A Prayer for Students from Saint Thomas Aquinas

Creator of all things, true source of light and wisdom, origin of all being, graciously let a ray of your light penetrate the darkness of my understanding.

Take from me the double darkness in which I have been born, an obscurity of sin and ignorance.

Give me a keen understanding, a retentive memory, and the ability to grasp things correctly and fundamentally.

Grant me the talent of being exact in my explanations and the ability to express myself with thoroughness and charm.

Point out the beginning, direct the progress, and help in the completion.

I ask this through Christ Our Lord.
Amen.

Tuesday Prayer

God of Light and Warmth









O God, star kindler
kindle of flame of love within us
to light our path in days of darkness.




















O God, sun warmer,
warm us with your love
to melt the frozen hand of guilt.









O God, moon burnisher,
burnish the shield of faith
that we may seek justice
and follow the ways of peace.

words from The Pattern of Our Days: Worship in the Celtic Tradition from the Ione Community
images from here and here and here

The Lustration

TA mi liuthail m’ aodainn
An caora caon na greine,
Mar a liuthail Moire Criosd
Am bainne miamh na h-Eiphit.

I am bathing my face
In the mild rays of the sun,
As Mary bathed Christ
In the rich milk of Egypt.

Meilc bhi ’na mo bhial,
Ciall bhi ’na mo chainn,
An gaol thug Moire mhin dha Mac
Bhi an cridhe gach mire dhomhsa.

Sweetness be in my mouth,
Wisdom be in my speech,
The love the fair Mary gave her Son
Be in the heart of all flesh for me.

Gradh Chriosd am chom,
Cruth Chriosd am chomhnadh,
Chan ’eil am muir no ’m fonn
Na bheir buaidh air Righ an Domhnuich.

The love of Christ in my breast,
The form of Christ protecting me,
There is not in sea nor on land
That can overcome the King of the Lord's Day.

Bas Bhride mu m’ mhuineal,
Bas Mhuire mu m’ bhraghad,
Bas Mhicheil dha m’ liuthail,
Bas Chriosda dha m’ thearnadh.

The hand of Bride about my neck,
The hand of Mary about my breast,
The hand of Michael laving me,
The hand of Christ saving me.

Carmina Gaedelica I.1.23

Sunday Prayer

Loving and Most Holy One, as we come to the end of this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, we thank you for all of our sisters and brothers in faith, here in our city and all around the globe.

Help us to pray without ceasing for a coming together of all the friends and followers of Jesus, that we might together make all the difference in the world.

May our prayers take the form of peaceful living, lack of judgment against others, and shared celebration of our faith in you, O God. May we never cease to pray for those who seek to live in relationship with you as believers in your Way of peace, love and justice.

Bless those who need your holy, healing touch this day. For the wounds, visible and unseen, that we all carry – God, bring healing and hope. Bless us with your power and your presence, most Wondrous God, for it is by your grace that we live, love and follow in faith the One who calls us forward, Jesus Christ, who taught his friends to pray together saying…

Saturday Prayer: I cannot do it alone

O God, early in the morning I cry to you.
Help me to pray
And to concentrate my thoughts on you:
I cannot do this alone.
In me there is darkness,
But with you there is light;
I am lonely, but you do not leave me;
I am feeble in heart, but with you there is help;
I am restless, but with you there is peace.
In me there is bitterness, but with you there is patience;
I do not understand your ways,
But you know the way for me…
Restore me to liberty,
And enable me to live now
That I may answer before you and before me.
Lord, whatever this day may bring,
Your name be praised.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Picture:

Sunset Flames, Second Beach • Olympic NP, Washington

by Joe Decker

A Prayer For Guidance and Generosity

Gracious God,
you have blessed us with many gifts.
You chose us before the world began,
To be your adopted sons and daughters,
And to live through love in your presence.
Give us wisdom and insight to know your purpose;
Give us courage to follow where your Spirit leads us,
Give us generosity to serve you in our brothers and sisters.
We make this prayer through Christ our Lord.

A Simple Prayer in Troubled Times

God of love,
turn our hearts to your ways;
and give us peace.
Amen.

