Fall in New England

A prayer of Dietrich Bonhoeffer link

O God, early in the morning I cry to you.
Help me to pray
And to concentrate my thoughts on you:
I cannot do this alone.
In me there is darkness,
But with you there is light;
I am lonely, but you do not leave me;
I am feeble in heart, but with you there is help;
I am restless, but with you there is peace.
In me there is bitterness, but with you there is patience;
I do not understand your ways,
But you know the way for me…
Restore me to liberty,
And enable me to live now
That I may answer before you and before me.
Lord, whatever this day may bring,
Your name be praised.
Amen

Prayer to the Divine Tutor — St Clement of Alexandria (150–215)

Be kind to Your little children, Lord; that is what we ask of You as their Tutor,
You the Father, Israel’s guide; Son, yes, but Father as well.
Grant that by doing what You told us to do, we may achieve a faithful likeness to the Image and,
as far as is possible for us, may find in You a good God and a lenient Judge.

May we all live in the peace that comes from You. May we journey towards Your city,
sailing through the waters of sin untouched by the waves, borne tranquilly along by the Holy Spirit,
Your Wisdom beyond all telling. Night and day until the last day of all, may our praises give You thanks,
our thanksgiving praise You: You who alone are both Father and Son, Son and Father,
the Son who is our Tutor and our Teacher, together with the Holy Spirit.
Amen

Prayer to God the Father — St Ambrose of Milan (337–397 AD)

O Lord, who has mercy upon all, take away from me my sins,
and mercifully kindle in me the fire of Your Holy Spirit.
Take away from me the heart of stone,
and give me a heart of flesh,
a heart to love and adore You,
a heart to delight in You,
to follow and to enjoy You,
for Christ’s sake. Amen

Psalm 100 NIV

A psalm. For giving grateful praise.

1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
2     Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his[a];
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Benediction link

May the Lord walk beside you to comfort you.
May the Lord walk above you to watch over you.
May the Lord walk behind you to keep you safe.
May the Lord walk before you to show you the way.
Amen