Prayers: Ancient & Modern

March the First

O Holy Spirit, Love of God, infuse Thy grace, and descend plentifully into my heart; enlighten the dark corners of this neglected dwelling, and scatter there Thy cheerful beams; dwell in that soul that longs to be Thy temple; water that barren soil, over-run with 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)

March the Second

Hear us, O never-failing Light, Lord our God, the Fountain of light, the Light of Thine Angels, Principalities, Powers, and all intelligent beings; who hast created the light of Thy Saints. May our souls be lamps of Thine, kindled and illuminated by Thee. May they shine and burn with the truth, and never go out in darkness and ashes. May the gloom of sins be cleared away, and the light of perpetual faith abide within us. Amen.

-- Mozarabic, before A.D. 700

O God, the Sovereign Good of the soul, who requirest the hearts of all Thy children; deliver us from all sloth in Thy work, all coldness in They cause; and grant us by looking unto Thee to rekindle our love, and by waiting upon Thee to renew our strength, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

-- William Bright

March the Third

O God, Gracious and Merciful, give us, we entreat Thee, a humble trust in Thy mercy, and suffer not our heart to fail us. Though our sins be seven, though our sins be seventy times seven, though out sins be more in number than the hairs of our head, yet give us grace in loving penitence to cast ourselves down into the depth of Thy compassion. Amen.

-- Christina G. Rossetti

O God, the Source of perfect blessedness, who dost teach Thy faithful ones to walk in Thy laws, to search Thy testimonies, to keep Thy commands; grant unto us, we beseech Thee, Thy righteousness, that we may seek Thee with our whole hearts; that we, who hitherto have wandered like lost sheep, restored by Thy kind arms, may rejoice in the glories of Paradise, through Jesus Christ Thy Son. Amen.

-- Sarum Breviary, A.D. 1085

March the Fourth

I will say unto my God, my Lord, and my King, “O how great is the abundance of Thy goodness, O Lord, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee.” But what art Thou to those who love Thee? What to those who serve Thee with their whole heart? In this especially Thou hast showed me the sweetness of Thy love; that, when I was not, Thou madest me, when I went far astray from Thee, Thou broughtest me back again, that I might serve Thee, and has commanded me to love Thee. I would I were able, at least for one day, to do Thee some worthy service. Truly, Thou art my Lord, and I Thy servant, who am bound to serve Thee with all my might; and this I wish to do, this I desire; and whatsoever is wanting unto me, do Thou, I beseech Thee, vouchsafe to supply. Amen.

-- Thomas a Kempis

March the Fifth

Infinite and holy One, whom we know as our Father and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we devoutly thank Thee for the mercy that created us from the dust, and for the greater mercy that has created us anew by a heavenly adoption as Thy children. For the undying yearnings, which Thou hast implanted in us, after things unseen - for their satisfaction in Thyself, we thank Thee; and we rejoice that Thou hast been willing to encourage our frail and mortal spirits, by revealing to us something of the perfections of Thy nature, and calling us to follow after Thee. Grant, we pray, that Thy loving-kindness may be followed by our obedience. And do Thou so conform our best purposes by renewing our sense of Thy presence, that we may both imitate Thy nature, and accept Thy dealings with us in the spirit of childlike trust, and by the help of Thy dear Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

-- Henry W. Foote

March the Sixth

O Lord, the portion of our inheritance, give us grace, I pray Thee, never to aim at or desire anything out of Thee. What we can enjoy in Thee, give us according to Thy will; what we cannot, deny us. Amen.

-- Christina G. Rossetti

O grant unto us, O Lord God, that we may love one another unfeignedly; for where love is, there art Thou; and he that loveth his brother is born of Thee, and dwelleth in Thee, and Thou in him. And where brethren do glorify Thee with one accord, there dost Thou pour out Thy blessing upon them. Love us, therefore, O Lord, and shed Thy love into our hearts, that we may love Thee, and our brethren in Thee and for Thee, as all children to Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

-- Book of Christian Prayers, 1578

March the Seventh

O Lord, hear; Lord, forgive; Lord, do; hear what I speak amiss, do what I have undone; that, not according to my word or my deed, but according to Thy mercy and truth, all may issue to Thy glory and the good of Thy kingdom. Amen.

