Hear us, O Lord,
and in our troubles, pity us.
Give us spiritual gladness,
and give us eternal peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source: Sarum Rite
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.
O God,
you count the number of the stars,
and call them all by their names.
Heal the contrite in heart,
gather together the outcasts,
and enrich us with the fullness of your wisdom;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source: Sarum Rite
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.
O Lord Jesus Christ,
our redemption and our salvation,
we praise you and give you thanks.
Though we are unworthy of your benefits,
and cannot offer to you the devotion you deserve,
let your loving-kindness complete whatever our weakness tries to do.
Before you, O Lord, we lay all our desires,
and whatever our heart rightly wishes, it is because of your gift.
Help us love you as you command.
Do not let your gift be unfruitful in us.
Complete what you have begun,
give what you have made us desire,
convert our lukewarmness into fervent love of you;
for the glory of your holy name. Amen.
Source: St. Anselm, eleventh century
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.
O almighty and merciful Father,
you pour out your benefits on us,
forgive our unthankfulness for your goodness.
We have stood before you with dead and senseless hearts,
unkindled by the love
of your gentle and enduring goodness.
O merciful Father, turn us and we will be turned.
Make us hunger and thirst for you with our whole heart,
and with all our longing desire you.
Make us serve you with our whole heart
and with all our zeal seek whatever is pleasing in your sight;
for the sake of your only Son,
to whom with you and the Holy Spirit be all honor and glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Source: St. Anselm, eleventh century
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.
O holy Counselor,
sweetest consolation of the sorrowful,
gracious Spirit come down now with your mighty power
into the depths of our hearts.
Gladden there with your brightness every dark retreat,
and enrich all with the dew of your abundant comfort.
Kindle our hearts with holy favor,
that the incense of our prayers and praises
may ever go up to you, our God;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.
Source: St. Anselm, eleventh century
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.
O merciful God,
fill our hearts with the graces of your Holy Spirit,
with love, joy, peace,
long-suffering, gentleness, goodness,
faith, meekness, temperance.
Teach us to love those who hate us,
to pray for those who spitefully use us,
that we may be the children of you, our Father.
You make your sun to shine on the evil and on the good,
and send rain on the just and on the unjust.
In adversity grant us grace to be patient.
In prosperity keep us humble.
Help us guard the door of our lips,
to give little regard for the pleasures of this world,
and to thirst after heavenly things;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source: St. Anselm, eleventh century
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.
O fountain of love,
love our friends and teach them to love you with all their hearts,
that they may think and speak and do
only what is pleasing to you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source: St. Anselm, eleventh century
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.
God the Father,
source of Divinity,
good beyond all that is good,
fair beyond all that is fair,
in you is calmness, peace and unity.
Repair the things that divide us from each other
and restore our unity of love
like your divine love.
And as you are above all things,
unite us in goodness and love
that we may be spiritually one,
with you and with each other,
through your peace which makes all things peaceful
and through the grace, mercy, and tenderness
of your only Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Source: Dionysius of the Syrian Jacobite Church, 9th Century
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954. (New Ancient Collects, #264)
O God,
you are life, wisdom, truth,
bounty, and blessedness,
the eternal, the only true good,
our God and our Lord,
our hope and our heart’s delight,
we acknowledge with thanksgiving
that you have made us in your image,
and that we may direct our thoughts to you.
Lord, make us to know you aright,
that we may love, enjoy, and possess you
more and more.
And since, in the life here below,
I cannot fully attain this blessedness,
let it at least grow in me day by day,
until it all is fulfilled at last in the life to come.
Here let the knowledge of you be increased,
and there let it be perfected.
Here let my love to you grow,
and there let it ripen;
that my joy being here great in hope,
may there in fruition be made perfect. Amen.
Source: Anselm of Canterbury, 11th century
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.
O Lord,
we bring you
the troubles and perils
of peoples and nations,
the sighing of prisoners and captives,
the sorrows of the bereaved,
the needs of strangers,
the helplessness of the weak,
the tiredness of the weary,
the failing powers of the aged.
O Lord, draw near to each;
for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Source: Anselm of Canterbury, 11th century
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.
A Collection of Prayers 