View Full Version : A Veterans Prayer
Prayer for Protection
Blessed are thy Saints, O God and King, who have traveled over the tempestuous sea of this mortal life, and have made the harbour of peace and felicity. Watch over us who are still in our dangerous voyage; and remember such as lie exposed to the rough storms of trouble and temptations. Frail is our vessel, and the ocean is wide; but as in thy mercy thou hast set our course, so steer the vessel of our life toward the everlasting shore of peace, and bring us at length to the quiet haven of our heart's desire, where thou, O our God, are blessed, and livest and reignest for ever and ever.
- St. Augustine
God himself is my help. The Lord upholds my life. I will offer you a willing sacrifice; I will praise your name, O Lord, for its goodness. (Ps 53)
God our Father, we come before you in prayer to ask for your graces to help us serve you in faith, hope and love. In our journey, we are grateful for the many ways you touch our lives and guide us to live a life in faithfulness to you. May the gift of your life continue to grow in us and may we always be ready to share your presence with those to whom we encounter in our journey. Amen.
Be merciful O Lord, for we have sinned. (Ps 51)
Lord Jesus, as we walk this journey in faith, we are mindful that we have sinned and are in great need of your mercy. We ask for your guidance as we walk in faith and protect us from all that is evil in our world. Amen
Create a clean heart in me, O God; give me a new and steadfast spirit. (Ps. 51)
God our Father, we come to you this day as your children who are in need of your love and understanding in our lives. There are times when we go astray and need to cry out to you to guide us back. May we know of your forgiveness in our lives and be strengthened to continue our journey in growing closer to you. Amen.
Seek good and not evil so that you may live, and the Lord will be with you. (Amos 5:14)
Lord, we are in need of your help as we strive to live a faithful and honest journey in following you. Help us to perservere in this journey and grow closer to you so that we may always know of your love for us. Amen.
Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may be faithful in your sight. (Ps. 86)
Lord Jesus Christ, when you walked this earth you gave examples of what we are to do in order to follow you in this journey of faith. Free us from what binds us from totally following you with our whole heart and to grow in our trust in your presence in our lives. Amen.
Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.
Lord, many times, we are deaf to your words and we are led into unhealthy and sinful ways. May we be humble enough to come to you asking for forgiveness and to celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation. In this sacrament your graces are given to us, we are healed and we can hear your words. May we always know of your forgiveness and grace in our lives. Amen.
Luther's Evening Prayer
My Heavenly Father, I thank You, through Jesus Christ, Your beloved Son, that You have protected me, by Your grace. Forgive, I pray, all my sins and the evil I have done. Protect me, by Your grace, tonight. I put myself in your care, body and soul and all that I have. Let Your holy angels be with me, so that the evil enemy will not gain power over me. Amen.
- Martin Luther
My God of justice, you answer my cry; you come to my help when I am in trouble. (Ps. 40)
Lord God, there are times in our journey when we are aware that we are in need of your mercy. This day, we come before you and cry out for this gift of your mercy in our lives. We are confident that you hear our prayers and that we will receive your mercy. We also remember all those who served our country as President. We are thankful for their leadership and dedication in serving our country. Amen.
Give Us, O Lord, a Steadfast Heart
Give us, O Lord, a steadfast heart, which no unworthy affection may drag downwards; give us an unconquered heart, which no tribulation can wear out; give us an upright heart, which no unworthy purpose may tempt aside. Bestow upon us also, O Lord our God, understanding to know you, diligence to seek you, wisdom to find you, and a faithfulness that may finally embrace you; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
- Thomas Aquinas
Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned. (Ps 51)
Lord Jesus, as we begin the discipline of Lent may we be reminded each and everyday of our lives of your love for us. During this Lenten season may we take time to reflect on our times of difficulties, struggles, sinfulness and on those moments when we have not made your presence known to those around us. May we grow in our love for you and may we continue to strive to live in a grace-filled life with you. Amen.
Please Forgive Me
Dear Father God,
I know that I've done wrong through my thoughts, my actions, and the things that I've said, sometimes by mistake and sometimes on purpose. I have gone my own way and not put you at the center of my life. I am very sorry and ask that you please forgive me. I thank you that I can ask you this because I truly believe that your Son, Jesus, died in my place and, through Him, I have access to you. Please help me to follow you more closely every day and live a life which gives glory back to you. I pray this in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Prayer for Those in the Armed Services
O God of Mercy, we beg You now to protect in a special way those who are fighting for us and for the country we love. Bless them and take care of them. If they are tired, give them strength. If they are wounded and suffering, give them comfort. If they are lonely, touch them with Your gentle hand and let them know that You are near them. Grant them strength, wisdom and help through Your power and Your limitless love. Amen.
Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you. (Ps. 33)
God our Father, we are in need of your help in order for us to hear your Son. In your gentleness, please enlighten us with your word, so that we may share your presence with those that we encounter in our journey in life. Amen.
Redeem me, Lord, and have mercy on me; my foot is set on the right path, I worship you in the great assembly. (Ps 26)
God our Father, we come before you this day in the hope of experiencing your mercy and love. As we pray, may we become more aware of your great gift of mercy in our lives and cry out to you in our need. Amen.
Give light to my eyes, Lord, lest I sleep in death, and my enemy says: I have overcome him. (Ps 13)
Lord, we ask that you watch over your Church and in your loving kindness grant us the gift of your unconditional love. Our world is in such need of your love and to have others who will give witness to your presence in this world. Help us to bear this witness to those whom we encounter in our journey in life and give us the strength to share our love of you with others. Amen.
Do not abandon me, Lord. My God, do not go away from me! Hurry to help me, Lord, my Savior.
Lord Jesus, we come before you this day asking that we recieve the grace to always be mindful of your presence in our lives. There are times where we sometimes feel that we are abandoned by you. Yet it is because we turn our backs on you and allow our own humanness to get in the way of your presence and grace. Help us to turn towards you in our struggles and in our joys and always praise you for the gift of life. Amen.
Happy are they who have kept the word with a generous heart, and yield a harvest through perseverance. (Lk 8:15)
God our Father, we are mindful of how we need to reflect on our lives and make some decisions that will help us return to you with all of our hearts. We ask that you send your Spirit to guide us and help us on this path of life. Amen.
In the Way of the Cross
Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.
I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation. (Ps. 32)
Lord Jesus, trusting in your everlasting love for us, we turn to you in our hour of need. We rely on your graces to sustain us as we live situations that are painful and disturbing in our lives. We ask for your grace to strengthen us in this time of trouble and to bring us to a deeper level of peace in our lives. Amen.
Remember the marvels the Lord has done. (Ps 105)
Lord, we give you thanks this day as we recall all the marvelous things you have done for us. We ask that you open our hearts to a better understanding of your love for us and of your kindness in our lives. Amen.
Prayer When Words Won't Come
O My Father, I have moments of deep unrest -- moments when I know not what to ask by reason of the very excess of my wants. I have in these hours no words for Thee, no conscious prayers for Thee. My cry seems purely worldly; I want only the wings of a dove that I may flee away. Yet all the time Thou has accepted my unrest as a prayer. Thou has interpreted its cry for a dove's wings as a cry for Thee, Thou has received the nameless longings of my heart as the intercessions of Thy Spirit. They are not yet the intercessions of my spirit; I know not what to ask. But Thou knowest what I ask, O my God. Thou knowest the name of that need which lies beneath my speechless groan. Thou knowest that, because I am made in Thine image, I can find rest only in what gives rest to Thee; therefore Thou hast counted my unrest unto me for righteousness, and has called my groaning Thy Spirit's prayer. Amen.
- Rev. George Matheson (1842-1906)
Within your temple, we ponder your loving kindness, O God. As your name, so also your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with justice. (Ps 47)
Lord, teach us your decrees and show us the path of life. We seek you with all our hearts and treasure your promises in our lives. Help us this day to remain focused on your words and help us to live according to your law and statutes. Amen.
Lord, direct my steps as you have promised, and let no evil hold me in its power. (Ps. 119)
Lord, as we journey through these Lenten days, we are nourished by your word and are encouraged to turn towards you in our hour of need. We know in our hearts that we are loved by you and that you hold us in the palm of your hand. May we always know of your love for us and may we always respond to you with open hearts. Amen.
Prayer for Students
Father of Light and Wisdom,
thank you for giving me
a mind that can know
and a heart that can love.
Help me to keep learning every day of my life--
no matter what the subject may be.
Let me be convinced that all knowledge leads to you
and let me know how to find you and love you
in all the things you have made.
Encourage me when the studies are difficult
and when I am tempted to give up
Enlighten me when my brain is slow
and help me to grasp the truth held out to me.
Grant me the grace to put my knowledge to use
in building the kingdom of God on earth
so that I may enter the kingdom of God in heaven.
Amen.
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