-- Maria Hare

Almighty and Eternal God, who hast revealed Thy nature in Christ Jesus Thy Son as Love: we humbly pray Thee give us Thy Holy Spirit, to glorify Thee also in our hearts as pure Love, and thus constrain us by Thy Divine power to love Thee again with our whole souls, and our brethren as ourselves; that so by Thy grace we may be fulfilled with love, and evermore abide in Thee and Thou in us, with all joyfulness, and free from fear or distrust, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

-- Bunsen’s Collection

March the Eighth

We bless and praise and magnify Thee, O God of our fathers, who hast led us out of the shadows of night once more into the light of day. Unto Thy loving-kindness we make our entreaty; be merciful to our misdeeds; accept our prayers in the fulness of Thy compassions, for Thou art our refuge from one generation to another, O merciful and almighty God. Suffer the true Sun of Thy righteousness to shine in our hearts, enlighten our reason, and purify our senses; that so we may walk honestly as in the day, in the way of Thy commandments, and reach at last the life eternal, where we shall rejoice in Thy inaccessible life. For Thou art the Fountain of Life, and in Thy light shall we see light. Amen.

-- Greek Church

March the Ninth

O Searcher of hearts, Thou knowest us better than we know ourselves, and seest the sins which our sinfulness hides from us. Yet even our own conscience beareth witness against us, that we often slumber on our appointed watch; that we walk not always lovingly with each other, and humbly with Thee; and we withhold that entire sacrifice of ourselves to Thy perfect will, without which we are not crucified with Christ, or sharers in His redemption. Oh, look upon our contrition, and lift up our weakness, and let the dayspring yet arise within our hearts, and bring us healing, strength, and joy. Day by day may we grow in faith, in self-denial, in charity, in heavenly-mindedness. And then, mingle us at last with the mighty host of Thy redeemed for evermore. Amen.

-- James Martineau

March the Tenth

O Lord, perfect, we beseech Thee, the faith of us who believe, and sow the good seed of faith in their hearts who as yet lack it; that we may all look steadfastly unto Thee, and run with patience the race that is set before us. Give us grace to show our faith by our works; teach us to walk by faith, having respect unto the promises: which of Thy mercy make good to us in Thine own good time, O our most Gracious Lord God and Saviour. Amen.

-- Christina G. Rossetti

O Lord, let Thy holy breath ever keep alive in us that fire which Thy Son of old came to kindle upon earth, that we also may be anointed with the spirit of peace, holiness, and obedience, and dwell in Thy fellowship for ever. Amen.

-- Rowland Williams

March the Eleventh

O God, who seest all our weaknesses, and the troubles we labor under, have regard unto the prayers of Thy servant, who stands in need of Thy comfort, Thy direction, and Thy help. Thou alone knowest what is best for us; let me never dispute Thy wisdom or Thy goodness. Lord, so prepare my heart, that no affliction may ever so surprise as to overbear me. Dispose me at all times to a readiness to suffer what Thy Providence shall order or permit. Grant that I may never murmur at Thy appointments, nor be exasperated at the ministers of Thy Providence. Amen.

-- Thomas Wilson (1663-1755)

Heed Thy people, O Lord, with Thy grace, and deliver our souls from the death of sin; so that, being filled with Thy mercy, we may be united with the joys of the righteousness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

-- Sarum Breviary, A.D. 1085

March the Twelfth

O my Father, I have moments of deep unrest - moments when I know not what to ask by reason of the very excess of my wants. I have in these hours no words for Thee, no conscious prayers for Thee. My cry seems purely worldly; I want only the wings of a dove that I may flee away. Yet all the time Thou hast accepted my unrest as a prayer. Thou hast interpreted its cry for a dove’s wings as a cry for Thee, Thou has received the nameless longings of my heart as the intercessions of Thy Spirit. They are not yet the intercessions of my spirit; I know not what I ask. But Thou knowest what I ask, O my God. Thou knowest the name of that need which lies beneath my speechless groan. Thou knowest that, because I am made in Thine image, I can find rest only in what gives rest to Thee; therefore Thou hast counted my unrest unto me for righteousness, and hast called my groaning Thy Spirit’s prayer. Amen.

-- George Matheson

March the Thirteenth

Ah Lord God, Thou holy Lover of my soul, when Thou comest into my soul, all that is within me shall rejoice. Thou art my Glory and exultation of my heart; Thou art my Hope and Refuge in the day of my trouble. Set me free from all evil passions, and heal my heart of all inordinate affections; that, being inwardly cured and thoroughly cleansed, I may be made fit to love, courageous to suffer, steady to persevere. Nothing is sweeter than Love, nothing more courageous, nothing fuller nor better in heaven and earth; because Love is born of God, and cannot rest but in God, above all created things. Let me love Thee more than myself, nor love myself but for Thee; and in Thee all that truly love Thee, as the law of Love commandeth, shining out from Thyself. Amen.

