good friday – Page 3 – A Collection of Prayers

For Our Redemption

800px-mathis_gothart_grc3bcnewald_007

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God,
for our redemption
you were born and circumcised,
and rejected by the Jews,
betrayed with kiss by Judas,
seized, bound, and led in bonds
to Annas, Caiaphas, Herod, and Pilate,
and you stood before them to be mocked,
smitten with palm and fist,
with the scourge and the reed.

Your face was covered and defiled with spitting,
crowned with thorns,
accused by false witnesses.

You were condemned,
and as an innocent Lamb led to slaughter,
bearing your own cross,
pierced through with nails,
gall and vinegar were given you to drink,
and you were left on the cross
to die the most shameful of deaths,
wounded with a spear.

By these your most sacred pains
you deliver us from all sins and penalties.

By your holy Cross
bring us, miserable sinners,
to that place you brought the repentant thief to yourself;
for you live and with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.

Source: Sarum Missal, Innocent III, freely modified from Ancient Collects, ed. William Bright, p. 45#3.

You Stretched Out Your Hands on the Cross

800px-mathis_gothart_grc3bcnewald_007 Lord Jesus Christ,
you stretched out your hands on the cross
and you redeemed us by your blood.
Forgive me, a sinner,
for none of my thoughts are hidden from you.
Pardon I ask,
pardon I hope for,
pardon I trust to have.
Your heart is full of pity and mercy.
Spare and forgive me.

Source: Ambrosian, freely modified from Ancient Collects, ed. William Bright, p. 44#2

Original in traditional English:

Lord Jesus Christ, Who didst stretch out Thine hands on the Cross, and redeem us by Thy blood, forgive me, a sinner, for none of my thoughts are hid from Thee. Pardon I ask, pardon I hope for, pardon I trust to have. Thou Who art pitiful and merciful, spare and forgive me.

O Single, Unequaled Mystery

800px-mathis_gothart_grc3bcnewald_007 It is truly good and right
that we should give thanks to you, Lord God,
through Jesus Christ your Son,
who, being God eternal,
was pleased to become fully human for our salvation.

O single, unequaled Mystery of our Savior!
For he, being one and the same,
God most high, and perfect Man,
both supreme High Priest and most sacred Sacrifice,
according to his divine power created all things,
and according to his human condition delivered man.
By virtue of his Sacrifice he atoned for those stained by sin,
in right of his priesthood he reconciled those alienated from God.

O single, unequaled Mystery of redemption
by which those ancient wounds
were healed by the Lord’s new medicine,
and the judgment passed before on the first man
was lifted by the gifts of our Savior.

In self-indulgence Adam reached his hands to the tree.
In loving patience Christ fixed his hands to the cross.
Therefore the punishment borne by innocence
became the freedom of the debtor,
for debts are remitted to debtors
paid by him who owed nothing.

Source: Ancient Gallican Missal, freely modified from Ancient Collects, ed. William Bright p, 41#1

Prayer for the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

O God,
your only Son hung on the cross for us,
and there he paid the price of our redemption with his blood,
that we, through his death, might receive adoption as your children.
Give us grace to call you Father
in true faith;
through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Mozarabic Rite, from The New Mozarabic Collects, [60] (Trinity 8)

“your only Son hung on the cross for us” may be a reference to John 3:14, John 8:28, John 12:32

“paid with his blood the price of our Redemption” is a reference to Ephesians 1:7

“might receive adoption as your children” is a reference to Romans 8:15 and Galatians 4:5

“with true faith to call you Father” is a reference to Matthew 6:9 and Romans 8:15

May We Persevere with Steadfast Faith in the Confession of Your Name

Almighty and eternal God,
by Christ you revealed your glory to all nations.
Preserve the works of your mercy,
that your Church,
which is spread throughout the world,
may persevere with steadfast faith
in the confession of your name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Source: Gelasian collect for Good Friday, freely modified from Ancient Collects, ed. William Bright, p. 98.1.

A Short Litany

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

O Christ, hear us.

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.

Be gracious to us. Spare us, good Lord.
Be gracious to us. Help us, good Lord.

From every sin,
from every error,
from every evil,
from the devil’s lies and cunning,
from eternal death, deliver us, good Lord.

By the mystery of the holy incarnation,
by your holy birth,
by your baptism, fasting and temptation,
by your agony and bloody sweat,
by your cross and suffering,
by your death and burial,
by your resurrection and ascension,
by the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Counselor,
in all times of trouble,
in all times of prosperity,
in the hour of death, help us, good Lord.

O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, hear us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; grant us your peace.
Amen.

Source: The Short Litany, prescribed for Good Friday, in Allgemeines evangelisches Gesang- und Gebetbuch zum Kirchen und Hausgebrauch, Hamburg, 1846, p. 536-537

This litany is shortened from Martin Luther’s Latin Litany Corrected, which is an adaptation of the Litany of All Saints.

Original in German:

Kyrie eleison:
Christe eleison!
Kyrie eleison:

Christe erhöre uns!

Herr Gott Vater im Himmel: Erbarm Dich über uns!
Herr Gott Sohn, der Welt Heiland: Erbarm Dich über uns!
Herr Gott heiliger Geist: Erbarm Dich über uns!

