The Great Litany

Well, I’ve been reading my Book of Common Prayer, the official prayer book of the Anglican Church, and I came to the Great Litany. I thought that I would share it with you. In the midst of all the chaos and business that we will encounter today, let us keep our eyes on Christ and run the race that is before us with perseverance and endurance.

 

O God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth,

Have mercy upon us.

 O God the Son, Redeemer of the world,

Have mercy upon us.

 

O God the Holy Ghost, Sanctifier of the faithful,

Have mercy upon us.

 

O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, one God,

Have mercy upon us.

 

Remember not, Lord Christ, our offenses, nor the offenses

of our forefathers; neither reward us according to our sins.

Spare us, good Lord, spare thy people, whom thou hast

redeemed with thy most precious blood, and by thy mercy

preserve us for ever.

Spare us, good Lord.

 

From all evil and wickedness; from sin; from the crafts

and assaults of the devil; and from everlasting damnation,

Good Lord, deliver us. 

From all blindness of heart; from pride, vainglory, and

hypocrisy; from envy, hatred, and malice; and from all want

of charity,

Good Lord, deliver us.

 

From all inordinate and sinful affections; and from all the

deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil,

Good Lord, deliver us.

 

From all false doctrine, heresy, and schism; from hardness

of heart, and contempt of thy Word and commandment,

Good Lord, deliver us.

 

From lightning and tempest; from earthquake, fire, and

flood; from plague, pestilence, and famine,

Good Lord, deliver us.

 

From all oppression, conspiracy, and rebellion; from

violence, battle, and murder; and from dying suddenly

and unprepared,

Good Lord, deliver us.

 

By the mystery of thy holy Incarnation; by thy holy Nativity

and submission to the Law; by thy Baptism, Fasting, and

Temptation,

Good Lord, deliver us.

 

By thine Agony and Bloody Sweat; by thy Cross and Passion;

by thy precious Death and Burial; by thy glorious Resurrection

and Ascension; and by the Coming of the Holy Ghost,

Good Lord, deliver us.

 

In all time of our tribulation; in all time of our prosperity; in

the hour of death, and in the day of judgment,

Good Lord, deliver us. 

We sinners do beseech thee to hear us, O Lord God; and that

it may please thee to rule and govern thy holy Church

Universal in the right way,

We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

 

That it may please thee to illumine all bishops, priests, and

deacons, with true knowledge and understanding of thy

Word; and that both by their preaching and living, they may

set it forth, and show it accordingly,

We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

 

That it may please thee to bless and keep all thy people,

We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

 

That it may please thee to send forth laborers into thy

harvest, and to draw all mankind into thy kingdom,

We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

 

That it may please thee to give to all people increase of grace

to hear and receive thy Word, and to bring forth the fruits of

the Spirit,

We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

 

That it may please thee to bring into the way of truth all such

as have erred, and are deceived,

We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

 

That it may please thee to give us a heart to love and fear

thee, and diligently to live after thy commandments,

We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

 

That it may please thee so to rule the hearts of thy servants,

the President of the United States (or of this nation), and all

others in authority, that they may do justice, and love mercy,

and walk in the ways of truth,

We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

 

That it may please thee to make wars to cease in all the world;

to give to all nations unity, peace, and concord; and to

bestow freedom upon all peoples,

We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

 

That it may please thee to show thy pity upon all prisoners

and captives, the homeless and the hungry, and all who are

desolate and oppressed,

We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

 

That it may please thee to give and preserve to our use the

bountiful fruits of the earth, so that in due time all may enjoy

them,

We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

 

That it may please thee to inspire us, in our several callings,

to do the work which thou givest us to do with singleness of

heart as thy servants, and for the common good,

We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

 

That it may please thee to preserve all who are in danger by

reason of their labor or their travel,

We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

 

That it may please thee to preserve, and provide for, all

women in childbirth, young children and orphans, the

widowed, and all whose homes are broken or torn by strife,

We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

 

That it may please thee to visit the lonely; to strengthen all

who suffer in mind, body, and spirit; and to comfort with thy

presence those who are failing and infirm,

We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

 

That it may please thee to support, help, and comfort all who

are in danger, necessity, and tribulation,

We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

 

That it may please thee to have mercy upon all mankind,

We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

 

That it may please thee to give us true repentance; to forgive

us all our sins, negligences, and ignorances; and to endue

us with the grace of thy Holy Spirit to amend our lives

according to thy holy Word,

We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

 

That it may please thee to forgive our enemies, persecutors,

and slanderers, and to turn their hearts,

We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

 

That it may please thee to strengthen such as do stand; to

comfort and help the weak-hearted; to raise up those who

fall; and finally to beat down Satan under our feet,

We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

 

That it may please thee to grant to all the faithful departed

eternal life and peace,

We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

  

Son of God, we beseech thee to hear us.

Son of God, we beseech thee to hear us.

 

O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world,

Have mercy upon us.

 

O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world,

Have mercy upon us.

 

O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world,

Grant us thy peace.

 

O Christ, hear us.

O Christ, hear us.

 

Lord, have mercy upon us.                           Kyrie eleison.

Christ, have mercy upon us.          or          Christe eleison.

Lord, have mercy upon us.                           Kyrie eleison.

  

Our Father, who art in heaven,

    hallowed be thy Name,

    thy kingdom come,

    thy will be done,

       on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

    as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

    but deliver us from evil. Amen.

  

Almighty God, who hast promised to hear the petitions of

those who ask in thy Son’s Name: We beseech thee mercifully

to incline thine ear to us who have now made our prayers

and supplications unto thee; and grant that those things

which we have asked faithfully according to thy will, may be

obtained effectually, to the relief of our necessity, and to the

setting forth of thy glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.