Help Us Remember!

Heavenly Father,
Help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children.

Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can't make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.

Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day (who really ought to get a job!) is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.

Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will be the last year that they go shopping together.

Heavenly Father, remind us each day that, of all the gifts you give us, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those we hold dear. Open our hearts not to just those who are close to us, but to all humanity. Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy and love.

- Author Unknown

Most holy and eternal God

Most holy and eternal God, Lord and sovereign of all the creatures, I humbly present to thy divine majesty, myself, my soul and body, my thoughts and my words, my actions and intentions, my passions, and my sufferings, to be disposed by thee to thy glory; to be blessed by thy providence; to be guided by thy counsel; to be sanctified by thy Spirit . . .

Jeremy Taylor, 1613-67

Lord, what we know not, teach us

Lord, what we know not, teach us; what we have not, give us; and what we are not, make us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Anonymous

Psalm 119:33-40

Teach me, O LORD, to follow your decrees;
then I will keep them to the end.
Give me understanding, and I will keep your law
and obey it with all my heart.
Direct me in the path of your commands,
for there I find delight.
Turn my heart toward your statutes
and not toward selfish gain.
Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
preserve my life according to your word.
Fulfill your promise to your servant,
so that you may be feared.
Take away the disgrace I dread,
for your laws are good.
How I long for your precepts!
Preserve my life in your righteousness.

May the God who binds up the brokenhearted

May the God who binds up the brokenhearted, who proclaims freedom to those held captive by poverty, and promises justice to all who mourn its loss, bless you with beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness in place of grief, and instead of your spirit of despair, a garment of unending praise; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Christian Aid

As the compass-needle's arms point to North, South, East and West

As the compass-needle's arms
point to North, South, East and West,
so the cross, through life's alarms,
helps us choose the way that's best.
Thank you, Lord, that you provide
this clear compass-cross to guide.

Where life's meaning is obscure,
through the valley of deep shade,
eyes are blind and hearts unsure;
Christ our Sun, shine through to aid,
showing where before us lies
journey's end in paradise.

Transitory earthly things
break like bubbles in the breeze,
hopes dry up like desert springs,
plans may crash like rootless trees.
Drench dry land, O Lord, with rain,
till we bear the harvest grain.

Countless voices seek to guide,
many paths there are to choose,
if we turn to either side
firm ground soon our feet will lose.
Take us by the hand, we pray,
lead us on the narrow way.

Lord, through dusty ways ahead,
save the stumbling, here below,
be on every path we tread,
show lost sheep which way to go.
Guide us through the sheepfold's door,
Till we come to joy once more.

Ernest Yang Yin-liu

Prayer for Marriage

Most gracious God, we give you thanks for your tender love in sending Jesus Christ to come among us, to be born of a human mother, and to make the way of the cross to be the way of life.

We thank you, also, for consecrating the union of man and woman in his Name.
By the power of your Holy Spirit, pour out the abundance of your blessing upon this man and this woman.
Defend them from every enemy.
Lead them into all peace.
Let their love for each other be a seal upon their hearts, a mantle about their shoulders, and a crown upon their foreheads.
Bless them in their work and in their companionship; in their sleeping and in their waking; in their joys and in their sorrows; in their life and in their death.
Finally, in your mercy, bring them to that table where your saints feast for ever in your heavenly home; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.



Christian
source: Book of Common Prayer (1979)

My Dearest Lord, Be thou a bright flame

My dearest Lord,
Be thou a bright flame before me,
Be thou a guiding star above me,
Be thou a smooth path beneath me,
Be thou a kindly shepherd behind me,
Today -- tonight -- and forever.

Columba

Prayer for Peaceful Sleep

Lord God,
send peaceful sleep
to refresh our tired bodies.
May your help always renew us
and keep us strong in your service.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Into your hands, O Lord, we commend our souls and bodies, beseeching you to keep us this night under your protection and strengthen us for our service on the morrow, for Christ's sake.
Amen.


- Archbishop Laud (1573-1645)

Lord of the morning and ruler of all seasons

Lord of the morning and ruler of all seasons, hear our prayer and have mercy on our souls . . .with the day may your light shine on our thoughts and may it drive away the shadows of error from our souls . . .

Syrian Orthodox

I cannot dance, O Lord, unless you lead me

I cannot dance, O Lord, unless you lead me. If it is your will, I can leap with joy. But you must show me how to dance and sing by dancing and singing yourself! With you I will leap towards love, and from love I will leap to truth, and from truth I will leap to joy, and then I shall leap beyond all human senses. There I will remain and dance for evermore.

