lex orandi, lex credendi

Grant me, O Lord, to trust in you with all my heart;
for, as you always resist the proud who confide in their own strength,
so you never forsake those who make their boast in your mercy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
now and for ever. Amen

Lord of all power and might,
the author and giver of all good things:
Graft in my heart the love of your Name;
increase in me true religions;
nourish me with all goodness;
and bring forth in me the fruit of good works;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen

Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father,
you have brought me in safety to this new day:
Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin,
nor be overcome by adversity;
and in all I do direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose;
through Jesus Christ my Lord.

– source: Divine Hours

O Lord God, grant us peace,
for you have given us all things.
Grant us the peace of quietness,
the peace of the Sabbath which has no evening.
– Augustine

Gracious God, it seems that what most holds my attention are those things and people that I can see, touch, hear, and feel. Yet, in the moments of my day when my mind is still, my soul is quiet, and my breath is slow and even, I can almost detect a whiff of your presence. These precious times are all too fleeting; they slip away almost as quickly as they come. The phone rings, my child cries, a colleague needs my assistance, or my mind just simply gets distracted.

Help me know, O God, that you are still present with me, even in my distractions and interruptions. But also help me savor those spiritually centered moments so much that I will make room in my life for more of them. When I am impatient because I can’t see, touch, hear, or feel you, let your love seep surely into me until my heart turns back to you in surprise and delight. Amen.

Copyright ©1999-2006 explorefaith.org

My Lord, I know not what I ought to ask of Thee.
Thou and Thou alone knowest my needs.
Thou lovest me more than I am able to love Thee.
O Father, grant unto me, Thy servant, all which I cannot ask.
For a cross I dare not ask, nor for consolation;
I dare only to stand in Thy presence.
My heart is open to Thee.
Thou seest my needs of which I myself am unaware.
Behold and lift me up!
In Thy presence I stand,
awed and silenced by Thy will and Thy judgments,
into which my mind cannot penetrate.
To Thee I offer myself as a sacrifice.
No other desire is mine but to fulfill Thy will.
Teach me how to pray.
Do Thyself pray within me.
Amen.

O Lord, grant that I may meet the coming day in peace. Help me in all things to rely upon your holy will. In each hour of the day reveal your will to me. Bless my dealings with all who surround me. Teach me to treat all that comes to me throughout the day with peace of soul, and with the firm conviction that Your will governs all. In all my deeds and words guide my thoughts and feelings. In unforeseen events, let me not forget that all are sent by You. Teach me to act firmly and wisely, without embittering and embarrassing others. Give me the strength to bear the fatigue of the coming day with all that it shall bring. Direct my will. Teach me to pray. Pray within me.
Most Holy God, I pray and beseech you, give me a pure heart, a way of speaking that befits the faith I profess. Grant me uprightness of purpose, powers of reasoning unhindered by passions, conduct that becomes those who fear you, and perfect knowledge of your commandments. May I enjoy health in body and in spirit. Grant me a life of peace, genuine faith and living hope, sincere charity and bountiful generosity, patience that knows no bounds and the light of Your truth to proclaim Your good ness to me, that for ever and in all things placing my trust only in You, I may abound in every good work, and that in Christ Your gifts may increase in every soul.

For to You belong all glory, honor and majesty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen

Every one of us can point to things in our lives that we’d sure like to see change. Lots of things. Relationships that need some help. Health issues. A need for guidance and direction. Financial woes. The list for most of us is pretty long. And to help us bring about that change, God has given us prayer. The Scriptures talk a lot about prayer, but we’re not really sure what to do with it, or, more importantly, how to do it. At least, how to do it in a way that works . Meaning, it actually brings about change. But that’s what prayer is supposed to do – bring about change. When Jesus teaches us to pray “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done,” he means precisely that – that our prayers somehow enable the Kingdom of God to come and his will to be done “ on earth as it is in heaven.” Meaning, here, now, in our lives.

You say grace before meals
All right.
But I say grace before the play and the opera,
And grace before I open a book,
And grace before sketching, painting,
swimming, fencing, foxing, walking, playing, dancing:
And grace before I dip the pen in ink.