5th Century – A Collection of Prayers

The Western Rite, Part 1: Confession / Lord, Have Mercy / Glory to God in the Highest

During September of 2023 we will look at the Western Rite.

The Oxford Dictionary defines rite as: “a religious or other solemn ceremony or act. ‘the rite of communion.'”

A stricter definition used by liturgists is a rite is words that are spoken (or sung) in worship. Ceremony is actions or gestures used in worship.

The Western Rite isn’t a single rite, but more of a pattern of words and songs that many denominations and traditions follow. The Roman Catholic Mass, the Lutheran Divine Service or Gottesdienst, the Anglican / Episcopalian Eucharist are all variations of the Western Rite.

Some denominations / traditions consider the Confiteor / Confession a part of the service. Some consider it separate, with the service proper beginning with the Kyrie. This is why the opening / processional hymn is sometimes before the confession, sometimes after. Modern Roman Catholic usage sometimes combines the Confession with the Kyrie.

The confessional rite is based on the private prayers a priest would pray in preparation for the mass and while putting on vestments (Reed, p. 256). Among Lutherans, private confession was still used in the early years, and public rites of confession began to appear in the 1530s (Reed, p. 258). This is a relatively late addition to the Western Rite.

The invocation is the same phrase spoken at baptism–the words that connect us with God’s name. We approach our God as his people, baptized into his name, cleansed with Christ’s blood. The sign of the cross is also a reminder of baptism. “Receive the sign of the cross on the head and heart + to mark you as one redeemed by Christ the crucified.” The invocation also reminds us whose work we are here to do. We worship in God’s name.

This is how we approach our God. Like the father of the prodigal, our heavenly Father awaits us with open arms.

We hear God’s forgiveness proclaimed, again, because of the life and work of our Savior Jesus.

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart, and confess our sins to God, our Father, asking him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness. (Hebrews 10:22)

Our help is in the name of the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth. (Psalm 124:8)

I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. (Psalm 32:5)

Almighty God, merciful Father, I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess to you all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended you, and justly deserved your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them, and sincerely repent of them, and I pray of your boundless mercy, and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.

Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office as a servant of the Word, announce the grace of God to all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins, in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Source: Saxon Church Order of 1581, translation based on The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941. For German original, follow this link.

There are many forms of confession and absolution. We confess what we are. We confess what we have done. We know what we deserve and what we would get if we approached a holy God alone. We are not beating ourselves up–we are stating facts. Here is another fact: Jesus Christ suffered and died to bear our sin and take it away. We plead for God’s mercy for the sake of Christ.

In the ancient church, an introit was sung at this point. Introit means entrance. Most introits were short chants composed from psalms or other parts of Scripture, concluding with the Gloria Patri and then repeating the opening verse. Here is the introit for the first Sunday in Advent:

Antiphon:
To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.*
O my God, I trust in you; Let me not be ashamed;
Let not my enemies triumph over me.*
Let no one who waits on you be ashamed. (Psalm 25:1-3a)

Psalm:
Show me your ways, O Lord;*
          teach me your paths.
[For you are the God of my salvation;*
          on you I wait all the day.
Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,*
          for I wait for you.
Redeem Israel, O God,*
          out of all their troubles.] (Psalm 25:4-5, 21-22)

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,*
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning,*
is now and will be forever. Amen.

Antiphon:
To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.*
O my God, I trust in you; Let me not be ashamed;
Let not my enemies triumph over me.*
Let no one who waits on you be ashamed. (Psalm 25:1-3a)

Source: Sanctus, November 27, 2022. Psalm 25:5 and 21-22 are not part of the original Introit.

Martin Luther suggested a spiritual song or a psalm be sung in German instead of the introits (https://history.hanover.edu/texts/luthserv.html, also Luther Reed in The Lutheran Liturgy, p. 262). It is likely he reccommended this because the introits were fragments, and the thematic connection with the readings was sometimes unclear. Much earlier in church history, the practice of singing whole psalms as entrance hymns or as interludes between Scripture readings was widespread (Reed, p. 261) .

Some churches sing an entrance hymn here. Some sing it before the invocation.

