A Lenten Prayer

(Pope St Pius V, 1504-72)

Look with favor, Lord,
on your household.
Grant that,
though our flesh be humbled
by abstinence from food,
our souls, hungering after you,
may be resplendent in your sight.

Amen.

Anima Christi (2)  Pope John XXII (translated by Blessed John Henry Newman)

Soul of Christ, be my sanctification,
Body of Christ, be my salvation,
Blood of Christ, fill my veins
Water from the side of Christ, wash out my stains.
May Christ’s Passion strengthen me,
O good Jesus, hear me.
In thy wounds I fain would hide,
Never to be parted from thy side.
Guard me when my foes assail me,
Call me when my life shall fail me.
Command me then to come to thee.
That I for all eternity
With thy saints may praise thee.

Amen.

Blessing to Brother Leo (St Francis of Assisi)

May God bless you and keep you.
May He show His face to you
and have compassion upon you.
May He turn His face toward you
and give you peace.

Amen.

Christmas Prayer

(Attr. St. Bernard of Clairvaux)

Let your goodness, Lord, appear to us, that we,
made in your image, may conform ourselves to it.
In our own strength we cannot image
your majesty, power and wonder;
nor is it fitting for us to try.

But your mercy reaches from the heavens,
through the clouds, to the earth below.
You have come to us as a small child,
but you have brought us the greatest of all gifts,
the gift of your eternal love.

Caress us with your tiny hands,
embrace us with your tiny arms,
and pierce our hearts with your soft, sweet cries.

Amwn.

Come, My Light

(St Dimitrii of Rostov, Russian Orthodox, 1651-1709)

Come, my Light,
and illumine my darkness.
Come, my Life,
and revive me from death.
Come, my Physician,
and heal my wounds.
Come Flame of divine love,
and burn up the thorns of my sins,
kindling my heart
with the flame of thy love.

Amen.

Easter Prayer – Christ is Risen!

(St. Hippolytus of Rome, 170 – 235 AD)

Christ is Risen: The world below lies desolate
Christ is Risen: The spirits of evil are fallen
Christ is Risen: The angels of God are rejoicing
Christ is Risen: The tombs of the dead are empty
Christ is Risen indeed from the dead,
the first of the sleepers,
Glory and power are his forever and ever.

Amen.

For the Sick (St Benedict)

(St Benedict’s Prayer Book, Ampleforth)

God our Father,
Your Son accepted our sufferings to teach us the virtue of patience in human illness.
Hear the prayers we offer for our sick brothers and sisters.
May all who suffer pain, illness or disease
realise that they have been chosen to be saints
and know that they are joined to Christ in his suffering
for the salvation of the world.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Give me, O Lord, a steadfast heart

Thomas Aquinas (1225-74)

Give me, O Lord,
a steadfast heart,
which no unworthy thought can drag downwards;
an unconquered heart,
which no tribulation can wear out;
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;
through Jesus Chris our Lord.

Amen.

Holy Spirit Prayer of St Augustine

Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit,
That my thoughts may all be holy.
Act in me, O Holy Spirit,
That my work, too, may be holy.
Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit,
That I love but what is holy.
Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit,
To defend all that is holy.
Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit,
That I always may be holy

Amen,

Nativity Prayer

(St. Augustine of Hippo, AD 354-440)

Let the just rejoice,
for their justifier is born.

Let the sick and infirm rejoice,
For their saviour is born.

Let the captives rejoice,
For their Redeemer is born.

Let slaves rejoice,
for their Master is born.

Let free men rejoice,
For their Liberator is born.

Let All Christians rejoice,
For Jesus Christ is born.

Amen.

Read more: http://www.lords-prayer-words.com/times/christmas_prayer.html#ixzz48xBWB52m

Night prayer of St Augustine of Hippo

Watch, dear Lord,
With those who wake or watch or weep this night,
and give your angels charge over those who sleep.

O Lord Jesus Christ,
tend your sick ones,
rest your weary ones,
bless your lonely ones,
soothe your suffering ones,
shield your joyous ones,
and all for your love‘s sake. Amen.

O sweet Child of Bethlehem (Pope John XXIII)

O sweet Child of Bethlehem,
grant that we may share with all the hearts
in this profound mystery of Christmas.
Put into the hearts of men this peace
for which they sometimes seek so desperately
and which you alone can give them.
Help them to know one another better,
and to live as brothers,
children of the same Father.
Reveal to them also your beauty, holiness and purity.
Awaken in their hearts
love and gratitude for your infinite goodness.
Join them all together in your love.
And give us your heavenly peace.
Amen, Amen.

