View Full Version : A Veterans Prayer
An Avalanche of Blessings
Perhaps the invisible shield we hang over our children is made up of the values we instill in them, our desperate caring, our prayer for their safety. So we turn to prayer—for our children and maybe just as much for ourselves. We join our concern with God’s—the divine parent who loves them even more than we do.
We do not pray for our children in some wishful way, superstitiously trying to prevent all harm. Instead we take an active stance that recognizes our human limitations at the same time it bows before God’s power. “I will do everything I can to keep them safe,” we say. “But I’m imperfect. I call on you, great God and loving parent, to protect them when I cannot.”
We ask for an avalanche of blessings, all the best God has in store for them.
- Kathy Coffey
By the Passion of Your Blessed Son
O God, by the passion of your blessed Son you made an instrument of shameful death to be for us the means of life: Grant us so to glory in the cross of Christ, that we may gladly suffer shame and loss for the sake of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whoever follows me will have the light of life. (John 8:12)
God our Father, you have given us the light of the world. You give us light to guide us on our journey in life. Fill our hearts with this light so that we may always follow you and may our actions be pleasing to you. Amen.
Lord, I put my trust in you; I shall be glad and rejoice in your mercy, because you have seen my affliction. (Ps 31)
God our Father, we come before you this day placing our trust in you and rejoicing in your mercy for us. We are mindful that you have seen our afflictions and have blessed us with the graces that we need to heal and give us strength to walk this journey in life. Amen.
Prayer for Forgiveness
Forgive me my sins, O Lord; forgive me the sins of my youth and the sins of mine age, the sins of my soul and the sins of my body, my secret and my whispering sins, the sins I have done to please myself and the sins I have done to please others. Forgive those sins which I know, and the sins which I know not; forgive them, O Lord, forgive them all of Thy great goodness. Amen
The Lord is kind and merciful. (Ps 145)
Lord God, we know of your kindness and mercy in our lives. We are so very grateful for the many ways that you touch our lives with your kindness and mercy and we take opportunities to share this experience with those whom we encounter in our daily lives. We bring before you in prayer those whom we have encountered in life, asking that they may continue to experience your kindness and mercy. Amen.
God so loved the world, he gave us his only Son, that all who believe in him might have eternal life. ( John 3:16)
God our Father, we come before you this day excited with the news that you loved us so much that you gave us your only Son, that all who believe will have the gift of eternal life. As we take time this day to reflect on how much you loved us and on this precious gift of your Son to us, we give you praise and thanksgiving for the many ways your Son's presence have changed us. May we never lose sight of your Son's presence in our lives. Amen.
Save me, O God, by your power, and grant me justice! God, hear my prayer; listen to my plea. (Ps 53)
Lord, we know that you are near to the broken hearted. You are the source of life and we are aware that you know our weaknesses, our every thoughts even before we share them. Please hear our intentions this day, for we are in need of your loving kindess and of your forgiving presence in our lives. Amen.
Happy are they who have kept the word with a generous heart, and yield a harvest through perseverance. (Luke 8:15)
Lord, you will show us the path of life. In this path of life, you guide us to yield a harvest through perseverance. Help us, we beg of you, to give us the strength to keep your word with a generous heart and thus enable us to serve you with our whole heart. Amen.
The Prayer of St. Patrick
I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.
I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me;
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's hosts to save me
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a mulitude.
Christ shield me today
Against wounding
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through the mighty strength
Of the Lord of creation.
God, take pity on me! My enemies are crushing me; all day long they wage war on me. (Ps. 55)
Lord God, we are mindful that we have sinned and are in need of your forgiveness and mercy. Please take pity on us for we desire to do your will in our lives. Yet there are those around us who try to make us fall thus we become weak in our response, hence fall into danger and even sin. Help us to become stronger and to defend our faith and our decisions in life.
Lord, Settle My Soul
O Lord, this is all my desire -- to walk along the path of life that Thou hast appointed me, even as Jesus my Lord would walk along it, in steadfastness of faith, in meekness of spirit, in lowliness of heart, in gentleness of love. And because outward events have so much power in scattering my thoughts and disturbing the inward peace in which alone the voice of Thy spirit is heard, do Thou, gracious Lord, calm and settle my soul by that subduing power which alone can bring all thoughts and desires of the heart into captivity to Thyself. All I have is Thine; do Thou with all as seems best to Thy divine will; for I know not what is best. Let not the cares or duties of this life press on me too heavily; but lighten my burden, that I may follow Thy way in quietness, filled with thankfulness for Thy mercy, and rendering acceptable service unto Thee.