Michtild of Magdeburg (1210-80)

God, of your goodness give me yourself

God, of your goodness give me yourself; for you are sufficient for me. I cannot properly ask anything less, to be worthy of you. If I were to ask less, I should always be in want. In you alone do I have all. Amen.

Juliana of Norwich, England, 15th century

Psalm 25 - To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul

1 To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;
2 in you I trust, O my God.
Do not let me be put to shame,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.
3 No one whose hope is in you
will ever be put to shame,
but they will be put to shame
who are treacherous without excuse.
4 Show me your ways, O LORD,
teach me your paths;
5 guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.
6 Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love,
for they are from of old.
7 Remember not the sins of my youth
and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
for you are good, O LORD.
Psalm 25:1-7

Prayer for Peace

May there be peace in the higher realms;
may there be peace in the firmament;
may there be peace on earth.

May the waters flow peacefully;
may the herbs and plants grow peacefully;
may all the divine powers bring unto us peace.

The Supreme Lord is peace.
May we all be in peace, peace, and only peace;
and may that peace come unto each of us.



Hindu

In Remembrance of Martin Luther King, Jr.

O Guardian of Israel,
Our shelter and shade,
Stir up in us that flame of justice
That Jesus incited on this earth,
That rages in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

O arouse in us
That very flame of righteousness
That enticed Martin
To be a living sacrifice of praise,
To seek freedom for all God's children.

O to you, God, ever faithful and true,
Be glory for ever and ever.
Amen.

- Attributed to J. Glenn Murray, SJ

My life is a bubble, a smoke, a shadow, a thought

. . . My life is a bubble, a smoke, a shadow, a thought; I know it hath no abiding in this thoroughfare. O, suffer me not so mad as while I pass on the way I should forget the end. It is that other life that I must trust to. With thee it is that I shall continue.

From The Art of Divine Meditation by Joseph Hall (1574-1656)

Bedtime Prayer - Now I lay me down to sleep

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray Thee, Lord, thy child to keep:
Thy love guard me through the night
And wake me with the morning light.
Amen.

Our darkness is never darkness in your sight

Our darkness is never darkness in your sight:
the deepest night is clear as the daylight.

Within our darkest night, you kindle the fire
that never dies away, that never dies away.

The Taize Community

Lord, do Thou turn me all into love

Lord, do Thou turn me all into love, and all my love into obedience, and let my obedience be without interruption.

Jeremy Taylor

Great art thou, O Lord, and marvelous are they works

Great art thou, O Lord, and marvelous are thy works: no words suffice to sing the praise of thy wonders. . .
The sun sings thy praises;
The moon glorifies thee;
The stars supplicate before thee;
The light obeys thee;
The deeps are afraid at thy presence;
The fountains are thy servants.
Thou hast stretched out the heavens like a curtain;
Thou hast established the earth upon the waters;
Thou hast walled about the sea with sand.
Thou hast poured forth the air that living things may breathe.
The angelic powers minister to thee; the choirs of archangels worship thee.
By the elements, by the angels and by men, by things visible and invisible, may thy most holy name be glorified, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

At the Blessing of the Waters, Epiphany, Orthodox

Fix thou our steps, O Lord

Fix thou our steps, O Lord, that we stagger not at the uneven motions of the world, but steadily go on to our glorious home . . .the winds are often rough, and our own weight presses us downwards. Reach forth, O Lord, thy hand, thy saving hand, and speedily deliver us. Teach us, O Lord, to use this transitory life as pilgrims returning to their beloved home; that we may take what our journey requires, and not think of settling in a foreign country.

John Wesley

O merciful and loving Father of all

O merciful and loving Father of all, look down we pray thee on the many millions who are hungry in the world today and are at the mercy of disease. Grant that we who have lived so comfortably and gently all our lives may have true sympathy with them and do all in our power, as individuals and as a nation, to help them to that abundant life which is thy will for them; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

George Appleton

Let this day, O Lord, add some knowledge...

Let this day, O Lord, add some knowledge or good deed to yesterday.

Lancelot Andrewes

Soul of Christ...Body of Christ...Blood of Christ

Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O good Jesus, hear me.
Hide me within your wounds
and never allow me to be separated from you.
From the wicked enemy defend me.
In the hour of my death call me,
And bid me come to you,
So that with your saints I may praise you
for ever and ever.

The "Anima Christi" from the 14th century

Let nothing disturb you...

Let nothing disturb you
nothing frighten you,
all things are passing;
patient endurance
attains all things.
One whom God possesses lacks nothing,
for God alone suffices.