The Kyrie originally had the form of a short litany. Here is Kyrie, Orbis Factor, one of nine Kyrie litanies used in Sarum which can be viewed at this link.

Maker of the world, King eternal,
have mercy on us.

Fount of boundless pity,
have mercy on us.

Drive away from us all that is harmful,
have mercy on us.

Christ, the Light of the world, giver of life,
have mercy on us.

Look on those wounded by the craft of the devil;
have mercy on us.

You preserve those who believe in you, and you strengthen them,
have mercy on us.

Your Father, you, and the Spirit proceeding from both,
have mercy on us.

We know you to be one God, and three persons,
have mercy on us.

Be present with us, Counselor, that we may live in you,
have mercy on us.

Source: The Sarum Missal in English, Part II, Alcuin Club Collections, No. XI

Another Kyrie litany, taken from the fourth century Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, is in wide use today among Lutherans:

In peace, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

For the peace from above,
and for our salvation,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

For peace to the whole world,
for the well being of the Church of God,
and for the unity of all,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

For this holy house,
and for all who offer here their worship and praise,
let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
Amen.

From Lutheran Book of Worship, 1978.

The more basic three, six or ninefold Kyrie is a remnant of the earlier Kyrie litanies (Reed, p. 269).

Kyrie eleison.
Christe eleison.
Kyrie eleison.

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

The purpose of the Kyrie at the beginning of the service, long or short, is to cast all our cares and needs before the Lord. The common Kyrie above (“In peace let us pray to the Lord…”) has the repeated theme of peace. Jesus said, “My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you” (John 14:27). The Means of Grace, the gospel in Word and Sacrament that we are about to receive, are the only place we will find the peace we seek, because there alone we find Jesus, his Word, his forgivness, his restoration and peace.

The Gloria in Excelsis is the main song of praise in the Western Rite. It came from the Greek church as a song used in Morning Prayer / Matins as early as the second or third centuries. By the 500s it started to be used in the western church, first in the main service at Christmas, then at other high festivals, and then in regular usage.

It begins with the song of the Christmas angels:

Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.

Many consider the first two lines to be an antiphon, and in modern practice, it is often used as a repeated refrain. Originally the officiant would chant the first line, “Gloria in excelsis Deo” (“Glory to God in the highest”) and the congregation would join in the rest, “et in terra pax…” (“and on earth peace…”). This is why the Gloria is sometimes referred to as “Et in terra…” (And on earth…”)

The song of the angels has a parallel structure to it. The ELLC’s translation brings it out very clearly. In the birth, life, and work of Christ, glory is given to God. Peace is given to people.

The first stanza of the song is directed to God the Father, and praises God for who he is:

Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.

The second stanza is directed to God the Son, and praises him for both who he is and what he does. The second stanza also has the character of the Kyrie, “Have mercy on us.” “Receive our prayer.” Ancient songs and psalms sometimes put the central thought in the center of the song, and here is the center of the Christian faith: Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God who bears our sin.

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.

The third stanza brings the song to its highest point, again praising God for who he is. The third stanza is trinitarian, emphasizing that we worship one God, one Lord, who is Most High, revealed as “Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father.”

For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

The Gloria in Excelsis is very credal. It confesses truths about God, his attributes, and his works.

A rendering of the Latin text for Choir and Orchestra

Glory to God in the Highest from Marty Haugen’s Mass of Creation. English text, presented in a liturgical folk style.

The Gloria is often omitted during Advent and Lent. That tradition came about as a fast for the ears in preparation for the exuberance of Christmas and Easter.

Among Lutherans it may be replaced by the Canticle “Worthy is Christ” / Dignus est agnus during the Sundays of Easter.

Refrain:
This is the feast of victory for our God.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

1 Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain,
whose blood set us free to be people of God. [Refrain]

2 Power, riches, wisdom and strength,
and honor, blessing and glory are his. [Refrain]

3 Sing with all the people of God
and join in the hymn of all creation.

4 Blessing, honor, glory and might
be to God and the Lamb forever. Amen. [Refrain]

For the Lamb who was slain
has begun his reign. Alleluia. [Refrain]

The Gloria had this thought at the center: “Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us.” The canticle Worthy is Christ is taken from phrases in Revelation 5, 15 and 19, and praises Christ as the Lamb who was slain, who made us his people by his blood, and lives and reigns over his church.

