Universal Prayer of Pope Clement XI: Difference between revisions

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[www.ourcatholicprayers.com/universal-prayer.html ''Our Catholic Prayers.'']: "This Universal Prayer has been attributed to Pope Clement XI from the 18th century. This prayer provides a good outline of what we need to do we strive for sanctity and eternal life, as 'citizens-in-training' for Heaven."
[http://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/universal-prayer.html ''Our Catholic Prayers.'']: "This Universal Prayer has been attributed to Pope Clement XI from the 18th century. This prayer provides a good outline of what we need to do we strive for sanctity and eternal life, as 'citizens-in-training' for Heaven."


[http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Baltimore_Book_of_Prayers/Occasional_Prayers/A_Universal_Prayer ''Wikisource''] says it was composed in 1721 and published in the ''Baltimore Book of Prayers.''
[http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Baltimore_Book_of_Prayers/Occasional_Prayers/A_Universal_Prayer ''Wikisource''] says it was composed in 1721 and published in the ''Baltimore Book of Prayers.''
I have broken the prayer into two parts, laid it out for easy reading, and provided a paraphrase for "superior" and "inferior" in one part of the prayer.  In our current cultural context, praying for "inferiors" doesn't sound right, so I have recast that part of the prayer in terms of who has authority over whom.


== Thy Will Be Done ==
== Thy Will Be Done ==


My God, I believe in You; strengthen my faith. All my hopes are in You; secure them. I love You; teach me to love you daily more and more. I am sorry that I have offended You; increase my sorrow.
My God, I believe in You; <br>
strengthen my faith.  


I adore you as the Author of my first beginning. I aspire after you as my last end. I give you thanks as my constant Benefactor, I call upon you as my sovereign Protector.
All my hopes are in You; <br>
secure them.  


My God, be pleased to conduct me by your wisdom; to restrain me by the thought of Your justice; to comfort me by Your mercy; to defend me by Your power.
I love You; teach me to love you daily more and more.  


To You I desire to consecrate all my thoughts, words, deeds, and suffering, that henceforth I may think of you, speak of you, refer all my actions to Your greater glory, and suffer willingly whatever You shall appoint.
I am sorry that I have offended You; increase my sorrow.


Lord, I desire that in all things Your Will be done, because it is Your Will, and I desire that all things be done in the manner that You will them.
I adore you as the Author of my first beginning.  


Grant that I may always esteem whatsoever is pleasing to You, despise what You abhor, avoid what You forbid, and do what you command.
I aspire after you as my last end.
 
I give you thanks as my constant Benefactor.
 
I call upon you as my sovereign Protector.
 
My God, be pleased to conduct me by your wisdom; <br>
to restrain me by the thought of Your justice; <br>
to comfort me by Your mercy; <br>
to defend me by Your power.
 
To You I desire to consecrate all my thoughts, words, deeds, and suffering, <br>
that henceforth I may think of you, <br>
speak of you, <br>
refer all my actions to Your greater glory, <br>
and suffer willingly whatever You shall appoint.
 
Lord, I desire that in all things Your Will be done, <br>
because it is Your Will, <br>
and I desire that all things be done in the manner that You will them.
 
Grant that I may always esteem whatsoever is pleasing to You, <br>
despise what You abhor, <br>
avoid what You forbid, <br>
and do what you command.


== Wash Me, and I Shall Be Clean ==
== Wash Me, and I Shall Be Clean ==


I beg You to enlighten my understanding, to inflame my will, to purify my body, and to sanctify my soul.
I beg You to enlighten my understanding, <br>
to inflame my will, <br>
to purify my body, <br>
and to sanctify my soul.
 
My God, give me strength to atone for my sins, <br>
to overcome my temptations, <br>
to subdue my passions, <br>
and to acquire the virtues proper to my state of life.
 
Fill my heart with tender affection for Your goodness, <br>
hatred of my faults, <br>
love of my neighbor, <br>
and contempt of the world.  


My God, give me strength to atone for my sins, to overcome my temptations, to subdue my passions, and to acquire the virtues proper to my state of life.
May Your grace help me to be obedient to [those who have authority over me], <br>
kind and courteous to [those over whom I exercise authority], <br>
faithful to my friends, <br>
and charitable to my enemies.


Fill my heart with tender affection for Your goodness, hatred of my faults, love of my neighbor, and contempt of the world. May Your grace help me to be obedient to my superiors, kind and courteous to my inferiors, faithful to my friends, and charitable to my enemies.
Assist me to overcome sensuality by self-sacrifice, <br>
avarice by almsdeeds, <br>
anger by meekness, <br>
and carelessness by devotion.  


