Litany Thoughts

Just finished up a series for Issues, Etc. on the Church's offices of prayer, and we concluded with that grandest of all prayers after the Our Father, the Great Litany.

I think there's a Russian proverb that speaks of prayer as taking the whole world in your hand as if it were an apple, and giving it to God. So the Litany does. By the time one has prayed it, there is no one on earth who has not been remembered before the throne of God. And the Church remembers all because the Church is the communion of love in the Holy Ghost. Here is the prayer for those who are not familiar with it:

L O Lord,
C have mercy.

L O Christ,
C have mercy.

L O Lord,
C have mercy.

L O Christ,
C hear us.

L God the Father, in heaven,
C have mercy.

L God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
C have mercy.

L God the Holy Spirit,
C have mercy.

L Be gracious to us.
C Spare us, good Lord.

L Be gracious to us.
C Help us, good Lord.


L From all sin, from all error, from all evil:
From the crafts and assaults of the devil; from sudden and evil death:
From pestilence and famine; from war and bloodshed; from sedition and from rebellion:
From lightning and tempest; from all calamity by fire and water; and from everlasting death:

C Good Lord, deliver us.

L By the mystery of Your holy incarnation; by Your holy nativity:
By Your baptism, fasting, and temptation; by Your agony and bloody sweat; by Your cross and Passion; by Your precious death and burial:
By Your glorious resurrection and ascension; and by the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter:

C Help us, good Lord.

L In all time of our tribulation; in all time of our prosperity; in the hour of death; and in the day of judgment:

C Help us, good Lord.

L We poor sinners implore You
C to hear us, O Lord.

L To rule and govern Your holy Christian Church; to preserve all pastors and ministers of Your Church in the true knowledge and understanding of Your wholesome Word and to sustain them in holy living:

To put an end to all schisms and causes of offense; to bring into the way of truth all who have erred and are deceived:

To beat down Satan under our feet; to send faithful laborers into Your harvest; and to accompany Your Word with Your grace and Spirit:

C We implore You to hear us, good Lord.

L To raise those that fall and to strengthen those that stand; and to comfort and help the weakhearted and the distressed.

C We implore You to hear us, good Lord.

L To give to all peoples concord and peace; to preserve our land from discord and strife; to give our country Your protection in every time of need:

To direct and defend our president and all in authority; to bless and protect our magistrates and all our people:

To watch over and help all who are in danger, necessity, and tribulation; to protect and guide all who travel:

To grant all women with child, and all mothers with infant children, increasing happiness in their blessings; to defend all orphans and widows and provide for them:

To strengthen and keep all sick persons and young children; to free those in bondage; and to have mercy on us all:

C We implore You to hear us, good Lord.

L To forgive our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers and to turn their hearts; to give and preserve to our use the kindly fruits of the earth; and graciously to hear our prayers:

C We implore You to hear us, good Lord.

L Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,
C we implore You to hear us.

L Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,
C have mercy.

L Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,
C have mercy.

L Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,
C grant us Your peace.

L O Christ, C hear us.
L O Lord, C have mercy.
L O Christ, C have mercy.
L O Lord, C have mercy. Amen