A Collection of Prayers

Love, Light and Renewal

O beloved, Love eternal, my good,
happiness which knows no bounds,
I desire to grasp you with most worthy reverence.
I desire to reserve nothing for myself.

O Everlasting Light,
surpassing all created lights:
flash your lightning from above
and penetrate all the corners of my heart.

Cleanse, beautify and revive my spirit with all its powers:
that I may cling to you with highest joy.

Source: Thomas à Kempis, Imitation of Christ

Source of this version: Modified from https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/2e9b4446/files/uploaded/502%20December%206th%20Second%20Sunday%20of%20Advent.pdf

Make Us Grounded in Your Truth

Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
grant, we pray, that we might be grounded
and settled in your truth
by the coming of your Holy Spirit in our hearts.
What we do not know, reveal to us;
what is lacking within us, make complete;
what we do know, confirm in us;
and keep us blameless in your service,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Source: Clement of Rome (c. 90)

Source of this version: http://christianicon.tumblr.com/post/37974365991/almighty-god-father-of-our-lord-jesus-christ

A Prayer for Unity

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)

Protection under Christ’s Cross

May the cross of the + Son of God,
which is mightier than all the hosts of Satan
and more glorious than all the hosts of heaven,
abide with you in your going out and in your coming in.

By day and by night, at morning and at evening,
at all times and in all places may it protect and defend you.
From the wrath of evildoers, from the assaults of evil spirits,
from foes visible and invisible, from the snares of the devil,
from all passions that beguile the soul and body:
may it guard, protect and deliver you.
Amen.

Source: Christaraksha, India

Source of this version: https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-worship/worship/texts/pastoral/healing/protectionpeace.aspx

Also found here: http://tonusperegrinus.blogspot.com/2014/09/christaraksha-powerful-prayer-of-cross.html

*We can rightly pray this prayer if we connect “the cross of the Son of God” with his blood and death, which indeed are mightier than the hosts of Satan.

Keep Us in Peace

Keep us in peace, O Christ our God,
under the protection of your holy cross;
save us from our enemies, visible and invisible,
that we may glorify + you with thanksgiving,
with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever.

Source: Dismissal from the Armenian Orthodox liturgy

Source of this version: Modified from http://www.oremus.org/liturgy/ccp/16p&p.html

Grant Us Your Light

Prayer Book Bible Reading Book Of Common Prayer

Lord, grant us your light,
that being rid of the darkness of our hearts,
we may come to the true Light,
which is Christ.

Source: Compline, Sarum Breviary

Source of this version: http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/1892/Compline_1892.htm

Variant:

Grant us thy light, O Lord: that the darkness of our hearts being done away, we may come to the true light, even Christ our Saviour.

Graphic: Page from an English Psalter, from Flickr, Walters Art Museum, Public Domain.

Evening Prayer

6069369723_ee697728eb_z_d Guide us waking, O Lord,
and guard us sleeping;
that awake we may watch with Christ,
and asleep we may rest in peace.

Source: Compline , Sarum Breviary

Source of this version: http://bcponline.org/DailyOffice/compline.html

Variant:

Save us, O Lord, while waking,
and guard us while sleeping;
that awake we may watch with Christ,
and asleep we may rest in peace.

Source of this version: https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-worship/worship/texts/daily2/night/compline.aspx

Graphic: Page from an English Psalter, from Flickr, Walters Art Museum, Public Domain.

A Gelasian Blessing

May God, the Lord, bless us with all heavenly benediction,
and make us pure and holy in his sight.

May the riches of his glory abound in us.

May he instruct us with the Word of truth,
inform us with the Gospel of salvation,
and enrich us with his love,
through + Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Source: Gelasian Sacramentary

Source of this version: http://rockhay.tripod.com/worship/benewip.htm

Similar to Bless Us

Graphic, Gelasian Sacramentary, from Wikipedia.com

Heavenly Things

Grant to us, O Lord, not to mind earthly things,
but rather to love heavenly things,
that while all things around us pass away,
we even now may hold fast those things which abide forever.

Source: Leonine Sacramentary, 5th Century

Source of this version: http://www.catholicity.com/prayer/prayers-for-the-church.html

Variant:

Grant, Lord, that we not to be anxious about earthly things, but love things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among things that are passing away, to hold fast to those that shall endure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Strengthen Our Hands

Strengthen, O Lord, the hands that have taken holy things,
that they may daily bring forth fruit to your glory.
Grant, O Lord, that the lips which have sung your praises within the sanctuary
may glorify you forever;
that the ears which have heard the voice of your Son
may be closed to the voice of clamor and dispute;
that the eyes which have seen your great love,
may also behold your blessed hope.
Grant that the feet that have trodden your holy courts
may ever walk in the light;
that the souls and bodies, which have received your body and blood,
may ever be restored.

Source: Liturgy of Malabar

Source of this version: Modified from http://www.htj.org.uk/content/pages/documents/1424881581.pdf

Variant:

Hear the prayer of your people, O Lord, that the lips which have praised you here may glorify you in the world, that the eyes which have seen the coming of your Son may long for his coming again, and that all who have received in his true body and blood the pledge of your forgiveness may be restored to live a new and holy life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.