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A Prayer Book for every day
Welcome to this small Prayer Book. We hope you will be able to make use of this Prayer Book as part of your own continuing walk with God. Prayer Drops Consists of 4 main sections - just click on the titles to take you there direct.....
It will help if you have a Bible containing both Old and New Testaments to accompany this Prayer Booklet.
A Forward by Bishop Michael
I’m glad to commend this really helpful ‘Prayer Book for Every Day’. Each of us needs this kind of ‘watering’ if we are to grow and thrive, flower and last as Christians.
Bishop Michael’s Favourite Prayer
God of life and love, Whose Son was victorious over sin and death: Make us alive with His life, that the whole world may resound with your praise; Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; O my God, in you I trust.
Opening Prayer Almighty and everlasting God, we thank you that you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day. Keep us from falling into sin or running into danger, order us in all our doings and guide us to do always what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Reading from scripture - choose one of the following: The Lord says this: Lo, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come; buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. (Isaiah 55.1 – 3)
If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3.1 – 3)
Just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body – Jews or Greeks, slaves or free – and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. (I Corinthians 12.12, 13)
Jesus said to the disciples again, 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.' When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.' (John 20.21 – 23) A Time of Silence is kept
Psalm - Read one of the following Psalms 145, 65, 121, 99, 47, 111, 93, 150
Prayers, which may include these concerns ¶ The people of God, for inspiration by the Spirit ¶ The media, for healthy communication ¶ Those who travel, for safety and protection
Collect Eternal light, shine into our hearts; eternal goodness, deliver us from evil; eternal power, be our support; eternal wisdom, scatter the darkness of our ignorance; eternal pity, have mercy upon us; that with all our heart and mind and soul and strength we may seek your face and be brought by your infinite mercy to your holy presence, through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Alcuin of York - 804)
A Prayer of St Chrysostom Almighty God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee; and dost promise that when two or three are gathered together in thy Name thou wilt grant their requests: fulfil now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants, as may be most expedient for them; granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting. Amen.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.
Opening Prayer
Heavenly Father, you have called us in
the Body of your Son Jesus Christ to continue his work of reconciliation
Reading from scripture - choose one of the following: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, 'Your God reigns.' Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices, together they sing for joy; for in plain sight they see the return of the Lord to Zion. Break forth together into singing, you ruins of Jerusalem; for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem. (Isaiah 52.7 – 9)
The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to Jesus. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour.' And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, 'Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.' (Luke 4.17-21)
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55.10, 11) A Time of Silence is kept
Psalm - Read one of the following Psalms 25, 70, 75, 50, 28, 76, 62, 82, 40, 9, 146
Prayers, which may include these concerns ¶ The persecuted Church, for protection and faithfulness ¶ The criminal justice system, for wisdom and fairness ¶ The world's displaced people, for freedom and security
Collect O Lord our God, grant us grace to desire you with our whole heart; that so desiring, we may seek and find you; and so finding, may love you; and so loving, may hate those sins from which you have delivered us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Anselm - 1109)
The Lord's Prayer is said.
Eternal God, in whose perfect realm no
sword is drawn but the sword of righteousness, security in that love which casts out fear and in the fellowship revealed to us in Jesus Christ our Saviour, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Make me to know your ways, O Lord, and teach me your paths.
Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your
apostles,
Reading from scripture - choose one of the following: Jesus said to the crowds: 'You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. 'You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.' (Matthew 5.13 – 16)
Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. (I Corinthians 13.4 – 7)
You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (I Peter 2.9, 10)
A Time of Silence is kept
Psalm - Read one of the following Psalms 89, 85,112,19,113,20,96,147
Prayers, which may include these concerns ¶ All who follow Christ, for growth in discipleship ¶ All in the medical profession ¶ All who have no one to pray for them
Collect Reveal in us your glory, Lord; stir in us your power. Renew in us your kingdom, Lord; strengthen in us your hope. Work in us your miracles, Lord; abide in us yourself. Daily Prayer (Diocese of Durham)
The Lord's Prayer is said.
Almighty God, from whom all thoughts of truth and peace proceed: kindle, we pray, in the hearts of all, the true love of peace; and guide with your pure and peaceable wisdom those who take counsel for the nations of the earth that in tranquillity your kingdom may go forward, till the earth is filled with the
knowledge of your love;
Teach me to do what pleases you, for you are my God; Let your kindly spirit lead me on a level path.
