20th Century – Page 3 – A Collection of Prayers

Responsory based on Revelation 21:3

A Responsory is a collection of Scripture passages that are sung or read. A leader reads, the group responds, responds with part of a previous statement, part of the Gloria Patri doxology, and a third repetition, or in some cases a new responsive verse. Responsories were an option in Matins and Vespers. See this article in Wikipedia.

Look! God’s dwelling is with people. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people. Revelation 21:3

Look! God’s dwelling is with people. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people.

God himself will be with them,

…and they will be his people.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Look! God’s dwelling is with people. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people.

Source: Based on a responsory in Cambridge Offices and Orisons, ed. Eric Milner-White, 1921. Scripture is taken from The Holy Bible: Evangelical Heritage Version. www.wartburgproject.org.

Responsory Based on Philippians 2:1

If there is any fellowship with the Spirit, be like-minded, having the same love.
If there is any fellowship with the Spirit, be like-minded, having the same love. Philippians 2:1a

If there is any affection and compassion, Philippians 2:1b
…be like-minded, having the same love.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
If there is any fellowship with the Spirit, be like-minded, having the same love.

Let the peace of Christ control your hearts,
to which you were also called, in one body. Colossians 3:15

Source: Based on a responsory in Cambridge Offices and Orisons, ed. Eric Milner-White, 1921. Scripture is taken from The Holy Bible: Evangelical Heritage Version. www.wartburgproject.org.

Responsory Based on Romans 12:2

Do not continue to conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind. Romans 12:2

Do not continue to conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.

That God would strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner self, Ephesians 3:16

…by the renewal of your mind.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Do not continue to conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17

The former things have passed away. Look, our Lord is making everything new! Revelation 21:4-5

Source: Based on a responsory in Cambridge Offices and Orisons, ed. Eric Milner-White, 1921. Scripture is taken from The Holy Bible: Evangelical Heritage Version. www.wartburgproject.org.

Epiphany Prayer

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O Lord Jesus Christ, heavenly King, we thank you that you have brought both Jews and Gentiles to hear your voice, and from their number you have gathered and established your Holy Church, and perfected your praise out of their mouths. Keep us in that wisdom which you revealed to the Wise Men. Grant us your Holy Spirit, that we may always seek you and your kingdom. Enable us to follow your holy Word, as those from the East followed the leading of a star. Give us grace at all times and in all places to confess your holy name. Rule us by your Spirit, so that the joys of your birth may increase in us. Hear our prayers and cries. Accept our offerings, which you yourself have given us: the gold of our faith, the incense of our prayers and the myrrh of our contrite hearts. Deliver us from the destructive ways of error and sin, and by your Holy Spirit lead us in the ways of peace and in the paths of righteousness. Grant us all, when this life is done, a participation in the joys of the Year of Jubilee in heaven, where we shall praise and serve you and the Father who live and reign in unity with the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

Source: Freely modified from Wilhelm Loehe, in Liturgy for Christian Congregations of the Lutheran Faith, 1902

Litany of the Incarnation

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Holy are you, O God, holy, Creator, Father most holy:
Have mercy on us.

Holy are you, O God, holy, most mighty, holy Incarnate:
Have mercy on us.

Holy are you, O God, holy, immortal, holy Life-giver:
Have mercy on us.

Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, good will toward mankind.

By the angel’s greeting,
grant us your peace.

By Mary’s glad obedience,
grant us your peace.

By the endless joy of Christmas,
grant us your peace.

By the love your mother Mary showed you,
grant us your peace.

By your lowly birth and lodging,
grant us your peace.

By your bed in a manger,
grant us your peace.

By the song of herald angels,
grant us your peace.

By the worship of poor shepherds,
grant us your peace.

By the offering of the Wise Men,
grant us your peace.

By your holy name of Jesus,
grant us your peace.

Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, good will toward mankind.

Hear your children, O Lord God, and grant that the glad light of the Incarnation may shine throughout the world;
Son of Man, hear us.

That the gospel of your love may win the faith and worship of all hearts;
Son of Man, hear us.

That all kinds of people may know and find their unity at Bethlehem;
Son of Man, hear us.

That the questions of all minds and the desires of all souls may find their peace at Bethlehem:
Son of Man, hear us.

That your birth as truly human may hallow the life of all humanity:
Son of Man, hear us.

