# Favourite Prayer? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 25, 2003, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-prayer/164068 "2003-03-25T17:22:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-prayer/164068/1 "2003-03-25T17:22:39Z")
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? Hopefully this will be informative and uplifting… ---
**Author:** ![papergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aca169/32.png) [@papergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papergirl)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-prayer/164068/2 "2003-03-25T18:21:10Z")
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. Best, karol ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-prayer/164068/3 "2003-03-25T20:46:14Z")
Father in Heaven, for Jesus’ sake - 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. Blessed be our Heavenly Father. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-prayer/164068/4 "2003-03-25T20:51:29Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-prayer/164068/5 "2003-03-25T21:03:02Z")
I like the Serenity Prayer quite a bit- **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! ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-prayer/164068/6 "2003-03-25T22:31:42Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-prayer/164068/7 "2003-03-25T22:34:21Z")
…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. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-prayer/164068/8 "2003-03-25T22:38:46Z")
My favorite prayer? **"HHHHEEELLLLLPPPPP!"** ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-prayer/164068/9 "2003-03-25T22:44:56Z")
I like the [Chaplet of Divine Mercy](http://www.markhargrave.com/chaplet.html). 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. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-prayer/164068/10 "2003-03-25T22:53:01Z")
“Oh Lord, protect this rocket house, and all who dwell within the rocket house.” ---
**Author:** ![Scantilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Scantilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scantilly)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-prayer/164068/11 "2003-03-25T23:01:22Z")
Check out **A Common Prayer** By **Michael Leunig** It’s full of beautiful, soulful, quirky and inspiring poems. ---
**Author:** ![Scantilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Scantilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scantilly)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-prayer/164068/12 "2003-03-25T23:05:48Z")
I mean **PRAYERS** , not poems. ---
**Author:** ![raisinbread](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8491ac/32.png) [@raisinbread](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raisinbread)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-prayer/164068/13 "2003-03-26T00:22:10Z")
O Poseidon, keep us safe from floods and drown our enemies. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-prayer/164068/14 "2003-03-26T00:34:25Z")
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.** Day in and day out, the one I try to use is: **Thank you.** ---
**Author:** ![scott\_evil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@scott\_evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott_evil)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-prayer/164068/15 "2003-03-26T00:52:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by EJsGirl \* > \*\*I like the Serenity Prayer quite a bit- > > **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.** > \*\* 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.\* ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-prayer/164068/16 "2003-03-26T01:21:21Z")
It may seem sarcastic at first, bit if you really think about it, it’s not: Lord, make me the type of person my dog thinks I am… ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-prayer/164068/17 "2003-03-26T01:26:24Z")
Couple in love: 1. Oh my God, I’m coming NOW! 2. Jesus Christ, wait for me! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![rumraisin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8e7dd6/32.png) [@rumraisin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rumraisin)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-prayer/164068/18 "2003-03-26T04:09:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JThunder \* > \*\*My favorite prayer? > > **"HHHHEEELLLLLPPPPP!"** \*\* I second that. ---
**Author:** ![Already\_in\_Use](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@Already\_in\_Use](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Already_in_Use)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-prayer/164068/19 "2003-03-26T09:01:18Z")
_I have only ever made one prayer to God, a very short one: “O Lord, make my enemies ridiculous.” And God granted it._ – Voltaire ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-prayer/164068/20 "2003-03-26T14:25:36Z")
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. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-prayer/164068.md?page=2)