For All Kings and Rulers

O Lord,
grant to all kings and rulers
health, peace, concord, and stability,
that they may administer the government
you have given them without failure.
For you, O heavenly Master, King of the Ages,
give the sons of men glory and honor
and authority over all things that are on the earth.
Lord, direct their counsel
according to what is good and pleasing in your sight,
that administering the authority you have given them,
in peace and gentleness, with godliness,
they may continue to please you.
You alone are able to do these things,
and things far greater than these for us.
We praise you, through the High Priest and Guardian of our souls,
Jesus Christ;
through him be glory and majesty to you,
both now and for all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Source: Clement of Rome, first century.

From a longer prayer in Clement’s epistle to the Corinthians.

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

 

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Litany of the Passion (3)

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

O Christ, hear us.

God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.

Jesus, the eternal Wisdom,
Jesus, the Word made flesh,
Jesus, hated by the world,
Jesus, sold for thirty pieces of silver,
Jesus, prostrate in prayer,
Jesus, strengthened by an angel,
Jesus, agonizing in a bloody sweat,
Jesus, betrayed by Judas with a kiss,
Jesus, bound by the soldiers,
Jesus, forsaken by your disciples, have mercy on us.

Jesus, before Annas and Caiaphas,
Jesus, struck by a servant on the face,
Jesus, accused by false witnesses,
Jesus, declared worthy of death,
Jesus, spit upon in the face,
Jesus, blindfolded,
Jesus, smitten on the cheek,
Jesus, thrice denied by Peter,
Jesus, delivered up to Pilate,
Jesus, despised and mocked by Herod,
Jesus, clothed in a white garment,
Jesus, rejected for Barabbas,
Jesus, torn by scourges,
Jesus, bruised for our sins, have mercy on us.

Jesus, covered with a purple robe,
Jesus, crowned with thorns,
Jesus, struck with a reed,
Jesus, demanded for crucifixion,
Jesus, condemned to death,
Jesus, given up to your enemies,
Jesus, laden with the Cross,
Jesus, led as a lamb to the slaughter,
Jesus, stripped of your garments,
Jesus, fastened with nails to the Cross,
Jesus, wounded for our iniquities,
Jesus, praying for your murderers,
Jesus, counted with the wicked,
Jesus, blasphemed on the Cross,
Jesus, reviled by the malefactor,
Jesus, giving Paradise to the thief, have mercy on us.

Jesus, commending Saint John to your Mother as her son,
Jesus, forsaken by your Father,
Jesus, given gall and vinegar to drink,
Jesus, testifying that all things written concerning you were accomplished,
Jesus, commending your spirit into the hands of your Father,
Jesus, obedient even unto death,
Jesus, pierced with a lance,
Jesus, made a propitiation for us,
Jesus, taken down from the Cross,
Jesus, laid in the tomb,
Jesus, rising gloriously from the dead,
Jesus, ascending into heaven,
Jesus, our Advocate with the Father,
Jesus, sending down the Holy Spirit,
Jesus, who shall come to judge the living and the dead, have mercy on us.

Be gracious to us. Spare us, good Lord.
Be gracious to us. Help us, good Lord. 

From every evil,
from every sin,
from anger, hatred, and every evil will,
from war, famine, and pestilence,
from all dangers of mind and body,
from everlasting death, Lord Jesus, deliver us.

Through your most pure conception,
through your miraculous nativity,
through your humble circumcision,
through your baptism and fasting,
through your labors and watchings,
through your cruel scourging and crowning,
through your thirst, and tears, and nakedness,
through your precious death and Cross,
through your glorious resurrection and ascension,
through your sending forth the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete,
in the day of judgment, Lord Jesus, deliver us.

We poor sinners pray, hear us, Lord God.

That you would spare us,
that you would pardon us,
that you would bring us to true penance,
that you would pour into our hearts the grace of the Holy Spirit,
that you would defend and propagate your Church,
that you would preserve and increase all societies assembled in your holy Name,
that you would bestow upon us true peace, humility, and charity,
that you would give us perseverance in grace and in your holy service,
that you would deliver us from unclean thoughts, the temptations of the devil, and everlasting damnation,
that you would unite us to the company of your Saints,
that you would graciously hear us, hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; grant us your peace.

O Christ, hear us.

