Pleasant is this present life, and it passes; Christ, your Judgment is awesome, and it prevails. Therefore let us forsake uncertain love, and think of your infinite holiness, crying: Lord, have mercy on us.
“Come, and return to me,” says the Lord. Come, let us explore and examine our ways. Let us return to the Lord and say: You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Source: Ambrosian Manual, ii. 119, 120, shortened. Freely modified from Devotions from Ancient and Medieval Sources (Western), ed. Rev. Charles Plummer, 1916.
WordPress lets me know when other blogs share links to A Collection of Prayers, and I’m always interested in how ACOP’s material is being used or quoted. Monsignor Charles Pope recently wrote an article, “Improving the Prayer of the Faithful,” and he referenced ACOP’s “The Litany of Gelasius” as a good ancient model.
Pope quotes another article, lamenting the pitfalls of prayers written to be modern, relevant and inclusive:
It is surely no exaggeration to say that throughout the world the quality of these intercessions has tended to be deplorable, ranging from trite and saccharine sentiments to political propaganda, from progressivist daydreams to downright heretical propositions to which no one could assent without offending God. Even when the content is doctrinally unobjectionable, all too often the literary style is dull, flaccid, rambling, or vague. … [There is] problematic content, poor writing, and [a] monotonous manner of delivery.
“For the homely, that their hearts may be beautiful enough to show through…” (Assumption) “For activists who spend lonely days fighting strip mining companies, water and air polluters, and others who ravage this world…” “For a frost that will tarnish the value of gold and put sparkle into the dullness of life…” “For a society where we don’t have to make a million dollars, run the 100 in 10 seconds, invent a laser or die, in order to be believed…” “That we will reverence the mystery of other people’s lives and of our own life when we use words like negro, middle-class, culturally-deprived, and PhD.” “For soldiers who don’t get mail, children who flunk, showgirls who grow old, for all who suffer, that they will know there is no suffering unnoticed by God…” “That those who collect bottle for recycling, and plant trees, and cover up strip mines, will show us how to care for the creation we have been given…”
My denomination’s liturgy and prayer tradition has/had the pitfalls of going in the opposite direction. Some have called the Prayer of the Church “the sermon with eyes closed” because the preacher would often present the same thoughts from the sermon in the prayer. Several Prayer of the Church / General Prayer resources were really more homiletic and devotional rather than intercessory.
Pope quotes “General Instruction in the Roman Missal” on the Prayers of the Faithful:
In the Prayer of the Faithful, the people respond in a certain way to the word of God which they have welcomed in faith and, exercising the office of their baptismal priesthood, offer prayers to God for the salvation of all. It is fitting that such a prayer be included, as a rule, in Masses celebrated with a congregation, so that petitions will be offered for the holy Church, for civil authorities, for those weighed down by various needs, for all men and women, and for the salvation of the whole world. As a rule, the series of intentions is to be
For the needs of the Church;
For public authorities and the salvation of the whole world;
For those burdened by any kind of difficulty;
For the local community.
My series, Praying with the Readings was written after researching the Prayers of the Church / Prayers of the Faithful, what the intended function of those prayers should be, and striving to write petitions that would be for all, for those in need, for those in the community, and for the good of Christ’s church in all the world, along with scripture references to the day’s lectionary readings, and some connection with the church of the past. The whole series is being moved to Amazon KDP and will be available soon!
Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Feliz Natal, Joyeux Noël, Fröhliche Weihnachten, 圣诞节快乐！(Shèngdàn Jié kuàilè!), счастливого Рождества (Schastlivogo Rozhdestva), щасливого Різдва (Shchaslyvoho Rizdva) to all our readers around the world from A Collection of Prayers.
May the glory of the Christchild give you strength, healing, pardon and peace!
+ In Christ +
Paul C. Stratman Editor/curator of A Collection of Prayers
Reading the names of the departed on All Saints’ Day has the purpose of remembering God’s grace in Christ to those who have fallen asleep in him. Other customs have been connected with the reading of the names:
Some churches have the custom of lighting candles or ringing bells as the names are read.
Some churches have the custom of reading the individuals’ confirmation verses along with the names.
In larger congregations, a simple reading of the names may suffice.
This rite may follow the Prayer of the Church / Prayers of the Faithful, or may be used at another appropriate place in the service.
I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “because they will rest from their labors, for their works follow them.” (Revelation 14:13)
We remember with thanksgiving those who have gone before us in faith, who have shared with us in God’s gifts of life, of peace and forgiveness through the hearing of the gospel, of new life and the promise of resurrection through his Son in baptism, who with us have been fed the body and blood of his Son at this holy table, and who now have been called to the heavenly feast that will never end.
The names of those who have died in the last year are read.
Let us pray.
Lord, look upon your holy Christian Church, the communion of saints here on earth. Strengthen and keep us in the one true faith, and make us grow in fervent love for you and for one another. Bring us with your saints to glory everlasting, that with them we may sing your praise forever; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Reading the names of the departed on All Saints’ Day has the purpose of remembering God’s grace in Christ to those who have fallen asleep in him. Other customs have been connected with the reading of the names:
Some churches have the custom of lighting candles or ringing bells as the names are read.
Some churches have the custom of reading the individuals’ confirmation verses along with the names.
In larger congregations, a simple reading of the names may suffice.
This rite may follow the Prayer of the Church / Prayers of the Faithful, or may be used at another appropriate place in the service.