The Anaphora of Addai and Mari

The Liturgy of Addai and Mari has been in continuous use in the Church of the East since at least the 7th century. Parts of it may be from as early as the fifth century. It is part of the Persian Rite, with roots in Nestorian Christianity. The version presented below includes the Words of Institution (Verba), but originally it did not, and so for many years it was questioned as a valid rite for use in the church. Parts of the eucharistic prayer are the basis of the Prayer of Thanksgiving in The Service: Setting Two in Christian Worship: Hymnal (2021).

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, now and forever.
Amen.

Lift up your hearts.
To you, O God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, O glorious King!

We bring this offering to God, the Lord of all.[1]
It is good and right.

Peace be with us.

Silent prayer by the priest.

O Lord,
give us sincerity before you
that with your boldness
we may accomplish this living and holy service
with our consciences cleansed from all evil and bitterness,
and plant within us love and peace
and concord toward one another
and toward all people.

The priest then rises and prays aloud, stretching out his hands:

Worthy of praise from every mouth,
worthy of confession from every tongue,
worthy of worship and exaltation from every creature
is your adorable and glorious name,
O glorious Trinity,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
You created the world and all who live in it by your mercy,
and you saved humanity by your compassion,
and you give great grace to mortals.

Your majesty, O Lord,
thousands upon thousands on high bow down and worship,
and ten thousand times ten thousand holy angels and hosts of heaven,
servants of fire and spirit,
praise your name
with holy cherubim and spiritual seraphim
offering worship to your majesty,
shouting and praising without ceasing,
crying out to one another and saying:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of his praises,
and the nature of his being,
and the excellency of his glorious splendor.
Hosanna in the highest.
Hosanna to the Son of David.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Silent prayer by the priest.

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of his praises,
and the nature of his being,
and the excellency of his glorious splendor,
even as I fill heaven and earth, says the Lord.
Holy are you, God the Father of truth,
from whom all fatherhood in heaven and earth is named.
Holy are you, eternal Son,
by whom all things were made.
Holy are you, Holy Spirit,
by whom all things are sanctified.
I am doomed! I am ruined,
because I am a man with unclean lips,
and I dwell among a people with unclean lips,
and because my eyes have seen the King,
the Lord of hosts!
How awe-inspiring is this place,
for this day I have seen the Lord
face to face.
This is nothing other than the house of God,
and this is the gate to heaven.
And now, O Lord, let your grace be on us
and purge our uncleanness
and sanctify our lips
and blend our weak voices
with the hallowing of the seraphim
and the halleluiahs of the angels.
Praise be to your mercies
for you have made creatures of dust
partakers with spiritual beings!

The priest rises and says aloud:

Bless, O my Lord. Bless, O my Lord. Bless, O my Lord. My brothers, pray for me.

The priest continues:

With these heavenly hosts we give you thanks, O my Lord,
even though we your servants are weak and frail and miserable,
for you have given us great grace by taking on our human flesh
that you might enliven it by your divinity,
and have exalted our low estate,
restored our fall,
raised our mortality,
forgiven our trespasses,
justified our sinfulness,
and enlightened our knowledge.
Lord our God,
you have condemned our enemies
and have granted victory to the weakness of our frail nature
in the overflowing mercies of your grace.

[Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “Take, eat. This is my + body, which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

In the same way, after the meal, he also took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new testament in my + blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”]

For all your help and grace toward us, let us give you praise and honor and confession and worship, now and forever.
Amen.

Pray in your minds. Peace be with us.

__________

Source: Liturgies Eastern and Western edited by F. E. Brightman, Oxford, Clearendon Press, 1896. The Persian Rite, and The Liturgy of the Nestorians, p. 283-286.

This version, prepared for www.acollectionofprayers.com, was freely modified for contemporary language, and to highlight the poetic nature of the content.

