THE COLLECT FOR PURITY
From The Book of Common Prayer
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hidden. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name, through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
THE LITANY OF PEACE
Written By The Most Reverend Karl Prüter
Lord, Heavenly Father help us to become peacemakers, that we may be called, “The Children of God.”
Lord, hear our prayer, and grant us Thy peace.
Lord, Heavenly Father, help us purge ourselves of those attributes which make not for peace but which set the stage for war.
Lord hear our prayer, and grant us Thy peace.
Lord, open our minds to see ourselves as Thou seest us, or even, as others see us, and save us from all unwillingness to know our infirmities.
Lord, hear our prayer, and grant us Thy peace.
From all hasty utterances of impatience; from the retort of irritation and the taunt of sarcasm; from all infirmity of temper in provoking or being provoked; from love of unkind gossip, and from all idle words that may do hurt, save us, O Lord.
Lord, hear our prayer, and grant us Thy peace.
Grant us, O Lord, the strength to obey Thy commandments, that we defraud our neighbor in nothing. May we never commit adultery nor do anything to disturb our neighbor’s home or family.
Lord, hear our prayer, and grant us Thy peace.
Lord, Heavenly Father, grant that we covet nothing that is our neighbors, neither their house, nor their auto, their bank account, their job, nor anything that is our neighbors.
Lord, hear our prayer, and grant us Thy peace.
Heavenly Father, help us to maintain peace within our own households, with our neighbors in our communities, within our own nations, and in the world.
Lord, hear our prayer, and grant us Thy peace.
Lord, Heavenly Father we pray not only for the absence of war, but more especially for Thy peace, which passeth all understanding.
Lord, hear our prayer, and grant us Thy peace.
Lord, Heavenly Father, grant us Christ’s wish that we may become One with Him, and with Thee; that in union with Thee, we may desire only what Thou dost desire, and thus come to know Thy perfect peace.
Lord, hear our prayer, and grant us Thy peace, this day and for evermore. Amen.
THE PRAYER OF THE COMMUNITY
Written by The Right Reverend Dwain Houser
Father Almighty, God most high, God of hosts, Lord of the world, invisible, incorruptible, immortal, perfect, and merciful; God of the earth, of fire, of the waters, of the great winds, of the shining stars; God who made the world: Draw near and bend down to hear the prayers of your children.
In the shelter of your anointed Son, help us to be orderly, cheerful, and polite, civil, sensible, and honorable, quiet and discreet, generous, welcoming, and friendly, open-handed, truly loving, and full of humanity.
Help us to be willing, worthy, and respectful; and let us be outstanding for kindness and mercy, ministering to the poor and those in prison, for the harvest is ripe and ready for us to reap it.
Give to us the purity of an angel and the chastity of a maiden, the simplicity of a dove and the cunning of a serpent, sweet humility and precious lowliness, and the spirit of the apostles on fire in our souls.
Give to us the patience of Job prepared for hardship, the joy of achieving peace, prudence, tranquility, and mildness, for these are the fruits of our flowers in the gap of danger.
Grant us the courage to build our community in love, that we might become your bride, sustained by the sweet wine of your passion, and fed by the fullness of your Incarnation. Let our Community reflect your divine peace and may our Rule be our life’s measure of your divine plan.
High King of Heaven, give judgment in our favor and moisten our eyes with the continuing stream of your grace, that the Holy Spirit might dwell in us, and the sweet Name of Jesus be written graciously in the center of our hearts.
This we ask in that same dear Name, forever and always.
Amen.
THE PRAYER OF THE COWORKER OF CHRIST
Written by The Right Reverend Phillips Brooks
O God:
Give me strength to live another day;
Let me not turn coward before its difficulties or prove recreant to its duties;
Let me not lose faith in other people;
Keep me sweet and sound of heart, in spite of ingratitude, treachery, or meanness;
Preserve me from minding little stings or giving them;
Help me to keep my heart clean, and to live so honestly and fearlessly that no outward failure can dishearten me or take away the joy of conscious integrity;
Open wide the eyes of my soul that I may see good in all things;
Grant me this day some new vision of thy truth;
Inspire me with the spirit of joy and gladness;
and make me the cup of strength to suffering souls;
in the name of the strong Deliverer, our only Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amen.