16th Century – Page 3 – A Collection of Prayers

You Sent Your Son

Almighty and eternal God,
in your tender love towards humanity
you sent your Son,
our Savior Jesus Christ
to take on himself our flesh
and to suffer death on the cross.
Grant that we may follow the example
of his patience and humility,
and also be made partakers of his resurrection;
through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.

Source: Book of Common Prayer/Common Worship, after Gelasian, historic collect for Palm Sunday

The prayer above was expanded from a shorter Latin original (Gelasian) that reads:

O God,
you sent our Savior
to become truly human
and suffer death on the cross
as an example of humility and patience
to be imitated by the human race.
Mercifully grant that we may be worthy
to have the assurance
and the fellowship
of his resurrection;
through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.

Enlighten Our Darkened Hearts

Lord God, heavenly Father,
you have graciously opened the eyes of the blind
through your Son Christ Jesus,
and have let us poor sinners see your light.
Enlighten our darkened hearts
so that we may rightly learn and know Christ your Son,
who died on the cross for us,
and was counted guilty of our sins.
May we see your gracious help and mercy
in all our needs and afflictions,
and may we seek that help
through faithful prayer
and find our comfort and defense against the devil,
and finally be delivered in death.

Source: Veit Dietrich, d. 1549, Quinqagesima

This revision/translation of The Collects of Veit Dietrich 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.

Prepare Our Hearts by Your Holy Spirit

Lord God, heavenly Father,
we thank you that through your Son Jesus Christ
you have sown your holy Word among us.
Prepare our hearts by your Holy Spirit
that we may diligently and reverently hear your Word,
keep it in good hearts
and bring forth fruit with patience.
Do not let our hearts incline to sin,
but subdue them by your power
and in all persecutions comfort us
with your grace and continual help;
through your beloved Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
ever one God, now and forever.

Source: Veit Dietrich, d. 1549, Sexagesima

You Have Called Us into Your Vineyard

Lord God, heavenly Father,
through your precious Word
you have called us into your vineyard.
Send your Holy Spirit into our hearts
that we may labor faithfully in your vineyard,
shun sin and all offense,
obediently keep your Word
and do your will,
and put our whole and only trust in your grace,
which you have poured on us generously
through your Son Jesus Christ,
that we may obtain eternal salvation through him;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one true God,
now and forever.

Source: Veit Dietrich, d. 1549, Septuagesima

Guide Us by Your Light

Merciful and eternal God, heavenly Father,
we thank you that you have revealed to us
the glory of your Son
and let the light of your Gospel shine on us.
We pray that you would guide us by this light
that we may walk diligently as Christians in all good works,
always be strengthened by your grace,
and conduct our lives in all godliness;
through your beloved Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one true God, now and forever.

Source: Veit Dietrich, d. 1549, Transfiguration

Give Us Faith to Overcome Our Weakness

Lord God, heavenly Father,
in your special love and mercy
you gave us your Son
who became truly human
and died on the cross for us.
Pour your Holy Spirit into our hearts
that we may put all our trust in him,
just as the Centurion believed
that Christ would help his sick servant,
may we be assured
of the forgiveness of our sins and eternal life.
We have your Word:
“Whoever believes in me will never see death.”
Dear Father in heaven,
grant that we may believe with no doubts in our hearts,
and remain in the faith until our last hour.

Almighty and eternal God,
mercifully look on our weaknesses,
and in all dangers and needs
defend us with your power against our enemies;
through Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one true God, now and forever.

Source: Veit Dietrich, d. 1549, Epiphany 3.

Send Your Blessing on Every Husband and Wife

Lord God, heavenly Father,
we thank you for instituting holy matrimony
to keep us from unchastity and other offenses.
Send your blessing on every husband and wife,
that they may not provoke each other to anger and strife,
but live peaceably together in love and godliness,
receive your gracious help in all temptations
and raise their children according to your will.
Move us all to walk before you in purity and holiness,
to put all our trust in you,
and lead holy lives on earth
and in the world to come enjoy eternal life;
through your beloved Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one true God, now and forever.

Source: Veit Dietrich, d. 1549, Epiphany 2

You Have Established the Christian Home among Us

Lord God, heavenly Father,
in your mercy you have established
the Christian home among us.
Rule and direct our hearts,
that we may be good examples to children
and not offend them by Word or deed,
but faithfully teach them to love your Church
and hear your blessed Word.
Give them your Spirit and grace,
that this seed may bring forth good fruit,
so that our home life may lead others
to your glory, honor, and praise,
to our own improvement and welfare
and give offense to no one;
through your beloved Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one true God, now and forever.

Source: Veit Dietrich, d. 1549, Epiphany 1

Your Compassion is Boundless

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Almighty, merciful God, heavenly Father,
your compassion is boundless.
You are patient, gracious,
and are rich in love and faithfulness.
You forgive rebellion, trespasses and sin.
We have sinned and have become evil,
and have often angered you.
Against you alone have we sinned
and done evil in your sight.
But Lord,
do not think about our past misdeeds.
Let your great mercy be on us,
for we are in great need.
Help us, God of our Salvation.
Redeem us and forgive our sins
for the glory of your most holy name,
and for the sake of your beloved Son,
our Savior Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one true God, now and forever.

Source: Pomeranian Agenda, in Gebetbuch, enthaltend …, #591. Translated for A Collection of Prayers.

Original in German:

O allmächtiger, barmherziger Gott und himmlischer Vater, deß Barmherzigkeit kein Ende ist, der du langmüthig, gnädig und von großer Güte und Treue bist, und vergiebst die Missethat, Uebertretung und Sünde: wir haben mißgehandelt und sind gottlos gewesen, und haben dich oft erzürnet, an dir allein haben wir gefündiget und übel vor dir gethan; aber, Herr, gedenke nicht an unsre vergangene Missethat, laß bald deine Barmherzigkeit über uns größer fein, denn wir sind elend geworden. Hilf uns, Gott unsers Heils, errette uns und vergieb uns unsre Sünde um der
Ehre deines allerheiligsten Namens willen, und von wegen deines allerliebsten Sohnes, unsers Heilandes Jesu Christi, der mit dir lebet und regieret in Einigkeit des heiligen Geistes, ein wahrer Gott, immer und in Ewigkeit. Amen.

Pommersche Agende.

Litany for the Dying (2)

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

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.

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

From your wrath,
from an evil death,
from the pains of hell,
from the power of the devil,
from all evil, good Lord, deliver him.

By your holy nativity,
by your agony and bloody sweat,
by your cross and passion,
by your glorious resurrection and ascension,
by the grace of the Holy Spirit, the Counselor, help him, good Lord.

In the hour of death,
and in the day of judgment, help him, good Lord.

We poor sinners pray, hear us, Lord God.

We pray that you would spare him. Hear us, good Lord.

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

Source: 16th century Kirchenordnung, the Church Book, in Oremus, 1925, ed. by Paul Zeller Strodach, freely modified.