Part 8 (1/2)
10. Prayer on the Festival of Easter.
We thank Thee, Lord Jesus Christ, Thou blessed Prince of life, that Thou out of divine love, didst give Thyself into death for us, and didst offer Thyself as a propitiation for our sins unto Thy heavenly Father; whereby Thou didst deliver us from the power of death, of the devil and of everlasting d.a.m.nation, and in proof whereof Thou, as the Prince of life and as the Conqueror of death, didst lift up Thy head on the third day, didst rise again, and didst bring forth righteousness, innocence and eternal life. We beseech Thee, give us grace, and so operate in us through Thy Holy Spirit, that we may heartily rejoice and find comfort in Thy death and resurrection, and thereby quiet our consciences and overcome all fear of death. Do Thou also permit Thy resurrection to be a cause and an incitement to us to do good works and to bring forth fruits of righteousness, so that we, as Thy people, may be willing to wors.h.i.+p Thee in the beauty of holiness. Help that we may daily die unto sin, crucify and slay the old Adam with his evil l.u.s.ts and desires, and, on the other hand, spiritually arise, begin to live in righteousness, to walk in newness of life, to purge out the old leaven, and to become a new unleavened bread. Help also that we may await with comfort and joyful hope the resurrection of our deceased bodies, which shall come forth in virtue of Thy resurrection, on the last day, and that we may enter into Thy presence with body and soul in the kingdom of Thy everlasting heavenly glory and excellence. Amen.
11. Prayer on Ascension Day.
Lord Jesus Christ, Thou eternal High Priest and King of all thrones, after Thou hadst finished all things upon earth, which had been written concerning Thee, Thou didst enter into the heaven of glory in and according to Thy exalted humanity, and didst sit down at the right hand of G.o.d upon the throne of majesty; yet Thou art everywhere and Thy kingdom is over all. We, however, are still pilgrims here below, in the valley of misery, in a world which lies in wickedness, and of which Thou didst say, that Thou hast overcome it. Where now is the way which will lead us safely through to Thee? O Lord, how shall we find the way, unless Thou teachest us through Thy Spirit, and through Him leadest and preservest us upon it?
Lord, the world pa.s.seth away, and the l.u.s.t thereof, and all its best glory is as perishable as the day that was yesterday. Our stay in it, moreover, is of few days that pa.s.s away swiftly indeed, more swiftly than water. O, lead us on the way to heaven, into Thy glory, where we can remain with Thee forever. Behold, we die, one after the other, and pa.s.s away as a shadow. But we ourselves with difficulty take it to heart: each one travels the road that seems to him to be right. Do Thou therefore make our heart certain, that we may not walk upon any other road than the one that leads us to Thee and to Thy imperishable glory.
Lord, Thou sittest as our Redeemer and Mediator at the right hand of Majesty in heaven, in order to save us eternally and to make us happy in Thy kingdom. Be Thou therefore mindful of us even when we forget ourselves, and save us mightily, and make us happy, not for our sake, but for Thy sake. For the kingdom which we shall inherit, is Thine; Thine is the power to lead us into it; and Thine shall be all the honor and glory forever, when we, as Thy rescued children, shall be happy in Thy kingdom.
Amen. Hear us for the sake of Thy eternal love and mercy. Amen.
12. Prayer on Whitsunday.
O G.o.d, who didst visit and endow the hearts of Thy saints so graciously and richly with Thy Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, O pour out this Thy Spirit and merciful shower also upon our barren and drooping hearts, refresh Thy inheritance and comfort the miserable. Come, O Holy Spirit, and adorn us with Thy manifold gifts, that we may truly perceive and praise the great deeds of G.o.d, which were accomplished through Jesus Christ, and that we may speak, glorify and spread Thy Word with new tongues; enkindle us with the fire of Thy wholesome fervor, burn out all internal malice, together with all other fleshly l.u.s.ts and desires; light the lamp of Thy truth, so that we may serve our G.o.d fervently in spirit and in faith, and with true earnestness and zeal.
O Thou G.o.d of peace, bind our hearts with the bonds of Thy peace, that we may remain and live with each other in meekness and humility, in peace and unity. O Thou G.o.d of patience, give us patience during the time of our life, and firmness unto the end. O Thou Spirit of prayer, awaken our hearts, that we may lift them together with holy hands up to G.o.d, and call upon him in every time of need; and as we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, O do Thou, as our faithful Interceder, make intercession for us with groanings which can not be uttered. O Thou gentle wind, cool and refresh our hearts in every fiery trial and anguish, be our protection and shelter in time of need, our help in affliction, our comfort in adversity.
Come, Thou mighty G.o.d, and comfort the weak, teach the miserable Thy way, help those also who have fallen, put those aright who err, hold them with Thy right hand. Come, O Thou eternal Light, Salvation and Comfort, be our Light in darkness, be our Salvation in life, be our Comfort in death, and lead us upon the straight path unto life everlasting, in order that we may praise, extol and glorify Thee, O Holy Ghost, together with our heavenly Father and His beloved Son, our only Saviour, with truly new tongues on the true day of Pentecost in heaven for ever and ever. Amen.
13. Prayer on the Festival of the Holy Trinity.
O Thou incomprehensible, eternal G.o.d, Thou King of kings, and Lord of lords, Thou, who only hast immortality and dwellest in the light which no man can approach unto, we thank Thee in humility of heart, that Thou didst come forth out of Thy light and reveal Thyself as one G.o.d in three persons. But because this exalted mystery of the holy Trinity transcends all our conception and understanding, do Thou Thyself bring our reason, which thinks itself to be wise, into captivity to Thy obedience, and do not permit its foolishness to set itself against Thy wisdom. But do Thou impress upon our hearts the living and believing knowledge, that Thou art Three and One, in order that we may steadfastly preserve this truth as a precious treasure against all error, and with the deepest humility may wors.h.i.+p Thee, O Triune G.o.d, with equal honor, according to Thy revelation.
Give us, O holy Father, a knowledge of Thee, that Thou comest from no one, but didst beget Thy Son from eternity and together with Him lettest the Holy Spirit proceed from Thee; but also how Thou didst give Thyself to us as our Father, in order that we might, in childlike obedience and confidence, consecrate unto Thee every thing in us that is Thy work.
Eternal Son of G.o.d, Lord Jesus Christ, reveal Thyself unto us also; how Thou wast begotten from eternity by Thy heavenly Father as the brightness of His glory and as the image of His essence, Light of Light, very G.o.d of very G.o.d; how Thou out of love to us didst become our brother and didst redeem us with Thy obedience, suffering and death, that we might in Thee learn to know the Father aright, and through Thee come to Him, and also enjoy the fruits of Thy salvation, here in righteousness and holiness, hereafter in the communion of Thy glory. Lord G.o.d Holy Ghost, put Thy light into our souls, in order that we may know how Thou proceedest as the essential Breath from the Father and the Son from eternity, as the true G.o.d and as a true person, also how Thou laborest faithfully at the work of our sanctification. O continue the same in power, to enlighten, purify, comfort and keep us, and to urge us to do all that is good, in order that we may through Thy operation at last appear altogether holy and pure before the throne of Thy glory.
To Thee, O Thou holy Trinity, be ascribed, by us and all creatures, praise, honor, glory and thanks to all eternity, for Thy eternal majesty and glory which Thou hast revealed unto us in Thy Word, and for all the grace and benefits with which Thou hast blessed us. Amen.
14. Prayer on the Day of John the Baptist.