The height of prayer is when the mind is free from thoughts and becomes aware of God alone.
St. Isaiah the Solitary
Category: Prayer
some chant …
Devotion on the Five Wounds of Our Saviour
O most meek Jesu, by the saving Wound of thy Right Foot, forgive r whatsoever sins of evil thoughts I have committed against thee; and by infinite merits make up to me whatever I have lost by the neglect of h thoughts: so that henceforth I may desire thee, my chief and only good, a seek and find thee alone whom my soul loveth. Amen.
St Gregory’s Prayer Book, 297
one prayer
I have one prayer:
Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Rev 22:20
five wounds
O LORD Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who didst come down from heaven to earth from the bosom of the Father, and didst bear five wounds on the Cross, and didst pour forth thy precious Blood for the remission of our sins: we humbly beseech thee; that at the day of judgement we may be set at thy right hand, and hear from thee that most comfortable word, Come ye blessed into my Father’s Kingdom; who livest and reignest with the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
Day 7 – all good
So, I tested again this morning, and I am all clear. Back to normal – or not!?
I said Morning Prayer from the Book of Common Prayer this morning in my chapel. I forgot how meaningful (to me!) the words and actions are. A very blessed start to the day. No insight – apart from the Melbourne Stars are a really bad T20 side. I will need to shop today for some food, but I might wait.
Blessed Feast of S. Thomas, Ember Saturday in Advent, and Summer Solstice.
old Prayer Books
What to do with your old 1662 BCP that your grandfather used? Or, that BCP that was gifted at your confirmation?
With the change in worship books among Anglicans, I am seeing more BCPs in Op Shops. That is a shame! For a past generation, these were their daily spiritual food – they were daily prayer. More, old Prayer Books are often dedicated to someone as a gift. That makes me feel sad!! Yes, maybe these people have given up on the worship of God, but the people of God have not stopped praying for them.
Well, do not throw your old Prayer Books away! Do not recycle them! Do not take them to the Op Shop to be sold for 20 cents – yes, I paid that much for one. See my new Prayer Book Project. Send me your old Prayer Books and I will pray for the person to whom it is gifted. Or I will pray for a person whom you want to be remembered. Or I will pray for you.
A Prayer for Vocations to the Religious Life
Lord Jesus Christ,
A Prayer for Vocations to the Religious Life
in your great love you draw all people to yourself:
and in your wisdom you call us to your service.
We pray at this time,
you will kindle in the hearts of men and women
the desire to follow you in the Religious life.
Give to those whom you call,
grace to accept their vocation readily and thankfully,
to make the whole-hearted surrender which you ask of them,
and for love of you, to persevere to the end.
This we ask in your name. Amen.
… Adoro te, Domine Jesu Christe
I adore you, Lord Jesus Christ, hanging upon the Cross, and bearing on your head a crown of thorns: I beseech you, Lord Jesus Christ, that your cross may free me from the avenging Angel.
I adore you, Lord Jesus Christ, wounded upon the cross, drinking vinegar and gall: I beseech you, Lord Jesus Christ, that your wounds may be my remedy.
I adore you Lord Jesus, placed in the tomb, laid in myrrh and spices: I beseech you, Lord Jesus Christ, that your death may be my life.
I adore you, Lord Jesus Christ, descending into hell, liberating the captives: I beseech you, never let me enter there.
I adore you, Lord Jesus Christ, rising from the dead, ascending into heaven and sitting on the right hand of the Father: have mercy on me, I beseech you.
O Lord Jesus Christ, the good shepherd, preserve the righteous, make righteous the sinners, have mercy on all the faithful: and be gracious to me, a sinner.
O Lord Jesus Christ, I ask you for the sake of that most bitter suffering which you bore for my sake upon the cross, and above all when your most noble soul left your most holy body: have mercy on my soul at its departing. Amen. We adore you O Christ and we bless you, Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world. Lord hear my prayer. And let my cry come to you.
We adore you O Christ and we bless you, Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world. Lord hear my prayer. And let my cry come to you.
The prayer:
O most kindly Lord Jesus Christ: turn upon me, a miserable sinner, those eyes of mercy with which you beheld Peter in [Caiaphas’] court, and Mary Magdalene at the banquet, and the thief on the gibbet of the cross: and grant that with blessed Peter I may worthily lament my sins, with Mary Magdalene may perfectly serve you, and with the thief may behold you eternally in heaven. Who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.
Duffy, Eamon. The Stripping of the Altars: Traditional Religion in England, 1400-1580 (pp. 325-326). Yale University Press.
… traditional devotions
I was reading about the traditional devotional life of anchorites in Medival England. These anchorites followed the fashion of the day, which was dominated by affective piety focusing on the humanity of Jesus. So the major focus was the Passion of Jesus.
Besides the 15 Oes, there were prayers to “The Five Wounds of Christ”, “The Seven Wounds of Mary”, or the “Seven Prayers of St Gregory” centring on the Passion of Jesus. There were also liturgical feasts dedicated to the Prayer in the Garden, the Five Wounds of Jesus, the Winding Sheet (burial shroud), and the Precious Blood.
As an aside, The Gregory Prayer Book has a number of these prayers and devotions. An interesting and useful aid to my prayers. There is also a Book of Hours available that gives some insight into English devotional life.
I wonder what happened to all these devotions?
this solitary life 