Prayers Throughout The Day

Prayer is our main communication to God and we have the power, the skills and the knowledge through the God Only.

In the Church there is a lengthy tradition to pray at certain moments of day.

Praying in the morning, night and evening supports underpins spiritual growth in Jesus and aware of his existence that he is always with us forever.

Make a time for God during your day.

IT IS ESSENTIAL TO ASK GOD FOR GUIDANCE, TO SUPPORT AND EMPOWER US TO GET THROUGH EVERY DAY, SPIRITUAL, PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL POWER.

Morning Prayer of St Francis

St Francis of Assisi (1182-1226)

Lord, help me to live this day, quietly, easily;

to lean on your great strength, trustfully, restfully;

to wait for the unfolding of your will, patiently, serenely; to meet others, peacefully, joyfully;

to face tomorrow, confidently, courageously.

Prayer of St Thérèse of Lisieux

My life is but an instant, a passing hour.

My life is but a day that escapes and flies away. O my God! You know that to love you on earth I only have today.

Lord, what does it matter if the future is gloomy? To pray for tomorrow, oh no, I cannot!

Keep my heart pure, cover me with your shadow Just for today.

O divine Pilot! whose hand guides me. I’m soon to see you on the eternal shore.

Guide my little boat over the stormy waves in peace Just for today.

Prayer of Abandonment

Charles de Foucauld

Father, I abandon myself into your hands; Do with me what you will.

Whatever you may do, I thank you; I am ready for all, I accept all.

Let only your will be done in me and in all your creatures. I wish no more than this, O Lord.

Into your hands I commend my soul:

I offer it to you with all the love of my heart,

for I love you, Lord, and so need to give myself,

to surrender myself into your hands without reserve and with boundless confidence, for you are my Father.

St Patrick’s Breastplate

I bind unto myself today,

the power of God to hold and lead, his eye to watch, his might to stay, his ear to harken to my need:

the wisdom of my God to teach,

his hand to guide, his shield to ward; the word of God to give me speech, his heavenly host to be my guard.

Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me,

Christ to comfort and restore me. Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

Prayer for Humility

St Alphonsus Ligouri

Most humble Jesus, give me a share of your humility. Take from my heart everything that displeases you; convert it totally to you,

so that I may no longer will or desire anything other than what you will.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

We give you thanks for all your gifts,

Almighty God, living and reigning now and forever.

Amen.

Grace Before Meals

Bless us, O Lord, and these thy gifts which we are about to receive through thy bounty.

Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Prayer to our Guardian Angel

Angel sent by God to guide me, be my light and walk beside me; be my guardian and protect me; on the paths of life direct me.

Angel of God

Angel of God, my guardian dear,

to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this day (or night) be at my side,

to light, to guard, to rule and guide.

Amen.

Te Deum

Written at the beginning of the fifth century, perhaps by St Nicetas of Remesiana (335-415)

You are God; we praise you;

You are the Lord; we acclaim you; You are the eternal Father.

All creation worships you.

To you all angels, all the powers of heaven, Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise; Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory.

The glorious company of apostles praise you. The noble fellowship of prophets praise you. The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.

Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;

Father, of majesty unbounded,

your true and only Son, worthy of all worship, and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.

You, Christ, are the king of glory, the eternal Son of the Father.

When you became man to set us free you did not spurn the Virgin’s womb. You overcame the sting of death,

and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.

We believe that you will come, and be our judge. Come then, Lord and help your people,

bought with the price of your own blood, and bring us with your saints

to glory everlasting.

Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance. Govern and uphold them now and always.

Day by day we bless you.

We praise your name for ever. Keep us today, Lord, from all sin.

Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy. Lord, show us your love and mercy; for we put our trust in you.

In you, Lord, is our hope;

and we shall never hope in vain.

Act of Faith, Hope and Love

My God, I believe in you, I trust in you,

I love you above all things,

with all my heart and mind and strength. I love you because you are supremely good and worth loving;

and because I love you,

I am sorry with all my heart for offending you. Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Amen.

Come Holy Spirit

The first versicle and response are taken from the alleluia verse before the gospel of Pentecost; the second versicle and response from the third antiphon for the Office of Readings on Pentecost and the prayer from the votive Mass of the Holy Spirit in the Roman Missal.

V. Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful
R. And kindle in them the fire of your love.
V. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created
R. And you will renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray.

Lord, by the light of your Holy Spirit

you have taught the hearts of your faithful.

In that same Spirit

help us to relish what is right

and always rejoice in your consolation. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Prayer for Benefactors

Reward those who have been good to us for the sake of your name, O Lord

and give them eternal life.
Amen.

