Every now and then, I'll be publishing prayers from a book that I have, "Prayers: Ancient and Modern" -- although there won't be any modern ones since the book was published in 1927. They are sorted by subject, such as prayers for Adversity or Danger; Affliction and Suffering; Aspiration; Conformity to the Will of God; Courage, Cheerfulness, Strength; Confession and Penitence; Consecration and Holiness; Communion of Saints; Duty; Faith and Fervor; Forgiveness and Kindness; Guidance and Light; Love of Family, Friends, Mankind; Love of God; Obedience to God; Peace and Rest in God; Purity and Truth; Submission and Resignation; Temptation and Trial; Trust in God. Clearly, the book was used often, perhaps by the original owner, whose name was Bobby, as there is an inscription, dated 1928. Each of the pages stands open without having to hold it open.
For Adversity or Danger: Almighty God, have mercy upon us, who, when troubled by the things that are past, lose faith, and life, and courage, and hope. So have mercy upon us, and uphold us, that we, being sustained by a true faith that Thou art merciful and forgiving, may go on in the life of the future to keep Thy commandments, to rejoice in Thy bounty, to trust in Thy mercy, and to hope in the eternal life. Grant unto all of us, whatsoever may betide us, to remember ever that it is all of Thy guidance, under Thy care, by Thy will; that so, in darkest days, beholding Thee we may have courage to go on, faith to endure, patience to bear, and hopefulness to hold out, even unto the end. -- Amen (George Dawson)
Faith and Fervor: Grant unto us, Almighty God, of Thy good Spirit, that quiet heart, and that patient lowliness to which Thy comforting Spirit comes; that we, being humble toward Thee, and loving toward one another, may have our hearts prepared for that peace of Thine which passeth understanding; which, if we have, the storms of life can hurt us but little, and the cares of life vex us not at all; in the presence of which death shall lose its sting, and the grave its terror; and we, in calm joy, walk all the days of our appointed time, until our great change shall come. -- Amen (George Dawson)
Temptation and Trial: In confidence of Thy goodness and great mercy, O Lord, I draw near upon Thee, as a sick person to the Healer, as one hungry and thirsty to the Fountain of life, a creature to the Creator, a desolate soul to my own tender Comforter. Behold, in Thee is all whatsoever I can or ought to desire; Thou art my Salvation and my Redemption, my Hope and my Strength. Rejoice therefore this day the soul of Thy servant; for unto Thee, O Lord, have I lifted up my soul. -- Amen (Thomas à Kempis)
Thank you Ken....and Bobby, for keeping this prayer book alive. A well-worn book of prayers is a sign of a well-worn life. Prayers: Ancient and Modern
4 Ancient prayers from the earliest Christians The faith of these Christians was nurtured by the apostles and their immediate successors. From St. Clement of Rome, (c. 35-101) "We beseech You, Master, to be our helper and protector. Save the afflicted among us; have mercy on the lowly; Raise up the fallen; appear to the needy; heal the ungodly; Restore the wanderers of Your people; Feed the hungry; ransom our prisoners; Raise up the sick; comfort the faint-hearted." From St. Clement of Alexandria, (c. 150–215) "Be kind to Your little children, Lord; that is what we ask of You as their Tutor, You the Father, Israel’s guide; Son, yes, but Father as well. Grant that by doing what You told us to do, we may achieve a faithful likeness to the Image and, as far as is possible for us, may find in You a good God and a lenient Judge." "May we all live in the peace that comes from You. May we journey towards Your city, sailing through the waters of sin untouched by the waves, borne tranquilly along by the Holy Spirit, Your Wisdom beyond all telling. Night and day until the last day of all, may our praises give You thanks, our thanksgiving praise You: You who alone are both Father and Son, Son and Father, the Son who is our Tutor and our Teacher, together with the Holy Spirit." READ MORE
Courage, Cheerfulness, Strength: Thou, who art ever the same, grant us so to pass through the coming of your faithful hearts, that we may be able in all things to please Thy loving eyes. -- Amen (Mozarabic 700 AD)
Conformity to the Will of God: My Father, help me as a follower of Christ to say, "Thy will be done." Thou wouldest not have me accept Thy will because I must, but because I may. Thou wouldest have me take it, not with resignation, but with joy, not with the absence of murmur, but with the song of praise. How shall I reach this goal? I shall only reach it by feeling what the Psalmist felt - that Thy will comes from a "good Spirit," and goes towards a "land of uprightness." Teach me that Thy will is love; teach me that Thy love is wise. Guide me not blindfold, but with open eyes. Grant me the power to look both behind and before - behind to "Thy good Spirit," before to "the land of uprightness." Give me the blessedness of the man whose delight is in Thy law, who can tell of Thy statutes rejoicing the heart. I shall obey Thy will in perfect freedom when I can say, "Thy Spirit is good." -- Amen (George Matheson)
Prayers of the Early Church For Growth in Grace Give perfection to beginners, O Father; give intelligence to the little ones; give aid to those who are running their course. Give sorrow to the negligent; give fervour of spirit to the lukewarm. Give to the perfect a good consummation; for the sake of Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen. —Irenaeus, Old Gallican Sacramentary.
The Poems of St. John of the Cross https://www.sjsu.edu/people/cynthia...120AF14/s3/The-Poems-of-John-of-the-Cross.pdf I have been told that if you can read them in the original Spanish, they are even better. He is an official Doctor of the Catholic Church and one of the 12 Immortal Poets of Spain.