Peace Prayer (of Saint Francis of Assisi)

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

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.
Amen.

Praise God, Alleluia!

(St. Francis of Assisi)

Dear Mother earth,
Who day by day unfolds rich blessing on our way,

O Praise God! Alleluia!

The fruits and flowers that verdant grow,
Let them his praise abundant show.

O praise God, O praise God, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Prayer before a Crucifix (St Francis of Assisi)

Most High, glorious God,
enlighten the darkness of my heart
and give me true faith, certain hope and perfect charity,
sense and knowledge, Lord,
that I may carry out Your holy and true command.

Amen.

Prayer for Generosity (Jacques Sevin SJ after St Ignatius of Layola)

Lord, teach me to be generous:
to serve you as you deserve;
to give and not to count the cost;
to fight and not to heed the wounds;
to toil and not to seek to rest;
to labour and to ask for no reward
save that of knowing I do your will.
Amen.

Prayer for the Bishops (Pope John XXIII)

O Jesus, Eternal Priest,
you who have lit in this world an undying flame,
enable those whom you have chosen for the episcopate
to share in the purposes of your divine Heart.

Give to those generous hearts upon whom you have bestowed
the fullness of your priesthood
the grace of honouring you and your Holy Church,
and multiply around them evermore
new and fervent apostles of your kingdom,
for the salvation of all peoples.

O Lord, grant that as they work in peace
and enjoy tranquillity of order,
the peoples and nations may prosper
under your most generous blessings,
and the Church extend ever more widely
her redeeming mission.

Save your people Lord: and bless your inheritance.
And govern them and lift them up for ever.

Prayer for the needs of others

St Anselm (1033-1109)

We bring before Thee, O Lord,
the troubles and perils of peoples and nations,
the sighings of prisoners and captives,
the sorrows of the bereaved,
the necessities of strangers,
the helplessenss of the weak,
the despondency of the weary,
the failing powers of the aged.
O Lord, draw near to each,
for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Prayer for the needs of others

St Clement of Rome (Pope Clement I AD88-99)

We beg you, Lord,
to help and defend us.
Deliver the oppressed,
pity the insignificant,
raise the fallen,
show yourself to the needy,
heal the sick,
bring back those of your people
who have gone astray,
feed the hungry,
lift up the weak,
take off the prisoner’s chains.

May every nation come to know
that you alone are God,
that Jesus Christ is your child,
that we are your people,
the sheep that you pasture.

Amen.

Prayer for the Second Ecumenical Vatican Council (Pope John XXIII)

(Excerpted)
May this Council produce abundant fruits:
may the light and power of the Gospel
be more widely diffused in human society;
may new vigour be imparted
to the Catholic religion and its missionary function;
may we all acquire
a more profound knowledge of the Church’s doctrine
and a wholesome increase of Christian morality.

O gentle Guest of our souls,
confirm our mind in the truth
and dispose our hearts to obedience,
that the deliberations of the Council may find in us
generous consent and prompt obedience.

Renew in our days your miracles
as of a second Penetecost;
and grant that Holy Church,
reunited in our prayer,
more fervent than before,
around Mary the Mother of Jesus,
and under the leadership of Peter,
may extend the kingdom of the divine Saviour,
A kingdom of truth, justice, love and peace.

Amen.

Prayer of Adoration (St Francis of Assisi)

We adore You,
Lord Jesus Christ,
in all Your churches
throughout the world
and we bless You
because
by Your holy cross
You have
redeemed the world.

Amen.

Prayer of St Augustine

Eternal God, You are the light of the minds that know you,
the joy of the hearts that love you,
and the strength of the wills that serve you;
grant us so to know you, that we may truly serve you,
whom to serve is prefect freedom, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Prayer of St Ignatius of Layola

Take Lord and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding and my entire will;
all that I have and possess.
You have given it all to me:
to you, O Lord, I return it.
All is yours;
do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and grace,
for this is enough for me.
Our one desire and choice in life should be this:
I want and I choose what better leads to God deepening his life in me.

Prayer of St Richard of Chichester

O most merciful Redeemer, Friend and Brother,

may  I know you more clearly,

love you more dearly,

follow you more nearly,

day by day. Amen

Prayer of St Teresa of Avila (1)

Christ has no body now on earth but yours:
No hands but yours:
No feet but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which must look out Christ’s compassion on the world.
Yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good.
Yours are the hands with which he is to bless mankind now.

