<h2 class="sc" id="c5">Chapter III <br/>THIRD CENTURY PRAYERS</h2>
<div class="pb" id="Page_32">32</div>
<h3>For Blessings</h3>
<p>We most earnestly beseech Thee, O Thou
Lover of mankind, to bless all Thy people, the
flocks of Thy fold. Send down into our hearts
the peace of heaven, and grant us also the
peace of this life. Give life to the souls of all
of us, and let no deadly sin prevail against us,
or any of Thy people. Deliver all who are in
trouble, for Thou art our God, who settest the
captives free; who givest hope to the hopeless,
and help to the helpless; who liftest up the fallen;
and who art the Haven of the shipwrecked.
Give Thy pity, pardon, and refreshment to
every Christian soul, whether in affliction or
error. Preserve us, in our pilgrimage through
this life from hurt and danger, and grant that
we may end our lives as Christians, well-pleasing
to Thee and free from sin, and that we
may have our portion and lot with all Thy
saints. <span class="sc">Amen.</span>
<span class="lr">—Liturgy of St. Mark.</span></p>
<h3>For Light</h3>
<p>O God of Light, Father of Life, Giver of
Wisdom, Benefactor of our souls, who givest
to the fainthearted who put their trust in Thee
<span class="pb" id="Page_33">33</span>
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. <span class="sc">Amen.</span>
<span class="lr">—Liturgy of St. Mark.</span></p>
<h3>For the Peace of Christ’s Flock</h3>
<p>O Sovereign and Almighty Lord, bless all
Thy people and all Thy flock. Give peace, Thy
help, Thy love unto us, Thy servants the sheep
of Thy fold, that we may be united in the
bond of peace and love, one body and one
spirit, in one hope of our calling, in Thy Divine
and boundless love; for the sake of Jesus Christ,
the great Shepherd of the sheep. <span class="sc">Amen.</span>
<span class="lr">—Liturgy of St. Mark.</span></p>
<h3>Before the Holy Communion</h3>
<p>O God of light, Father of life, Author of
grace, Creator of worlds, Founder of knowledge,
Giver of wisdom, Treasure of holiness, Teacher
of pure prayers, Benefactor of our souls, who
givest to the faint-hearted who put their trust in
Thee those things into which the angels desire
<span class="pb" id="Page_34">34</span>
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,
who hast scattered the darkness of sin within
us, through the presence of Thine only-begotten
Son, do Thou now also, through the visitation of
Thy all-holy Spirit, enlighten the eyes of our
understanding, that we may partake without
fear of condemnation of this heavenly and immortal
food, and sanctify us wholly in soul,
body, and spirit, that with Thy holy disciples
and apostles we may say this prayer to Thee:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be
thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be
done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this
day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive them that trespass against
us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver
us from evil; For thine is the kingdom, and
the power, and the glory, for ever. <span class="sc">Amen.</span>
<span class="lr">—Liturgy of St. Mark.</span></p>
<h3>For Divine Strength</h3>
<p>O mightiest King, co-eternal with the Father,
who by Thy might hast vanquished hell and
trodden death under foot, who hast bound the
strong man, and by Thy miraculous power and
the enlightening radiance of Thy unspeakable
Godhead hast raised Adam from the tomb, send
<span class="pb" id="Page_35">35</span>
forth Thy invisible right hand, which is full
of blessing, and bless us all.</p>
<p>Pity us, O Lord, and strengthen us by Thy
divine power.</p>
<p>Take away from us the sinful and wicked influence
of carnal desire.</p>
<p>Let the light shine into our souls, and dispell
the surrounding darkness of sin.</p>
<p>Unite us to the all-blessed assembly that is
well-pleasing unto Thee; for through Thee and
with Thee, all praise, honour, power, adoration,
and thanksgiving are due unto the Father and
the Holy Spirit, now, henceforth, and for evermore.
<span class="sc">Amen.</span>
<span class="lr">—Liturgy of St. Mark.</span></p>
<h3>For Blessings</h3>
<p>O Sovereign and Almighty Lord, bless all
Thy people, and all Thy flock. Give Thy peace,
Thy help, Thy love unto us Thy servants, the
sheep of Thy fold, that we may be united in
the bond of peace and love, one body and one
spirit, in one hope of our calling, in Thy divine
and boundless love. <span class="sc">Amen.</span>
<span class="lr">—Liturgy of St. Mark.</span></p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_36">36</div>
<h3>A Morning Prayer</h3>
<p>We give Thee thanks—yea, more than thanks
O Lord our God, for all Thy goodness at all
times, and in all places, because Thou hast
shielded, rescued, helped, and guided us all
the days of our lives, and brought us unto
this hour. We pray and beseech Thee, merciful
God, to grant in Thy goodness that we may
spend this day, and all the time of our lives,
without sin, in fullness of joy, holiness, and
reverence of Thee. But drive away from us,
O Lord, all envy, all fear, and all temptations.