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you,
because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

Let us pray.
Almighty and eternal God, you sent your only Son to be the Savior of the world, and your justice was satisfied by his blood. Grant that we may value the price of our salvation, and by its might be defended from the evils of this present life on earth, that in heaven we may rejoice in its everlasting fruit; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Source: Modified from http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/Litanies/passion.htm and Litany of the Passion by John Henry Newman, d. 1890.

Litany of the Passion
by John Henry Newman

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Jesus, the eternal Wisdom,
the Word made flesh,
hated by the world,
sold for thirty pieces of silver,
sweating blood in your agony,
betrayed by Judas,
forsaken by your disciples,
struck upon the cheek,
accused by false witnesses,
spit upon in the face,
denied by Peter,
mocked by Herod,
scourged by Pilate,
rejected for Barabbas,
loaded with the cross,
crowned with thorns,
stripped of your garments,
nailed to the tree,
reviled by the Jews,
scoffed at by the malefactor,
wounded in the side,
shedding your last drop of blood,
forsaken by your Father,
dying for our sins,
taken down from the cross,
laid in the tomb,
rising gloriously,
ascending into heaven,
sending down the Paraclete,
Jesus our Sacrifice,
Jesus our Mediator,
Jesus our Judge, have mercy on us.

Be merciful.
Spare us, O Lord.

Be merciful.
Graciously hear us, O Lord.

From all sin,
from all evil,
from anger and hatred,
from malice and revenge,
from unbelief and hardness of heart,
from blasphemy and sacrilege,
from hypocrisy and covetousness,
from blindness of the understanding,
from contempt of your warnings,
from relapse after your judgments,
from danger of soul and body,
from everlasting death, Lord Jesus, deliver us.

We sinners, beseech you, hear us.

That you would spare us,
that you would pardon us,
that you would defend your Church,
that you would bless your own,
that you would convert your foes,
that you would spread the truth,
that you would destroy error,
that you would break to pieces false gods,
that you would increase your elect,
that you would unite us to your Saints above, we beseech you, hear us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us.

Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you,
Because through your holy cross you redeemed the world.

Let us pray,

O God,
for the redemption of the world
you were pleased to be born,
to be circumcised,
to be rejected, betrayed and bound,
to be led to the slaughter;
to be shamefully gazed at, falsely accused and scourged,
to be spit upon, crowned with thorns, mocked and reviled,
to be pushed and struck with rods,
to be stripped and nailed to the cross,
to be counted among the transgressors,
to drink gall and vinegar,
to be pierced with a lance.
Through your most holy passion,
which we, your sinful servants, remember,
and by your holy cross and gracious death
deliver us from the pains of hell,
and lead us where you led the thief
who was crucified with you,
where with the Father and the Holy Spirit
you live and reign,
now and forever.
Amen.

Hear the Prayers of Your People

O God,
you are angry with those who sin against you,
but you spare those who are penitent.
Hear the prayers of your people who call to you.
Though we have justly deserved the scourges of your anger,
deliver us from your anger in your mercy;
through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.

Source: Collect from Litany of the Saints

In traditional English:

O God, who art wroth with them that sin against Thee, and sparest them that art penitent: we beseech Thee to hear the prayers of Thy people that call upon Thee; that we, which have most justly deserved the scourges of Thine anger, may by Thy great mercy be delivered from the same; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost: ever one God, world without end. Amen.

In the original Latin:

Deus, qui culpa offenderis, paenitentia placaris : preces populi tui supplicantis propitius respice; et flagella tuae iracundiae, quae pro peccatis nostris meremur, averte.

Let the Brightness of Your Spirit Illumine Us

O Lord,
let your mercy be upon us,
and let the brightness of your Spirit
illumine our inward souls,
that he may kindle our cold hearts
and enlighten our dark minds;
who abides with you in glory forever.
Amen.

Source: Mozarabic collect.

Source of this version: Ancient Collects, and Other Prayers, ed. William Bright, 1902, also in Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1953.

 

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Litany of Repentance

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

O Christ, hear us.

God, the Father in heaven, have mercy on us.
God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Incarnate Lord,
Lover of souls,
Savior of sinners,
who came to seek and save those who were lost,
who fasted for them forty days and nights, have mercy on us.