Prayer of St Teresa of Avila (2)

Let nothing disturb you,
Nothing affright you;
All things are passing,
God never changes.
Patient endurance
Attains to all things;
Who God possesses
In nothing is wanting;
Alone God suffices.

Prayer of St Thomas More (Be With Us Today)

Father in heaven,
you have given us a mind to know you,
a will to serve you,
and a heart to love you.
Be with us today in all that we do,
so that your light may shine out in our lives.
Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Prayer of St. Thomas Merton

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.

Nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.

But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.
And I hope that I have that desire in all that I am doing.

I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire,
and I know that if I do this
you will lead me by the right road
though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore I will trust you always
though I may need to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

Prayer of St. Thomas More

Give me, good Lord, a full and fervent charity,
a love of you, good Lord,
incomparable above the love of myself;
and that I love nothing to your displeasure
but everything in order to you.
Take from me, good Lord, this lukewarm fashion, or rather, this cold manner of meditation, and this dullness in praying to you.
Give me warmth, delight, and life in thinking about you.
And give me your grace to long for your holy sacraments and especially to rejoice in the presence of your blessed body, my sweet Saviour Jesus Christ, in the holy sacrament of the altar,
and duly to thank you for your graciousness in giving yourself to me.

Amen.

Prayer to be more Christ-like

(St. John Gabriel Perboyre)

O my Divine Saviour,
Transform me into Yourself.
May my hands be the hands of Jesus.
Grant that every faculty of my body
May serve only to glorify You.
Above all,
Transform my soul and all its powers
So that my memory, will and affection
May be the memory, will and affections
Of Jesus.
I pray You
To destroy in me
All that is not of You.
Grant that I may live
But in You, by You and for You,
So that I may truly say,
With St. Paul,
“I live – now not I –
But Christ lives in me”.

Amen.

Prayer to Jesus

(St John Vianney)

I love You, O my God, and my only desire is to love You until the last breath of my life.
I love You, O my infinitely lovable God,
and I would rather die loving You, than live without loving You.
I love You, Lord, and the only grace I ask is to love You eternally
My God, if my tongue cannot say in every moment that I love You,
I want my heart to repeat it to You as often as I draw breath.

Amen.

Prayer to Know God’s Will (St. Ignatius of Loyola)

May it please the supreme and divine Goodness
to give us all abundant grace
ever to know his most holy will
and perfectly to fulfill it. Amen.

Soul of Christ Prayer (14th Century)

Soul of Christ
A 14th Century prayer used by St Ignatius
Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from Christ’s side, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O good Jesus, hear me.
Within your wounds hide me.
Let me not be separated from you.
From the enemy defend me,
At my death call me
And bid me, come to you
That with your saints I may praise you
For ever and ever.

Amen.

Suscipe (St. Ignatius of Loyola)

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding,
and my entire will,
All I have and call my own.
You have given all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.
Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace,
that is enough for me.

Tantum Ergo (Saint Thomas Aquinas)

With heads bowed let us now worship a sacrament so great;
And let the old teaching give way to the new;
Let faith reinforce our belief where the senses cannot.

To the Father and the Son let there be praise and jubilation,
Salvation, honor, virtue, and also blessing;
To the Holy Spirit let there be equal praise.

The Canticle of Brother Sun (St Francis of Assisi)

Most High, all-powerful, good Lord,
Yours are the praises, the glory, and the honour, and all blessing,
To You alone, Most High, do they belong,
and no human is worthy to mention Your name.
Praised be You, my Lord, with all Your creatures,
especially Sir Brother Sun,
Who is the day and through whom You give us light.
And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendour;
and bears a likeness of You, Most High One.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars,
in heaven You formed them clear and precious and beautiful.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind,
and through the air, cloudy and serene, and every kind of weather,
through whom You give sustenance to Your creatures.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Water,
who is very useful and humble and precious and chaste.
Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
through whom You light the night,
and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.
Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Mother Earth,
who sustains and governs us,
and who produces various fruit with coloured flowers and herbs.

Praised be You, my Lord, through those who give pardon for Your love,
and bear infirmity and tribulation.
Blessed are those who endure in peace
for by You, Most High, shall they be crowned.

Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death,
from whom no one living can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin.
Blessed are those whom death will find in Your most holy will,
for the second death shall do them no harm.

Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks
and serve Him with great humility.
AMEN

The Canticle of the Creatures (adapt. from St Francis of Assisi)

Praised be my Lord God for all his creatures,
especially for our brother the sun,
who brings us the day and the light.
Beautiful is he and shines with great splendour; O Lord he shows you to us.
Praised be my Lord for our sister the moon and for the stars,
which he has set clear and lovely in the heavens.
Praised be my Lord for our brother the wind
and for the air, cloudy and serene, and for all kinds of weather,
by which You uphold the life in all creatures.
Praised be my Lord for our sister the water
who is useful and humble and precious and clean.
Praised be my Lord for our brother the fire
who, giving light in the darkness, is beautiful and playful and mighty and strong.
Praised be my Lord for our mother the earth,
who sustains us and keeps us with fruits and many-coloured flowers and grasses.

Praised be my Lord, through all who forgive and bear infirmity and suffering.
Blessed are all who endure in peace, for by You, my Lord, they shall be rewarded.
Praised be my Lord, through our sister Death, from whom no one living can escape.

All praise and bless the Lord and give Him thanks and serve Him with great humility.
AMEN

The Exhortation of the Praises of God (St Francis of Assisi)

Lord God:
you alone are holy,
you who work wonders! You are strong, you are great,
you are the Most High,
you are the almighty King,
you, holy Father, King of heaven and earth.
Lord God: you are Three and you are One,
you are goodness, all goodness,
you are the higest Good,
Lord God, living and true.
You are love and charity, you are wisdom,
you are humility, you are patience,
you are beauty, you are sweetness,
you are sefety, you are rest, you are joy,
you are our hope
and our delight,
you are justice, you are moderation
you are all our wealth
and riches overflowing.
You are beauty, you are gentleness,
you are our shelter, our guard
and our defender,
you are strength, you are refreshment,
you are our hope.
you are our faith.
you are our love,
you are our complete consolation,
you are our life everlasting,
great and wonderful Lord,
all powerful God, merciful Savior!
Amen.

The grace to work for that for which we pray

St Thomas More (1478-1535)

The things, good Lord, that we pray for,
give us the grace to work for;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

The Memorare

(Attr. St Bernard of Clairvaux)

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,
that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection,
implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided.

Inspired by this confidence I fly unto thee, O virgin of virgins, my mother.
To thee I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful.

O, mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petition
but in thy clemency hear and answer me.

Amen.

The Praises of God (St Francis of Assisi)

You are holy Lord God Who does wonderful things.
You are strong. You are great. You are the most high.
You are the almighty king. You holy Father,
King of heaven and earth.

You are three and one, the Lord God of gods;
You are the good, all good, the highest good,
Lord God living and true.

You are love, charity; You are wisdom, You are humility,
You are patience, You are beauty, You are meekness,
You are security, You are rest,
You are gladness and joy, You are our hope, You are justice,
You are moderation, You are all our riches to sufficiency.

You are beauty, You are meekness,
You are the protector, You are our custodian and defender,
You are strength, You are refreshment. You are our hope,
You are our faith, You are our charity,
You are all our sweetness, You are our eternal life:
Great and wonderful Lord, Almighty God, Merciful Saviour.

Amen.

You are Christ

(Attr. St Augustine of Hippo, 4th Century)

You are Christ, my Holy Father, my Tender God, my Great King, my Good Shepherd, my Only Master, my Best Helper, my Most Beautiful and my Beloved, my Living Bread, my Priest Forever, my Leader to my Country, my True Light, my Holy Sweetness, my Straight Way, my Excellent Wisdom, my Pure Simplicity, my Peaceful Harmony, my Entire Protection, my Good Portion, my Everlasting Salvation.

Christ Jesus, Sweet Lord, why have I ever loved, why in my whole life have I ever desired anything except You, Jesus my God? Where was I when I was not in spirit with You? Now, from this time forth, do you, all my desires, grow hot, and flow out upon the Lord Jesus: run… you have been tardy until now; hasten where you are going; seek Whom you are seeking. O, Jesus may he who loves You not be an anathema; may he who loves You not be filled with bitterness.

O, Sweet Jesus, may every good feeling that is fitted for Your praise, love You, delight in You, adore You! God of my heart, and my Portion, Christ Jesus, may my heart faint away in spirit, and may You be my Life within me! May the live coal of Your Love grow hot within my spirit and break forth into a perfect fire; may it burn incessantly on the altar of my heart; may it glow in my innermost being; may it blaze in hidden recesses of my soul; and in the days of my consummation may I be found consummated with You!

Amen.