Category: Prayers

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

God of hope,
we come to you in shock and grief and confusion of heart.
Help us to find peace in the knowledge
of your loving mercy to all your children,
and give us light to guide us out of our darkness
into the assurance of your love,
in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Merciful God,
hear the cries of our grief,
for you know the anguish of our hearts.
It is beyond our understanding
and more than we can bear.
Accept our prayer
that as Tsz has been torn from this world
so may he be received into your safe hands and secure love.
We pray that we may treasure the memory of his life more than the manner of his death.
For Christ’s sake. Amen.

God of love,
We thank you that Tsz is in your gentle and loving hands,
far from the cruelty, violence and pain of our world.
When the trouble was near,
we could not understand how you seemed to remain far away.
And yet it is to you we turn;
for in life and death
it is to you alone whom we can trust,
and yours alone is the love that holds us fast.
We find it hard to forgive the deed
that has brought us so much grief.
But we know that, if life is soured by bitterness,
an unforgiving spirit brings no peace.
Lord, save us and help us.
Strengthen in us the faith and hope that Tsz
is freed from the past with all its hurt,
and rests for ever in the calm security of your love,
in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

God of all mystery, whose ways are beyond understanding,
lead us, who grieve at this untimely death,
to a new and deeper faith in your love,
which brought your only Son Jesus
through death into resurrection life.
We make our prayer in Jesus’ name. Amen

Following the Composition Prize Finals for a setting of the College Grace, here it is, in Latin and English.

Nos miseri homines et egeni, pro cibis quos nobis ad corporis subsidium benigne es largitus, tibi Deus onmipotens, Pater caelestis, gratias reverenter agimus; simul obsecrantes, ut iis sobries, modeste, atque grate utamur. Insuper petimus, ut cibum angelorum, verum panem caelestem, verbum Dei aeternum, Dominum nostrun Jesum Christum, nobis impertiaris: utque illo mens nostra pascatur, et per carnem et sanguinem ejus foveamur, alamur, et corroboremur. Amen,

We unhappy and unworthy men do give thee most reverent thanks, almighty God, our heavenly Father, for the victuals which thou hast bestowed on us for the sustenance of the body, at the same time beseeching thee that we may use them soberly, modestly and gratefully. And above all we beseech thee to inpart to us the food of angels, the true bread of heaven, the eternal word of God, Jesus Christ our Lord, so that the mind of each of us may feed on him and that through his flesh and blood we may be sustained, nourished and strengthened. Amen.

This walk has been devised to help you find some inner peace and silence in this very stressful and demanding term, here are a few pointers to help you get the most from it.

Below you will find a number of prayers and readings, which you can use collectively or individually. With each one, read it through carefully and attentively, emptying your mind of all other thoughts and allowing it to absorb you. If a word or a phrase strikes or moves you then dwell with it and allow it to lead you into silence. This way of reading is called “lectio divina” and is used by Benedictine monks for contemplation.

The first thing which often happens when you try to still the mind is that it becomes flooded with thoughts, concerns and fears of what is to come, so much so that silence can become a personal hell. To prevent this from happening it is important not to allow those thoughts to take hold of your mind, recognise they are there, but allow them to float away and burst like a bubble. Distractions can also prevent you from finding that real calming and comforting peace, so try to find a time and a place when friends are least likely to disturb you. Therefore I suggest that you use these readings on a walk through the College gardens. At each of the four locations there is a bench with a view where you can contemplate two passages.

The above is only a suggestion please do feel free to use this leaflet in any way which will help you.

1. In the orchard by the Sainsbury Building.

Be still and know that I am God.
[Psalm 46:10]

I weave a silence on to my lips
I weave a silence onto my mind
I weave a silence within my heart
I close my ears to distractions
I close my eyes to attractions
I close my heart to temptations

Calm me, O Lord, as you stilled the storm
Still me, O Lord, keep me from harm
Let all tumult within me cease
Enfold me Lord in your peace.
[David Adam]

2. By the lake

O Lord do not forsake me
Be not far from me, O my God
[Psalm 22:19]

Dear God, be good to me. The sea is so great and my barque so small.
[Saying from a Breton fisherman]

3. On the lawn before the Cottages

I lift my eyes unto the hills;
from where is my help to come?

My help comes from the Lord,
the maker of heaven and earth.

He will not suffer your foot to stumble;
he who watches over you will not sleep.
[Psalm 121:1-3]

He did not say “You shall not be troubled, you shall not have bitter labour, you shall have no comfort”, but he said “You shall not be overcome”.
[Julian of Norwich, A Revelation of Divine Love, Chapter 68]

4. In the Chapel

But thus says the Lord, he who created you: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.

For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour.
[Isaiah 43:1-3a]

Deep peace of the running wave to you
Deep peace of the flowing air to you
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you
Deep peace of the shining stars to you
Deep peace of the Son of Peace to you
[A Celtic Blessing]

Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness and to put on the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility; that on the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.