

O Lord, my God,
to me you are everything good.
Remember me because I am nothing,
I have nothing, and I can do nothing.
You alone are good, just, and holy.
You can do all things,
you accomplish all things,
you fill all things.
Remember your mercies,
and fill my heart with your grace.
You do not want your works to be done in vain.
Do not turn your face away from me.
Do not withdraw your consolation,
lest my soul become as a thirsty land to you.
Teach me, O Lord, to do your will.
Teach me to live worthily and humbly in your sight. 

Source: Thomas à Kempis
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.

I offer up to you my prayers and intercessions,
for those especially who have in any matter hurt,
grieved, or found fault with me,
or who have done me any damage or displeasure.

For all those also whom, at any time,
I may have vexed, troubled, burdened, and scandalized,
by words or deeds, knowingly or in ignorance;
that you would grant us all equally pardon,
for our offences against each other.

Take away from our hearts, O Lord,
all suspiciousness, indignation, wrath, and contention,
and whatsoever may hurt charity, and lessen brotherly love.

Have mercy, O Lord,
have mercy on those who crave your mercy,
give grace to those who stand in need thereof,
and make us grow to enjoy your grace,
and go forward to life eternal. 

Source: Thomas à Kempis
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.

Ah, Lord God,
holy Lover of my soul,
when you come into my soul,
all that is within me will rejoice.
You are my glory and the exultation of my heart.
You are my hope and refuge in the day of my trouble.
Set me free from all evil passions,
and heal my heart of all inordinate affections,
cure and cleanse me within,
that I may be made fit to love,
courageous to suffer,
steady to persevere.
Nothing is sweeter than love,
nothing more courageous,
nothing fuller nor better in heaven and earth;
because love is born of God,
and cannot rest but in God,
above all created things. Let me love you more than myself,
and love myself except for you; and in you all that truly love you,
as the law of love commands,
shining out from yourself. 

Source: Thomas à Kempis
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.

I will say to my God, my Lord, and my King,
“Oh, how abundant is your goodness, O Lord,
which you have stored up for those who fear you.”
But what are you to those who love you?
What are you to those who serve you with their whole heart?
In this especially you have showed me the sweetness of your love;
that when I was not,
you made me,
when I went far astray from you,
you brought me back again, that I might serve you,
and have commanded me to love you.
I wish that I were able,
at least for one day,
to do some worthy service for you.
Truly, you are my Lord,
and I your servant,
bound to serve you with all my might.
This I wish to do, this I desire,
and supply whatever is lacking in me,
I pray.

Source: Thomas à Kempis
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.

Who can tell what a day may bring forth?
Gracious God,
move us to live every day as if it were to be our last,
for we do not know if it might be.
Cause us to live as if we know it is our last hour.
O grant that we may not die with any guilt on our consciences,
or any known unrepented sin,
but that we may be found in Christ,
who is our only Savior and Redeemer. 

Source: Thomas à Kempis
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.