Prayer montage

Prayers you can use

Common Worship Book, 2000

Wise and gracious God,
you spread a table before us;
nourish your people with the word of life
and the bread of heaven. Amen.

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St Clement of Rome, 1st century

God almighty, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
by the gift of your Spirit
establish and ground us in your truth.
Reveal to us what we do not know;
perfect in us what is lacking;
strengthen in us what we know;
and keep us in your service without fault;
through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Bianco da Siena, 15th century

Come down, O Love divine,
Seek thou this soul of mine,
and visit it with thine own ardour glowing.
O Comforter draw near,
within my heart appear,
and kindle it, thy holy flame bestowing.

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St Augustine, 5th century

O Lord, you have made us for yourself,
and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you.

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Psalm 62

My soul waits in silence for God,
for from him comes my salvation.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my strong tower so that I shall never be moved.

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The Book of Hours 1514

God be in my head,
    and in my understanding;
God be in my eyes,
    and in my looking;
God be in my mouth,
    and in my speaking;
God be in my heart,
    and in my thinking;
God be at my end,
    and at my departing.

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Prayer after Communion, Third Sunday of Easter

Living God, your Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread;
open the eyes of our faith that we may see him in all his redeeming work. Amen.

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St Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, let there be pardon;
where there is discord, union;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is depair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
for your mercy and your truth’s sake. Amen.

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Prayer after Baptism, Alternative Service Book

O God,
may we bear witness to Christ by lives built on faith and love.
Make us ready to live his Gospel
and eager to do his will,
that we may share with all your church
in the joys of eternal life. Amen.

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Adapted from William Temple, 20th century

God our Father,
we thank you for this house of prayer
in which you bless your family on its pilgrimage.
So quicken our consciences by your holiness,
nourish our minds by your truth,
purify our imaginations by your beauty,
and open our hearts to your love,
that in the surrender of our wills to your purpose,
the world may be renewed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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From the Syrian church

Lord, open to us the sea of your mercy
and water us with full streams
from the riches of your grace
and the springs of your kindness.
Make us children of quietness and heirs of peace,
and kindle in us the fire of your love.

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(Julian of Norwich, 14th century

O God, of your goodness,
give us yourself,
for only in you do we have all.

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From an Iona liturgy

O Lord, make us like you,
that our souls may be the stained glass
through which your light and purpose
bring beauty and meaning to the world.
Your kingdom come, in joy and generosity,
in the small and the large,
the ordinary and the special;
and to you be the glory now and always.

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Collect for Maundy Thursday

Lord Jesus Christ,
we thank you that in this wonderful sacrament
you have given us the memorial of your passion:
grant us so to reverence the sacred mysteries of your body and blood
that we may know within ourselves
and show forth in our lives
the fruits of your redemption;
for you are alive and reign, now and for ever. Amen.

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Prayer after Communion, All Saints Day

God, the source of all holiness
and giver of good things:
may we who have shared at this table
as strangers and pilgrims here on earth,
be welcomed with all your saints
to the heavenly feast on the day of your kingdom;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Liturgy of Malabar

Strengthen for service, Lord, the hands that have taken holy things.
May the ears which have heard your word
be deaf to clamour and dispute.
May the tongues which have sung your praise
be free from deceit.
May the eyes which have seen the tokens of your love
shine with the light of hope;
and may the bodies which have been fed with your body
be refreshed with the fulness of your life.
Glory to you for ever.

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St Ignatius Loyola, 16th century

Teach us, good Lord, 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 for rest;
to labour and not to ask for any reward,
save that of knowing we do your will;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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