Opening Prayer Eternal God, fount and source of all authority and wisdom, hear our prayer for those who govern. Give to Elizabeth our Queen grace as the symbol of loyalty and unity for all our different peoples; give to the Parliaments in these islands, and especially to our own Government, wisdom and skill, imagination and energy; give to the members of the European institutions vision, understanding and integrity, that all may live in peace and happiness, truth and prosperity; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Reading from scripture - choose one of the following: Brothers and sisters, I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, 'This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.' In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.' For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. (I Corinthians 11.23- 26)
As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ; there is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3.27 – 29)
‘I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.' (John 13.34, 35)
A Time of Silence is kept
Psalm - Read one of the following Psalms 93, 97, 66,24,57,21,148
Prayers may include these concerns
¶ Ministers of the gospel ¶ Those who work for reconciliation ¶ Those in hospital
Collect
O gracious and holy Father, give us wisdom to perceive you, diligence to seek you, patience to wait for you, eyes to behold you, a heart to meditate upon you, and a life to proclaim you, through the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ our Lord. (Benedict of Nursia - c.550)
The Lord's Prayer is said.
Almighty God,
should bear fruit in due season:
Make me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Opening Prayer
Almighty God, you have entrusted to your
Church
Reading from scripture - choose one of the following: Seek good and not evil, that you may live; and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you, just as you have said. Hate evil and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph. (Amos 5.14, 15)
When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7.13, 14)
We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. (2 Corinthians 4.8 – 10)
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (John 3.16, 17)
A Time of Silence is kept
Psalm - Read one of the following Psalms 26, 32, 56, 3, 6, 25, 39, 13, 124, 147
Prayers may include these concerns ¶ The local church, for courage to take up the cross of Christ ¶ Those in authority, for the right use of power ¶ Victims and perpetrators of violence, for healing and repentance
Collect
Lord Jesus Christ, we thank you for all the benefits you have won for us, for all the pains and insults you have borne for us. Most merciful redeemer, friend and brother, may we know you more clearly, love you more dearly, and follow you more nearly, day by day. (After Richard of Chichester - 1253)
The Lord's Prayer is said.
Almighty God,
I lift up my eyes to the hills; from where is my help to come? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.
Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your
apostles,
Reading from scripture - choose one of the following: In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And one called to another and said: 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.' The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. (Isaiah 6.1 – 4)
I, John, saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.' (Revelation 21.1 – 4)
The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder's den. They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 11.6 – 9) A Time of Silence is kept
Psalm - Read one of the following Psalms 33, 139, 116, 65, 145, 23, 125, 92, 97, 149
Prayers may include these concerns ¶ That Christians may live as citizens of heaven ¶ That the nations of the world will live in harmony ¶ That the dying will know the joy of resurrection
Collect
God be in my head, and in my understanding; God be in my eyes, and in my looking; God be in my mouth, and in my speaking; God be in my heart, and in my thinking; God be at mine end, and at my departing. (Sarum Primer)
The Lord's Prayer is said.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen
I wait for the Lord; my soul waits for him; in his word is my hope.
Opening Prayer Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we thine unworthy servants do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all people; We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ, for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And we beseech thee; give us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful, and that we shew forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives; by giving up ourselves to thy service, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.
Reading from scripture - choose one of the following: 'With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?' He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6.6 – 8)
'Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me. To the one who conquers I will give a place with me on my throne, just as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.' (Revelation 3.20 – 22) Jesus said, 'The hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.' (John 4.23,24)
A Time of Silence is kept
Psalm - Read one of the following Psalms 118, 81, 135, 139, 33, 30, 66, 117
Prayers may include these concerns ¶ The universal church, so she may proclaim the living Lord ¶ That we might use creation in a sustainable way ¶ The needy, that they may know new life
Collect. Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger. (St Patrick's Breastplate)
The Lord's Prayer is said.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or conceive, by the power which is at work among us, to him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all ages. Amen.
Much prayer is corporate, that is to say we do it together and this is reflected in much of what you will say when you come to Church. Yet there is another side to our prayer life, our own individual prayers.
Whether you are a child, young person or an adult, it is easier than you might imagine! Millions of people of every age pray every day. You don't have to know any prayers if you want to pray - in fact, words can often get in the way. Say what is in your heart, what you feel.
Remember! God hears every prayer - but not all prayers are answered in the way we might expect or desire!
'Arrow' Prayers can be offered to God anywhere, at any time.