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liturgy_of_Addai_and_Mari

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestorianism

Note:

In the early church, it was the custom for members of the church to present bread and wine as gifts to be used for the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, which is the “offering” or “setting before” (offerimus) mentioned here. Later (especially in the Council of Trent), the Lord’s Supper was wrongly viewed as a re-sacrificing of Christ’s body and blood. (See Hebrews 7:27 and 9:26).

The Athanasian Creed

The Athanasian Creed was not written by St. Athanasius, the defender of the doctrine of the Trinity at the Council of Nicaea (AD 325). It seems to have been written about a hundred years later. This creed expands the teaching of the Trinity, and seems to draw from a work by St. Augustine, On the Trinity, from AD 415. The oldest surviving manuscripts of the Athanasian Creed date from the late 8th century. One scholar commented that it reads like the minutes of the Council of Nicaea, with the arguments for the Trinity being presented, and the arguments against it (some repetitive and petulant) being refuted.

The use of the word catholic (note the small c) is referring to the universal Christian faith taught in the scriptures and believed by the Christian faithful.

Traditionally the Athanasian Creed was used in the early morning office of Prime in place of the psalm during the Sundays after Epiphany and Sundays after Pentecost, including Trinity Sunday. Today the Athanasian Creed is sometimes used on Trinity Sunday.

1 Whoever wants to be saved should above all cling to the catholic faith.

2 Whoever does not guard it whole and inviolable will doubtless perish eternally.

3 Now this is the catholic faith:

4 We worship one God in trinity and the Trinity in unity, neither confusing the persons nor dividing the divine being.

5 For the Father is one person, the Son is another, and the Spirit is still another.

6 But the deity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one, equal in glory, coeternal in majesty.

7 What the Father is, the Son is, and so is the Holy Spirit.

8 Uncreated is the Father; uncreated is the Son; uncreated is the Spirit.

9 The Father is infinite; the Son is infinite; the Holy Spirit is infinite.

10 Eternal is the Father; eternal is the Son; eternal is the Spirit.

11 And yet there are not three eternal beings, but one who is eternal;

12 as there are not three uncreated and unlimited beings, but one who is uncreated and unlimited.

13 Almighty is the Father; almighty is the Son; almighty is the Spirit:

14 And yet there are not three almighty beings, but one who is almighty.

15 Thus the Father is God; the Son is God; the Holy Spirit is God:

16 And yet there are not three gods, but one God.

17 Thus the Father is Lord; the Son is Lord; the Holy Spirit is Lord:

18 And yet there are not three lords, but one Lord.

19 As Christian truth compels us to acknowledge each distinct person as God and Lord, so catholic religion forbids us to say that there are three gods or lords.

20 The Father was neither made nor created nor begotten;

21 the Son was neither made nor created, but was alone begotten of the Father;

22 the Spirit was neither made nor created, but is proceeding from the Father and the Son.

23 Thus there is one Father, not three fathers; one Son, not three sons; one Holy Spirit, not three spirits.

24 And in this Trinity, no one is before or after, greater or less than the other;

25 but all three persons are in themselves, coeternal and coequal; and so we must worship the Trinity in unity and the one God in three persons.

26 Whoever wants to be saved should think thus about the Trinity.

__________

27 It is necessary for eternal salvation that one also faithfully believe that our Lord Jesus Christ became flesh.

28 For this is the true faith that we believe and confess: That our Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Son, is both God and man.

29 He is God, begotten before all worlds from the being of the Father, and he is man, born in the world from the being of his mother —

30 existing fully as God, and fully as man with a rational soul and a human body;

31 equal to the Father in divinity, subordinate to the Father in humanity.

32 Although he is God and man, he is not divided, but is one Christ.

33 He is united because God has taken humanity into himself; he does not transform deity into humanity

34 He is completely one in the unity of his person, without confusing his natures.

35 For as the rational soul and body are one person, so the one Christ is God and man.

36 He suffered death for our salvation.
He descended into hell and rose again from the dead.

37 He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

38 At his coming all people shall rise bodily to give an account of their own deeds.

39 Those who have done good will enter eternal life,
those who have done evil will enter eternal fire.

40 This is the catholic faith.
One cannot be saved without believing this firmly and faithfully.

Source: This translation is from Christianity Knowledge Base at Fandom.com, and appears to be based on the English translation in the Book of Common Prayer.

