Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace Prayer of St ... - Vital Christianity

1Make Me an Instrument of Your PeaceSaint Francis of AssisiThis is probably the most popular prayers of all time.Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.Where there is hatred, let me sow love,Where there is injury, pardonWhere 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 muchseek to be consoled as to console,not so much to be understood as to understand,not so much to be loved, as to love;for it is in giving that we receive,it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,it is in dying that we awake to eternal life.Prayer of St. Richard of ChichesterThis is also one of the most popular prayers of all time.Thanks be to thee, my Lord Jesus Christ,For all the benefits thou hast won for me,For all the pains and insults thou hast borne for me.O most merciful Redeemer, Friend, and Brother,May I know thee more clearly,Love thee more dearly,And follow thee more nearly:For ever and ever.--St. Richard Chichester (1197-1253)

2Prayer by Thomas AquinasGive us, O Lord,steadfast hearts, which no unworthy thought can drag downwards;unconquered hearts, which no tribulation can wear out,upright hearts, which no unworthy purpose may tempt aside.Bestow upon us also, O Lord our God,understanding to know Thee,diligence to seek Thee,wisdom to find Thee,and a faithfulness that may finally embrace Thee.God grant meSerenity to accept the things I cannot change,Courage to change the things I can, andWisdom to know the difference.Living one day at a time;enjoying one moment at a time;accepting hardshipas the pathway to peace.The Serenity PrayerTaking, as He did, this sinful worldas it is, not as I would have it;trusting that He will make all things rightif I surrender to His will;that I may be reasonably happy in this lifeand supremely happy with Him forever in the next.Amen.

3Oh God, I Ask Not for Easier TasksHarry BullisOh God, I ask not for easier tasks.I ask for stronger aptitudes and greater talents to meet any tasks which may come myway.Help me to help others so that their lives may be made easier and happier.Strengthen my confidence in my fellow men in spite of what they may do or say.Give me strength to live according to the Golden Rule, enthusiasm to inspire those aroundme,sympathy to help lighten the burdens of those who suffer,and a spirit of joy and gladness to share with others.Confessional Prayer From The Sixteenth CenturyForgive me my sins, O Lord,forgive me the sins of my youth and the sins of mine age,the sins of my soul, and the sins of my body,my secret and whispering sins,my presumptuous and my crying sins,the sins that I have done to please myself,and the sins that I have done to please others.Forgive me those sins which I know,and those sins which I know not.

4Thanksgiving For A Favor ReceivedThank You, O God, for hearing my prayer and granting my request. Thank You for all thekindness You have shown me.Thank You, Father, for Your great love in giving me my life, for Your great patience inpreserving me despite my sinfulness, for Your protection in the past and for theopportunity to serve and honor You in the future.Thank You, Lord Jesus, for keeping me numberless times from sin and death by the toilsof Your life, the sufferings of Your Passion, and by Your victorious Resurrection.Thank You, Holy Spirit of God, for bestowing so many graces upon my soul and forhaving so frequently renewed Your life within me.May my life, from now on, be a sign of my gratefulness. Amen.Prayer for God’s Presence and CareMay God’s light encircle you.God’s love enfold you.God’s peace encircle you.God’s presence enrich you.At this time and always.

5Lord, bless our friends today we pray,Wherever they may be;And help them as they go their way,To keep their trust in Thee.Lord, hear each prayer they raise to Thee,And dry each falling tear;And hover o'er them constantly,For treasured friends are dear.Surround them with Thy mercy,Lord, Protect them by Thy power;And let them feel Thy presence,Lord, In every lonely hour.Stand by them when the road is steep,And no one seems to care;Thy arm of love around them keep,And whisper You are there.And give them strength to bear the cross,As through this vale they go;And stand by them in every loss,That they meet here below.And when at last the hour shall be,That life's short journey ends;O, let them lean the more on Thee,And comfort these, our friends.And open heaven's gate, dear Lord,And let them enter there;For heaven will be heaven,Lord, Because our friends are there.Prayer for FriendsBernie Smith

6A Prayer For HealingTimothy DaileyDear God,Help my unbelief.When I'm in pain, I forget that you care about me.I forget that you have helped me through my trials.I forget that you hold me in your arms to keep me safe.I forget that you are feeling my pain with me.I forget that you love me,I forget that I am important to you.Show me your presence - let me feel your enveloping love.Heal my hurting soul.Thank you for staying with me even in my unbelief.AmenO God, Help UsWallace FridyO God, help usto be generous in our opinions of others,to be considerate of all we meet,to be patient with those with whom we work,to be faithful to every trust,to be courageous in the face of danger,to be humble in all our living,to be prayerful every hour of the day,to be joyous in all life's experience,and to be dependent upon Theefor strength in facing life's uncertainties.