(from An Invitation to Prayer)

'Tis a Gift

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gain'd,
To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,
To turn, turn 'twill be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come round right.

'Tis the gift to be loved and that love to return,
'Tis the gift to be taught and a richer gift to learn,
And when we expect of others what we try to live each day,
Then we'll all live together and we'll all learn to say,

When true simplicity is gain'd,
To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,
To turn, turn 'twill be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come round right.

'Tis the gift to have friends and a true friend to be,
'Tis the gift to think of others not to only think of "me",
And when we hear what others really think and really feel,
Then we'll all live together with a love that is real.

When true simplicity is gain'd,
To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,
To turn, turn 'twill be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come round right.

shaker song - simple gifts - elder joseph brackett - 1848

Tuesday Prayer

Watch thou, dear Lord,
with those who wake, or watch, or weep tonight,
and give thine angels charge over those who sleep.
Tend thy sick ones, Lord Christ.
Rest thy weary ones.
Bless thy dying ones.
Soothe thy suffering ones.
Pity thine afflicted ones.
Shield thy joyous ones.
And all, for thy love's sake.

Amen.

evening prayer - saint augustine - 4th century

Found at World Prayers

Epiphany Hymn

Songs of thankfulness and praise, Jesus, Lord to you we raise;
Manifested by the star to the sages from afar.
Branch of royal David's stem in thy birth at Bethlehem,
Anthems be to thee addressed, God in flesh made manifest.

Manifest at Jordan's stream, prophet, priest, and king supreme;
And at Cana, wedding guest, in thy Godhead manifest.
Manifest in power divine, changing water into wine,
Anthems be to thee addressed, God in flesh made manifest.

Manifest in making whole palsied limbs and wounded soul,
Manifest in valiant fight, quelling all the devil's might.
Manifest in gracious will, ever bringing good from ill,
Anthems be to thee addressed, God in flesh made manifest.

Manifest on mountain height, radiant in resplendent light;
As disciples filled with awe, thy transfigured glory saw.
Whence from there thou leddest them steadfast to Jerusalem,
Cross and Easter day attest God in flesh made manifest.

Sunday Prayer

God of all Goodness and Grace, we come before you with thankful hearts. Even in the midst of life’s difficulties, we find room to give thanks for the very power of your Spirit’s presence. We are not alone. You are with us. And so we give you thanks.

Thank you for this warm place to protect ourselves from winter’s harshness. Thank you for this sanctuary of our faith family, in whose warmth we are comforted, supported and challenged.

Bless our congregation, we pray. Guide us forward into our future, whatever that may bring. Bless all of your people, O God, who live and work for your church in the world. Help us to always keep our eyes and spirits focused on your invitation to serve in the name of Jesus. May we serve with honour and integrity at every turn.

God of Compassion, bless those who need your warm and healing touch upon them. Bring peace, comfort and strength to your children who suffer right now...

...the grieving, the lost, the angry, the lonely, the hungry, the homeless, the cold, the abandoned, the desperate, the despairing and the dying...all these and so many more..are in need of your hand upon them. May they know your presence and feel your power.

Bless us God as we lean into the days and weeks ahead of us, for we do so at the invitation of the One who calls us forward in faith, Jesus Christ – who taught us to pray together saying…

Saturday's Prayer

An Invitation to Christ

Come, my Light, and illumine my darkness.
Come, my Life, and revive me from death.
Come, my Physician, and heal my wounds.
Come, Flame of divine love,

and burn up the thorns of my sins,
kindling my heart with the flame of thy love.
Come, my King, sit upon the throne of my heart

and reign there.
For thou alone art my King and my Lord. Amen

Dimitry of Rostov, Russia, 17th cent.
#466 United Methodist Hymnal

ICON Light-Giver - 20th c.Tikhomirov

Prayer is Heart Work

“In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart.” -- Mohandas Gandhi

Create in me a clean heart, o God
and renew a right spirit within me.

