Prayer is a conversation that we have with God. In this conversation we incorporate four actions. The small book, In His Presence. Canadian Liturgy, written by Denis E. Taylor and published in Canada in 1964 by Cox & Wyman Limited, London, Reading and Fakenenham, explains it in this way, that our private prayers should include ACTS.
A Prayer Book and guide to
Confirmation, Communion
and Church teaching.
'A' stands for ADORATION. "First - love, adore, and praise God in whom we live and move, and have our being. Praise him for his noble acts, praise him for his excellent greatness. Adore him for Jesus Christ. Love him because he first loved us and gave himself for us."
'C' stands for CONFESSION. "A sense of all that God is and all he does for us at once brings home our own unworthyness, how often we fail to live up even to our own ideals, how poor our fight against temptation, how weak our efforts to pray better, how uncostly our work for others and for our Lord. So we confess these our sins to God, and ask forgiveness."
'T' stands for THANKSGIVING. "The knowledge that when we are truely sorry and really mean to do better, we are forgiven, makes thankfulness well up in our hearts, and we set ourselves to remember our many blessings - health, home, food, work, friends, play, our church, all the joy of being alive - and we return thanks to God our Father."
'S' stands for SUPPLICATION. "Having adored God, having confessed him for all his goodness and loving -kindness, then and then only we ask for more blessings. We make our supplications first for the needs of others, for great causes, for friends and for enemies. These are our Intercessions. Afterwards we pray for ourselves - we tell God our hopes, our joys, our fears, our desires, our needs. These are our Petitions."
"Such prayers are A-C-T-S indeed, true ACTS of worship."
PRAYERS:
The "Jesus" Prayer
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me, a sinner.
Anima Christi
Soul of Christ, sanctify me,
Body of Christ, save me,
Blood of Christ, refresh me,
Water from the Side of Christ,wash me,
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O Good Jesu, hear me,
Within Thy wounds hide me,
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee,
From the malicious enemy defend me,
In the hour of my death call me,
And bid me come to Thee,
That with Thy Saints I may praise Thee forever.
Amen.
St. Ignatius Loyola
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 mine end - and at my departing.
Source: Sarum Primer, 16th century
From Epilogues & Prayers - William Barclay
Eternal God, whom to know is life eternal and whom to serve is fulness of joy, help us to know you with our minds, to love you with our hearts, to serve you with our lives, so that our lives may be garrisoned with your peace and radiant with your glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
Prayer of Sir Francis Drake
O Lord God, when thou givest to thy to endeavour any great matter, grant us also to know that it is not the beginning, but the continuing of the same unto the end, until it be thoroughly finished, which yieldeth the true glory: through him who for the finishing of thy work laid down his life, our Redeemer, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
An Ancient Prayer
O heavenly Father, in whom we live and move and have our being, we humbly pray thee so to govern and guide us by thy Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our daily life we may never forget thee, but remember that we are ever walking in thy sight: through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
A Prayer of Erasmus
O Lord Jesus Christ, who are the Way, the Truth, and the Life, we pray thee suffer us not to distrust thee, who art the Truth, not to rest in any other thing than thee, who art the Life. Teach us by the Holy Spirit, what to believe, what to do, and wherein to take our rest.
Amen.
May God bless us, keep us faithful and defend us this day from sin and wickedness, for the sake of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour.
Amen.
Prayer For Holy Living
Grant me, I beseech Thee, almighty and all-merciful God, that I may ardently desire the grace to investigate wisely, and perfectly fulfil whatever may be pleasing to Thee. Guide my course in this world unto the honour of Thy name.
Vouchsafe to me the proper inspiration, will and talent for all that Thou demandest from me, that I may fulfil it as I should, and may my path to Thee, I beseech Thee, remain straight and clear to the end.
Give me, O Lord, a steadfast heart which no unworthy passion can degrade; give me an unconquerable heart which no sorrow can cast down; give me an upright heart which no lowly ambition can lead astray.
Fill me, O Lord, with understanding, that I may know Thee as Thou art; with zeal that I may seek Thee; with wisdom that I may find Thee; and with perseverance that I may finally embrace Thee.