Thankfully we don't (usually) live all our lives in moments of extreme crisis. What about day-to-day praying? We need to come closer to God, to experience His love for us and to try to make sense of where we are in the world. Prayer is the way we do this.
How to start? There are lots of ways and the next few pages are some examples of how we might begin to pray.
However you pray, and whether you have your own way or use one of the ways described in this Booklet, it is always good to have a few general guidelines -
Wherever it is possible set aside regular times for prayer. Have some idea of what and who you want to pray for. Ask God in prayer, but don’t forget to give thanks as well.
Try some of the patterns on the following pages.
Prayer Pattern - 1 Use your hand.
Your fingers can be used to bring to your mind different things to pray for.
Thumb - this is the strongest digit on your hand. Give thanks for all the strong things in your life that support and sustain you.
Index finger - this is the pointing finger. Pray for all those people and organisations in your life which guide and help you. Examples might be friends, teachers, doctors, nurses, emergency services and so on.
Middle finger - this is the tallest finger. Pray for all the people who have power, like world leaders and their governments, Members of Parliament and local councillors, the Royal Family, and the people who support them in their work.
Ring finger - this is the weakest finger on your hand. It can not do much by itself. Remember the poor, the weak, the helpless, the hungry, the sick, the ill and the bereaved.
Little finger - this is the smallest and the last finger on your hand. Pray for yourself.
Prayer Point 1 - Do I have to kneel to pray?
Only if you want to.
Prayer Pattern - 2 ACTS
This serves to remind us of the Prayer life of the early church and the ‘Acts of the Apostles’ but it is also a jolly good acronym for a daily prayer discipline -
A - is for Adoration. Begin your time of prayer by acknowledging how great God really is - One of the prayers in the anthology section begins, ‘You are holy, Lord, the only God, and your deeds are wonderful....’
C - is for Confession. Then move into a time in which you bring before God anything which you know is not right in your life. Someone once said, ‘the only sins God is aware of are the ones we haven’t told Him about’!! The great gift of God where sin is concerned is the gift of forgiveness - so tell Him.
T - is for Thanksgiving. Very often prayer can become a shopping list of ‘God... will you do this, that and the other’. Nothing at all wrong with such asking, but it is a good idea to give thanks first.
S - is for Supplication. This is when we ask God to hear our prayers. Sometimes these can be simple prayers, God bless mummy, daddy, nanny, grampy, auntie dot etc, etc, etc..... other times they can be focussed on one person or particular need.
It is good to finish with a formal prayer - The Lord’s Prayer is an example of such a concluding prayer.
Prayer Point 2 - Is silence needed for prayer? No - but it is helpful not to have too much distracting background noise.
Prayer Pattern - 3 Lord - how do we pray?
Jesus’ followers asked him this question - and he replied by relating to them the prayer which is the most famous in the world, the one we call the ‘Lord’s Prayer’.
This has 3 sections - The first section consists of a series of statements about God. The second section is a series of requests with a ‘twist’ The third section has been added by the church as a concluding sentence. The Lord’s Prayer can be used as a framework for our own prayers by using each phrase as a starter for our own prayers as follows:
Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; this is rather like the A in Acts (see previous page) and is an acknowledgement of God’s holiness. After you have said these words, take time to praise God who is the infinite creator God.
thy kingdom come; thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. This continues the theme of God’s greatness and can lead us to pray for the ministry of His church on earth, that His mission will be done on earth, and it can help us to focus prayers on places where there is strife and unrest.
Give us this day our daily bread. This begins the second section of the prayer and it is an opportunity for us to pray for our needs; as another prayer puts it, ‘that which is most expedient for us’. There is nothing wrong with praying for our self —— sometimes we need to earnestly!
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. This is a confessional with a two edged sword. We need to bring before God those things which are wrong in our life; our impatience, temper, intemperance, harsh words, impure thoughts and all that might be described as ‘sin’. But when others wrong us we need to be able to forgive them. So in this section, as hard as it may be, we need to pray for those who have hurt us.
And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. This section gives us an opportunity to pray for things that are coming up in the future - that meeting or appointment, that holiday or contract, anything which we are planning. It is an opportunity to listen to God’s word before we make decisions - but careful though, it is not meant to help us prevaricate or have someone (God) to blame if we make the wrong decision.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. This is the part added by the church and we can use this to conclude our prayer time with thanksgiving and praise.