Thursday prayer

Dear God,
Speak gently in my silence.
When the loud outer noises of my surroundings
and the loud inner noises of my fears
keep pulling me away from you,
help me to trust that you are still there
even when I am unable to hear you.
Give me ears to listen to your small, soft voice saying:
"Come to me, you who are overburdened,
and I will give you rest ...
for I am gentle and humble of heart."
Let that loving voice be my guide.
Amen.

--Henri Nouwen

Grant me the strength from day to day
To bear what burdens come my way.
Grant me throughout this bright New Year
More to endure and less to fear.
Help me live that I may be
From spite and petty malice free.

Let me not bitterly complain
When cherished hopes of mine prove vain,
Or spoil with deeds of hate and rage
Some fair tomorrow's spotless page.
Lord, as the days shall come and go
In courage let me stronger grow.

-- Edgar A. Guest

Tuesday Prayer

I will change your name
You shall no longer be called
Wounded, outcast
Lonely or afraid

I will change your name
Your new name shall be
Confidence, joyfulness
Overcoming one
Faithfulness, friend of God
One who seeks my face.
DJ Butler

Jesus took one look up and said, "You're John's son, Simon? From now on your name is Cephas" (or Peter, which means "Rock")
from John 1:42, The Message

The Name of Jesus

The fullness of the divine life was poured out and lived on earth in bodily form, that all of us who live in this body doomed to death may receive from that fullness, and being filled with its life-giving odor say "Your name is oil poured out."....

But why the symbol of oil?...

The likeness between oil and the name of the Bridegroom is beyond doubt, the Holy Spirit's comparison of the two is no arbitrary gesture. Unless you can persuade me otherwise, I hold that the likeness is to be found in the threefold property of oil: it gives light, it nourishes, it anoints. It feeds the flame, it nourishes the body, it relieves pain: it is light, food, medicine. And is this not true too of the Bridegroom's name? When preached it gives light, when meditated it nourishes, when invoked it relieves and soothes....Jesus to me is honey in the mouth, music in the ear, a song in the heart.

Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons on the Song of Songs Volume I.
(Cistercian Publications, 1971, Sermon 15:4-6, pp. 109, 110).

Sunday Prayer

…this prayer is based on a similar prayer offered by Maya Angelou in her book “Celebrations”

Father Mother God, thank you for your presence during the hard and mean days. For then we you to lean upon.

For those whose names and needs we have lifted up in this place today, God we ask for your strength, your comfort, and your grace.

Thank you for your presence during the bright and sunny days, for then we can share that which we have with those who have less.

Fill us, God, with a desire to share the bounty of our living – the generous abundance of all the gifts we have around us. The gift of material things as well as the gift of friendship and caring. May we share these in the spirit of deep gratitude.

And thank you for your presence during the Holy days, for then we are able to celebrate you and our families and our friends.

For those who have no voice, we ask you to speak.

For those who feel unworthy, we ask you to pour your love out in waterfalls of tenderness.

For those who live in pain, we ask you to bathe them in the river of your healing.

For those who are lonely, we ask you to keep them company.

For those who are depressed, we ask you to shower upon them the light of hope.

Dear Creator, you, the borderless sea of substance, we ask you to give to all the world that which is needed most – Peace.

These and all the prayers of our hearts we offer in the name of and for the sake of the One who calls us to transform all that is into your vision of peace, justice and love – Jesus the Christ – who taught his friends to pray in this way…

Saturday's prayer; Come Holy Spirit

Come, Holy Spirit,

Spirit of the Risen Christ,

be with us today and always.

Be our Light, our Guide, and our Comforter.

Be our Strength, our Courage, and our Sanctifier.

May this new year be a time of deep spiritual growth for us,

A time of welcoming your graces and gifts,

A time for forgiving freely and unconditionally,

A time for growing in virtue and goodness.
Come, Holy Spirit,

Be with us today and always. Amen.

Saturation Point

Please fully baptise us, loving God, not just once with water but continually with your Holy Spirit. Saturate every congregation with your grace, that worship may be a time of liberty and joy. Immerse our daily lives in the love of Christ Jesus, that our deeds, words and attitudes may declare your praise.

