weeds and briars, and lost for want of cultivating, and make it fruitful with thy dew from heaven. Oh, come, thou refreshment of them that languish and faint. Come, thou star and guide of them that sail in the tempestuous sea of the world; thou only haven of the tossed and shipwrecked. Come, thou glory and crown of the living, and only safeguard of the dying. Come, Holy Spirit, in much mercy, and make me fit to receive thee. Amen. -St. Augustine (354-430). XXXIX. PRAYER FOR A PURE HEART. Grant me, I beseech thee, almighty and most merciful God, fervently to desire, wisely to search out, and perfectly to fulfill all that is well-pleasing unto thee. Order thou my worldly condition to the glory of thy name; and, of all that thou requirest me to do, grant me the knowledge, the desire, and the ability, that I may so fulfill it as I ought, and may my path to thee, I pray, be safe, straightforward, and perfect to the end. Give me, O Lord, a steadfast heart, which no unworthy affection may drag downwards; give me an unconquered heart, which no tribulation can wear out; give me an upright heart, which no unworthy purpose may tempt aside. Bestow upon me also, O Lord my God, understanding to know thee, diligence to seek thee, wisdom to find thee, and a faithfulness that may finally embrace thee. Amen. -St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274). XL. PRAYER FOR CLEANSING. Almighty and merciful God, the fountain of all goodness, who knowest the thoughts of our hearts, we confess unto thee that we have sinned against thee, and done evil in thy sight. Wash us, we beseech thee, 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 bring forth worthy fruits of repentance. O eternal Light, shine into our hearts. O eternal Goodness, deliver us from evil. O eternal Power, be thou our support. Eternal Wisdom, scatter the darkness of our ignorance. Eternal Pity, have mercy upon us. Grant unto us that with all our hearts and minds and strength we may evermore seek thy face; and finally bring us, in thine infinite mercy, to thy holy presence. So strengthen our weakness, that, following in the footsteps of thy blessed Son, we may obtain thy mercy, and enter into thy promised joy. Amen. —Alcuin (A. D. 780). XLI. PRAISE TO GOD. Late have I loved thee, O thou eternal Truth and Goodness: late have I sought thee, my Father! But thou didst seek me, and when thou shinedst forth upon me, then I knew thee and learnt to love thee. I thank thee, O my light, that thou didst thus shine upon me; that thou didst teach my soul what thou wouldst be to me, and didst incline thy face in pity unto me. Thou, Lord, hast become my hope, my comfort, my strength, my all! In thee doth my soul rejoice. The darkness vanished from before mine eyes, and I beheld thee, the Sun of righteousness. When I loved darkness, I knew thee not, but wandered on from night to night. But thou didst lead me out of that blindness; thou didst take me by the hand and call me to thee, and now I can thank thee, and thy mighty voice which hath penetrated to my inmost heart. Amen. XLII. -St. Augustine (354-430). PRAYER FOR PURITY. O God, the Father of our Saviour Jesus Christ, whose name is great, whose nature is blissful, whose goodness is inexhaustible, God and ruler of all things, who art blessed forever; before whom stand thousands and thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand, the hosts of holy angels and archangels; sanctify, O Lord, our souls and bodies and spirits, search our consciences, and cast out of us every evil thought, every base desire, all envy and pride, all wrath and anger, and all that is contrary to thy holy will. And grant us, O Lord, lover of men, with a pure heart and contrite soul, to call upon thee, our holy God and Father who art in heaven. Amen. -Liturgy of St. James (Second Century). XLIII. PRAYER FOR GOD'S ABIDING PRESENCE. O God our Heavenly Father, renew in us the sense of thy gracious presence, and let it be a constant impulse within us to peace, trustfulness, and courage on our pilgrimage. Let us hold thee fast with a loving and adoring heart, and let our affections be fixed on thee, that so the unbroken communion of our hearts with thee may accompany us whatsoever we do, through life and in death. Teach us to pray heartily; to listen for thy voice within, and never to stifle its warnings. Behold, we bring our poor hearts as a sacrifice unto thee: come and fill thy sanctuary, and suffer naught impure to enter there. O thou who art love, let thy divine Spirit flow like a river through our whole souls, and lead us in the right way till we pass by a peaceful death into the land of promise. Amen. -Gerhard Tersteegen. XLIV. PRAYER FOR THE WHOLE CHURCH. O Lord our God, who hast bidden the light to shine out of darkness, who hast again wakened us to praise thy goodness and ask for thy grace: accept now, in thy endless mercy, the sacrifice of our worship and thanksgiving, and grant unto us all such requests as may be wholesome for us. Make us to be children of the light and of the day, and heirs of thy everlasting inheritance. Remember, O Lord, according to the multitude of thy mercies, thy whole church; all who join with us in prayer; all our brethren by land or sea, or wherever they may be in thy vast kingdom, who stand in need of thy grace and succor. Pour out upon them the riches of thy mercy, so that we, redeemed in soul and body, and steadfast in faith, may ever praise thy wonderful and holy name. Amen. -Greek Church. XLV. PRAYER FOR PATIENCE IN TRIALS. O merciful God, be thou now unto me a strong tower of defence, I humbly entreat thee. Give me grace to await thy leisure, and patiently to bear what thou doest unto me; nothing doubting or mistrusting thy goodness towards me; for thou knowest what is good for me better than I do. Therefore do with me in all things what thou wilt; only arm me, I beseech thee, with thine armor, that I may stand fast; above all things, taking to me the shield of faith; praying always that I may refer myself wholly to thy will, abiding thy pleasure, and comforting myself in those troubles which it shall please thee to send me, seeing such troubles are profitable for me; and I am assuredly persuaded that all thou doest cannot but be well; and unto thee be all honor and glory. Amen. -Lady Jane Grey, 1553. |