good friday – Page 4 – A Collection of Prayers

Good Friday Prayer

O God, Son of God,
you suffered for us,
the righteous for the unrighteous.
Save us by the shame of your Passion,
and clothe us with the robe of your righteousness.
Through the suffering and death you did not deserve,
we have escaped the punishment our sins have deserved.
Amen.

Source: Freely modified from Mozarabic Collects, ed. Rev. Chas. R. Hale, New York, 1881, p. 25 #1

“the righteous for the unrighteous” is a reference to 1 Peter 3:18

“robe of righteousness” is a reference to Job 29:14, Isaiah 61:10, Galatians 3:27

“Through the suffering and death you did not deserve…” may be a reference to Isaiah 53:5

Fix Our Hearts with Steadfast Faith

Merciful and eternal God,
you did not spare your only Son
but gave him up for us all
that he might bear our sins on the cross.
Grant that our hearts may be so fixed
with steadfast faith in him
that we may not fear any trouble;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Saxon Agenda 1540, LXII (B)

For Pardon

800px-mathis_gothart_grc3bcnewald_007 O God, the Son of God–
so loving, yet hated–
so patient, yet beaten and killed–
and gentle and merciful to your persecutors;
by the the wounds of your passion
you have forgiven our sins.
As in your humiliation
you suffered death for us,
so now, in your glory,
bestow on us the everlasting brightness
of your grace.
Amen.

Source: Mozarabic Liturgy

Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts

“It Is Finished”

6069369723_ee697728eb_z_d O blessed Jesus,
most mighty lion,
King immortal and most victorious,
remember the sorrow that you suffered
when all your powers of heart and body
failed you utterly,
and when you bowed your head and said,
“It is finished.”
Remembering your anguish and sorrow,
blessed Jesus, have mercy on me in my last hour.

Source: Sarum Primer, 1538

Source of this version: http://www.oursanctuary.net/sarum.html

Traditional English:

O blessed Jesu, most mighty lion, King immortal and most victorious, have mind of the sorrow that Thou sufferedst when all the powers of Thine heart and body for feebleness failed Thee utterly. And then Thou saidst, inclining Thine head thus: “It is all done.” For mind of thine anguish and sorrow, blessed Jesus, have mercy on me in my last end.

Graphic: Page from an English Psalter, from Flickr, Walters Art Museum, Public Domain.

Lamb of God

O Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world,
look on us and have mercy on us;
You yourself are both Victim and Priest,
you both Reward and Redeemer,
keep safe from all evil those you have redeemed,
O Savior of the world.

Source: Iranaeus

Source of this version: Modified from http://marccortez.com/2012/06/24/a-prayer-for-sunday-irenaeus-of-lyon/

Also found here: http://www.mc-pro.com/kbc/pray-wk.html

Forgiveness

antifonariodelec3b3n1 O Lord,
let your forgiveness come from above.
May it comfort us in our misery,
may it cleanse us from our offences,
may it be granted to the penitent,
may it plead for mourners,
may it bring back those who wander from the faith,
may it raise up those who are fallen into sins,
may it reconcile us to the Father,
may it confirm us with the grace of Christ,
may it conform us to the Holy Spirit.

Source: Mozarabic Rite

Source of this version: Freely modified from Ancient Collects, and Other Prayers, ed. William Bright, 1902, p. 40 #4

In the original this is part of a Good Friday litany.

Graphic: Mozarabic manuscript from the Cathedral of Leon, from Wikimedia Commons.

The Seven Words from the Cross

'Christ_Nailed_to_the_Cross'_by_Giovanni_Battista_Cremonini,_LACMA[1].JPG 1. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”Luke 23:34

O God in heaven,
your Son did not strike back
with revenge against his enemies
as they ridiculed and crucified him,
but he prayed for their forgiveness.
Guide us to remain faithful to your Word,
to follow your divine will,
and to forgive all who have done us harm;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

matthiasgrunewald_thecrucifixion2 2. “Woman,behold, your son!” John 19:26

O God,
your Son displayed compassion
for his grieving mother
when he placed her into the care
of his beloved disciple, John.
Take us into your care with compassion.
Guard and shield us
from all the assaults of the evil foe
and from all enemies and persecutors
who seek to take Christian lives;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

titian_-_christ_and_the_good_thief_-_wga22832 3. “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43

O God in heaven,
from this vale of tears
we poor sinners cry to you,
“Lord, remember us in your kingdom.”
When our last hour comes,
comfort our hearts with your life-giving promise,
“Today will you be with me in paradise;”
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

7020227245_1cfa1714bd_b 4. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46

O God, heavenly Father,
you have drawn us all to yourself
through the anguished suffering of Jesus Christ,
who cried out, “My God, why have you forsaken me?”
For the sake of your Son,
do not forsake us
when we bear our heaviest crosses and afflictions,
but reach out to us
and uphold us with your fatherly grace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

5. “I thirst.” John 19:28

O God,
in the parched suffering of your Son Jesus,
he cried out, “I am thirsty.”
Move us, your people,
to hunger and thirst for your righteousness.
Kindle our hearts with your divine love,
that neither death nor life,
nor angels nor rulers
will be able to separate us from your love.
Make us hunger and thirst to serve each other willingly;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

brooklyn_museum_-_it_is_finished_consummatum_est_-_james_tissot 6. “It is finished,” John 19:30

O God in heaven,
according to your will in Jesus Christ,
all is finished for our salvation.
May our lives be filled
with deeds of gratitude according to your holy will,
and not following our own understanding;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

A 4158 7. “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” Luke 23:46

O God in heaven,
help us faithfully follow our Lord Jesus Christ.
When you call us poor sinners from this world,
lead us to submit our souls to you,
and to pray with confidence in our hearts,
“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!”
even when our voices cannot speak.
Then receive us at last
into your gracious hands;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Joachim Mynsinger of Frundeck (1514-1588) from Gebetbuch, enthaltend die sämtlichen Gebete und Seufzer Martin Luther’s, wie auch Gebete von Melanchthon, Bugenhagen, Matthesius, Habermann, Arnd und andren Gott- erleuchteten Männern, Evangelischen Bücher-Verein, 1866, p. 371-372, #603

Source of this version: Translated for A Collection of Prayers. Revised by Johnold Strey.

Good Friday