The Rosary thread in GQ got me thinking about prayers in general.
I would like to use something like the rosary, but not being catholic the marian prayers are a little inappropriate for my personal use, and I was wondering if there were some other prayers I could use.
Then my idea became somewhat expanded and I thought I could poll dopers on their favourite prayer to inspire me.
I don’t want this to turn in to GD material (Mods, if it does, please move it), I’d just like people to share prayers.
Any and all religions and faith systems welcome, and if your faith doesn’t use formalised prayers, perhaps you could think of something as an alternative.
If the prayer you use isn’t in English, maybe you would also like to put a translation?
When I first began to really deal with some abuse issues, I was wandering rather forlornly through a bookstore and picked up a tiny book called The Little Book of Prayers, edited by David Schiller.
This was where the book fell open. It calms me.
Living beings are without number: I vow to row them to the other shore.
Defilements are without number: I vow to remove them from myself.
The teachings are immeasurable: I vow to study and practice them.
The way is very long: I vow to arrive at the end.
-Four Vows of the Boddhisattva
I have a whole book of these little gems, if you want me to find some of my other favorites…but I’ll wait until I know if that’s the type of thing you’re looking for.
Renew and increase in us the gift of the Holy Spirit,
To our strengthening in faith
To our growth in grace
To our patience in suffering
And to the blessed hope of everlasting life. Amen.
It is the prayer over the newly confirmed in the Lutheran church. I use it when I am assisting with Communion, for children who are too young to receive the sacrament.
My favorite prayer for today is, “Lord, be and abide with my father as he undergoes his surgery. Give sureness and healing to the hands of his doctors, strength and comfort to his mind and to my mother, and bring him safe and well back to us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
It’s my favorite today, because it was granted. He is out of surgery as of about an hour ago, and doing well - he is expected to be home by Friday.
God, walk with me daily
Keep me from doing evil
Keep me from causing pain
Teach me to walk in love
Teach me to hear your voice when you call.
Increase my health and my wealth.
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change
The courage to change the things I can
And the wisdom to know the difference.
Also, this is a good one-
**God, I offer myself to Thee–
to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt.
Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will.
Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life.
May I do Thy will always.**
And this one perhaps-
**My Creator,
I am now willing that you should have all of me,
good and bad.
I pray that you now remove from me
every single defect of character which stands in the way
of my usefulness to you and my fellows.
Grant me strength, as I go out from here,
to do your bidding.
Amen **
They work for me.
Also, although I am not Catholic, I have said a Hail Mary or two, and I think it’s a good, comforting prayer!
I do Hail Marys and Our Fathers instinctively when passing an accident on the road that looks bad.
My favorite, though:
"Hail Holy Queen, Mother of mercy,
Hail our life, our sweetness, and our hope.
To you we cry, poor banished children of Eve,
To you we cry, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears.
Turn then, most gracious Advocate, your eyes of mercy towards us,
and at the end of this, our exile,
show us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Oh clement, oh loving, oh sweet Virgin Mary."
At the end, according to the webpage google thing I looked up, there’s more, but I stop here. 'Cause it just makes sense.
…I’ll add to that that I’m Wiccan, not Catholic. I sort of see the above prayer as directed to the Goddess (and thereby, the Divine) in its motherly aspect. Though I was raised Catholic.
I like the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Even though I’m Catholic, I generally leave out the Hail Mary portion of it, because that’s a portion of Catholicism I’ve never really been comfortable with. I really enjoy it though - I find it calming and centering.
My (more or less agnostic) mom’s favorite, which we often used as grace before meals:
To live together in peace, to seek the truth in love, and to help one another. Amen.
I use a version of the second one EJsGirl gave, which I reworded a little to be more in tune with my non-Christian understanding of God:
I thank you for your blessings and I offer myself to you to serve as an instrument of your love. Relieve me of the bondage of self so I can live according to your ways. Let my life be evidence of your power, your energy, and your love.
I like the long version of the Serenity Prayer that we close meetings with at my AA home group. I’ve seen at least one other “long version,” but this is the one I know:
*God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.
Grant me patience with the things that take time,
Appreciation of all that I have,
Tolerance for those with different struggles,
And the strength to get up and try again
One day at a time.*
Like Lsura, I’m very fond of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy…I, too, find it very centering and a great aid to meditation.
I say this one many times in the day: “Lord Jesus Christ, only son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
When I’m feeling very low and disconnected from God, I usually pray this very short prayer, “Dear Lord, please help me to be good.”
The Anima Christi is becoming another favorite of mine, for its content and its rhythm:
Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O good Jesus, hear me.
Within Thy wounds, hide me.
Separated from Thee let me never be.
From the malignant enemy, defend me.
At the hour of death, call me.
To come to Thee, bid me,
That I may praise Thee in the company
Of Thy Saints, for all eternity. Amen.
