grace – A Collection of Prayers

September 7

Warm my cold heart, Lord. Form me after your own image. Give me grace to obey you in all things and to always follow where you lead. Teach me to be kind to others, to be gentle and unselfish, careful to hurt no one by word or deed, but eager to do good to all and to make others happy. Lord, forgive the sins of my temper. Pardon all my hasty words and unchristian thoughts. Make me watchful, so that I do not offend with my tongue. Give me a meek and loving spirit, which is of high value in your sight. I do not want to live for myself, but for you. Keep me today, Lord, from all sin, and from anything that displeases you; for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

Source: Bishop Ashton Oxenden (1808-1892), 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.

For Grace and Deliverance

O Lord,
feed your people with your grace,
and deliver our souls from the death of sin.
Fill us with your mercy,
that we may be united with the joys of the righteous;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Source: Sarum Rite, eleventh century
Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.

For Christian Graces

O Lord,
give me
purity of lips,
a clean and innocent heart,
and rightness of action.

Give me
humility, patience, abstinence,
chastity, prudence, justice,
courage and self-control.

Give me
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and strength,
the Spirit of knowledge and godliness,
and of your fear.

Always lead me to seek your face
with all my heart, all my soul, all my mind.
Let me have a contrite and humble heart in your presence—
to prefer nothing to your love.

Most high, eternal, and ineffable Wisdom,
drive away from me the darkness of blindness and ignorance.
Most high and eternal Strength, rescue me.
Most high and eternal Courage, help me.
Most high and incomprehensible Light, illuminate me,
Most high and infinite Mercy, have mercy on me. Amen.

Source: Gallican Sacramentary

Source of this version: Freely modified from Prayers of the Middle Ages, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.