For the Family.

MERCIFUL Father, bless, we beseech thee,

with all best blessings, both spiritual and temporal, all members of this family, whether present or absent. Bestow upon them, O Lord, such measure of earthly prosperity as may be good for them, and keep them, if thou wilt, in health and safety. But far above all earthly blessings, we ask thee to make this family to be a family fearing thee. "Let thy fatherly hand, we beseech thee, ever be over them; let thy Holy Spirit ever be with them." Unite them together in the bonds of holy love, and in the unity of thy holy church, that they may abide in thee, and after being separated for a little while here below, may be again united in that kingdom where they can be parted no more forever; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

ETERNAL God, who alone makest men to be of one mind in an house; Help us, the members of this household, faithfully to fulfil our duties to thee and to each other. Put far from us all unkind thoughts, anger and evil speaking. Give us tender hearts, full of affection and sympathy toward all. Grant us grace to feel the sorrows and trials of others as our own, and to bear patiently with their imperfections. Preserve us from selfishness, and grant that, day by day, walking in love, we may grow up into the likeness of thy blessed Son, and be found ready to meet him, and to enter with him into that place which he has gone to prepare for us; for his sake, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

FA

ATHER in heaven give, we pray thee to all children grace reverently to love their parents, and cheerfully to obey them. Teach us all that filial duty never ends or lessens, and bless all parents in their children, and all children in their parents. O thou in whom the fatherless find mercy, make all orphans, we beseech thee, loving and dutiful unto thee, their true Father. Be thy will their law, thy house their home, thy love their inheritance. And we earnestly pray thee, to console those who have lost their children, giving mothers grace to be comforted though they are not; and grant us all faith to yield our dearest treasures unto thee with joy and thanksgiving, that where with thee our treasure is, there our hearts may be also. Thus may we look for and hasten unto the day of union with thee, and of reunion through Jesus Christ. Amen.

For the Children.

JESUS Christ, the Lord of children, be near to all children's hearts to-day. In their pleasant play make them to remember thy holy childhood, and put away all self-loving thoughts and ways, all untruthfulness and disobedience, all angry words and deeds. Comfort them in all their troubles, which are known to thee, and lead them on through pure and faithful lives to thyself, thy children's home. Amen.

For Those We Love.

THOU who hast ordered this wondrous world, who knowest all things in earth and heaven, so fill our hearts with trust in thee, that by night and by day, at all times and in all seasons, we, may without fear commit those who are dear to us to thy never-failing love for this life and the life to come. Amen.

For Those on a Journey.

LORD, our Heavenly Father, who art the Guide of them that journey, and the unwearying Guard of them that sojourn; We earnestly supplicate thy blessing in behalf of thy servants who are absent from us. Take them we beseech thee, under thy special protection. Be unto them a Helper in their setting out, a Solace by the way, a Shadow from the heat, a Covert from the storm, a Comfort and Support in weariness, and a Guardian against all danger. Direct them in the way of peace and prosperity, and give thy holy angels charge over them to keep them in all their ways; that thou being their Ruler and Guide, they may prosperously finish their journey, and return to their home in peace and safety. And finally may it please thee that we may all so pass through things temporal, as at length by thy mercy to attain unto the gate of everlasting life. All which we beg through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For the Absent.

GOD, who art in every place and from whose knowledge no space or distance can ever remove us, may those of our friends who are absent from each other still be present with thee. Defend, O Lord, those from whom we are separated in all their dangers both of soul and body and grant that both they and we, by drawing nearer unto thee, may be drawing nearer unto each other; bound together by the unseen chain of thy love, in the communion of thy Holy Spirit, and in the fellowship of thy saints. That whether or not according as it seemeth best to thee we meet together here on earth we may surely meet again in the life to come and go into that house of many mansions which thou hast prepared for those who unfeignedly love thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

PRAYERS FOR SPECIAL GRACES.

GOD, the God of all goodness and grace, who art worthy of a greater love than we can either give or understand; Fill our hearts, we beseech thee, with such love toward thee as may cast out all wrath and fear, that nothing may seem too hard for us to do or suffer in obedience to thee; and grant that by thus loving, we may become daily more like unto thee and finally obtain the crown of life which thou hast promised to those who unfeignedly love thee; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

MOST loving Jesus, pattern of charity, who

makest all the commandments of the law to consist in love towards God and towards man; Grant to us so to love thee with all our heart, with all our mind and all our soul and our neighbour for thy sake, that the grace of charity and brotherly love may dwell in us, and all envy, harshness and ill-will may die in us; and fill our hearts with feelings of love, kindness and compassion, so that by constantly rejoicing in the happiness and good success of others, by sympathizing with them in their sorrows, and putting away all harsh judgments and envious thoughts, we may follow thee, who art thyself the true and perfect Love, and who livest and reignest with the Father and Holy Ghost ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

For Guidance.

GOD, by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and light riseth up in darkness for the godly; Grant us, in all our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask what thou wouldst have us to do; that the spirit of wisdom may save us from all false choices, and that in thy light we may see light, and in thy straight path may not stumble; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

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E thou, O Lord, our protection, who art our redemption; direct our minds by thy gracious presence, and watch over our paths with guiding love; that among the snares which lie hidden in this path, wherein we walk, we may so pass onward with hearts fixed on thee, that by the track of faith we may come to be where thou wouldst have us. Amen.

For Those in Perplexity.

ALMIGHTY God, who knowest our several necessities; Do thou of thy great mercy direct aright those thy children who are harassed by the manifold perplexities belonging to this world of darkness. Guide them with thy heavenly light, and provide for them such counsel as may best enable them to draw near to thee, that they may return if they have erred, and may go forward in the right way if they are hesitating, and may be received into thy glory when their perseverance has been manifested; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For Purity.

GOD, who art of purer eyes than to behold iniquity; Mercifully grant unto us such a sense of sin that we may receive cleansing, and such cleansing that we may be made pure in heart, and may see thee for evermore; through our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

LORD Jesus Christ, sinless Son of Man who art evermore ready to succour them that are tempted; grant unto us, thy servants, both valour and constancy, that we may keep undefiled our own purity, fight manfully against the corruption that is in the world, and shield and rescue those that are in peril and sore beset. These things we ask of the love of the Father and the power of the Holy Ghost in thy Name, who with them, livest and reignest, one God, world without end. Amen.