By your tenderness towards Adam when he fell,
by your faithfulness to Noah in the ark,
by your remembrance of Lot in the midst of sinners,
by your mercy on the Israelites in the desert,
by your forgiveness of David after his confession,
by your patience with the Ninevites when they repented in sackcloth and ashes,
by sending John to go before you as the preacher of repentance,
by your testimony about the tax collector who hung his head and smote his breast,
by your welcome given to the returning Prodigal,
by your gentleness with the woman of Samaria,
by your mercy towards Zacchæus, leading him to return what he had stolen,
by your pity on the woman taken in adultery,
by your mercy to Magdalene, who loved much,
by your converting look, at which Peter wept,
by your gracious words to the thief on the cross,  have mercy on us.

We poor sinners pray, hear us, Lord God.

That we may submit to your loving discipline,
that we may bring forth fruits of repentance,
that sin may not reign in our mortal bodies,
that we may work out our salvation with fear and trembling, hear us, Lord God.

Son of God, hear us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; grant us your peace.

O Christ, hear us.

O Lord, hear our prayer.
and let our cry come before you.

Let us pray.

O Lord, give your faithful people pardon and peace that they may be cleansed from all their offences and serve you with a quiet mind; through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Based on ‘Litany of Penance’ by John Henry Newman.

An Ash Wednesday Prayer

ash_crossLord God, heavenly Father,
as the result of his rebellion,
you told father Adam,
“You are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
We have followed Adam in his rebellion,
and have earned the same reward.
Lift us up from this dust of death
by the rising of your Son Jesus Christ.
Restore us to life with you
by forgiveness through his blood.
Empower us to walk with him in newness of life,
and in the obedience that leads to righteousness.
Finally, on the Last Day,
raise us from the dust of death
to live in the joy of your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand;
through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one true God, now and forever.
Amen.

Source: Paul C. Stratman © 2017

Parts are written in imitation of the style of the Collects of Veit Dietrich.

“You are dust, …” is a reference to Genesis 3:19

“…the same reward” is a reference to Romans 6:23

“Lift us up from this dust of death… ” is a reference to Psalm 22:15 and Romans 6:4

“Restore us to life…” is a reference to Colossians 2:13

“…forgiveness through his blood” is a reference to Romans 5:9

“Empower us to walk  … ” is a reference to Romans 6:4

“and in the obedience of righteousness” is a reference to Romans 6:16

“Finally, on the Last Day, raise us…” is a reference to Daniel 12:2 and John 6:40

“joy of your presence, eternal pleasures” is a reference to Psalm 16:11

Ash Wednesday cross graphic from http://churchgraphics.blogspot.com/p/clip-art.html

Now and Forever: Contemporary Collects

Enlighten Us

Lord God, heavenly Father,
you prepared your Son
to be our Savior,
a light for the gentiles
and the glory of Israel.
We pray,
enlighten our hearts
that we may know
your grace
and fatherly will
toward us
in Christ,
and through him
be saved forever;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Coburg Agenda, found in  Gebetbuch, enthaltend die sämtlichen Gebete und Seufzer Martin Luther’s, ….Evangelischer Bücher-Verein, 1866, #584.

Herr Gott, himmlischer Vater, der du deinen Sohn uns zum Heiland bereitet hast, daß er der Heiden Licht und der Juden Preis sein soll: wir bitten dich, erleuchte unsre Herzen, daß wir deine Gnade und väterlichen Willen gegen uns in ihm erkennen, und durch ihn ewig selig werden, durch denselben deinen Sohn Jesum Christum, unsern Herrn. Amen.

Strength of Those Who Labor, and Rest for Your Saints

O Lord God,
Life of mortals,
Light of the faithful,
Strength of those who labor,
and the Rest for your saints,
give us a peaceful night
free of all trouble,
that after quiet sleep
we may enjoy your blessings
at the return of the light,
and be empowered by your Holy Spirit,
and moved to give you thanks.

Source:  Mozarabic, freely modified from  Ancient Collects, ed. William Bright p. 11#2.

 

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I Arise Today (St. Bridget)

I arise today
through a mighty strength:
God’s power to guide me,
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s eyes to watch over me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to give me speech,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to shelter me,
God’s host to secure me.

Source: St. Bridget of Kildare (Bridget of Gael)

Source of this version: http://www.faithandworship.com/Celtic_Blessings_and_Prayers.htm

Also found here: http://www.worldprayers.org/archive/prayers/adorations/i_arise_today.html

Similar to St. Patrick’s Breastplate

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