Pastor’s Prayers

Prayer Before Studying Theology: (For the Church and Those to Be Ordained to Its Ministry)

Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, Who hast purchased to Thyself an Universal Church by the precious Blood of Thy dear Son, Mercifully look upon the same, and at this time so guide and govern the minds of Thy servants, the Overseers and Pastors of Thy flock, that they may lay hands suddenly on no man, but faithfully and wisely make the choice of fit persons to serve in the sacred Ministry of Thy Church. And to those which shall be ordained to any holy function give Thy grace and Heavenly benediction; that both by their life and doctrine they may set forth Thy glory and set forward the salvation of all men; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

–Book of Common Prayer, first Ember Collect, attributed to John Cosin

Dear Jesus, help me to spread Your fragrance everywhere I go.

Flood my soul with Your spirit and life.

Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly,

That my life may only be a radiance of Yours.

Shine through me, and be so in me

That every soul I come in contact with

May feel Your presence in my soul.

Let them look up and see no longer me, but only Jesus!

Stay with me and then I shall begin to shine as You shine,

So to shine as to be a light to others;

The light, O Jesus will be all from You; none of it will be mine;

It will be you, shining on others through me.

Let me thus praise You the way You love best, by shining on those around me.

Let me preach You without preaching, not by words but by my example,

By the catching force of the sympathetic influence of what I do,

The evident fullness of the love my heart bears to You.

    John Henry Cardinal Newman

Amen.

“Lord Teach Us to Pray: Responsive Reading,” by Chuck Fromm and Jeremy Armstrong, as found in Chuck Fromm, editorial, “Lord Teach Us To Pray,” Worship Leader Magazine (September-October 2015).

Leader:

So we might awaken to the wonder of your presence

So we might feel gratitude for your gift of life today

So we might discover your kingdom as revealed in our sisters and brothers

So we might find safety beneath the shelter of your wings

All:

So we might declare your glory as we gather together: 

Lord, teach us to pray

Leader:

So we might forgive those who have wronged us

So we might lead free from pretense and hypocrisy

So we might trust your perfect plans and not replace them with our own

So we might love you with our whole hearts and love our neighbors as ourselves

All:

So we might declare your glory as we gather together: 

Lord, teach us to pray

Leader:

So diverse hearts might harmonize as many voices become one

So our bodies might praise you in bowed heads and raised hands

So a spirit of criticism is replaced with an offering of sacrifice

So we consider others more important than ourselves

All:

So we might declare your glory as we gather together: 

Lord, teach us to pray

Leader:

So the truth of your Word resonates in what we say and sing

So we might prepare a way through the wilderness of chaos and pain

So our eyes are alert and our souls awake to your movement in our midst

So our good work is fruitful in the reign of your kingdom

All:

So we might declare your glory as we gather together: 

Lord, teach us to pray

Leader:

So our voices bring a pleasing sound to your ear

So the notes of our instruments rise sweetly to your throne

So our singing is a light in the darkness, drawing nations to your grace

So our songs vibrate with the voice of the Lamb who was slain

All:

So we might declare your glory as we gather together: 

Lord, teach us to pray

Leader:

So the lonely and hopeless find comfort in your abundant presence

So those in war and famine find the everlasting peace of your Spirit

So we are not indifferent to the suffering of the world around us

So our songs help to make us look more like you

All:

So we might declare your glory as we gather together: 

Lord, teach us to pray

“Without you, O Christ, my heart will die of hunger. Grant that in this daily bread I may taste also the supernatural bread of your Father’s house. Let me find you in my daily life. Fashion my studies into the search for your truth which lies mysteriously hidden in all human knowledge. Let me find you in all the substances of your creation, you, who are both natural and supernatural. You, the eternal Word of the Father, ever at work in all the stars and atoms, in all human truth, in all human words, in human justice and in human sorrow, you, the heart of the whole universe.”

Hugo Rahner, Karl Rahner, Prayers for Meditation (1962), 55-56.

In bread we bring you Lord, our body’s labour

In wine we offer you our spirit’s grief.

We do not ask you, Lord, who is my neighbor?

But stand united now, in one belief.

For we have gladly heard your Word, your holy Word

And now in answer, Lord, our gifts we bring.

Our selfish hearts make true, our failing faith renew.

Our life belongs to you, our Lord and King.

The bread we offer you is blessed and broken,

And it becomes for us our spirit’s food.

Over the cup we bring, your Word is spoken;

Make it your gift to us, your healing blood.

Take all that daily toil, plants in our heart’s poor soil,

Take all we start and spoil, each hopeful dream.

The chances we have missed, the graces we resist,

Lord, in they Eucharist, take and redeem.

–Kevin Nichols, “In Bread We Bring You Lord”

All powerful God,

you are present in the universe

and in the smallest of your creatures.

You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.

Pour out upon us the power of your love,

that we may protect life and beauty.

Fill us with your peace, that we may live

as brothers and sisters, harming no one.

O God of the poor,

help us to rescue the abandoned

and forgotten of this earth,

so precious in your eyes.

Bring healing to our lives,

that we may protect the world and not prey on it,

that we may sow beauty,

not pollution and destruction.

Touch the hearts

of those who look only for gain

at the expense of the poor and the earth.

Teach us to discover the worth of each thing,

to be filled with awe and contemplation,

to recognize that we are profoundly united

with every creature

as we journey towards your infinite light.

We thank you for being with us each day.

Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle,

for justice, love and peace.

‘A prayer for our earth’ was published in Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si.