Bestow upon us what is good and meet. Whatever
sin we commit in thought, word, or deed,
do Thou in Thy goodness and mercy be pleased
to pardon. And lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil; through the grace, mercy,
and love of Thine only begotten Son. <span class="sc">Amen.</span>
<span class="lr">—Liturgy of St. Mark.</span></p>
<h3>Thanksgiving and Prayer for Pardon</h3>
<p>We render unto Thee our thanksgiving, O
Lord our God, Father of our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ, by all means, at all times, in all
places. For that Thou hast sheltered, assisted,
supported, and led us on through the time
past of our life, and brought us to this hour.
And we pray and beseech Thee, O God and
loving Lord, grant us to pass this day, this
year, and all the time of our life without sin,
<span class="pb" id="Page_37">37</span>
with all joy, health, and salvation. But all envy,
all fear, all temptation, all the working of
Satan, do Thou drive away, O God, from us,
and from Thy holy Church. Supply us with
things good and profitable. Whereinsoever we
have sinned against Thee, in word, or deed,
or thought, be Thou pleased in Thy love and
goodness to forgive, and forsake us not, O God,
who hope in Thee, neither lead us into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one and from
his works; by the grace and compassion of
Thine only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. <span class="sc">Amen.</span>
<span class="lr">—Liturgy of St. Mark.</span></p>
<h3>For Friends and Relations</h3>
<p>Have mercy, O Lord, upon all those whom
Thou hast associated with us in the bonds of
friendship and kindredship, and grant that they,
with us, may be so perfectly conformed to Thy
Holy Will, that being cleansed from all sin,
we may be found worthy, by the inspiration of
Thy love, to be partakers together of the blessedness
of Thy heavenly kingdom; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. <span class="sc">Amen.</span>
<span class="lr">—Old Gallican Sacramentary.</span></p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_38">38</div>
<h3>For Christian Graces</h3>
<p>Grant Thy servants, O God, to be set on fire
with Thy Spirit, strengthened by Thy power, illuminated
by Thy splendour, filled with Thy
grace, and to go forward by Thine aid. Give
them, O Lord, a right faith, perfect love, true
humility. Grant, O Lord, that there may be in
us simple affection, brave patience, persevering
obedience, perpetual peace, a pure mind, a right
and honest heart, a good will, a holy conscience,
spiritual strength, a life unspotted and unblamable;
and after having manfully finished our
course, may we be enabled happily to enter
into Thy kingdom; through Jesus Christ our
Lord. <span class="sc">Amen.</span>
<span class="lr">—Old Gallican Sacramentary.</span></p>
<h3>A Table Grace</h3>
<p>Abba, Father, fulfill the office of Thy Name
towards Thy servants; do Thou govern, protect,
preserve, sanctify, guide, and console us.
Let us be so enkindled with love for Thee, that
we may not be despised by Thee, O most merciful
Lord, most tender Father; for Jesus Christ’s
sake. <span class="sc">Amen.</span>
<span class="lr">—Old Gallican Sacramentary.</span></p>
<h3>Morning Prayer</h3>
<p>We give thee hearty thanks for the rest of
the past night, and for the gift of a new day,
with its opportunities of pleasing thee. Grant
<span class="pb" id="Page_39">39</span>
that we may so pass its hours in the perfect freedom
of thy service, that at eventide we may
again give thanks unto thee; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. <span class="sc">Amen.</span>
<span class="lr">—The Eastern Church.</span></p>
<h3>A Table Grace</h3>
<p>In the evening and morning and noonday we
praise Thee, we thank Thee, and pray Thee,
Master of all, to direct our prayers as incense
before Thee. Let not our hearts turn away to
words or thoughts of wickedness, but keep us
from all things that might hurt us; for to
Thee, O Lord, our eyes look up, and our hope
is in Thee: confound us not, O our God; for
the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. <span class="sc">Amen.</span>
<span class="lr">—Eastern Church Vespers.</span></p>
<h3>For Ministers</h3>
<p>O God, great in power, unsearchable in understanding,
wondrous in counsels towards the
children of men, do Thou fill with the gift of
Thy Holy Spirit those whom Thou dost will
to undertake the degree of the priesthood that
they may be worthy to stand before Thy holy
altar unblamably, to announce the Gospel of
Thy kingdom, to administer the Word of Thy
Truth, to offer gifts and spiritual sacrifices unto
Thee, and to renew Thy people in the laver
<span class="pb" id="Page_40">40</span>
of regeneration; that at the second coming of
our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, Thine
only begotten Son, they may go forth to meet
Him, and by the multitude of Thy mercies receive
their reward; for Thy venerable and majestic
Name is blessed and glorified. <span class="sc">Amen.</span>
<span class="lr">—Eastern Church Liturgy.</span></p>
<h3>For Illumination</h3>
<p>Shine into our hearts, O loving Master, by
the pure light of the knowledge of Thyself,
and open the eyes of our mind to the contemplation
of Thy teaching, and put into us the fear of
Thy blessed commandments; that trampling
down all that is worldly, we may follow a
spiritual life, thinking and doing all things
according to Thy good pleasure. For Thou art
our sanctification, and our illumination, and to
Thee we render glory, Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.
<span class="sc">Amen.</span>
<span class="lr">—Eastern Church Liturgy.</span></p>
<div class="pb" id="Page_41">41</div>
<div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />
1 of 2
2 of 2
Previous
Next
Update Required
To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.