Assist me to overcome sensuality by self-sacrifice, avarice by almsdeeds, anger by meekness, and carelessness by devotion. My God, make me prudent in my undertakings, courageous in danger, patient in trials, and humble in success.
My God, make me prudent in my undertakings, <br>
courageous in danger, <br>
patient in trials, <br>
and humble in success.


Grant that I may be ever attentive at my prayers, temperate at my meals, diligent in my work, and faithful in my good resolutions.
Grant that I may be ever attentive at my prayers, <br>
temperate at my meals, <br>
diligent in my work, <br>
and faithful in my good resolutions.


Let my conscience be ever upright and pure, my behavior modest, my conversation kind, and my actions edifying.
Let my conscience be ever upright and pure, <br>
my behavior modest, <br>
my conversation kind, <br>
and my actions edifying.


Assist me that I may continually strive to overcome the evil inclinations of my nature, to cooperate with Your grace, to keep Your commandments, and to work out my salvation.
Assist me that I may continually strive <br>
to overcome the evil inclinations of my nature, <br>
to cooperate with Your grace, <br>
to keep Your commandments, <br>
and to work out my salvation.


My God, make me realize the nothingness of this world, the greatness of heaven, the shortness of time, and the length of eternity.
My God, make me realize the nothingness of this world, <br>
the greatness of heaven, <br>
the shortness of time, <br>
and the length of eternity.


Grant that I may prepare for death; that I may fear Your judgment; that I may escape hell and in the end obtain heaven.  
Grant that I may prepare for death; <br>
that I may fear Your judgment; <br>
that I may escape hell and in the end obtain heaven.  


Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Latest revision as of 15:40, 14 August 2012

Our Catholic Prayers.: "This Universal Prayer has been attributed to Pope Clement XI from the 18th century. This prayer provides a good outline of what we need to do we strive for sanctity and eternal life, as 'citizens-in-training' for Heaven."

Wikisource says it was composed in 1721 and published in the Baltimore Book of Prayers.

I have broken the prayer into two parts, laid it out for easy reading, and provided a paraphrase for "superior" and "inferior" in one part of the prayer. In our current cultural context, praying for "inferiors" doesn't sound right, so I have recast that part of the prayer in terms of who has authority over whom.

Thy Will Be Done

My God, I believe in You;
strengthen my faith.

All my hopes are in You;
secure them.

I love You; teach me to love you daily more and more.

I am sorry that I have offended You; increase my sorrow.

I adore you as the Author of my first beginning.

I aspire after you as my last end.

I give you thanks as my constant Benefactor.

I call upon you as my sovereign Protector.

My God, be pleased to conduct me by your wisdom;
to restrain me by the thought of Your justice;
to comfort me by Your mercy;
to defend me by Your power.

To You I desire to consecrate all my thoughts, words, deeds, and suffering,
that henceforth I may think of you,
speak of you,
refer all my actions to Your greater glory,
and suffer willingly whatever You shall appoint.

Lord, I desire that in all things Your Will be done,
because it is Your Will,
and I desire that all things be done in the manner that You will them.

Grant that I may always esteem whatsoever is pleasing to You,
despise what You abhor,
avoid what You forbid,
and do what you command.

Wash Me, and I Shall Be Clean

I beg You to enlighten my understanding,
to inflame my will,
to purify my body,
and to sanctify my soul.

My God, give me strength to atone for my sins,
to overcome my temptations,
to subdue my passions,
and to acquire the virtues proper to my state of life.

Fill my heart with tender affection for Your goodness,
hatred of my faults,
love of my neighbor,
and contempt of the world.

May Your grace help me to be obedient to [those who have authority over me],
kind and courteous to [those over whom I exercise authority],
faithful to my friends,
and charitable to my enemies.

Assist me to overcome sensuality by self-sacrifice,
avarice by almsdeeds,
anger by meekness,
and carelessness by devotion.

My God, make me prudent in my undertakings,
courageous in danger,
patient in trials,
and humble in success.

Grant that I may be ever attentive at my prayers,
temperate at my meals,
diligent in my work,
and faithful in my good resolutions.

Let my conscience be ever upright and pure,
my behavior modest,
my conversation kind,
and my actions edifying.

Assist me that I may continually strive
to overcome the evil inclinations of my nature,
to cooperate with Your grace,
to keep Your commandments,
and to work out my salvation.

My God, make me realize the nothingness of this world,
the greatness of heaven,
the shortness of time,
and the length of eternity.

Grant that I may prepare for death;
that I may fear Your judgment;
that I may escape hell and in the end obtain heaven.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.