-- Thomas a Kempis

March the Fourteenth

Teach me O Father, how to ask Thee each moment, silently, for Thy help. If I fail, teach me at once to ask Thee to forgive me. If I am disquieted, enable me, by Thy grace, quickly to turn to Thee. May nothing this day come between me and Thee. May I will, do, and say, just what Thou, my loving and tender Father, willest me to will, do, and say. Work Thy holy will in me and through me this day. Protect me, guide me, bless me, within and without, that I may do something this day for love of Thee; something which shall please Thee; and that I may, this evening, be nearer to Thee, though I see it not, nor know it. Lead me, O Lord, in a straight way unto Thyself, and keep me in Thy grace unto the end. Amen.

-- E. B. Pusey

March the Fifteenth

I know, O Lord, and do with all humility acknowledge myself an object altogether unworthy of Thy love; but sure I am, Thou art an object altogether worthy of mine. I am not good enough to serve Thee, but Thou hast a right to the best service I can pay. Do Thou then impart to me some of that excellence, and that shall supply my own want of worth. Help me to cease from sin according to Thy will, that I may be capable of doing Thee service according to my duty. Enable me so to guard and govern myself, so to begin and finish my course, that, when the race of life is run, I may sleep in peace, and rest in Thee. Be with me unto the end, that my sleep may be rest indeed, my rest perfect security, and that security a blessed eternity. Amen.

-- St. Augustine (354-430)

March the Sixteenth

Rest upon us, O Spirit of Love, and chase all anger, envy, and bitter grudges from our souls. Be our Comforter in trial, when he billows go over our heads; be our Strength in the hour of weakness, and help us to control the desires of the flesh. Let us grow in faith and love, in hope, patience, and humility. See by how many temptations we are surrounded, and preserve us from giving way to them; show us the path wherein we should tread, for if we trust to our own impulses we shall go astray; but if Thou lead us we shall run in the way of Thy commandments. Our hearts lie open before Thee; enter now with Thy rich gifts, strengthen, stablish, settle them. Dwell in them and make them Thy temple, so shall we have the pledge of our sonship, and of our salvation. Amen.

-- J. F. Stark (1680-1756)

March the Seventeenth

O merciful God, full of compassion, long-suffering and of great pity, make me earnestly repent, and heartily to be sorry for all my misdoings; make the remembrance of them so burdensome and painful that I may flee to Thee with a troubled spirit and a contrite heart; and, O merciful Lord, visit, comfort, and relieve me; excite in me true repentance; give me in this world knowledge of Thy truth and confidence in Thy mercy, and, in the world to come, life everlasting. Strengthen me against sin, and enable so to perform every duty, that whilst I live I may serve Thee in that state to which Thou hast called me; and, at last, by a holy and happy death, be delivered from the struggles and sorrows of this life, and obtain eternal happiness, for the sake of our Lord and Saviour, Thy Son Jesus Christ. Amen.

-- Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)

March the Eighteenth

O Thou hope of all the ends of the earth; Thou on whom our fathers hoped, and were not confounded; Thou, who knowest whereof we are made, and whereby our shortcoming, have pity on us, O Lord. O Helper of the helpless, and Stronger than the strong, remember all who are in distress of mind, body, or estate; succor them according to their need. It is meet and right, in all things, for all men, in joy and sorrow, alone and all together, to remember and worship Thee, to trust in Thee, and praise Thee, Lord and Father, King and God, Fountain of life and immortality, Source of everlasting good. Thee all the heavens hymn, and higher spirits praise, crying to each other, or going on the work which Thou givest them, and so perfecting praise. Blessed be the Dweller of Eternity, my Strength and my Deliverer, my Salvation and my Refuge for ever. Amen.

-- Rowland Williams

March the Nineteenth

Most merciful and gracious Father, I bless and magnify Thy name that Thou has adopted me into the inheritance of sons, and hast given me a portion of my elder Brother. Thou who art the God of patience and consolation, strengthen me that I may bear the yoke and burden of the Lord, without any uneasy and useless murmurs, and ineffective unwillingness. Lord, I am unable to stand under the cross, unable of myself, but be Thou pleased to ease this load by fortifying my spirit, that I may be strongest when I am weakest, and may be able to do and suffer every thing that Thou pleasest, through Christ who strengtheneth me. Let me pass through the valley of tears, and the valley of the shadow of death with safety and peace, with a meek spirit, and a sense of the divine mercies, through Jesus Christ. Amen.

-- Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667)

March the Twentieth

Guide us in Thy way, O Lord, and mercifully show the fountain of wisdom to our thirsting minds; that we may be free from sorrowful heaviness, and may drink in the sweetness of life eternal. Amen.

-- Mozarabic, before A.D. 700

I need Thee to teach me day by day, according to each day’s opportunities and needs. Give me, O my Lord, that purity of conscience which alone can receive, which alone can improve Thy inspirations. My ears are dull, so that I cannot hear Thy voice. My eyes are dim, so that I cannot see Thy tokens. Thou alone canst quicken my hearing, and purge my sight, and cleanse and renew my heart. Teach me to sit at Thy feet, and to hear Thy word. Amen.

-- John Henry Newman

March the Twenty-first

O God of Light, Father of Life, Giver of Wisdom, Benefactor of our souls, who givest to the faint-hearted who put their trust in Thee those things into which the angels desire to look; O Sovereign Lord, who hast brought us up from the depths of darkness to light, who hast given us life from death, who hast graciously bestowed upon us freedom from slavery, and who hast scattered the darkness of sin within us; do Thou now also enlighten the eyes of our understanding, and sanctify us wholly in soul, body, and spirit. Amen.

-- Liturgy of St. Mark (175-254)

O Lord, give us all, we beseech Thee, grace and strength to overcome every sin; sins of besetment, deliberation, surprise, negligence, omission; sins against Thee, our self, our neighbor; sins great, small, remembered, forgotten. Amen.

-- Christina G. Rossetti

March the Twenty-second

My adorable God, I humbly beseech Thee to accept the sacrifice I here, in all humility, desire to make Thee, of the remainder of my life; to be entirely employed, with the utmost vigor both of my soul and body, in Thy service and adoration. Pardon all the sins and offences of my life past, and be pleased to bestow upon me a steadfast faith, an ardent love, an humble and perfect obedience, and a will capable of no other inclination than what it shall continually receive from the absolute guidance of Thy divine will; to which I beg it may be ever perfectly subservient, with all readiness and cheerfulness. As all my thoughts and actions are continually before Thee, so I humble beseech Thee, that they may never be unworthy of Thy divine Presence, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

-- Charles How (1661-1745)

March the Twenty-third

O God, ever blessed and holy! none but the angels and Thy redeemed can serve Thee with a perfect joy. Called in our measure to be perfect as Thou art perfect, we have been most unlike to Thee, and are not worthy to be deemed Thy children. Thirsting with momentary desires, we have forsaken the living springs of heavenly wisdom, of which he that drinketh shall never thirst again. We have been slow to the calls of affection, heedless of the duties, hard under the sorrows, which are Thy gracious discipline; yet are oppressed with cares Thou layest not on us, with ease Thou dost not permit, and wants Thou wilt never bless. Visit us with the wrestlings of Thy Spirit: and lay on us the cross, if we may but grow into the holiness, of Christ. Amen.

-- James Martineau

March the Twenty-fourth

Almighty God, of Thy fulness grant to us who need so much, who lack so much, who have so little, wisdom and strength. Bring our wills unto Thine. Lift our understandings into Thy heavenly light; that we thereby beholding those things which are right, and being drawn by Thy love, may bring our will and our understanding together to Thy service, until at last, body and soul and spirit may be all Thine, and Thou be our Father and our Eternal Friend. Amen.

-- George Dawson

Almighty God, who seest that we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves, keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

-- Gregorian, A.D. 590

March the Twenty-fifth

O Eternal Purity! Thou art brighter than the sun, purer than the angels, and the heavens are not clean in Thy sight; with mercy behold Thy servant, apt to be tempted with every object, and to be overcome by every enemy. I cannot, O God, stand in the day of battle and danger, unless Thou coverest me with Thy shield, and hidest me under Thy wings. Thou didst make me after Thine image; be pleased to preserve me so pure and spotless, that my body may be a holy temple, and my soul a sanctuary to entertain Thy divinest Spirit, the Spirit of love and holiness. Amen.

-- Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667)

O God, deliver us from earthly desires, that no sin may reign in us, but that we may with free spirits serve Thee, our only Lord; through Jesus Christ. Amen.