Prayer for Final Perseverance

St Alphonsus Ligouri

Our dear Redeemer, relying on your promises,

because you are faithful, all-powerful and merciful, we hope, through the merits of your Passion,

for the forgiveness of our sins, perseverance until death in your grace; and at length

we hope, by your mercy, to see and love you eternally in heaven.

Prayer for Christian Unity

John Henry Newman; adapted from ‘Meditations and Devotions.’

O Lord Jesus Christ,

when you were about to suffer,

you prayed for your disciples to the end of time, that they might all be one,

as you are in the Father, and the Father in you.

Look down in pity on the many divisions

among those who profess your faith and heal the wounds which the pride of man and the craft of Satan have inflicted on your people.

Break down the walls of separation which divide one party and denomination of Christians from another. Look with compassion on the souls who have been born

in one or another of these various communions and bring them all into that one communion which you set up in the beginning: the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

St Patrick’s Prayer

I arise today, through the power of the Trinity, through the faith in threeness, through trust in the oneness of the Maker of the earth, and the Maker of heaven.

Prayer of St Richard

St Richard of Chichester (1198-1253)

Praise be to Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ,

For all the benefits which You have given us,

For all the pains and insults which You have borne for us. O most merciful Redeemer, Friend and Brother,

May we see You more clearly, love You more dearly, And follow You more nearly, Day by day.

Amen.

Prayer of St Ignatius Loyola

St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)

Teach us Good Lord, To serve You as You deserve, To give and not to count the cost,

To fight and not to heed the wounds, To toil and not to seek for rest,

To labour and not to ask for any reward,

Save that of knowing that we do Your will.

Amen.

Prayer to St Anthony for things that are lost

O great St Anthony, who has received from God a special power to recover lost things, help me that I may find that which I am now seeking.

An Old French Prayer for Friends

Blessed Mother of those whose names you can read in  my heart, watch over them with every care. Make their way easy and their labours fruitful. Dry their tears if they weep; sanctify their joys; raise their courage if they weaken; restore their hope if they lose heart, their health if they be ill, truth if they err, and repentance if they fall.

Amen.

Prayer of Self-Dedication to Jesus Christ (OblatioSui)

Ascribed to St Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556)

Lord Jesus Christ, take all my freedom, my memory, my understanding, and my will. All that I have and cherish you have given me. I surrender it all to be guided by your will. Your grace and your love are wealth enough for me. Give me these, Lord Jesus, and I ask for nothing more.

Oblatio Sui (Prayer of Self-Dedication to Jesus Christ)

Suscipe, Domine, universam mean libertatem. Accipe memoriam, intellectum atque voluntatem omnem. Quidquid habeo vel possideo, mihi largitus es: id tibi totum restituo, ac tuae prorsus voluntati trado

gubernandum. Amorem tui solum cum gratia tua mihi dones, et dives sum satis, nec aliud quidquam ultra posco.

Evening Prayer of St Augustine

Watch, Lord, with those who wake or weep tonight. Give the angels and saints charge over those who sleep. O Lord Jesus Christ, tend Your sick ones, rest Your weary ones, bless Your dying ones, soothe the suffering ones, pity all the afflicted ones, shield the joyful ones, and all for Your love’s sake.

Amen.

Prayer of Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Founder of the Missionaries of Charity (1910-1997)

The fruit of Silence is Prayer. The fruit of Prayer is Faith. The fruit of Faith is Love.

The fruit of Love is Service.

Prayer of Daily Service

Make us worthy, Lord, to serve our fellow men throughout the world who live and die in poverty and hunger. Give them through our hands this day their daily bread, and by our understanding love, give peace and joy. Make us, Lord, worthy to serve our brothers and sisters who are scattered all over the world, who live and die alone and poor. Give them today, using our hands, their daily bread. And, using our love, give them peace and happiness.

Amen.

Prayer of St Teresa of Avila

My God, dispose of me, and of all that belongs to me, according to your good pleasure.

Amen.

Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

John Henry Cardinal Newman (1801-1890)

Most sacred, most loving Heart of Jesus, you are concealed in the Holy Eucharist, and you bear for us still. Now, as then, you say: “With desire I have desired.” I worship you with all my best love and awe, with fervent affection, with my most subdued, most resolved will. For a while you take up your abode within me. O make my heart beat with your Heart! Purify it of all that is earthly, all that is proud and sensual, of all perversity, of all disorder. So fill it with you, that neither the events of the day, nor the circumstance of the time, may have the power to ruffle it; but that in your love and your fear, it may have peace.

Amen.