1st Century – Page 2 – A Collection of Prayers

A Prayer for Peace

O God, you are the bottomless well of peace,
the heavenly sea of love,
the fountain of blessings,
and the giver of affection,
and you send peace to those who receive it.

Open to us this day the sea of your love,
and water us with the flowing streams of your grace.
Make us children of quietness, and heirs of peace.
Enkindle the fire of your love in us;
plant holy reverence for you in us;
strengthen our weakness by your power;
bind us closely to you and to each other
in one firm bond of unity;
for the sake of Jesus Christ.
Amen.

Source: Syrian Clementine Liturgy, (attributed to Clement of Rome, c. 96)

Also found here: Ancient Collects, and Other Prayers, ed. William Bright, 1902, p. 80 #2

“plant holy reverence for you in us” in the original is “plant your fear in us”

May Your Grace Move Our Love

O sweet Savior Christ,
in your undeserved love for us
you were prepared to suffer the painful death of the cross:
let me not be cold or even lukewarm in my love for you.

Lord help me to face the truth about myself.
Help me to hear my words as others hear them,
to see my face as others see me;
Let me be honest enough to recognize my impatience and conceit;

Let me recognize my anger and selfishness;
Give me sufficient humility to accept my own weakness for what they are.
Give me the grace – at least in your presence – to say. ‘I was wrong – forgive me.’

God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
increase in us faith and truth and gentleness
and grant us part and lot among the saints.

Source: Polycarp

Source of this version: https://anglicanprayer.wordpress.com/2009/02/23/a-prayer-attributed-to-st-polycarp-increase-in-us-faith-truth-and-gentleness/

Also found here: http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/polycarp-lightfoot.html

This prayer has some overlap with “May Christ Build You Up.”

May Christ Build You Up

May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and Jesus Christ himself, who is the Son of God,
and our everlasting High Priest,
build you up in faith and truth,
and in all meekness, gentleness, patience,
long-suffering, forbearance, and purity;
and may he bestow on you a place and portion among his saints,
and on us with you, and on all that are under heaven,
who shall believe in our Lord Jesus Christ,
and in his Father, who raised him from the dead.

Pray for all the saints.
Pray also for kings, and authorities, and princes,
and for those that persecute and hate you,
and for the enemies of the cross,
that your fruit may be evident to all,
and that you may be perfect in him.

Source: Polycarp

Source of this version: Freely adapted from http://www.catholicfaithandreason.org/st-polycarp-of-smyrna-69-155-ad.html

Also found here: http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/polycarp-lightfoot.html

“Meekness, gentleness, patience” is a reference to Galatians 5:22-23

“Father, who raised him” is a reference to Galatians 1:1

“Pray for kings…” is a reference to 1 Timothy 2:1-4

This prayer has some overlap with “May Your Grace Move Our Love”

Remember Your Church

Remember, Lord, your Church,
deliver it from all evil
and make it perfect in your love,
and gather it from the four winds,
sanctified for the kingdom
which you have prepared for it;
for yours is the power and the glory for ever.

Source: The Didache

Source of this version: Freely adapted from http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0714.htm

Also found here: https://www.christianhistoryinstitute.org/study/module/didache/

“Deliver…from evil” and “yours is the power and the glory…” are references to Lord’s Prayer.

“From the four winds…” is a reference to Matthew 24:31

“The kingdom which you have prepared” is a reference to Matthew 25:34

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

O Sovereign and Almighty Lord,
look down from heaven on your Church,
on all your people,
and on all your flock.
Save us all,
your unworthy servants,
the sheep of your fold.
Give us your peace,
your help,
and your love,
and send to us the gift of your Holy Spirit,
that with a pure heart and a good conscience
we may salute one another with an holy kiss,
without hypocrisy,
and with no hostile purpose,
but guileless and pure in one spirit,
in the bond of peace and love,
one body and one spirit,
in one faith,
even as we have been called in one hope of our calling,
that we may all meet in the divine and boundless love,
in Christ Jesus our Lord,
with whom you are blessed.

Source: The Divine Liturgy of St. Mark

Source of this version: Modified from http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0718.htm

“Salute one another with a holy kiss” is a reference to Romans 16:16, 1 Corinthians 16:20, 2 Corinthians 13:12 and 1 Thessalonians 5:26

Modified version:

O Sovereign and Almighty Lord, look down from heaven on your Church, on all your people, and on all your flock. Save us all,your unworthy servants, the sheep of your fold. Give us your peace, your help, and your love, and send to us the gift of your Holy Spirit, that with a pure heart and a good conscience we may gather around your Word and sing your praises, without hypocrisy, and with no hostile purpose, but guileless and pure in one spirit, in the bond of peace and love, one body and one spirit, in one faith, even as we have been called in one hope of our calling, that we may all meet in the divine and boundless love, in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom you are blessed.

A Prayer for Defense and Deliverance

We ask you, Master,
be our helper and defender.
Rescue those of our number in distress;
raise up the fallen;
assist the needy;
heal the sick;
turn back those of your people who stray;
feed the hungry;
release our captives;
revive the weak;
encourage those who lose heart.
Let all the nations realize that you are the only God,
that Jesus Christ is your Son,
and that we are your people and the sheep of your pasture.

Source: Clement of Rome (c. 96)

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

Source of this version: https://www.christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/article/prayers-of-earliest-christians/

Also found here:

https://blogs.thegospelcoalition.org/trevinwax/2012/08/05/a-prayer-of-clement/