7A Prayer Attributed to a Civil War SoldierA prayer by an American Confederate soldier seriously disabled in the Civil War is a beautifulexample of the depths of discovery of the gifts of suffering that a wound can bring:I asked God for strength, that I might achieve,I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey.I asked for health, that I might do great things,I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.I asked for riches, that I might be happy,I was given poverty, that I might be wise.I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men,I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life,I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.I got nothing that I asked for-but everything I had hoped for.Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.I am, among all men, most richly blessed.Cadet’s PrayerO God, our Father, Thou Searcher of men’s hearts, help us to draw near to theeMake us choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong, and never be content with half atruth when a whole can be won.Endow us with courage that scorns to compromise with vice and injustice, and knows no fearwhen truth and right are in jeopardyKindle our hearts in fellowship with those of a cheerful countenance, and soften our hearts withsympathy for those who sorrow and sufferHelp us, in our work and in our play, to keep ourselves physically strong, mentally awake, andmorally straight, that we may realize our ideals and our dutyAll of which we ask in the name of the Great Friend and Master of men.Amen.

8A Martyr’s PrayerPolycarpSaint Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna and a disciple of the apostles, was burned at the stake about theyear 155. His feast day is February 23. This is the prayer he prayed before he died.Lord, Almighty God, Father of your beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, through whom wehave come to the knowledge of yourself.God of angels, of powers, of all creation, of all the race of saints who live in your sight, I blessyou for judging me worthy of this day, this hour, so that in the company of the martyrs I mayshare the cup of Christ, your anointed One, and so rise again to eternal life in soul and body,immortal through the power of the Holy Spirit.May I be received among the martyrs in your presence today as a rich and pleasing sacrifice. Godof truth, stranger to falsehood, you have prepared this and revealed it to me and now you havefulfilled your promise.I praise you for all things, I bless you, I glorify you through the eternal priest of heaven, JesusChrist, your beloved Son. Through Him be glory to you, together with Him and the Holy Spirit,now and forever. Amen.

9Prayer for Spiritual StrengthO Lord Jesus Christ, out of love You died and rose for me and gave me the Holy Spirit. In Hislight I ask You to proclaim the Gospel of Your love in my heart and in my life today.I renounce any sin that lessens my love and devotion to You.In Your Name I rebuke every spirit that opposes your kingdom.Let Your risen glory shine all through me that I may love and adore You with my whole being.Fill me with yourself so that I may love and work, pray, play and rest in Your holiness.Shine in my heart and spirit.Cast out my anxieties and fears and sinful habit.Enlighten my mind that I may think Your thoughts after You.Restore Your image in me so that I no longer live, but You live in me.Center me in the Father's love.Reveal Yourself in worship.Consecrate me to Your service.Fill me with Your love so deeply that I can be still and know that You are God.Love others through me with a wholehearted and radiant love.May your peace be my security and your joy my strength.For You are my Life, my Righteousness, my Hope and my Healing.May Your honor and glory be displayed now and always, and for ever and ever. Amen.

10Maundy Thursday PrayerLeader:People:Leader:People:Leader:People:Leader:People:Leader:People:Leader:People:Leader:People:Leader:People:Unison:Help us, gracious Father, with open minds and contrite hearts to feel our way intothe meaning and mystery of this night:Quicken our imagination to the end that what went on in that Upper Room maycome alive for us.For we would sit with the Twelve and open ourselves to the immediate presence ofthe Messiah.“The Lord Jesus, the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread.”We marvel at the mastery of one who on the evening of His own death could avoidall thoughts of self and bend to the task of breaking bread for others.So strong in us is the urge to “get even” that we can scarcely fathom sharing foodand drink with one whom we know intends to do us harm.So brittle is our faith in the providence of God that we can only stand and starewhen one whose ways are perfect shuns all complaining in His final hours andmeekly asks Your blessing on the meal.God, we do not sit in judgment on the Twelve for having hassled with each otherover who was greatest, for pride has often marred our work for you.We are not surprised that one by one that night they asked, when betrayal wasannounced, “Is it I?”For, like us, they knew full well that under ample provocation any one of themcould cash their Master in!Let this night be for us a night of resolution.Bless us with a renewed and enlarged awareness of our need for grace:A more honest reading of our frailty and sin;A deeper understanding for Your hatred for sin;A greater confidence in the richness of Your mercy;A stretching of soul as we contemplate a “foolishness” with You that is wiser thanmen, and a “weakness” with You that is stronger than men.These prayers we offer in trust and thanksgiving through Jesus Christ our Lord.Amen.

11Christian Bedtime PrayerFr. M.C. Cherian, Indian Orthodox ChurchGrant us Lord, God, that while our bodies rest from the labors of the day and as our souls arereleased from the thoughts of this world, we may stand in Thy presence with tranquility andquietness in this evening hour.Make us worthy to offer Thee ceaseless praise and thanksgiving without interruption.May we acknowledge Thy loving kindness and mercy by which Thou dost rule and direct andsave our souls.Unto Thee we offer praise and thanksgiving now and unto ages of ages.Amen.