-- Gelasian Sacramentary, A.D. 492

March the Twenty-sixth

O Lord, give Thy blessing, we pray Thee, to our daily work, that we may do it in faith and heartily, as to the Lord and not unto men. All our powers of body and mind are Thine, and we would fain devote them to Thy service. Sanctify them, and the work in which they are engaged; let us not be slothful, but fervent in spirit, and do Thou, O Lord, so bless our efforts that they may bring forth in us the fruits of true wisdom. Teach us to seek after truth and enable us to gain it; but grant that we may ever speak the truth in love; that, while we k now earthly things, we may know Thee, and be known by Thee, through and in Thy Son Jesus Christ. Give us this day Thy Holy Spirit, that we may be Thine in body and spirit in all our work and all our refreshments, through Jesus Christ Thy Son, our Lord. Amen.

-- Thomas Arnold

March the Twenty-seventh

  O Thou, gracious and gentle and condescending God, Thou God of peace, Father of mercy, God of all comfort; see, I lament before Thee the evil of my heart; I acknowledge that I am too much disposed to anger, jealousy, and revenge, to ambition and pride, which often give rise to discord and bitter feelings between me and others. Too often have I thus offended and grieved both Thee, O long-suffering Father, and my fellow-men. Oh forgive me this sin, and suffer me to partake of the blessing which Thou hast promised to the peacemakers, who shall be called the children of God.
  Bestow o me, O Lord, a genial spirit and unwearied forbearance; a mild, loving, patient heart; kindly looks, pleasant, cordial speech and manners in the intercourse of daily life; that I may give offence to none, but as much as in me lies live in charity with all men. Amen.

-- Johann Arndt (1555-1621)

March the Twenty-eighth

O God, my God, I am all weakness, but Thou art my Strength; I am ever anew bowed down by any trial, but Thou canst and willest to lift me up. Let me not fail, O God my Strength; let me not be discouraged, O God my Hope. Draw me each day, if it be but a little nearer unto Thee; make me, each day, if it be but a little less unlike Thee; let me do or bear each day something, for love of Thee, whereby I may be fitter for Thee. Let no day pass without my having done something pleasing unto Thee. Thus alone would I live, that I may live more unto Thee; thus would I die, longing to love Thee more. Amen.

-- E. B. Pusey

O God, the Shepherd of all Thy people, deliver the same from all sins which do not assail them, that so they may ever be pleasing in Thy sight, and safe under Thy shelter; for Christ’s sake. Amen.

-- Roman Breviary

March the Twenty-ninth

O Thou who chastenest whom Thou lovest, grant us grace, we pray Thee, to discern Thy love in whatever suffering Thou sendest us. Support us in patient thankfulness under pain, anxiety, or loss, and move us with pity and tenderness for our afflicted neighbors. Amen.

-- Christina G. Rossetti

O Lord, let me not henceforth desire health or life, except to spend them for Thee, with Thee, and in Thee. Thou alone knowest what is good for me; do, therefore, what seemest Thee best. Give to me, or take from me; conform my will to Thine; and grant that, with humble and perfect submission, and in holy confidence, I may receive the orders of Thine eternal Providence; and may equally adore all that comes to me from Thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

-- Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)

March the Thirtieth

O Lord, succor, we beseech Thee, us who are tempted. May nothing induce us to distrust Thy care over us, nor to use Thy gifts to the denial of Thee, their Giver. May we never presume upon Thy protection when we are forsaking Thy paths, and tempting Thee. May we never, for the sake of any supposed gain or advancement, quench the testimony of Thy Spirit, or prove disloyal to Thy service. Do Thou so support us in all temptations that, when we have been tried, we may receive the crown of life, which Thou hast prepared for them that love Thee. Amen.

--Henry Alford

O God, the Author of peace and Lover of concord, grant unto us to be so firmly established in the love of Thyself, that no trials whatsoever may be able to part us from Thee. Amen.

-- Roman Breviary

March the Thirty-first

We beseech Thee, O Lord, make us subject unto Thee with a ready will, and evermore stir up our wills to make supplication unto Thee. Amen.

-- Gelasian, A.D. 492

Almighty God, Maker of heaven and earth, Giver of light and life, so teach us those things which belong to the heavenly kingdom, and those duties which are of the earth, that we, stirred by the light and life of the peace of God, may be enabled faithfully to do the things committed to us, looking ever unto Thee for light and life, that, being lifted above ourselves, the life of God in the soul of man may be ours, and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, may then keep our hearts and minds, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

-- George Dawson