On the bookmark of Teresa of Avila

Thanks be to thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits

Thanks be to thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits which Thou hast given 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; for Thine own sake.

St. Richard of Chichester

91st Psalm v.1-6 (Christian translation)

91st Psalm

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
abides under the shadow of the Almighty.

He shall say to the Lord,
"You are my refuge and my stronghold,
my God in whom I put my trust."

He shall deliver you from the snare of the hunter
and from the deadly pestilence.

He shall cover you with his pinions,
and you shall find refuge under his wings;
his faithfulness shall be a shield and buckler.

You shall not be afraid of any terror by night,
nor of the arrow that flies by day;

Of the plague that stalks in the darkness,
nor of the sickness that lays waste at mid-day.

A thousand shall fall at your side
and ten thousand at your right hand,
but it shall not come near you.

Your eyes only have to behold
to see the reward of the wicked.

Because you have made the Lord your refuge,
and the Most High your habitation,

There shall no evil happen to you,
neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.

For he shall give his angels charge over you,
to keep you in all your ways.

They shall bear you in their hands,
lest you dash your foot against a stone.

You shall tread upon the lion and the adder;
you shall trample the young lion and the serpent
under your feet.

Because he is bound to me in love,
therefore will I deliver him;
I will protect him, because he knows my Name.

He shall call upon me, and I will answer him;
I am with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and bring him to honor.

With long life will I satisfy him,
and show him my salvation.

- Psalms 91: 1-16
Christian, appropriate for many faiths
source: Book of Common Prayer 1979

91st Psalm v.1-6 (Jewish translation)

91st Psalm

O thou that dwellest in the covert of the Most High, and abidest in the shadow of the Almighty;

I will say of HaShem, who is my refuge and my fortress, my G-d, in whom I trust,

That He will deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

He will cover thee with His pinions, and under His wings shalt thou take refuge; His truth is a shield and a buckler.

Thou shalt not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flieth by day;

Of the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor of the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

A thousand may fall at Thy side, and ten thousand at Thy right hand; it shall not come nigh thee.

Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold, and see the recompense of the wicked.

For thou hast made HaShem who is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation.

There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy tent.

For He will give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

They shall bear thee upon their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Thou shalt tread upon the lion and asp; the young lion and the serpent shalt thou trample under feet.

'Because he hath set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he hath known My name.

He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him, and bring him to honour.

With long life will I satisfy him, and make Him to behold My salvation.'

- Psalms 91: 1-16
Jewish
source: Tanakh (Jewish Publication Society, 1917)

Prayer for Friends - Father, I ask You to bless my friends

God still sits on the throne. Each and every one of us are
going through tough times right now but God is getting ready to bless you in a way that only He can.

Keep the faith.

This prayer is powerful, and prayer is one
of the best gifts we receive. There is no
cost but a lot of rewards. Let's continue
to pray for one another.

The prayer:

Father, I ask You to bless my friends,
relatives and those I care deeply for who
are reading this right now. Show them
a new revelation of Your! love and power.
Holy Spirit, I ask You to minister to
their spirit at this very moment.

Where there is pain, give them your peace
and mercy. Where there is self-doubt, release
a renewed confidence through Your grace.
Where there is need, I ask you to fulfill their needs.
Bless their homes, families, finances, their goings
and their comings.. In Jesus' precious name Amen.

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TRUTH
For the law was given through Moses;
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

~ John 1:17

Prayer for those in Military Service

God of compassion,
we pray for military personnel,
offered for the sake of others,
and separated from family and loved ones.
Care for them; meet their needs.
Grant them courage, compassion, strength,
and all they need for the living of these days.
Sustain them through their every trial.
Remind them of the humanity they share
even with those who are called "the enemy;"
through Jesus Christ our Lord we pray. Amen.

Prayer for the New Year

Grant me the strength from day to day
To bear what burdens come my way.
Grant me throughout this bright New Year
More to endure and less to fear.
Help me live that I may be
From spite and petty malice free.

Let me not bitterly complain
When cherished hopes of mine prove vain,
Or spoil with deeds of hate and rage
Some fair tomorrow's spotless page.
Lord, as the days shall come and go
In courage let me stronger grow.

...

Lord, as the New Year dawns today
Help me to put my faults away.
Let me be big in little things;
Grant me the joy which friendship brings.
Keep me from selfishness and spite;
Let me be wise in what is right.

A happy New Year! Grant that I
May bring no tear to any eye.
When this New Year in time shall end
Let it be said I've played the friend,
Have lived and loved and labored here,
And made of it a happy year.

- Edgar A. Guest