A Collection of Prayers

O holy and unspeakable,
wonderful and mighty God,
your power and wisdom have no end.
Before you all powers tremble,
at your glance the heavens and the earth flee away.
You are Love,
you are my Father,
and I will love and worship you forever and ever!

You have shown pity on me,
and a ray from your light has shone on mine inward eye.
Guide me into the perfect light,
that it may illumine me wholly,
and that all darkness may flee away.
Let the holy flame of your love
burn in my heart that it be made pure,
and I may see you, O God.
It is the pure in heart who see you.
You have set me free.
You have drawn me to you.
Therefore forsake me not,
but keep me always in your grace.
Guide me, rule me, and perfect me for your kingdom. Amen.

Source: Augustine of Hippo

Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Early Church, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1953

 

Grant me, even me, my dearest Lord,
to know you, and love you, and rejoice in you.
And, if I cannot do these perfectly in this life,
let me at least advance to higher degrees every day,
until I can come to do them in perfection.
Let the knowledge of you increase in me here,
that it may be full hereafter.
Let the love of you grow every day more and more here,
that it may be perfect hereafter;
that my joy may be full in you.
I know, O God, that you are a God of truth,
O make good your gracious promises to me,
that my joy may be full;
to your honor and glory,
with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign,
one God, now and forever. Amen.

Source: Augustine of Hippo

Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Early Church, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1953

 

Come, O Lord,
with much mercy down into my soul,
and take possession and dwell there.
A lowly dwelling, I confess,
for so glorious a Majesty,
but you yourself are preparing it to receive you
by the holy and fervent desires you inspire.
Enter then, and adorn,
and make it what you would inhabit,
since it is the work of your hands.
Give me your own self,
for without you,
even though you should give me all that you have ever made,
my desires could not be satisfied.
Let my soul always seek you,
and let me persist in seeking,
until I have found you,
and am in full possession of you. Amen.

Source: Augustine of Hippo

Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Early Church, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1953

 

I know, O Lord,
and with all humility acknowledge myself
altogether unworthy of your love.
But I am sure you are altogether worthy of mine.
I am not good enough to serve you,
but you have a right to the best service I can pay.
Impart to me some of that excellence,
that will supply my own lack of worth.
Help me to cease from sin against your will,
that I may render you service according to my duty.
Enable me so to guard and govern myself,
to begin and finish my course,
that when the race of life is run,
I may sleep in peace and rest in you.
Be with me to the end,
that my sleep may be rest indeed,
my rest perfect security,
and that security, a blessed eternity. Amen.

Source: Augustine of Hippo

Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Early Church, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1953

 

O good and omnipotent God,
you care for every one of us,
as if you cared for each alone,
and you care for all as if all were one!
Blessed is the one who loves you,
and who loves his friend in you,
and who loves his enemy for you.
For with you, we lose none dear to us,
to whom all are dear.
You, our God,
who made heaven and earth and fill them,
and by filling them you create them.
Your law is truth, and truth is yourself.
I see the things of this earth pass away,
and I see other things take their place,
but you remain forever.
Therefore, my God and Father,
to you I entrust all I have received from you,
for then, I can lose nothing.
You, O Lord,
have made me for yourself,
and my heart can find no rest
until it rests in you.
Amen.

Source: Augustine of Hippo, Fourth Century

Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Early Church, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1953