Flower Meadow
A prayer of Augustine, (354 – 430)
Look upon us, O Lord,
and let all the darkness of our souls
vanish before the beams of thy brightness.
Fill us with holy love,
and open to us the treasures of thy wisdom.
All our desire is known unto thee,
therefore perfect what thou hast begun,
and what thy Spirit has awakened us to ask in prayer.
We seek thy face,
turn thy face unto us and show us thy glory.
Then shall our longing be satisfied,
and our peace shall be perfect.
Amen
A prayer of Clement of Rome from the 1st century
We beseech thee, Master, to be our helper and protector.
Save the afflicted among us; have mercy on the lowly;
raise up the fallen; appear to the needy; heal the ungodly;
restore the wanderers of thy people;
feed the hungry; ransom our prisoners;
raise up the sick; comfort the faint-hearted.
Amen
Prayer of St. Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 link
Lord Jesus, let me know myself and know Thee, And desire nothing save only Thee.
Let me hate myself and love Thee.
Let me do everything for the sake of Thee.
Let me humble myself and exalt Thee.
Let me think nothing except Thee.
Let me die to myself and live in Thee.
Let me accept whatever happens as from Thee.
Let me banish self and follow Thee, and ever desire to follow Thee.
Let me fly from myself and take refuge in Thee,
that I may deserve to be defended by Thee.
Let me fear for myself, let me fear Thee, and let me be among those who are chosen by Thee.
Let me distrust myself and put my trust in Thee.
Let me be willing to obey for the sake of Thee.
Let me cling to nothing save only to Thee, and let me be poor because of Thee.
Look upon me, that I may love Thee.
Call me that I may see Thee, And forever enjoy Thee.
Amen
John 19:30 NIV
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.”
With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Benediction
May God the Father
prepare your journey,
Jesus the Son
guide your footsteps,
The Spirit of Life
strengthen your body,
The Three in One
watch over you,
on every road
that you may follow.
Amen
1
Hope someone can pray for me. Got bronchitis and besides the spiritual battles I have to engage in because of conscience some of the medicine I took gave me vivid nightmares that could best be described as spiritual attacks.
Of particular note, in the first of the two Augustinian prayers, is the desire for atonement, which has been defined by pronouncing it ‘at one-ment.’ This is a first principle of Christian faith, beseeching God to remove the timber from our own vision, rather than the motes from the eyes of others. Clement’s second century prayer is rather particular in how this applies, with practical implications as to where to focus our labor and prayer – “have mercy on the lowly,” a resounding echo of the sermon on the mount.
(And now to attend in prayer to the petition above.)