May the Lord of peace himself
give you peace at all times and in every way.
The Lord be with you all.
Source: 2 Thessalonians 3:16 (Evangelical Heritage Version)
A New Testament Blessing (2 Thessalonians)
May our Lord Jesus + Christ himself
and God our Father,
who loved us and in his grace
gave us eternal encouragement and good hope,
encourage your hearts
and establish you in every good work and word.
Source: 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (Evangelical Heritage Version)
A New Testament Blessing (1 Thessalonians)
May the God of peace himself
sanctify you completely,
and may your whole spirit, soul, and body
be kept blameless
at the coming of our Lord Jesus + Christ.
The one who calls you is faithful,
and he will do it.
Source: 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 (Evangelical Heritage Version)
Transform Loneliness into Comfort
Lord Jesus,
you were alone
in your suffering on the cross.
Be near those who are alone
in their pain and sorrow today.
Let your gracious presence
transform their loneliness into comfort,
since you are the sure refuge
of the weary and heavy laden.
Amen.
Source: Freely modified from The Old World and the New, ed. L. H. M. Soulsby, p. 12
“weary and heavy laden” is a reference to Matthew 11:28
For All in Affliction or Sorrow
God of all comfort,
we commend to your mercy
all those who bear any cross or trouble:
the nations who are afflicted with famine, pestilence, or war,
our fellow Christians who suffer persecution for the sake of the Gospel,
all who travel and are in danger by sea or land or air,
and all who are oppressed with poverty, sickness,
or any infirmity of body or sorrow of mind.
We pray particularly for the sick and afflicted members of this church,
and for those who desire to be remembered in our prayers,
and for those we name in our hearts before you.
May it please you to show them your fatherly kindness,
disciplining them for their good
that their hearts may turn to you
and receive complete comfort and deliverance
from all their troubles;
for Christ’s sake.
Amen.
Source: Freely modified from Book of Common Worship (Presbyterian), 1906
As a paragraph:
God of all comfort, we commend to your mercy all those who bear any cross or trouble: the nations who are afflicted with famine, pestilence, or war, our fellow Christians who suffer persecution for the sake of the Gospel, all who travel and are in danger by sea or land or air, and all who are oppressed with poverty, sickness, or any infirmity of body or sorrow of mind. We pray particularly for the sick and afflicted members of this church, and for those who desire to be remembered in our prayers, and for those we name in our hearts before you. May it please you to show them your fatherly kindness, disciplining them for their good that their hearts may turn to you and receive complete comfort and deliverance from all their troubles; for Christ’s sake. Amen.
When Someone Dies in the Lord
Almighty God,
the spirits of those who die in the Lord live with you,
and the souls of the faithful,
after they are delivered from the burden of the flesh,
are in joy and bliss in your presence.
We give you humble thanks
that it has pleased you to deliver this our brother
out of the miseries of this sinful world.
We pray, in your goodness
fill up the number of your chosen ones and hasten your kingdom,
that with all those who have departed in the true faith of your holy name
we also may have our perfect fulfillment and bliss,
both in body and soul,
in your eternal glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source: Freely modified from The Book of Common Prayer (1662), Burial of the Dead
prayer for the dead in middle ages
prayers for the dead
For Those in Sorrow and Affliction
O heavenly Father,
your blessed Son Jesus Christ
wept at the grave of Lazarus his friend.
Look with compassion on those
who are now in sorrow and affliction.
Comfort them, O Lord, with the message of your grace.
Show them that all things
work together for good to those who love you;
and grant them always a sure trust and confidence
in your fatherly care;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Source: Modified from The Scottish Book of Common Prayer (1912), Burial of the Dead.
“all things work together for good to those who love you” is a reference to Romans 8:28
Original in traditional English:
O HEAVENLY Father, whose Blessed Son Jesus Christ did weep at the grave of Lazarus his friend: Look, we beseech thee, with compassion upon those who are now in sorrow and affliction; comfort them, O Lord, with thy gracious consolations; make them to know that all things work together for good to them that love thee; and grant them evermore sure trust and confidence in thy fatherly care; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
prayer for the dead in middle ages
prayers for the dead
Give Us Grace to Pursue Your Promises
O God,
you reveal your almighty power
chiefly by showing mercy and compassion.
Pour out your grace on us
that we pursue your promises
and enjoy your heavenly blessings;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.
Source: Gelasian Sacramentary, 8th Century, Historic Collect for the Tenth Sunday after Trinity
Source of this version: Translation © 2016 Paul C. Stratman
This translation is licensed by Paul C. Stratman under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Please contact for permission for any commercial use.
For Those Who Suffer Injury by Accident
O God, our Father,
through your Son you reached out
to the sick and broken in body.
Mercifully reach those
who suffer injury of body
and anguish of mind
because of accident.*
By your Holy Spirit
direct them to pray to you
to heal their broken bodies,
so that they may also bring
their broken hearts
to be made whole by your grace
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Source: Dr. H. D. Hoover (a minister and professor in The Susquehanna Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the United States and later in The United Lutheran Church in America, active around 1922).
Source of this version: Freely modified from Collects and Prayers for use in Church, United Lutheran Church in America, 1935, #245
*the word accident can be replaced with something more specific if needed: violence, terrorism, etc.
You Will Wipe away Every Tear from our Eyes
O God,
you are as rich in pity as you are in power,
merciful and mighty.
See your whole creation,
as it has been groaning
in the pains of childbirth until now.
As you have broken the power of evil
by the cross of Christ
and by his endless sacrifice
you take away the sin of the world,
hasten the time
when the last enemy of humanity
shall be completely defeated
and death shall be no more,
neither shall there be mourning,
nor crying, nor pain anymore,
and you will wipe away every tear from our eyes;
through your redeeming love
in Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Amen.
Source: The Order of Divine Service for Public Worship … Compiled by W.E. Orchard, Etc. London, 1921, p. 115 (Litany of the Sick)
Also found here: Collects and Prayers for use in Church, United Lutheran Church in America, 1935, #244
“hasten the time” may be a reference to Matthew 24:22
“See your whole creation, as it has been groaning in the pains of childbirth until now” is a reference to Romans 8:22
“by his endless sacrifice, you take away the sin of the world” is a reference to John 1:29
“the last enemy of humanity shall be completely destroyed” is a reference to 1 Corinthians 15:26
“death shall be no more, … and you will wipe away every tear from our eyes” is a reference to Revelation 21:4
A Collection of Prayers 