You, Christ, are the King of glory, the eternal Son of the Father.
You overcame the sting of death and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You sit at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father. We believe that you will come to be our judge.
Come then, Lord, and help your people, bought with the price of your own blood, and bring us with your saints to glory everlasting.
With hope in Christ and in the resurrection to eternal life, we remember those in this congregation who have died in the last year:
The names of those to be remembered are read aloud.
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ, you are the Resurrection and the Life, and through your victory you have brought us eternal righteousness, joy, and holiness. As you have promised, we pray, bring us a joyful resurrection to life and a homecoming in the eternal paradise of our Father’s kingdom. You, Jesus, are arisen from death, and rule with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
Reading the names of the departed on All Saints’ Day has the purpose of remembering God’s grace in Christ to those who have fallen asleep in him. Other customs have been connected with the reading of the names:
Some churches have the custom of lighting candles or ringing bells as the names are read.
Some churches have the custom of reading the individuals’ confirmation verses along with the names.
In larger congregations, a simple reading of the names may suffice.
This rite may follow the Prayer of the Church / Prayers of the Faithful, or may be used at another appropriate place in the service.
Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power, for you have created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created.(Revelation 4:11)
You are worthy, O Lamb, because you were slain, and you bought us for God with your blood out of every tribe and language and people and nation. You made them to be a kingdom and priests for our God, and they will reign on the earth.(Revelation 5:9-10)
With hope in Christ and in the resurrection to eternal life, we remember those in this congregation who have died in the last year:
The names of those to be remembered are read aloud.
Jesus said, “This is the will of him who sent me: that I should lose none of those he has given me, but raise them up on the Last Day.” (John 6:39)
Eternal God and Father, you are not the God of the dead but of the living, and all who have put their trust in you, who rest in their chambers under the earth, live in you. Be merciful to us, dear Father. Do not let us be afraid of the power and sting of death, but keep us in the true faith in your dear Son, who is the way, the truth, and the life. Uphold us with your Holy Spirit, and give us a clear conscience, that we may live our Christian lives, and finally fall asleep in peace and joy when we leave this valley of tears, and rest in peace until you open our graves and awaken us with the sound of the last trumpet; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Lord, you became our brother. You know our need. You carried it on your cross. Grant us your salvation. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, you are the living Lord. You are with us as you promised. Keep us close to you. Lord, have mercy.
Lord, you are seated at the right hand of the Father. Pray for us and strengthen our faith. We look to the day of your coming. Come, Lord Jesus Christ. Lord, have mercy.
or
You are the ever-radiant morning sun; give us courage and love. Lord, have mercy.
You are the living way to life; give us faith and wisdom. Christ, have mercy.
You are the open door to blessedness; give us hope and happiness. Lord, have mercy.
or
Holy Lord God, holy and strong, holy and merciful Savior, our eternal God, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.
Usually, A Collection of Prayers does not feature hymns, since another fine website, Hymnary.org, has extensive information, multiple translations, and charts on hymns appearance in hymnals. “O Gracious Light” is an exception because of its liturgical use.
“O Gracious Light” was first recorded by an unknown author in the Apostolic Constitutions, which was written in the late 3rd or early 4th century. Basil of Caesarea (329–379) spoke of the singing of the Phos Hilaron as a cherished tradition of the church, the hymn being already considered old in his day (though some attribute the composition of the song to Basil himself). (See article on Wikipedia.) It is an evening hymn, often used as part of the Lucernarium, the Service of Light. Ideally, candles would be lit as the hymn is sung. Several versions of Vespers (Evening Prayer) include some version of “O Gracious Light” as an opening hymn.
O gracious light, pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven, O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!
Now as we come to the setting of the sun, and our eyes behold the vesper light, we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices, O Son of God, O Giver of Life, and to be glorified through all the worlds.
Source: Book of Common Prayer (U. S.), 1979, p. 112.
Joyous light of glory of the immortal Father, Heavenly, holy, blessed Jesus Christ, We have come to the setting of the Sun And we look to the evening light. We sing to God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. You are worthy of being praised with pure voices forever. O Son of God, O Giver of life, The universe proclaims your glory.
O gladsome light, O grace of God the Father’s face, the eternal splendour wearing; celestial, holy, blest, our Savior Jesus Christ, joyful in thine appearing.
Now, ere day fadeth quite, we see the evening light, our wonted hymn outpouring; Father of might unknown, thee, his incarnate Son, and Holy Spirit adoring.
To thee of right belongs all praise of holy songs, O Son of God, Lifegiver; thee, therefore, O Most High, the world doth glorify, and shall exalt forever.
Joyous light of heavenly glory, loving glow of God’s own face, you who sing creation’s story, shine on every land and race. Now as evening falls around us, we shall raise our songs to you. God of daybreak, God of shadows, come and light our hearts anew.
In the stars that grace the darkness, in the blazing sun of dawn, in the light of peace and wisdom, we can hear your quiet song. Love that fills the night with wonder, love that warms the weary soul, love that bursts all chains asunder, set us free and make us whole.
You who made the heaven’s splendor, every dancing star of night, make us shine with gentle justice, let us each reflect your light. Mighty God of all creation, gentle Christ who lights our way, loving Spirit of salvation, lead us on to endless day.
The hymn, “Joyous Light of Heavenly Glory” begins at 0:38.
A Collection of Prayers 