The Collect for Purity
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen. [BCP, page 355]
A General Thanksgiving
Accept, O Lord, our thanks and praise for all that you have done for us. We thank you for the splendor of the whole creation, for the beauty of this world, for the wonder of life, and for the mystery of love.
We thank you for the blessing of family and friends, and for the loving care which surrounds us on every side.
We thank you for setting us at tasks which demand our best efforts, and for leading us to accomplishments which satisfy and delight us.
We thank you also for those disappointments and failures that lead us to acknowledge our dependence on you alone.
Above all, we thank you for your Son Jesus Christ; for the truth of his Word and the example of his life; for his steadfast obedience, by which he overcame temptation; for his dying, through which he overcame death; and for his rising to life again, in which we are raised to the life of your kingdom.
Grant us the gift of your Spirit, that we may know Christ and make him known; and through him, at all times and in all places, may give thanks to you in all things. Amen. [BCP, page 836]
For the Church
Gracious Father, we humbly beseech thee for thy holy Catholic Church; that thou wouldest be pleased to fill it with all truth, in all peace. Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in anything it is amiss, reform it. Where it is right, establish it; where it is in want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake of him who died and rose again, and ever liveth to make intercession for us, Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord. Amen. [St. Augustine's Prayer Book, pages 34-35]
A Prayer of Thomas Merton
God, we have no idea where we are going. We do not see the road ahead of us. We cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do we really know ourselves, and the fact that we think we are following your will does not mean that we are actually doing so. But we believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And we hope we have that desire in all that we are doing. We hope that we will never do anything apart from that desire. And we know that if we do this you will lead us by the right road, though we may know nothing about it. Therefore, we will trust you always though we may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. We will not fear, for you are ever with us, and you will never leave us to face our perils alone. [Listening Hearts, page 147]
A Morning Resolve
I will try this day to live a simple, sincere, and serene life, repelling promptly every thought of discontent, anxiety, discouragement, impurity, and self-seeking; cultivating cheerfulness, magnanimity, charity, and the habit of holy silence; exercising economy in expenditure, generosity in giving, carefulness in conversation, diligence in appointed service, fidelity to every trust, and a childlike faith in God.
In particular I will try to be faithful in those habits of prayer, work, study, physical exercise, eating, and sleep which I believe the Holy Spirit has shown me to be right.
And as I cannot in my own strength do this, nor even with a hope of success attempt it, I look to thee, O Lord God my Father, in Jesus my Savior, and ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit. [taken from Forward Day By Day]
Morning Prayers
O God, the King eternal, whose light divides the day from the night and turns the shadow of death into the morning: Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep your law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that, having done your will with cheerfulness during the day, we may, when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget you, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [BCP, pages 99-100]
Evening Prayers
O God, the life of all who live, the light of the faithful, the strength of those who labor, and the repose of the dead: We thank you for the blessings of the day that is past, and humbly ask for your protection through the coming night. Bring us in safety to the morning hours; through him who died and rose again for us, your Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Lord Jesus, stay with us, for evening is at hand and the day is past; be our companion in the way, kindle our hearts, and awaken hope, that we may known you as you are revealed in Scripture and the breaking of bread. Grant this for the sake of your love. Amen.
Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity th e afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love's sake. Amen. [BCP, page 124]
O gracious Light,
pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven,
O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!
Now as we come to the setting of the sun,
and our eyes behold the vesper light,
we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices,
O Son of God, O Giver of life,
and to be glorified through all the worlds. [BCP, page 118]
Prayer of Repentance
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen. [BCP, page 352]
A General Intercession
Lord, I pray for all mankind, that they may be brought to know, love and serve thee. I pray for thy holy Church throughout all the world, and especially for our own part of the Church, for our Bishop, and for the Priests and People of my parish. I pray for the employed, that they may work as unto thee, and not unto men. I pray for the unemployed, that they may find work, and be saved from despondency. Be thou their strength in adversity. May the sick be healed, the hungry fed, the mourners comforted, the poor succored, and the afflicted in mind and body be firmly held in thy deep peace that passeth human understanding. Bless my friends, and bless my enemies, and grant us all the spirit of penitence that we may be forgiven, through the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ our Savior, who liveth and reigneth, world without end. Amen. [St. Augustine's Prayer Book, page 34]
The Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardship as the patyway to peace. Taking as Jesus did this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will; that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. [by Reinhold Niebuhr, from A Manual of Prayers, page 88]
Prayer of St. John Damascene
O my God and Lord Jesus Christ, lead me in Your way that I may walk in Your truth; gladden my heart that I may fear Your holy Name. O Lord so mighty in Your mercy, so gracious in Your might, assist and comfort me, save me, for I put my trust in Your holy Name. In your wrath, do not let me perish, O Lord and Lover of Mankind, but show me your great mercy and compassion. O Physician and Healer of my soul, O merciful Savior, blot out all my transgressions, for in the depth of my heart I am sorry for having offended You. Grant me your grace, that I may avoid my earlier and evil ways; give me the strength, O Mighty One, to withstand the temptations before which I am weak; keep me under your protection, and under the shadow of your wings, so that I may serve You faithfully, praise You, and glorify Your Name all the days of my life.
The Father is my hope, the Son my refute, the Holy Spirit my shelter. O Holy Trinity, all glory be to you! [Byzantine Book of Prayer, pages 596-597]
Prayer of St. John Chrysostom before receiving the Holy Eucharist
I believe, O Lord, and I confess that Thou art truly the Christ, the Son of the living God, Who came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. Moreover, I believe that this is truly Thy most pure Body, and this is truly Thine Own precious Blood; wherefore, I pray Thee: Have mercy on me and forgive me my transgressions, voluntary and involuntary, whether in word or deed, in knowledge or in ignorance. And vouchsafe me to partake without condemnation of Thy most pure Mysteries, unto the remission of sins and life everlasting. Amen. [taken from The Jordanville Prayerbook, pages 374-375]
Prayer of Self-Dedication to Jesus Christ
Ascribed to St. Ignatius of Loyola
Lord Jesus Christ, take all my freedom, my memory, my understanding, and my will. All that I have and cherish you have given me. I surrender it all to be guided by your will. Your grace and your love are wealth enough for me. Give me these, Lord Jesus, and I ask for nothing more. [taken from A Manual of Prayers, page 34]
Healing Prayer of St. Luke's Guild
Heavenly Father, you are our strength and our very present help when we are in need. We seek now your healing grace; that you will lift up those for whom we pray. Those in sickness, in distress, in despair, in sorrow; in every frailty of the human condition. We hold in our hearts, the example of your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, who, when he walked the earth, performed the greatest and most compassionate healing ministry ever known. We ask also to be strengthened in our belief, that through faith we may also benefit from the belssed healing power of Him who cures the sick and raises the dead; the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.