Prayer Point 3 - Do I need to write things down for prayer? Some people keep a prayer diary and find this very useful, it isn’t obligatory, but try it and see if it helps.
Prayer Pattern 4 - Songs of Praise
Music and hymns are terribly subjective. What is music to the soul for one person is trite naffness to another. Many Christian hymns are based directly on scripture, ‘The Lord’s my shepherd’ being Psalm 23 is a famous example. Other hymns are songs of praise, others teach Christian values. Many can be a vehicle for prayer. Think of your favourite hymn or perhaps just a verse of that hymn, break it down into a series of segments and then pray using these as guides. Take this as an example:
Amazing Grace - This tells us something of the awesomeness of God. Spend a few moments thinking and praying about the amazing gifts of life, love and all the things we hold to be most precious.
how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me - This speaks of God’s unconditional forgiveness. John Newton, who wrote this hymn, was once a slave ship captain who sold fellow humans into slavery. Yet he (eventually!) repented of this sin and received total forgiveness. We can bring before God the things that burden us and can confidently receive forgiveness - not cheap forgiveness, but bought by Jesus at the price of His death on the cross.
I once was lost, but now am found - This could lead us into prayers for those parts of the world where the Christian message is not heard.
Was blind, but now I see - Here we might pray for people in authority, especially those who have authority but no accountability.
Different hymns can have different themes, perhaps a different one each day or week.
Prayer Pattern 5 - Focused Prayer
It can be very helpful to focus on something as you pray. Some examples of this are :
Candles - Think about what or who you are going to pray for. Then light one or more candles. If you are going to pray for one person or thing, maybe just light one candle, if for several then perhaps light one candle for each. Night lights (tea lights) are very good and can burn for a long time. There are short stubby candles which are sold as ‘church candles’ and are very good for this. You can buy wrought iron candlesticks very easily these days to allow candles to be ‘3D’ in their effect.
Icons - Icons are very special pictures. They are not images in the manner proscribed by the second commandment. Icons have been described as ‘Doorways to the Sacred’ and they are used to help us focus not on the picture itself, but on what is ‘behind’ the picture. So, an Icon of Christ is not an idol or image, but a doorway to help us focus on the divinity of Christ. Very often they can be used to concentrate prayers on the nature of God and can be aids to praise and thanksgiving. Candles and Icons can be used together.
Pictures - The use of pictures can help us in many ways and a picture of nature in all its glory can be a tremendous aid to prayer. Pictures that are not pretty can also be helpful in aiding our prayers for those in need.
Music - The use of music can be a wonderful aid to prayer. Such music can be ancient or modern, simple or grand, short or long, played once or played repetitively. You can chose different music to help prayer with different themes.
Incense - This can be used to give a sense of well being - after all, prayer should touch all our senses.
O God, the living God, who has put your own eternity in our hearts, and has made us to hunger and thirst after you. Satisfy, we pray you, the instincts which you have implanted in us, that we may find you in life, and life in you, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Anon
O Lord, help us to turn and seek you; for you have not forsaken your creatures as we have forsaken you, our Creator Let us turn and seek you, for we know you are here in our hearts when we confess to you, when we cast ourselves on you and weep because of our evil ways. You gently wipe away our tears and we weep all the more for joy because you, Lord, who made us, remake and comfort us Hear, Lord, my prayer, and grant that I may love you completely St. Augustine
My God, I pray that I may so know you and love you that I may rejoice in you And if I may not do so fully in this life, let me go steadily on to the day when I come to that fullness. Let the knowledge of you increase in me here, and there let it come to its fullness Let your love grow in me here, and there let It be fulfilled, so that here my joy may be in a great hope, and there in full reality Anselm
Thank you, good Lord, thank you, for it was by your gift that I first believed, and now by your illumination I understand. Anselm
Thanks be to thee, Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits which thou hast won for us, for all the pains and insults which thou hast borne for us. O most merciful Redeemer, Friend and Brother, may we know thee more clearly, love thee more dearly and follow thee more nearly day by day Richard of Chichester
Lord, I do not know what I ought to ask of you; you alone know what I need; you love me better than I know how to love myself 0 Father, give to your child that for which he himself knows not how to ask I dare not ask either for crosses or consolations, I simply present myself to you, I open my heart to you Behold my needs which I know not myself, see and do according to your tender mercy Let me suffer, or heal; cast me down, or raise me up, I adore all your purposes without knowing them; I am silent, I offer myself in sacrifice, I yield myself to you, I would have no other desire than to accomplish your will. Teach me to pray, Pray yourself in me François de Ia Mathe Fenelon
O Lord God, who never failest both to hear and to answer the prayer that is sincere: Let not our hearts be upon the world when our hands are lifted up to pray nor our prayers end upon our lips, but go forth with power to work thy will in the world, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Eric Milner-White
