The older a Christian gets and the more he experiences public & private prayer the more he learns to appreciate some of the spiritual gems that are in the Christian tradition, often ignored or neglected by churches today in their worship. There is a collection of prayers in the reformed Catholic or Anglican tradition that seem to me to fit this description of gems.
In The Book of Common Prayer (1662) there are provided at the end of The Order for Holy Communion six collects. They are prefaced by this rubric: “Collects to be said after the Offertory, when there is no Communion, every such day one or more; and the same may be said also, as often as occasion shall serve, after the Collects either of Morning or Evening Prayer, Communion or Litany, by the discretion of the Minister.” This is a fairly broad permission and so it in not surprising that in the American Book of Common Prayer (1928) five of the six together with a further one were placed among the occasional prayers, printed after Evening Prayer, under the heading, “Collects.” And here the rubric is: “To be used after the Collects of Morning or Evening Prayer, or Communion, at the discretion of the Minister.” So it seems that the use of these Collects in England or America is wholly dependent upon the judgment of the parish priest and if he does not decide to use them they do not get used.
The first collect in the BCP of 1662 (and the second in the BCP of 1928) is: Assist us mercifully, O Lord, in these our supplications and prayers, and dispose the way of thy servants towards the attaining of everlasting salvation; that, among all the changes and chances of this mortal life, they may ever be defended by thy most gracious and ready help; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
In its Latin original this first appeared in the Sacramentary of Gelasius under the general heading, “Prayers for one going on a journey.” In the Sarum Use of medieval England it has become a prayer for pilgrims. In the BCP it has become a prayer for all of us who journey through life. What we know from experience is that real prayer is not natural to the heart. To pray aright we need divine assistance. Further, to travel aright through life towards the goal of everlasting life, we need divine guidance and help. There are many changes in the situations in which we live and further we meet expected occurrences and incidents. Thus at all times we need to be within the care and defence of our heavenly Father for the sake of his Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ.
The second collect in the BCP of 1662 (and found in the Communion Service in the BCP of 1928 after the Commandments) is: O Almighty Lord, and everlasting God, vouchsafe, we beseech thee, to direct, sanctify, and govern, both out hearts and bodies, in the ways of thy laws, and in the works of thy commandments; that through thy most mighty protection, both here and ever, we may be preserved in body and soul; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
In the Sarum Use this prayer comes at the end of Prime, the first devotions of the day. In the BCP (1662 & 1928) it is not only found in this collection but also as the last prayer of the Confirmation Service. The prayer focuses on the whole person as being both soul and body and looks for sanctification of both in this life in anticipation of the perfection of both soul/heart and body in the resurrected, glorified and immortalised spiritual body of the life of the age to come. Practical holiness in this life is obeying and being conformed to the ways and works of God’s law and commandments as these are fulfilled by Jesus Christ.
The third collect in both the BCP of 1662 and of 1928) is: Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that the words, which we have heard this day with out outward ears, may through thy grace be so grafted inwardly in our hearts, that they may bring forth in us the fruit of good living, to the honour and praise of thy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
This prayer made its appearance in the BCP of 1549 and reflects the new religious situation where the Bible is printed in English and generally available to be read not only in church but by the heads of households at family prayers and by teachers in schools. Not only the reading of the Old and New Testaments but also the practical exposition of them in sermons and catechism is in mind. The petition is that the word of God will enter via the senses into the heart and soul and there find a home wherein to grow and bear fruit. (Compare with this collect that for the Second Sunday in Advent: “Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures…”)
The fourth collect in the BCP of 1662 (and the fourth, but slightly amended in the BCP of 1928) is: Prevent us, O Lord [Direct us, O Lord], in all our doings with thy most gracious favour, and further us with thy continual help; that in all our works, begun, continued, and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy Name, and finally by thy mercy obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
In the Sarum Use this prayer is to be said by the priest in the sacristy, when he has taken off the eucharistic vestments, and thus refers to his vocation in the Ministry. In the BCP it is adapted for use by all the people of God. The verb “prevent” is found also in the Easter Collect ( “as by thy special grace preventing us…”) and carries the meaning of “anticipate,” suggesting that we need God’s grace to go before us, preparing the way for us, just as much as we need grace be with us in the present and to follow us on our path. The American rendering of “direct” makes good sense but introduces a different meaning into the collect. Perhaps the best commentary on “further us with thy continual help” is the content of the Tenth Article of Religion. “We have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable to God without the grace of God by Christ preventing us, that we may have a good will, and working with us, when we have that good will.” Our vocation is to glorify God on earth by our good works that proceed from faith working by love and in hope of life everlasting.
The fifth collect in both the BCP of 1662 and of 1928 is: Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, who knowest our necessities before we ask, and our ignorance in asking: We beseech thee to have compassion upon our infirmities; and those things, which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask, vouchsafe to give us for the worthiness of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
This collect first appeared in the BCP of 1549 and it has been well described as “A Prayer to supply the defects of our other devotions”. The prayer supposes not only that we are finite and mortal but also sinful, spiritually blind and unworthy of divine blessing. It also supposes that God is omniscient, wise, compassionate and gracious who for the sake of his Incarnate Son delights to save and bless sinful creatures who turn to him. When these two lines of thought come together we have such a prayer as this which is a good prayer to offer at the end of our prayers.
The sixth collect in both in the BCP of 1662 and of 1928 is: Almighty God, who hast promised to hear the petitions of them that ask in thy Son’s Name: We beseech thee mercifully to incline thine ears to us that have made now our prayers and supplications unto thee; and grant that those things, which we have faithfully asked according to thy will, may effectually be obtained, to the relief of our necessity, and to the setting forth of thy glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
This is a prayer to be used as a concluding prayer for it refers to supplications and prayers already offered to the Father. To ask in the Name of the Son is more than using a verbal formula, it is also living in union with the Son, abiding in him. Also this collect suggests two further conditions of genuine prayer – importunate and persevering (suggested by the word “supplications”, earnest prayer), and also faithful (proceeding from faith and out of faithfulness to God’s known will). God answers such prayer in order to meet our genuine needs and necessity as also to enhance his own glory through us his servants.
What is left now is the first collect in the BCP of 1928: O Lord Jesus Christ, who saidst unto thine apostles, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; Regard not our sins, but the faith of thy Church; and grant to it that peace and unity which is according to thy will, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.
This is addressed to the Lord Jesus Christ as the Second Person of the Blessed, Holy and Undivided Trinity and it ends with a doxology to the same Trinity. In origin it was a prayer used by the priest as he prepared to take the Eucharist and had reference to the conveying in this service the Pax, the gift of peace. As adapted to general use, the petition presupposes the merits and life-giving words of the Lord Jesus and his presence in his Body, the catholic Church, and asks that what is in the Head of the Body may also be in the Body itself – peace and unity.
Do make use of these prayers!
thank you.
The Rev'd Dr. Peter Toon
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