Recently in Prayers Category

New sightings of Jesus and Mary (don't worry this is kinda funny)

This could be Jesus or Mary, or could just be a random charismatic! Don't you find it interesting the conclusions he jumped to? What would someone in another culture see?

Here is another Byzantine communion prayer:

I know, O Lord, that if I partake unworthily of Your pure body and of Your precious blood, I will be guilty. I will be eating and drinking my own condemnation, not discerning Your body and blood. When I consider Your loving kindness, O my Christ and my God, I dare not come to You who said, "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me and I in him." Be merciful to me a sinner, O Lord, and rebuke me not. Deal with me according to your mercy. Let the bread and wine be for the healing of my soul and body, for the enlightenment of my mind and the protection of my life. Let them give me confidence in You and love for my brethren. Let them be for the amendment of my conduct, for perseverence, for increase in virtue, and for perfection in the fellowship of Your Holy Spirit. Give me Your body and blood, O Lord, as a provision for the journey to eternal life and for an acceptable answer at Your judgment seat: do not let them be for my judgment or condemnation. Amen.

Tom posted some additional prayers in the comments of my last posting, but I had one more prayer I wanted to post. He beat me to it, but if you like me prefer a translation without Thees and Thous:

Prayer of Simeon Metaphrastes

O You who graciously gave Your flesh to me as food, who are a fire consuming the unworthy: Consume me not, O my Creator, but rather pass through all the parts of my body, into all my joints, my heart, my soul; burn, O good Lord, the thorns of my transgressions, cleanse my soul and purify all my thoughts. Ever shelter, guard, and keep me in Your love. Chasten me, purify me, and control all my passions. Adorn me, teach me, and enlighten me always. Show me how to be a tabernacle of Your Holy Spirit, and in no wise the dwelling place of sin; that from me, Your habitation, and because of the communion of Your holy mysteries, every evil deed and passion may flee as from fire. I bring to You all the saints, especially Your pure and most holy Mother to intercede for me. O my Christ and my God, accept their prayers in my favor and make me, Your child, to be a child of light: for You alone are the sanctification and the splendor of my soul, and to You, my God and my Master, I shall give glory and honor forever and ever. Amen.

Here is a Byzantine prayer of thanksgiving after communion.

I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, for you have not rejected me a sinner, but have made me worthy to share in your sanctifying mysteries. I thank you for having granted that I, unworthy as I am, be a partaker of these pure and heavenly gifts. O Lord and lover of mankind who died and are risen for us, who gave us these dread and life-giving mysteries for the good of our bodies and the sanctification of our souls: make them serve for the healing of my soul and body, that they may set to flight every foe. Enlighten the eyes of my heart; give peace to the powers of my mind; inspire me with a faith in which there is no shame, a sincere love, a deep wisdom and obedience to your Commandments. May they increase in me your divine grace, and make me dwell in your kingdom. Being preserved by them in your holiness, I will remember your love at all times. From now on, I will not live for myself, but for you, my Lord and benefactor. And thus having spent my earthly life in the hope of life without end, I will one day reach eternal rest where the sound of rejoicing never ceases, where the delight of those who look upon the beauty of your face has no bounds. For you are truly the object of our desire and the inexpressible joy of those who love you, Christ our God, and all creatures glorify you forever and ever. Amen.

I want to share some communion prayers from the Byzantine tradition that I really like. The following is a prayer before communion by St. Basil the Great:

O Lord and Master Jesus Christ, my God, Source of life and immortality, Maker of all things visible and invisible, co-eternal Son of the immortal Father, accept the repentance of me, a sinner. Incline Your ear and hear my prayer: I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned before Your face, and I am not worthy to lift up my eyes to Your glory. I have provoked Your goodness; I have transgressed Your commandments and disobeyed Your statues. O Lord, be long-suffering with me and show me Your mercy. O You who said through the prophet: "I desire not the death of a sinner, but that he may repent and live", show me Your love and forgive me. Wherefore, even unworthy of heaven and of earth as I am, I despair not of Your salvation. In this life I have wholly yielded myself to sin and have become the slave of the pleasures of this world. I have defiled Your image in me and turned my back on Your loving kindness. When I consider Your infinite compassion, I dare to come back to You, my God and my Maker. Receive me, O Christ, as You received the adulteress; accept me as You accepted the prodigal son, the publican, and the thief on the cross; take away the heavy burden of my sins, O You who take away the sins of the world, You who heal the infirmities of men and give rest to those who are weary and heavy-laden.

Cleanse me, O Lord, from every stain of flesh and spirit; teach me to fulfill Your will in fear and holiness that, having the witness of a pure conscience, I may receive my share of Your holy things and may be united to Your holy body and blood. May I have You to abide in me with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Grant me, until my last breath, to receive the bread and the wine which are Your body and blood, and thereby to receive communion with the Holy Spirit as a provision for the journey to eternal life, and as an acceptable answer at Your dread judgment seat. May I, together with all Your saints, be a partaker of these good things You have prepared for those who love You, O Lord my God. Amen.

The Seven Daily Habits of Holy Apostolic People by Father John McCloskey

I read it and his Seven Habits will surprise no one. While not all of them are my style, they can certainly bear fruit if done sincerely and with devotion.

I'd like to present a list of Seven Daily Prayers for Effective Holiness:

1) Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
2) Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, glory to you.
3) Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, I put my trust in you.
4) Lord, increase my faith: I believe, help my unbelief.
5) Give me a heart of unconditional love; may I love as You love.
6) May every word I speak be full of grace and truth and sincerity; may I always speak your word and do your will.
7) Give me all the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit.

#2 is a bit vague but it means glorifying God for whatever happens, in all circumstances good and bad, and accepting all the suffering that comes your way in reparation for yours own sins, for the sins of those you know and love, and for the sins of the whole world.

These are basically a summary of the much longer prayers I put on the web page I posted earlier.

Here is a fantastic prayer I pray before going to sleep. It has many times protected me when I was molested my nightmares. It's especially good for young men.

Now that we are about to lie down to sleep, grant us, O Master, the repose of our soul and body. Preserve us from the dark slumber of sin, and against any impure satisfaction that roams about in the darkness of night. Quiet the assaults of our passions, arrest the darts that the evil one insidiously throws at us, still the commotions of our flesh, and calm all earthly and worldly feelings within us. Grant us, O Lord, a watchful mind, innocent heart, sober hearts, a gentle sleep free from evil dreams. At the hour of prayer arouse us, strong in the practice of your commands and ever mindful of your desires. Grant us the grace to sing your glory throughout the night, to praise, bless, and glorify your all-honorable and magnificent name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and always and forever and ever. Amen.

It's written for monks but adapt it as you see fit. (Monks use to get up around 3am and pray the Office of Prime, that's what "the hour of prayer" refers to, though certainly it can apply to Lauds as well.)

This is an example of a pre-written prayer I really like. It's a Byzantine prayer.

Here's a plan for achieving peace in the Middle East:

Let's ask the patriarchs and saints to pray for us, especially Abraham,
Isaac, Jacob, and Ishmael. Joseph the All-Comely (or patriarch),
Melchizedek, St. Sharbel of Lebanon, St. Rafqa of Lebanon, St. Ignatius
of Antioch, St. Isaac the Syrian, St. Ephraim the Syrian, St. John of
the Cross (he was half Arab), and whoever else you can think of would
also be a good ones to pray to.

It's time we took seriously taking Middle Eastern peace to prayer, and
asked for help from our righteous brethren ...