That we may ever wear in honor the robe of flesh you have worn:
Son of Man, hear us.

That you for whom an inn could find no room may not again be crowded from our lives:
Son of Man, hear us.

That you for whom a stable-place sufficed will also dwell within our hearts:
Son of Man, hear us.

Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, good will toward mankind.

Therefore with angels and archangels, with patriarchs and prophets, with Mary and Joseph, with Wise Men and shepherds, with all people and all creatures, let us bless the Lord;
Hosanna in the highest.

For to us a child is born. To us a son is given. The authority to rule will rest on his shoulders;
Hosanna in the highest.

He will be named: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace;
Hosanna in the highest.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God;
Hosanna in the highest.

The Word became flesh and dwelled among us.
Hosanna in the highest.

We have seen his glory, the glory he has as the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth;
Hosanna in the highest.

God the Father, our maker,
God the + Son, born among us,
God the Holy Spirit, sanctifying us,
bless, preserve, and keep us, evermore and evermore. Amen.

Source: Freely modified from Cambridge Offices and Orisons, Eric Milner-White, B. T. D. Smith, 1921

Note: The listing of various events in the life of Christ and the prayer for Christ to give us peace by them is a common feature of many litanies. As we meditate on these events and truths we read and hear from God’s Word, his gospel does indeed grant us peace.

The phrase: “That you for whom a stable-place sufficed…” is taken from stanza 2 of the carol, “In the Bleak Midwinter.”

The phrase: “…evermore and evermore” is from the ancient Christmas hymn “Of the Father’s Love Begotten.”

Scripture is taken from The Holy Bible: Evangelical Heritage Version. www.wartburgproject.org.

The original in traditional English can be found here: https://tonusperegrinus.blogspot.com/2017/12/a-litany-of-incarnation.html

Modified format:

Holy are you, O God, holy, Creator, Father most holy: have mercy.
Holy are you, O God, holy, most mighty, holy Incarnate: have mercy.
Holy are you, O God, holy, immortal, holy Life-giver: have mercy.

Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, good will toward mankind.

By the angel’s greeting,
by Mary’s glad obedience,
by the endless joy of Christmas,
by the love your mother Mary showed you,
by your lowly birth and lodging,
by your bed in a manger,
by the song of herald angels,
by the worship of poor shepherds,
by the offering of the Wise Men,
by your holy name of Jesus: grant us your peace.

Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, good will toward mankind.

Hear your children, O Lord God, and grant
that the glad light of the Incarnation may shine throughout the world,
that the gospel of your love may win the faith and worship of all hearts,
that all kinds of people may know and find their unity at Bethlehem,
that the questions of all minds and the desires of all souls may find their peace at Bethlehem,
that your birth as truly human may hallow the life of all humanity,
that we may ever wear in honor the robe of flesh you have worn,
that you for whom an inn could find no room may not again be crowded from our lives,
that you for whom a stable-place sufficed will also dwell within our hearts: Son of Man, hear us.

Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, good will toward mankind.

Therefore with angels and archangels,
with patriarchs and prophets,
with Mary and Joseph,
with Wise Men and shepherds,
with all people and all creatures,
let us bless the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.

For to us a child is born.
To us a son is given.
The authority to rule will rest on his shoulders: Hosanna in the highest.

He will be named:
Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace: Hosanna in the highest.

In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God: Hosanna in the highest.

The Word became flesh and dwelled among us: Hosanna in the highest.

We have seen his glory,
the glory he has as the only-begotten from the Father,
full of grace and truth: Hosanna in the highest.

God the Father, our maker,
God the + Son, born among us,
God the Holy Spirit, sanctifying us,
bless, preserve, and keep us, evermore and evermore. Amen.

Litany of Thanksgiving

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.

Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

O God, you have decreed from eternity to do good to us,
you have employed your power, wisdom, and love for our benefit,
moment by moment you bestow new blessings on us,
you have not withdrawn your generous hand from us; have mercy on us.

Because you have made us in your own image,
because you have raised us up to a goal beyond this life,
because you have given us an immortal soul,
because you have made it possible to know you, love you, and enjoy you forever,
because you have given so many creatures for our service,
because you have kept and nourished us to this day in your fatherly goodness,
because you have given us the holy apostles as our shepherds and teachers,
because you have redeemed us from the captivity of hell by the Passion of your dear Son,
because you have made us members of your holy Christian Church,
because you have given us the holy Sacraments for our salvation,
because you have given us your means of grace,
because you have not rejected and condemned us for so many past sins,
because you have saved us from innumerable sins of soul and body; we thank you, O Lord.

