Daily Prayer

I WILL LIFT UP mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.

The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night,

The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

GLORY TO THE FATHER AND TO THE SON AND TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

AS IT WAS IN THE BEGINNING IS NOW AND WILL BE FOREVER. AMEN.

From the Gospel attributed to Matthew - The Beatitudes Ch. 5.

.Jesus opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall he comforted.

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall he filled.

Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peace-makers: for they shall he called the children of God.

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake : for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for any sake. Rejoice, and he exceeding glad ; for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

From the Gospel in Johannine tradition. Chapter 6

I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

He that eateth any flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth one, even he shall live by me.

This is that bread which carne down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?

When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?

What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Grant us, O Lord, to pass this day in gladness and peace, without stumbling,.and without stain; that, reaching the eventide victorious over all temptations, we may praise you, the eternal God, who are blessed, and governs all things, world without end. Amen.

+ May the Father, Son and Holy Spirit bless us this day as we serve Him and our fellow brothers and sisters. Amen .

This is a good time to reflect on some part of our Lor'd's life. One way of begining this to to recite THE ANGELUS as it makes us ponder of the event that changed history - THE INCARNATION.

+ In the name of the Father and of the Son and of ther Holy Spirit. Amen.

The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary:

And she was conceived by the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus:

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the how of our death.

Behold the handmaid of the Lord:

Be it unto me according to thy word.

Hail Mary etc.

And the Word was made flesh:

And dwelt amongst us.

Hail Mary etc.

Pray for us O Holy Mother Of God.

That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Pour thy grace into our heart O Lord that as we have known the message of thy angel, so by +thy cross and passion we may be brought unto thy glorious resurrection and ascension through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

After the Angelus ponder on those events of Christ's ministry - The first are the Joyful Mysteries: the Annunciation - Visitation- Nativity - Presentation, Finding in the temple (Monday and Saturday).

The second are the Light Mysteries: Christ's baptism - Christ's first miracle at Cana - The proclaiming of the kingdom - the Transfiguration - the Institution of the Eucharist (Thursday).

The third are the Sorrowful Mysteries: Christ in the garden of Gethesemane - Christ being scourged - Christ being crowned with thorns - Christ carrying His cross to Calvary - Christ dying on the cross (Tuesday and Friday).

The fourth are the Glorious Mysteriesl: Christ's Resurrection - Christ's Ascension - The outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost - the Assumption (Dormition) of Mary, the Coronation of Mary in heaven (Wednesday and Sunday).

Midday is also a good time to make our intercessions for all those who especially need our prayers.

At the end of the day we reflect upon it so as to recall those happenings for which we can say "thank you", and to repent of those times when we have sinned against God, our neighbour and ourselves.

LORD Jesus Christ you came to reconcile sinners to you. Lord have mercy.

LORD Jesus Christ you forgive the penitent. Christ have mercy.

LORD Jesus Christ you have gone to prepare a place for us. Lord have mercy.

Now God be with us, for the night is closing:

The light and darkness are of his disposing:

And 'neath his shadow here to rest we yield us,

For he will shield us.

Psalm 27. 1-4.

THE LORD is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should arise against me, in this will I be confident.

One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.

Glory be ...

BEFORE GOING TO SLEEP

Many of us say the Office of Compline in which we review the day to confess our sins and commend ourselves into God's care. If we do not say the complete office, we should at least offer up the following extracts from it.

Save us O Lord while waking and guard us while sleeping: that awake we may be Christ and asleep we may take our rest.

LORD now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace:

For mine eyes have seen thy salvation:

Which thou hast prepared before the face of thy people:

To be the light to lighren the gentiles and to be the glory of thy people Israel.

Glory be to the Father ....

Save us O Lord ....

O Lord support us all the day long of this troublesome life until the shadows lengthen, and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then, in thy mercy, grant us a safe lodging and a holy rest and peace at the last. Amen.

Visti we beseech thee O Lord our home and drive from it all the snares of the enemy. May thy holy angels guard over us and bring us safely to another day through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

+ We shall lay us down in peace and take our rest, for it is thou Lord who makest us to dwell in safety.

Thanks be to God.

+Blessed be the Lord God of Israel:

for he hath visited, and redeemed his people ;

And hath raised up a mighty salvation for us:

in the house of his servant David;

As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets:

which have been since the world began;

That we should be saved from our enemies:

and from the hands of all that hate us;

To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers:

and to remember his holy Covenant;

To perform the oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham:

that he would give us;

That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies:

might serve him without fear;

In holiness and righteousness before him: all the days of our life.

And thou, child, shall be called the Prophet of the highest:

for thou shall go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;

To give knowledge of salvation unto his people:

for the remission of their sins,

Through the tender mercy of our God: whereby the dayspring from on high has visited us

To give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death:

and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Spirit;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

+My soul does magnify the Lord:

and my spirit hath rejoiced in God any Saviour.

For he hath regarded:

the lowliness of his hand-maiden.

For behold, from henceforth:

all generations shall call me blessed.

For he that is mighty hath magnified me:

and holy is His Name.

And his mercy is on then that fear him: throughout all generations.

He hath shewed strength with his arm:

he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

He has put down the mighty from their seat:

and has exalted the humble and meek.

He has filled the hungry with good things:

and the rich he hath sent empty away.

He remembering his mercy hath holpen is servant Israel:

as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed, for ever.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son:

and to the Holy Spirit;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Blessing of the Kindling

I will kindle my fire this morning

In presence of the holy angels of heaven,

In presence of Ariel of the loveliest form,

In presence of Uriel of the myriad charms,

Without malice, without jealousy, without envy,

Without fear, without terror of any one under the sun,

But the Holy Son of God to shield me.

God, kindle thou in my hear within

A flame of love to my neighbour,

To my foe, to my friend, to my kindred all,

To the brave, to the knave, to the thrall,

O Son of the lovliest Mary,

From the lowliest thing that liveth,

To the Name that is highest of all.

- a Celtic Prayer

May it please you, my good Lord, that there may come a day when I can repay a little of my great debt to you. ...

O Jesus, strengthen my soul, you who are good above all good, and since you have inclined my soul in this way show me how I may act for you, .... whatever it may cost, O Lord, ... here is my life, my honour and my will; I have given them all to you and they are yours: use me to do whatever you want. St. Teresa of Avila

Wake up, O man - it was for you that God was made man! Awake O sleeper , and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light. For you, I say, was God made man. Eternal death would have awaited you had he not been borne in time. Never would you be freed from your sinful flesh, had he not taken to himself the likeness of sinful flesh. Everlasting would be your misery, had he not performed this act of mercy. You would not have come to life again, had he not come to die your death. You would have been broken down, had he not come to help you. You would have perished had he not come.

St. Augustine of Hippo.

It is important to spend time in silence to hear God and to enjoy His presence. St. Anselm reminds us of this in the first chapter of Proslogion.

Come now, .... fly for a moment from your affairs, escape for a little while from the tumults of your thoughts. Put aside now your weighty cares and leave your wearisome toils. Abandon yourself for a little to God and rest for a little in him.