Amen.
St. Thomas Aquinas
O God of Peace, I turn aside from an unquiet world, seeking rest for my spirit, and light for my thoughts. I bring my work to be sanctified, my wounds to be healed, my sins to be forgiven, my hopes to be renewed, my better self to be quickened. O Thou, in whom there is harmony, draw me to Thyself and silence the discords of my wasteful life. Thou who art one in all, and in whom all are one, take me out of the loneliness of self, and fill me with the fulness of Thy truth and love. Thou whose greatness is beyond my highest praise, life me above my common littleness and my daily imperfections; send me visions of the love that is in Thee and of the good that may be in me.
Amen.
St. Augustine
The Breastplate of St. Patrick
I arise to-day with the power of God to guide me, the might of God to uphold me, the wisdom of God to uphold me, the wisdom of God to teach me, the eye of God to watch over me, the ear of God to hear me, the word of Godto give me speech, the hand of God to protect me, the way of God to prevent me, the shield of God to shelter me, the host of God to defend me; against the snares of devils, against the temptations of vices, against the lusts of nature, against every man who meditates injury to me, whether far or near, with few or with many.
St. Patrick
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ above me;
Christ at my right,
Chroist at my left;
Christ in my lying down,
Christ in my sitting,
Christ in my rising up;
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
May Thy salvation, O Lorsd,
be ever with us.
St. Patrick
At All Times
Grant us, Lord, to know in weakness the strength of Thy Incarnation: in pain the triumph of Thy Passion: in poverty the riches of Thy Godhead: in reproach the satisfaction of Thy sympathy: in loneliness the comfort of Thy continual presence: in difficulty the efficacy of Thy intercession: in perplexity the guidance of Thy wisdom; and by Thy glorious death and resurrection brin us at last to the joy of seeing Thee face to face.
Unknown
Prayer for Peace
Lord,
Make me an instrument of thy 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 seek
Not so much 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;
It is in dying
That we are born to eternal life.
St. Francis
Strength and Inspiration
Inspire and strengthen us, O Lord God, by Thy Holy Spirit, to seek Thy will and uphold Thine honour in all things; in the purity and joy of our homes, in the trust and fellowship of our common life, in daily service of the good; after the pattern and in the power of Thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ.
E. Milner-White
Faith
O Holy Jesus, meek Lamb of God; Bread that came down from heaven; light and life of all holy souls: help me to a true and living faith in Thee. O do Thou open Thyself within me with all Thy holy nature, spirit, tempers, and inclinations, that I may be born again of Thee, in Thee a new creature, quickened and revived, led and governed by Thy Holy Spirit.
William Law
Freedom From Self
O God, set our hearts at liberty from the service of ourselves, and let it be our meat and drink to do Thy will.
Inward Peace
Set free, O Lord, the souls of Thy servants from restlessness and anxiety: give us the peace and power which flow from Thee; and keep us in perplexity and distress, in griefs and grievances, from fear or faithlessness; that so, upheld by Thy power and stayed upon the rock of Thy faithfulness, through storm and stress we may abide in Thee.
Morning
Into Thy hands, O heavenly Father, I commit myself, body and soul. Let Thy holy angel be with me, that the evil one may have no power over me. Help and bless Thy Church; hold Thy protecting hand over this land and people; have pity upon those who are in distress and need. O God, let the light of Thy truth shine upon us, and bring us at last to Thy heavenly Kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Luther
O Lord, support us all the day long of this troublous life, until the shadows lengthen and the evening comes, the busy world is hushed, the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then, Lord, in thy mercy, grant us a safe lodging, a holy rest, and peace at the last; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Be present, O merciful God, and protest us through the silent hours of this night, so that we who are wearied by the changes and chances of this fleeting world, may repose upon Thy eternal changelessness, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Visit, O Lord, we beseech Thee, our homes, and drive far from them all snares of the enemy. Let Thy holy Angels dwell in them to preserve us in peace, and may Thy blessing be upon us evermore, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
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