holy cross – Page 2 – A Collection of Prayers

For Those Who Suffer

Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior,
for us you bore the agony of the cross.
Draw near to your servant _____,
who suffers pain,*
and make all things serve your good purpose,
that by your grace he may know
that the sufferings of this present time
are not worth comparing
with the glory that is to be revealed to us;
with the Father and the Holy Spirit
you live and reign,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Source: Freely modified from William Bright, Bright’s Ancient Collects, p. 237 #3

Also found here: Collects and Prayers for use in Church, United Lutheran Church in America, 1935, #243

*the word pain can be substituted with something more specific: illness, weakness, depression, setbacks in treatment, slow recovery, trouble of mind, etc.

“make all things serve your good purpose” is a reference to Romans 8:28

“the sufferings of this present time…” is a reference to Romans 8:18

“who suffers pain” in the original prayer was “who suffers pain or trouble of mind, (especially N.), hallow all their crosses in this life, and crown them hereafter, where all tears are wiped away where with the Father &c ”

Prepare Us for All the Events of This Day

O Lord,
prepare us for all the events of this day,
for we do not know what a day may bring forth.
Give us to stand complete in your whole will;
to deny ourselves,
to take up our cross daily,
and to follow Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Modified from Miscellaneous Writings of Matthew Henry, (Wikipedia: Matthew Henry, d. 1714)

“to deny ourselves, to take up our cross daily…” is a reference to Luke 9:23

The Purpose of Crosses

May the almighty and gracious God,
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
forgive us all our sins,
help us to live in daily repentance,
and grant that whatever crosses he sends
serve to lead us to despise and avoid what is evil
and love and practice what is good,
until we depart this life and enter eternal life.
Amen.

Translation of “Der allmaechtige und guetige Gott” by Paul C. Stratman is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Please contact for any commercial usage.

Original in German:

Der allmaechtige und guetige Gott, der Vater unsers Herrn Jesus Christi, vergebe uns alle unsere Suende; helfe, dass wir in taeglicher Busse leben, und verleihe, dass uns das liebe Kreuz diene, dazu er uns solchest zuschickt, dass wir das Boese neiden und meiden, und das Gute lieben und ueben, bis zum Ausgang aus diesem zeitlichen, und zum Eingang in jenes ewige Leben. Amen.

To God Be Glory

To God be glory,
to the angels honor,
to Satan confusion,
to the cross reverence,
to the church exaltation,
to the departed quickening,
to the penitent acceptance,
to the prisoners release,
to the sick and infirm,
recovery and healing,
and to the four quarters of the world
great peace and tranquility.
And also on us who are weak and sinful
may the compassion and mercies of our adorable God come,
and may they overshadow us, and be poured forth,
and remain firm and reign continually.
Christ + the hope of our nature,
now and at all times,
and forever and ever. Amen.

Source: East Syrian Church, Monday Vespers

Source of this version: East Syrian Daily Office, translated and edited by Arthur John Maclean, Rivingtom, Percival & Co., London, 1894, p. 20

No Vain Strife, but Profession of Truth!

Father, keep us from vain strife of words.
Grant to us constant profession of your truth!
Preserve us in a true and undefiled faith
so that we may hold fast
to what we professed when we were baptized
in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
that we may have you for our Father,
that we may abide in your Son
and in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Hilary of Poitiers

Source of this version: St. Andrew’s Cross, October 1921

Protection under Christ’s Cross

May the cross of the + Son of God,
which is mightier than all the hosts of Satan
and more glorious than all the hosts of heaven,
abide with you in your going out and in your coming in.

By day and by night, at morning and at evening,
at all times and in all places may it protect and defend you.
From the wrath of evildoers, from the assaults of evil spirits,
from foes visible and invisible, from the snares of the devil,
from all passions that beguile the soul and body:
may it guard, protect and deliver you.
Amen.

Source: Christaraksha, India

Source of this version: https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-worship/worship/texts/pastoral/healing/protectionpeace.aspx

Also found here: http://tonusperegrinus.blogspot.com/2014/09/christaraksha-powerful-prayer-of-cross.html

*We can rightly pray this prayer if we connect “the cross of the Son of God” with his blood and death, which indeed are mightier than the hosts of Satan.

Keep Us in Peace

Keep us in peace, O Christ our God,
under the protection of your holy cross;
save us from our enemies, visible and invisible,
that we may glorify + you with thanksgiving,
with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever.

Source: Dismissal from the Armenian Orthodox liturgy

Source of this version: Modified from http://www.oremus.org/liturgy/ccp/16p&p.html