Sei uns gnädig: Verschon uns, lieber Herre Gott!
Sei uns gnädig: Hilf uns, lieber Herre Gott!

Vor allen Sünden:
Vor allem Irrsal;
Vor allem Uebel:
Vor des Teufels Trug und List;
Vor dem ewigen Tod: Behüt uns, lieber Herre Gott!

Durch das Geheimniß Deiner heiligen Menschwerdung:
Durch Deine heilige Geburt;
Durch Deine Taufe, Fasten und Versuchung:
Durch Deinen Todeskampf und blutigen Schweiß;
Durch Dein Kreuz und Leiden:
Durch Deinen Tod und Begräbnis) ;
Durch Dein heiliges Auferstehn und Himmelfahrt:
Durch die Zukunft des heiligen Geistes;
In allen Stunden der Anfechtung:
In der Zeit der Wohlfahrt;
In unserer letzten Noch: Hilf uns, lieber Herre Gott!

O Jesu Christe, Gottes Sohn: Erhör uns, lieber Herre Gott!

O Du Gottes Lamm, das der Welt Sünde trägt: Erbarm Dich über uns!

O Du Gottes Lamm! das der Welt Sünde trägt: Verleih uns steten Fried!
Amen.

Give Us Patience

matthiasgrunewald_thecrucifixion2

O Lord God, Father of all mercy,
graciously look on your poor flock
for whom your dear Son Jesus Christ
did not refuse to be betrayed
into the hands of sinners,
and endured the shameful death of the cross.
Give us your grace
that we may follow the example
of your dear Son
and bear all suffering
with patience,
so that you,
with your beloved Son
and the Holy Spirit
may be glorified always.
Amen.

Source: Die pommersche Kirchen-Ordnung und Agenda, p. 288(3). Translated for A Collection of Prayers.

Original in German:

O Herr Gott, Vater aller Barmherzigkeit, du wollest gnädiglich sehen aus deine arme Heerde, um welcher willen dein lieber Sohn sich nicht hat geweigert, in die Hände der Sünder übergeben zu werden und für unö den schmählichen Tod am Kreuz zu leiden: Du wollest uns auch Gnade geben, daß wir nach dem Exempel deines lieben Sohns alles unser Leiden mit Geduld tragen, auf daß du sammt deinem lieben Sohn und dem heiligen Geiste allezeit von uns geehret werdest, Amen.

A similar prayer is found in the Coburg Agenda.

For Purity of Heart

1538547_de6ab6b6 O merciful Lord Jesus Christ,
you were made in the likeness of sinful flesh,
you bore our sins in your body
to cleanse us by your death
and to make us new creatures
acceptable to God.
Purify us from those stains of sin
that daily defile our souls,
and grant us grace
to maintain the cleanness
which you impart
that both in name and in profession
we may give you glory as your people;
for you live and reign
with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Source: The Priest’s Prayerbook, 1897

Original in traditional English:

Give Our Hearts Faith in Christ’s Work

matthiasgrunewald_thecrucifixion2 Merciful, eternal God,
you did not spare your own Son,
but gave him up for us all
to bear our sins on the cross.
Give our hearts such faith
that we may never be frightened
or despair;
through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Martin Luther

Source of this version: Translated for A Collection of Prayers. German source: Gebetbuch, enthaltend die sämtlichen Gebete und Seufzer Martin Luther’s, ….Evangelischer Bücher-Verein, 1866, #600. [Die Gebete Luthers, #293]

Also found in Die pommersche Kirchen-Ordnung und Agenda, p. 288(1).

Original in German:

Barmherziger, ewiger Gott, der du deines einigen Sohnes nicht verschonet hast, sondern für uns alle dahingegeben, daß er unsre Sünde am Kreuz tragen sollte; verleihe, daß unser Herz in solchem Glauben nimmermehr erschrecke noch verzage, durch denselben deinen Sohn, Jesum Christum, unsern Herrn. Amen. Luther.

Look on Us with Mercy

matthiasgrunewald_thecrucifixion2 Christ was pierced for our transgressions;
and was crushed for our iniquities. (Isaiah 53:5)

O Lord God, Father of all mercy,
graciously look on your people and household
for whom your dear Son Jesus Christ
did not refuse to be betrayed
into the hands of sinners,
and endured the shameful pain of the cross;
who lives and reigns with you,
true God, in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever.
Amen.

Source: Coburger Agende

Original in German:

Christus ist um unsrer Missethat willen verwundet und um unsrer Sünde willen zerschlagen.

O Herr Gott, Vater aller Barmherzigkeit: wir bitten dich, du wollest gnädig sehen auf diefes dein Volk und Hausgesind, um welches willen dein lieber Sohn Jesus Christus sich nicht geweigert hat übergeben zu werden in die Hände der Sünder,und zu dulden die schmähliche Pein des Kreuzes; der mit dir lebet und regieret, wahrer Gott in Einigkeit des heiligen Geistes ewiglich. Amen. Coburger Agende

A similar prayer is found in the Pomeranian Agenda.