Almighty and merciful God, the fountain of all goodness, who knows the thoughts of our hearts, we confess that we have sinned against you, and done what you see as evil. Wash us, we implore you, from the stains of our past sins, and give us grace and power to put away all hurtful things so that, being delivered from the bondage of sin, we may produce the good fruits of repentance. Alcuin
Forgive me my sins, 0 Lord; forgive me the sins of my youth and the sins of mine age, the sins of my soul, and the sins of my body, my secret and my whispering sins, my presumptuous and my crying sins, the sins that I have done to please myself, and the sins that I have done to please others. Forgive me those sins which I know, and those sins which I know not, forgive them, 0 Lord, forgive them all of thy great goodness. Private Devotions 1560
Grant us, O Lord Christ, to desire to have you as our Saviour, not in the next world, but in this, that you will change and alter all that is within us, as you helped the blind to see and the lame to walk, that your nature may be formed and created in our hearts, your humility and self-denial, your love of the Father, the desire of doing his will and seeking only his honour; that so the kingdom of God may be in us now, and our possession for ever, world without end Deliver me, O God, from all idolatrous love of any creature. Preserve me from all such blind affection Be a guard to all my desire And be my security that I may never open my heart to anything but out of love to you. John Wesley
Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ before me, Christ beside me Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger Attributed to St. Patrick of Ireland
Give me your strength; give me your love; and be the motive of all the use I make of my understanding, my affections, my senses, my health, my time, and whatever other talents I have received from you. Only thus can I fulfil my duty and your command of loving you with all my heart, and mind, and soul and strength. John Wesley
Stir us up to offer to you, 0 Lord, our bodies, our souls, our spirits, in all we love and all we learn, in all we plan and all we do, to offer our labours, our pleasures, our sorrows to you, to work through them for your Kingdom, to live as those who are not their own, but bought with your blood Charles Kingsley
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek To be consoled, as to console; To be understood, as to understand, To be loved, as to love; For it is in giving that we receive, It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, And it is in dying that we are born To eternal life Francis of Assisi
O God of all the nations of the earth, remember the multitudes who, though created in your image, have not known you, nor the dying of your Son their Saviour Jesus Christ Grant that by the prayers and work of your holy church they may be delivered from all ignorance and unbelief, and brought to worship you; through him whom you have sent to be the resurrection and the life of all people, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord Francis Xavier
The most direct way to others is always through prayer. Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Father, who hast made all men in thy likeness and lovest all whom thou hast made, suffer not our family to separate itself from thee by building barriers of race and colour. As thy Son, our Saviour, was born of a Hebrew mother, but rejoiced in the faith of a Syrian woman and of a Roman soldier, welcomed the Greeks who sought him, and suffered a man from Africa to carry his cross, so teach us to regard the members of all races as fellow-heirs of the kingdom of Jesus Christ our Lord. Toc H Prayer
O Lord, the author and persuader of peace, love and goodwill, soften our hard and steely hearts, warm our icy and frozen hearts, that we may wish one another well, and may be the true disciples of Jesus Christ. And give us grace even now to begin to display that heavenly life in which there is no disagreement or hatred, but peace and love on all hands, one towards another. Ludovicus Vives
O Lord, help us to forgive as we would be forgiven; neither mentioning old offences committed against us, nor dwelling upon them in thought, nor being influenced by them in heart; but loving our brother freely as you freely loved us. Christina Rossetti
Lord, make possible for me by grace what is impossible to me by nature You know that I am not able to endure very much, and that I am downcast by the slightest difficulty Grant that for your sake I may come to love and desire any hardship that puts me to the test, for salvation is brought to my soul when I undergo suffering and trouble for you. Thomas a Kempis
Almighty God, have mercy on us, who, when troubled with the things that are past, lose faith, and life, and courage, and hope. So have mercy on us, and uphold us, that we, being sustained by a true faith that you are merciful and forgiving, may go on in the life of the future to keep your commandments, to rejoice in your generosity to trust in your mercy and to hope in eternal life Grant to all of us, whatever may happen to us, to remember always that it is all of your guidance, under your care, by your will; that so, in darkest days, seeing you we may have courage to go on, faith to endure, patience to bear, and hopefulness to hold out, even to the end George Dawson
Some Prayers from the Book of Common Prayer
ALMIGHTY God, Father of all mercies, we thine unworthy servants do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us, and to all people. We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all, for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful, and that we shew forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives; by giving up ourselves to thy service, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.
