truth – A Collection of Prayers

September 22

Lord, keep our tongues from evil, and our lips from speaking lies. As your holy angels always sing your praises in heaven, may we always glorify you on earth. Amen.

Source: Roman Breviary, revised from Prayers Ancient and Modern.

Into your hands of blessed protection and unspeakable mercy, Lord, I commend this day my soul and my body, with all the faculties, powers, and actions of them both. Always be with me. Direct, sanctify, and govern me in the ways of your laws, and in the works of your commandments; that, through your most mighty protection, both here and ever, I may be preserved in body and soul, to serve you, the only true God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Source: Private Devotions, 1560, 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.

September 17

Dearest Lord, send me your Holy Spirit to help me throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. Provide ways out of temptation so that I can endure it, and give me your blessed freedom, freedom from self and sin, and the enjoyment of that communion with you.

Lord, pour out the fullness of your grace on all I love, spread abroad your love into the hearts of those dearest to me, and draw them near to yourself, that those who know you in part may see the full beauty and truth that is in you. So glorify your name, and make your love complete in them, that your servants may praise your mercy forever. Amen.

Adapted from Maria Hare (1798-1870), 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.

Supplication

Almighty God,
fountain of eternal light,
send forth your truth into our hearts,
and pour on us the glory of your brightness;
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 Light

O Lord,
you are the Light,
the Way, the Truth, the Life.
In you there is no darkness,
error, vanity, or death—
the Light without which there is darkness,
the Way without which there is wandering,
the Truth without which there is error,
the life without which there is Death.
Lord, say, “Let there be Light,”
and I will see Light and renounce the darkness.
I will see the Way and avoid wandering.
I will see the Truth and shun error.
I will see Life and escape death.
Enlighten, O enlighten my blind soul
which sits in darkness and the shadow of Death,
and direct my feet into the way of peace. Amen.

Source: St. Augustine of Hippo, d. 430