Author: admin

Almighty God, you have given us your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him and as at this time to be born of a pure virgin: grant that we, who have been born again and made your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

O Lord Jesus Christ, who at your first coming sent your messenger to prepare your way before you: grant that the ministers and stewards of your mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready your way by turning the hears of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at your second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in your sight, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ.

This prayer is from a much longer one entitiled St Patrick’s Breastplate. St Patrick was born about AD 414 in the Roman province of Britannia. When he was 16 he was captured by a raiding party from Ireland and sold as a slave to the king of Armagh. In an instant, the privileges of home, securities of position, plans for the future were gone. It would have been easy to despair, to curse God and ask to die: but this is the time when Patrick’s faith, and his personal relationship with God, were greatly strengthened.

For all of us who are new to the College and feel similarly lost like St Patrick, his prayer can be a source of great comfort and strength as it speaks of Christ’s sustaining presence in our lives.

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye of everyone that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

In the Old Covenant, God chose Israel to be his people and to obey his laws. Our Lord Jesus Christ, by his death and resurrection, has given us a New Covenant to all who trust in him. On the one side, God promises to give new life in Christ. On the other, we are pledged to live no more for ourselves but for him. In this pray we renew our part in this Covenant.

We are no longer our own, but yours.
Put us to what you will, rank us with whom you will;
put us to doing, put us to suffering;
let us be employed for you or laid aside for you,
exalted for you or brought low for you;
let us be full, let us be empty;
let us have all things, let us have nothing;
we freely and wholeheartedly yeild all things to your pleasure and disposal.
And now, glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
you are ours and we are yours.
So be it.
And the covenant which we have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven.

At the Chaplain’s Mission Archbishop John Sentamu ended his talks with the words of this hymn as a prayer as it summarizes his message.

O holy child of Bethlehem,
descend to us we pray;
cast out our sin, and enter in:
be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
the great glad tidings tell:
O come to us, abide with us,
our Lord Emmanuel.

Lent is the traditional time to give something up but it is also the time to take something on. In this prayer for Ash Wednesday, we are called to reflect on our lives and bring to God’s forgiveness those habits of sin which prevent us from knowing his love.

Almighty and everlasting God,
you hate nothing that you have made
and forgive the sins of all those who are penitent:
create and make in us new and contrite hearts
that we, worthily lamenting our sins
and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may receive from you, the God of all mercy,
perfect remission and forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord.
Amen