For all your gifts and blessings, natural and supernatural,
for all our inward and outward sufferings,
for all your fatherly correction and discipline,
for all your gifts and blessings which we have never yet fully known,
for all your gifts and blessings which we have never yet duly treasured up,
for all your gifts and blessings which we have so often sinfully misused,
for all your gifts and blessings which you have bestowed on our relatives, benefactors, friends and enemies,
for all your gifts and blessings which you have bestowed on all the family of mankind; we thank you, O Lord.

In unity with the Church militant here on earth, we give you thanks now, and until the end of the world. We thank you, O Lord.

In unity with the Church triumphant in heaven, we give you thanks now, and will give you thanks forevermore. We thank you, O Lord.

Son of God, we pray, hear us, Lord Jesus.

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.

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

Our Father…

You are my God, and I will thank you.
You are my God, and I will praise you.

All your works praise you, O Lord,
and your saints give thanks to you.

The Lord be with you,
And also with you.

Let us pray.
O God, you have shown us the riches of your love and generosity in all their greatness. Show us also your priceless grace and blessing, that we may always truly know, treasure and employ them for your honor and our salvation. Through holy use of your Word and grace, and in thankful love for them, bring us at last where with all your saints and elect, we shall praise and bless your boundless goodness and mercy for evermore; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Source: The Priest’s Prayerbook, 1906, p. 180, freely modified.

Labor Day

Almighty God, your Son Jesus Christ shared our toil and hallowed our labor in his earthly life. Be present with your people where they work, and move those who carry on the industries and commerce of this land to honesty and fairness. Guide us to do all our work to your glory and for our neighbor’s good; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Source: Based on a collect in The Book of Common Prayer 1979. Newly composed for A Collection of Prayers.

From the Book of Common Prayer 1979:

For Commerce and Industry

Almighty God, whose Son Jesus Christ in his earthly life
shared our toil and hallowed our labor: Be present with your
people where they work; make those who carry on the industries
and commerce of this land responsive to your will; and give
to us all a pride in what we do, and a just return for our labor;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with
you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for
ever. Amen.

The Litany of the Most Holy Trinity (1)

Blessed be the holy Trinity and undivided Unity;
we will give glory to him, because he has shown his mercy to us.

O Lord our Lord, how wonderful is your name in all the earth!
O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God!

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

Blessed Trinity, hear us.
Adorable Unity, 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 Ghost, have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.

Father, from whom are all things,
Son, through whom are all things,
Holy Spirit, in whom are all things, have mercy on us.

Holy and undivided Trinity, have mercy on us.

Eternal Father,
only Son of the Father,
Spirit who proceeds from the Father and the Son, have mercy on us.

Co-eternal majesty of three divine persons, have mercy on us.

Father, the Creator,
Son, the Redeemer,
Holy Spirit, the Comforter, have mercy on us.

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts,
who is, who was, and who is to come,
God most high, who inhabits eternity,
to whom alone are due all honor and glory,
who alone does great wonders,
power infinite,
wisdom incomprehensible,
love unspeakable, have mercy on us.

Be merciful, spare us, O Holy Trinity.
Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Holy Trinity.

From all evil, deliver us, O Holy Trinity.
From all sin, deliver us, O Holy Trinity.

From all pride,
from all love of riches,
from all uncleanness,
from all laziness,
from all misdirected love,
from all envy and malice,
from all anger and impatience,
from every thought, word, and deed contrary to your holy law,
from your everlasting condemnation, deliver us, O Holy Trinity.

Through your almighty power,
through your abundant loving kindness,
through the exceeding treasure of your goodness and love,
through the depths of your wisdom and knowledge,
through all your unspeakable perfections, deliver us, O Holy Trinity.

We sinners pray, hear us.

That we may always serve you alone,
that we may worship you in spirit and in truth,
that we may love you with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our strength,
we pray, hear us.

That, for your sake, we may love our neighbors as ourselves,
that we may faithfully keep your holy commandments,
that we may never defile our bodies and souls with sin,
that we may go from grace to grace, and from virtue to virtue,
that we may finally enjoy the sight of you in glory,
that you would hear us,
we pray, hear us.