Through this same Jesus Christ, who with you and the Holy Spirit are to be loved and enjoyed forever! -- Bruce Powter, Uniting Church in Australia

Thursday prayer

Sometimes we pray as if prayer were something we do for God, something God should be grateful for. Sometimes we pray as if finding the right words or saying enough words was the point. But what does God really want from us? Maybe our attentive presence is all that's required.

Gracious and loving God, I am here, and at least for this moment, I am listening.

Tuesday Prayer

In our Epiphany journey, we go with two sisters. 

One is Rachel, her eyes still weeping and looking backwards. 

The other is Mary, arms filled with the fragile promise of new life, looking ahead. 

Our journey must be made slowly 

because neither Sister Grief nor Sister Promise 

can walk too quickly.

Found at Dont Eat Alone.

God Takes Pleasure in Us

O dearest daughter whom I so love, you who are my bride, rise above yourself and open your mind's eye. Look at me, infinite Goodness, and see my unspeakable love for you and my other servants. And open the sensitive ear of your desire.....

I am pleased with your desire and your questioning....the very pleasure I take in my creation pleases me.

Catherine of Siena, The Dialogue (ch. 98)

Sunday Prayer

God of Mystery, God of Wonder, we give you thanks that wherever we travel, wherever our spiritual beings are bold to go, you are with us. Your presence is like a beacon in the night as we make our way through the joys and sorrows of living this human existence.

We thank you God for leading and guiding us by your Spirit’s presence. May we be vigilant about listening for your still small voice nudging us along the path of faithfulness. Help us to discern when we are listening to you and when we are listening to the desires of our own hearts. Help us to know when these two are one and the same.

Let our inner Light, which comes only from you, shine into the needs and yearnings of the day. God, be with all who are in need of your grace today. Bring strength, comfort and joy to the hearts of the most downtrodden. Bring peace into our world, food for the hungry and freedom to the captives. And in every way that we are able, make us bearers of your Good News, that your light may shine through us as it shone through Jesus who taught us to pray…

Saturday's Prayer for this New Year

Prayer for the Coming Year

Oh Thou, who art ever the same,
Grant us so to pass through
the coming year with faithful hearts,
that we may be able in all things
to please Thy loving eyes. Amen.

--Mozarabic, 700 A.D.

A Prayer For Those on the Outside

Gracious God: At your Epiphany you called those outside the circle of family, outside the people of Israel, and gathered them in to make yourself known. Help us to be aware of all those who are outside, looking in...into our lives as individual people of faith and into our congregations. Help us be an inviting, welcoming presence to them -- and, more importantly, give us the grace to see and welcome the gifts that each of them brings to our lives and communities of faith. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, the One For Others. Amen.

--artwork from the Kennebec Valley Art Association exhibit, "Outside Looking In: Another Look"

Thursday prayer

Your Father's love was so unlimited that he wanted us to know that love and to find in it the fulfillment of our deepest desires. So he sent us to you, with a human heart big enough to hold all human loneliness and all human anguish. Your heart is as wide and deep as divine love itself. Your heart does not distinguish between rich and poor, friend and enemy, female and male, slave and free, sinner and saint. Your heart is open to receiving anyone with total, unrestricted love. For anyone who wants to come to you, there is room. You want to draw all people to yourself, and offer them a home where every human desire is met, every human longing comes to rest and every human need is satisfied.

But your heart is gentle and humble. You do not force; you do not pull or push; you do not coerce. You want us to come freely to your heart and trust that we will find there the peace and joy we most desire. You do not put any requirement on us; you do not expect any great act of generosity; you do not hope for heroic gestures or dramatic signs. The first thing you want is trust. You can only give your heart to those who come to it in trust. Help me today to give you that trust. Amen.

—Henri Nouwen

Beginnings: Happy New Year!

O, Begin!

Fix some part of every day for private exercises. . . .

Whether you like it or no, read and pray daily.

It is for your life; there is no other way:

else you will be trifler all your days. . . .

Do justice to your own soul;

give it time and means to grow.

Do not starve yourself any longer.

John Wesley