Original in Latin:

Quicumque vult salvus esse, ante omnia opus est, ut teneat catholicam fidem:
Quam nisi quisque integram inviolatamque servaverit, absque dubio in aeternum peribit.

Fides autem catholica haec est:
ut unum Deum in Trinitate, et Trinitatem in unitate veneremur.
Neque confundentes personas, neque substantiam separantes.

Alia est enim persona Patris alia Filii, alia Spiritus Sancti:
Sed Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti una est divinitas, aequalis gloria, coeterna maiestas.

Qualis Pater, talis Filius, talis [et] Spiritus Sanctus.

Increatus Pater, increatus Filius, increatus [et] Spiritus Sanctus.

Immensus Pater, immensus Filius, immensus [et] Spiritus Sanctus.

Aeternus Pater, aeternus Filius, aeternus [et] Spiritus Sanctus.

Et tamen non tres aeterni, sed unus aeternus.
Sicut non tres increati, nec tres immensi, sed unus increatus, et unus immensus.

Similiter omnipotens Pater, omnipotens Filius, omnipotens [et] Spiritus Sanctus.
Et tamen non tres omnipotentes, sed unus omnipotens.

Ita Deus Pater, Deus Filius, Deus [et] Spiritus Sanctus.
Et tamen non tres dii, sed unus est Deus.

Ita Dominus Pater, Dominus Filius, Dominus [et] Spiritus Sanctus.
Et tamen non tres Domini, sed unus [est] Dominus.

Quia, sicut singillatim unamquamque personam Deum ac Dominum confiteri christiana veritate compellimur:
Ita tres Deos aut [tres] Dominos dicere catholica religione prohibemur.

Pater a nullo est factus: nec creatus, nec genitus.
Filius a Patre solo est: non factus, nec creatus, sed genitus.
Spiritus Sanctus a Patre et Filio: non factus, nec creatus, nec genitus, sed procedens.

Unus ergo Pater, non tres Patres: unus Filius, non tres Filii: unus Spiritus Sanctus, non tres Spiritus Sancti.

Et in hac Trinitate nihil prius aut posterius, nihil maius aut minus:
Sed totae tres personae coaeternae sibi sunt et coaequales.
Ita, ut per omnia, sicut iam supra dictum est, et unitas in Trinitate, et Trinitas in unitate veneranda sit.

Qui vult ergo salvus esse, ita de Trinitate sentiat.

__________

Sed necessarium est ad aeternam salutem, ut incarnationem quoque Domini nostri Iesu Christi fideliter credat.

Est ergo fides recta ut credamus et confiteamur, quia Dominus noster Iesus Christus, Dei Filius, Deus [pariter] et homo est.

Deus [est] ex substantia Patris ante saecula genitus: et homo est ex substantia matris in saeculo natus.
Perfectus Deus, perfectus homo:
ex anima rationali et humana carne subsistens.
Aequalis Patri secundum divinitatem: minor Patre secundum humanitatem.

Qui licet Deus sit et homo, non duo tamen, sed unus est Christus.
Unus autem non conversione divinitatis in carnem, sed assumptione humanitatis in Deum.
Unus omnino, non confusione substantiae, sed unitate personae.
Nam sicut anima rationalis et caro unus est homo: ita Deus et homo unus est Christus.

Qui passus est pro salute nostra:

descendit ad inferos:

tertia die resurrexit a mortuis.

Ascendit ad [in] caelos, sedet ad dexteram [Dei] Patris [omnipotentis].

Inde venturus [est] judicare vivos et mortuos.

Ad cujus adventum omnes homines resurgere habent cum corporibus suis;
Et reddituri sunt de factis propriis rationem.
Et qui bona egerunt, ibunt in vitam aeternam:
qui vero mala, in ignem aeternum.

Haec est fides catholica, quam nisi quisque fideliter firmiterque crediderit, salvus esse non poterit.