O blessed Trinity, deliver us.
O blessed Trinity, save us.
O blessed Trinity, have mercy on us.

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

Our Father…

Blessed are you, O Lord, in the firmament of heaven,
And worthy to be praised, and glorious, and highly exalted forever.

Let us pray.
Almighty and everlasting God, you have granted your servants in the confession of the true faith, to acknowledge the glory of an eternal Trinity, and in the power of your majesty to adore a Unity. Strengthen our faith and defend us from all adversity; through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Source: Modified from http://catholictradition.org/Litanies/litanies1a.htm

Hymnal and Order of Service, Evangelical Lutheran Augustana Synod, 1925

The Hymnal and Order of Service was published by the Evangelical Lutheran Augustana Synod in 1925. It contained a liturgical section that was not typical of Lutheran hymnals of the time, probably due to Augustana’s Swedish heritage. Along with Swedish service music, there is also some by English composer Sir John Stainer. It contains a version of the Common Service, along with the introits, collects and graduals. It also contains The Holy Communion with Full Service, and The Holy Communion without Full Service, Matins on Christmas Day, Matins on Easter Sunday, Vespers, the Litany, and Occasional Prayers, along with orders for Baptism, Confirmation and Burial. The Communion services, Matins and Vespers are notably different from the Common Service and traditional Matins and Vespers.

Unfortunately, The Hymnal and Order of Service is not available through Google Books or Archive.org. Hymns, along with page scans, are available at Hymnary.org.

It contained a set of “General Morning and Evening Prayers” that included prayers by Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas, Luther, Loehe and others.

We make electronic versions of some of the services and other materials available here:

The Service (text only, traditional English) [pdf] [docx]
The Holy Communion with the Full Service (text only, traditional English) [pdf][docx]
Vespers (text only, traditional English) [pdf] [docx]
The Litany (text identical to that in Common Service Book) [pdf] [docx]
General Morning and Evening Prayers (revised, in contemporary language) [pdf] [docx]

The Hymnal and Order of Service also contained services from the Common Service project. Here are links to the resources from our Common Service Book page:

Morning and Holy Communion [pdf] [docx]
Introits, Collects, Epistles, Graduals and Gospels [pdf] [docx]
Vespers [pdf] [docx]
Order for Public Confession (not in all editions of The Hymnal and Order of Service) [pdf] [docx]

Litany of the Resurrection (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.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Lord Jesus Christ, true Passover Lamb, have mercy on us.

Jesus, who rebuilt the temple of your body in three days,
Jesus, who arose on the third day in fulfillment of your word,
Jesus, whose resurrection an angel announced to the women at the empty tomb,
Jesus, who showed yourself to your disciples after your resurrection,
Jesus, who displayed the truth of your resurrection with many miracles,
Jesus, whose resurrection the apostles preached, and confirmed with their blood,
Jesus, who has given us a sure hope of eternal life by your resurrection,
Jesus, who remained with your disciples forty days after your resurrection,
Jesus, who ascended from the Mount of Olives to your Father and ours,
Jesus, who has prepared mansions in your Father’s house for your servants,
Jesus, who will come again at the end of time to judge the living and the dead, have mercy on us.

We sinners pray, hear us, Lord Jesus.

That we may truly rise from the grave of our sins,
that we may conquer our evil desires, and die to our sins,
that we may grow in knowledge and love of your holy teaching,
that we may serve you in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life,
that our sorrows may, like yours, one day be turned into eternal joy,
that we may not desire things on earth, but things in heaven,
that we may awake at last from the grave to the resurrection to eternal life,
that at the general resurrection we may have a share in your kingdom,
we pray, hear us, Lord Jesus.

Son of God, we pray, hear us, Lord Jesus.

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

Our Father…

Light up my eyes, O Lord,
lest I sleep the sleep of death.

Save us, we pray, O Lord!
O Lord, we pray, give us success!

Lord, hear my prayer,
and let my cries come before you.

Let us pray.

Almighty God, through your only Son Jesus Christ you overcame death and opened to us the gate of eternal life. Grant that we who celebrate with joy the day of the Lord’s resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by your life-giving Spirit; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Source: Slightly modified from Litany of the Resurrection in The Priest’s Prayerbook, 1906. Final collect is from the Book of Common Prayer.