- Maria Hare (1798-1870)
Prayer for Bereaved Parents
God, you sacrificed your son so that we and our children would transcend physical death. We know that you grieved when he was crucified and that you grieve over all the atrocities done by men -- especially in your name. You know and understand grief as you know and understand all. You know best how to comfort these parents. Lift their hearts up to you and fill them with your peace. Your understanding is beyond our human comprehension, but give them the knowledge and faith to endure even that which they can't understand. Let them be aware of you always God, and help them to remember that your Love is Life that can never really be taken away.
-Beliefnet
If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. (Ps 95)
Lord Jesus, we hear in the psalm for us not to harden our hearts, yet there are times when it is so much easier for us to turn away and pretend that we did not hear you. We come before you this day asking for forgiveness for those times when we denied hearing your voice and did not act to keep our hearts from becoming hard. Touch our hearts to make them bear witness to your love in our lives. Amen.
Lord in your great love, answer me. (Ps 69)
Lord Jesus, as we approach the days that reveal to us your death and resurrection, we are mindful of your love for us. We are so very grateful to you for your presence in our lives. May we never forget your great love for us and find time each day to say thank you. Amen.
Instruct me in the way of your rules, and I will reflect on all your wonders. (Ps.119)
Loving God, you are the source of all that is good. Instruct and guide us in your wisdom to follow your examples. In that we may reflect the great wonders of your creation and celebrate with joy the truth of your teachings. Amen.
At the name of Jesus every knee must bend, in heaven, on earth, and under the earth; Christ became obedient for us even to death, dying on the cross. (Phil 2)
God our Father, we kneel before you in prayer mindful of the many ways that you bless us on our journey. May we be ever mindful of the love you have for us and may we share this love with others. Amen.
I will rise and go to my father and tell him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. (Lk 15:18)
Lord Jesus, we hear in the Gospel about the son who asked forgiveness from his father and the father was filled with joy that his son returned to him. You give us this example so that we will return to you and that our lives will be filled with joy. However, it is not always easy for us to admit that we have done wrong and to ask forgiveness. Help us to grow in our humility and to return to you asking forgiveness and to feel your open arms ready to embrace us as the father embraced his son upon his return home. Amen
In you, Lord, I have found my peace. (Ps 131)
Almighty and ever-living God, Your presence in our lives is a gift we praise you for this day. Your Spirit guides us as we live in your peace. May we never forget that you hold us in the palm of your hand. Amen.
Your word O Lord, is truth; make us holy in the truth. (John 17)
Lord, we come before you as humble followers seeking the truth in life. Often times, our human weaknesses cause us to fall and lose sight of your truth. Help us to know your reconciling presence in our lives and your deep desire for us to live in your truth. Amen.
The Lord hears the cry of the poor. (Ps 34)
Lord God, You do hear the cry of the poor. We are confident that our prayers for those who are hurting, struggling, hungry and thirsty you hear. We are in need of your grace to be present to all those who cry out to you in their need. May we be ever open to receiving your grace in our lives. Amen.
O Look at me and be merciful, for I am wretched and alone. See my hardship and my poverty, and pardon all my sins. (Ps 24)
God our Father, today we remember your Son's Passion as we celebrate Palm Sunday. Increase our faith in the words your Son gave to us while he walked this earth and bring our trust to its promised fulfillment in the joy of your kingdom. Amen.
The Lord says; my plans for you are peace and not disaster; when you call to me. I will listen to you, and I will bring you back to the place from which I exiled you. (Jer 29)
God our Father, we know that you love us and care for us as your children. We hear from Jeremiah, that the plans you have for us are peace and not disaster. Yet we live in a world where it is often difficult for us to trust in these words, for we see disasters and pain all around us. Help us to grow in our belief in the words from Jeremiah, that your plans for us are really for peace and not disaster. Amen.
Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord (89)
God our creator, in coming before you in prayer, this day, we stand in humility to sing of your goodness toward us. In our journey we are ever mindful of your presence and how awesome is your love for us. May we grow in humility to be able to sing forever of your goodness. Amen.
Teach Us to Love
O God, perfect us in love, that we may conquer all selfishness and hatred of others; fill our hearts with Thy joy, and shed abroad in them Thy peace which passeth understanding; that so those murmurings and disputings to which we are too prone may be overcome. Make us long-suffering and gentle, and thus subdue our hastiness and angry tempers, and grant that we may bring forth the blessed fruits of the Spirit, to Thy praise and glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
- Rev. Henry Alford (1810-1871)
vBulletin® v3.8.6, Copyright ©2000-2012, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.