Father, I am seeking:
I am hesitant and uncertain,
but will you, O God,
watch over each step of mine
and guide me?
Source: St. Augustine
Source of this version: http://www.christiancollegeguide.net/article/Guide-Me-God
Also found here: http://www.stjames-coorparoo.org.au/prayer-augustine-on-prayer.html
And here: http://getupwithgod.com/god/sunday-prayer-12/
Graphic by Sandro Botticeli from Wikipedia.com.
You guided Noah over the flood waves: hear us.
With your Word you recalled Jonah from the deep: deliver us.
You stretched forth your hand to Peter as he sank: help us, O Christ.
Son of God, you did marvelous things of old: help us also in our time of need.
Source: Early Celtic Prayer
Source of this version: Modified freely from http://www.malankaraworld.com/Library/Devotional/Feb-5-2011-God_weekly_devotional.htm
Variant:
We have sinned, O Lord, we have sinned:
forgive our sins and save us,
hear us, O Lord, you who guided Noah on the waves of the flood,
for it was by your Word that Jonah was recalled from the abyss.
Free us, you who reached out your hand to Peter as he was sinking:
bear us up, O Christ, Son of God.
For you performed wonders among our fathers, O Lord:
Now stretch forth your hand from the Heavens,
help us in our times of need.
Source of this version: Confession of sins in Celtic Vespers: http://celticorderofuniversalwisdom.weebly.com/uploads/5/8/5/2/5852535/short_celtic_vespers.pdf
Christ is born, glorify him.
Christ comes from heaven, go out to meet him.
Christ descends to earth; be raised up!
Sing to the Lord all the whole earth;
and that I may join both in one word,
Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad,
for him who is of heaven and then of earth.
Christ is in the flesh,
rejoice with trembling and with joy;
with trembling because of your sins,
with joy because of your hope.
The people that sat in the darkness of ignorance,
let them see the great light of full knowledge.
The old has passed away, behold, the new has come.
The letter gives way, the Spirit comes to the front.
He who is not carnal is Incarnate;
the Son of God becomes the Son of Man,
Jesus Christ the Same yesterday, and today, and for ever.
Source: Gregory of Nazianzus
Source of this version: Freely adapted from http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/310238.htm
Also found here: http://holycrossoca.org/newslet/0712.html
“Let the heavens rejoice” quotes Psalm 96:11
“The people who sat…” quotes Isaiah 9:2
“The old has passed…” quotes 2 Corinthians 5:17
“Yesterday, today…” quotes Hebrews 13:8
O Lord, you have given us your Word
for a light to shine upon our path;
grant us so to meditate on that Word,
and to follow its teaching,
that we may find in it the light
that shines more and more until the perfect day;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Source: St. Jerome
Source of this version: http://www.swordofthespirit.net/bulwark/november09p8a.htm
Also found here: http://spckpublishing.co.uk/blog/spck-prayer/a-prayer-of-st-jerome-347-420/
This prayer is a reflection on Psalm 119:105.
O Lord,
you have mercy on all.
Take away my sins,
and mercifully kindle in me
the fire of your Holy Spirit.
Take away my heart of stone
and give me a heart of flesh,
a heart to love and adore you,
a heart to delight in you,
to follow and to enjoy you,
for Christ’s sake. Amen.
Source: Ambrose, d. 397
Source of this version: Modified from https://anglicanprayer.wordpress.com/2010/03/04/lent-prayers-st-ambrose-give-me-a-heart-of-flesh/
Also quoted in The One Year Book of Personal Prayer, © 1991 Tyndale House Publishers (May 17)
The heart of stone and heart of flesh is a reference to Ezekiel 11:19 and Ezekiel 36:26.
O God Almighty,
who cleansed the lips of the prophet Isaiah with a burning coal:
Cleanse my heart and my lips.
So grant to cleanse me, of your mercy,
that I may be able to proclaim worthily your holy gospel:
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source: Ambrose, d. 397
Source of this version: https://blogs.thegospelcoalition.org/trevinwax/2007/07/29/cleanse-me-so-i-can-preach/
Also quoted in The One Year Book of Personal Prayer, © 1991 Tyndale House Publishers (April 14)
The burning coal is a reference to Isaiah 6:6-7
Come, therefore, O Lord Jesus,
divest yourself of your garments
which you have put on for my sake.
Be naked, that you may clothe us with your mercy.
Gird yourself with a towel for our sakes,
that you may gird us with your gift of immortality.
Pour water into the basin; wash not only our feet but also the head,
and not only the footprints of the body, but also of the mind.
I wish to put off all the filth of our fraility,
so that I, too, may say:
“I have put off my garment, how shall I put it on?
I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them?”
Source: Ambrose, d. 397
Source of this version: https://magdelene.wordpress.com/category/martin-luther-king/
Also quoted in The One Year Book of Personal Prayer, © 1991 Tyndale House Publishers (January 21)
The last two lines quote the Song of Songs 5:3
We give you thanks upon thanks,
O Lord our God,
Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
by all means, at all times, in all places.
For you have sheltered, assisted,
supported, and led us on
through the past times of our lives,
and brought us to this hour.
O good and loving,
grant that we may pass this holy day,
and all the times of our lives, without sin,
with all joy, health, salvation,
sanctification, and fear of you.
O Lord God, drive away from us
and from your holy Christian and apostolic Church
all envy, all fear, all temptation,
all the working of Satan,
and all conspiracy of wicked men.
Supply us with things good and profitable.
In whatever ways we have sinned against you,
in word, deed, or thought,
pass over in your love and goodness.
Do not forsake us, O God,
for we hope in you.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one
and from his works;
by the grace, compassion, and goodness
of your only Son. Amen.
Source: The Divine Liturgy of St. Mark, in Bright’s Ancient Collects, p. 12.1
Shortened version:
We give you thanks, O Lord, God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for you have sheltered, assisted, supported, and led us on through the past and brought us to this hour. O good and merciful God, grant that we may spend our lives avoiding sin, with all joy, health, salvation, sanctification, and fear of you. Drive away all envy, fear, temptation and the work of the devil from your church, through the grace, compassion, and goodness of your only Son.
Bright’s original translation:
We render Thee thanksgiving upon thanksgiving, Lord our God, Father of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ, by all means, at all times, in all places. For Thou hast sheltered, assisted, supported, and led us on through the time past of our life, and brought us to this hour. And we pray and beseech Thee, O Good and Loving, grant us to pass this holy day, and all the time of our life, without sin; with all joy, health, salvation, sanctification, and fear of Thee. But all envy, all fear, all temptation, all the working of Satan, all conspiracy of wicked men, do Thou drive away, O God, from us, and from Thy holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. Supply us. with things good and profitable. Whereinsoever we have sinned against Thee, in word, or deed, or thought, be Thou pleased in Thy love and goodness to pass it over; and forsake us not, O God, who hope in Thee, neither lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one, and from his works, by the grace, and compassion, and benignity of Thine Only-begotten Son. (Liturgy of St. Mark, in Bright’s Ancient Collects, p. 12.1)
A Collection of Prayers 