Prayer for Ascension

Almighty and eternal God,
bless us as we celebrate this day’s festival
and direct our eyes heavenward
where in human flesh, your only Son is with you;
through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Leonine Sacramentary, Ascension, Fifth Century

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

For Light to Follow You

O Lord,
direct our steps this day
into the way of peace,
and strengthen our hearts
to obey your commandments.
May the Dayspring visit us from on high,
and give light
to those who sit in darkness
and the shadow of death,
that they may adore you for your mercy,
follow you for your truth,
desire you for your sweetness,
for you are the blessed Lord God of Israel,
now and forever. Amen.

Source: An ancient Collect, A. D. 440
Source of this version: Freely modified from Service and Prayers for Church and Home, Ed. Wilbur Patterson Thirkield, Methodist Book Concern, 1918

Version in traditional English:

DIRECT our steps this day, O Lord, into the way of peace, and strengthen our hearts to obey thy commandments; may the Dayspring visit us from on high, and give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, that they may adore thee for thy mercy, follow thee for thy truth, desire thee for thy sweetness, who art the blessed Lord God of Israel, both now and evermore. Amen.

Who Has Anything but What You Have Given

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O Lord my God, most merciful,
most secret, most present,
most constant, yet changing all things,
never new, and never old,
always in action, yet always quiet,
creating, upholding, and perfecting all,
who has anything but what you have given?
or what can any man say when he speaks about you?
Yet have mercy on us, O Lord,
that we may speak to you, and praise your Name.

Source: Jeremy Taylor, 1613–67 (from St Augustine) in in Daily Prayer.

Taylor’s version, in traditional English:

O LORD my God, most merciful,
Most secret, most present,
Most constant, yet changing all things,
Never new, and never old,
Ever in action, yet ever quiet,
Creating, upholding, and perfecting all,
Who hath anything but of thy gift?
Or what can any man say when he speaketh of thee?
Yet have mercy upon us, O Lord,
that we may speak unto thee, and praise thy Name.

For Grace

O our Lord and God,
do not look on our many sins,
and do not turn away
because of the seriousness of our iniquities.
In your unspeakable grace
sanctify your servants,
forget our many sins,
and be merciful when you will appear at the end of time,
in the Man whom you have appointed to be our judge,
that we may receive your grace and mercy,
and praise you with all your holy ones. Amen.

Source: Liturgy of the Blessed Apostles

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

“In your unspeakable grace …” Original: “through Thine unspeakable grace sanctify this sacrifice of Thine, and grant through it power and capability, so that Thou mayest forget our many sins…”

St. Patrick’s Evensong

May your holy angels, O Christ, Son of living God,
Guard our sleep, our rest, our shining bed.

Let them reveal true visions to us in our sleep,
O High Prince of the universe, O great King of the mysteries!

May no demons, no ill, no calamity or terrifying dreams
Disturb our rest, our willing, prompt repose.

May our watch be holy, our work, our task,
Our sleep, our rest without stop, without break.

Source: St. Patrick’s Evensong, translated as prose by Kuno Meyer in Selections from Ancient Irish Poetry, New York, 1911.

Version in verse:

Jesus, Son of God most high,
May your holy angels keep
Watch around us as we lie
In our shining beds asleep.

Time’s hid veil with truth to pierce
Let them teach our dreaming eyes,
High King of the Universe,
High Priest of the Mysteries.

May no demon of the air,
May no malice of our foes,
Evil dream or haunting care
Mar our willing, prompt repose!

May our vigils hallowed be
By the tasks we undertake!
May our sleep be fresh and free,
Without stop and without break.

St. Patrick’s Evensong, translated as poetry, from A Celtic Psaltery, New York, 1917.

Evensong

Jesus, Son of God most high,
May your holy angels keep
Watch around us as we lie
In our shining beds asleep.

Time’s hid veil with truth to pierce
Let them teach our dreaming eyes,
High King of the Universe,
High Priest of the Mysteries.

May no demon of the air,
May no malice of our foes,
Evil dream or haunting care
Mar our willing, prompt repose!

May our vigils hallowed be
By the tasks we undertake!
May our sleep be fresh and free,
Without stop and without break.

Source: St. Patrick’s Evensong, from A Celtic Psaltery, New York, 1917.

For National Peace

O Lord,
be gracious to us in our times.
In your goodness,
maintain both national quietness and Christian devotion;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Source: Leonine Sacramentary, fifth century

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