O GOD, the Creator and Preserver of all mankind, we humbly beseech thee for all sorts and conditions: that thou wouldest be pleased to make thy ways known unto them, thy saving health unto all nations. More especially, we pray for the good estate of the Catholick Church; that it may be so guided and governed by thy good Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Finally, we commend to thy fatherly goodness all those, who are any ways afflicted, or distressed, in mind, body, or estate; that it may please thee to comfort and relieve them, according to their several necessities, giving them patience under their sufferings, and a happy issue out of all their afflictions. And this we beg for Jesus Christ his sake. Amen.
A Prayer of St. Chrysostom. ALMIGHTY God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee; and dost promise, that when two or three are gathered together in thy Name thou wilt grant their requests; Fulfil now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants, as may be most expedient for them; granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting. Amen.
A Collect from Morning Prayer O LORD, our heavenly Father, Almighty and everlasting God, who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day; Defend us in the same with thy mighty power; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance, to do always that is righteous in thy sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
2 Corinthians xiii. THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.
Hear our humble prayer, 0 God, for our friends the animals, especially for animals who are suffering; for any that are hunted or lost or deserted or frightened or hungry; for all that must be put to death. We entreat for them all thy mercy and pity and for those who deal with them we ask a heart of compassion, gentle hands and kindly words. Make us ourselves to be true friends to animals and so to share the blessing of the merciful. Albert Schweitzer reminds us that we share this planet !
And to close .......... May the road rise to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, the rains fall soft upon your fields and, until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand. A Celtic Prayer
A Service of Compline - or Night Prayer
This service may be used by individuals or it can be used in a household. The bold text will help you turn it into a service suitable for more than one person.
The Lord almighty grant a quiet night and a perfect end. Amen.
Brethren, be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist, steadfast in the faith. 1 Peter 5.8,9
But thou, O Lord, have mercy.
Thanks be to God. who hath made heaven and earth.
A period of silence for reflection may follow.
I confess to God almighty,
O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory be to the Father, and to
the Son,
as it was in the beginning, is
now, and ever shall be, Praise ye the Lord. The Lord’s name be praised.
(Spoken) Hymn
Before the ending of the day,
keeper now.
thine only Son;
The Word of God
Psalmody - Choose and read a psalm
Scripture Reading - Choose a short reading
Thou, O Lord, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not, O Lord our God. Jeremiah 14.9 Thanks be to God.
Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Into thy hands, O Lord, I
commend my spirit. For thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, thou God of truth.
I commend my spirit. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Keep me as the apple of an eye. Hide me under the shadow of thy wings.
Canticle
1 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant
depart in peace :
2 For mine eyes have seen : thy salvation;
3 Which thou hast prepared :
4 To be a light to lighten the
Gentiles :
Preserve us, O Lord, while
waking,
Prayers
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Our Father, which art in
heaven,
Blessed art thou, Lord God of our fathers:
to be praised and glorified
above all for ever.
praise him and magnify him for
ever. Blessed art thou, O Lord, in the firmament of heaven:
to be praised and glorified
above all for ever.
Amen.
that thy people may rejoice in
thee? O Lord, shew thy mercy upon us;
and grant us thy salvation.
O Lord, have mercy upon us,
have mercy upon us. and let our cry come unto thee.
Let us pray.
Visit, we beseech thee, O Lord,
this place,
Lighten our darkness, we beseech
thee, O Lord; Amen.
O Lord Jesus Christ, son of the
living God,
Look down, O Lord, from thy
heavenly throne,
with thy celestial brightness,
Be present, O merciful God,
The Conclusion
We will lay us down in peace and take our rest.
For it is thou, Lord, only
that makest us dwell in safety.
for it is toward evening and
the day is far spent. As the watchmen look for the morning,
so do we look for thee, O
Christ.
and with thy spirit. Thanks be to God.
The almighty and merciful Lord,
Some material included in this service of Compline is copyright: © The Archbishops' Council 2000 Original material © Paul Firmin 2003
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