September 18

Almighty God, you have caused the light of eternal life to shine on the world. Kindle your heavenly desires in our hearts and spread abroad your love by your Holy Spirit, that we may always seek the things which are above. Purify our hearts and minds and bring us at last to your eternal kingdom, to dwell in the glorious light of your presence, now and forever. Amen.

Book of Prayers, 1851, revised from Prayers Ancient and Modern.

God, your never-failing providence orders all things in heaven and earth. Put away from us all hurtful things, and to give us those things which are profitable for us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Gelasian, A.D. 492, revised from Prayers Ancient and Modern.

Prayers Ancient Made Modern (annotated) is available in print and on Amazon Kindle through Amazon.com.

Based on Prayers Ancient and Modern originally selected and arranged by Mary Wilder Tileston, 1897. Now in public domain.

This edition, Prayers Ancient Made Modern, revised by Paul C. Stratman, copyright © 2024. All rights reserved.

Reprinted from Prayers Ancient Made Modern, copyright © 2024 Paul C. Stratman.

For Those Who Have Forgotten You

O God,
no one can escape your Spirit,
and none may flee from your presence.
We pray for those who have forgotten you
and have wandered  in disobedience to your will
and neglected your holy Word and Sacraments.
May your Holy Spirit continue to strive with them,
may your exceeding great love still plead with them,
to bring them home to yourself again,
that they may rejoice in your salvation
and glorify your blessed name.
Amen.

Source: Freely modified from A Book of Prayers: Together with Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Ancient and Modern, Morehouse Publishing Company, 1921, p. 54

Original has: “and neglected your holy Church and Sacraments.”