Saint Thomas Aquinas

[James - a humble servant]

Amen Shin,
Absolutely necessary !

I have more of Thomas' prayers, I can even post them in Latin if anyone would like that. I may not understand Latin, but the beauty of the language transends time.

James

[Shin]

Latin is preferred! 

One can appreciate the beauty of the language, absolutely! And over time one picks up and learns words! 

Nothing like it!

[Patricia]

What a beautiful , beautiful prayer!! It encompasses everything one would ever want to ask God!  Must note this down. Thank you.

[odhiambo]

I wasn't sure where to post, so this looked like a good spot ! 

~ For Ordering a life Wisely ~
( St. Thomas recited this daily before the image of Christ )

O merciful God, grant that I may desire ardently, search prudently,
and bring to perfect completion whatever is pleasing to You for the
praise and glory of your name.

Put my life in good order, O my God.

Grant that I may know what you require me to do.

Bestow upon me the power to accomplish Your will, as is necessary
and fitting for the salvation of my soul.

Grant to me, O Lord my God, that I may not falter in times of prosperity
or adversity, so that I may not be exalted in the former, nor dejected
in the latter.

May I not rejoice in anything unless it leads me to You; may I not be
saddened by anything unless it turns me from you.

May I desire to please no one, nor fear to displease anyone, but You.

May all transitory things, O Lord, be worthless to me and may all things
eternal be ever cherished by me.

May any joy without You be burdensome for me and may I not desire any-
thing else besides You.

May all work, O Lord, delight me when done for Your sake and may all
repose not centered in You be ever wearisome for me.

Grant unto me, my God, that I may direct my heart to You and that in my
failures I may ever feel remorse for my sins and never lose the resolve to
change.

O Lord my God, make me submissive without protest, poor without discouragement,
chaste without regret, patient without complaint, humble without posturing,
cheerful without frivolity, mature without gloom, and quick-witted without
flippancy.

O Lord my God, let me fear You without losing hope, be truthful without guile,
do good works without presumption, rebuke my neighbor without haughtiness,
and - without hypocrisy - strengthen him by word and example.

Give to me, O Lord God, a watchful heart, which no capricious thought can lure
me away from You.

Give to me a noble heart, which no unworthy desire can debase.

Give to me a resolute heart, which no evil intention can divert.

Give to me a stalwart heart, which no tribulation can overcome.

Give to me a temperate heart, which no violent passion can enslave.

Give to me, O Lord my God, understanding of You, diligence in seeking You, wisdom
in finding You, discourse ever pleasing to You, perseverance in waiting for You,
and confidence in finally embracing You.

Grant that with Your hardships I may be burdened in reparation here, that Your
benefits I may use in gratitude upon the way, that in Your joys I may delight by
glorifying You in the Kingdom of Heaven.

You Who live and reign, God, world without end.


Amen

A beautiful Prayer James and thanks for sharing. 

[James - a humble servant]

~ For God's Blessing ~

I praise, glorify, and bless You, my God for the immeasurable blessings shown to me who am unworthy of them.
I praise Your compassion extended to me for so long a time, and Your gentleness appearing in the guise of correction.
I praise Your tenderness calling out to me, Your kindness welcoming me, and Your mercy forgiving my sins.
I praise Your goodness given to me beyond what I deserve and Your forbearance that does not remember grievances.
I praise Your humility that consoles me, Your patience that shelters me, Your eternity that preserves me, and Your truth that rewards me.
What can I proclaim, my God, about Your ineffable generosity ?
For You call the fugitive back. You welcome the one who returns. You sustain the faltering. You gladden th despondent. You prod the negligent. You arm the warrior. You crown the victor. You spurn not the repentant sinner. You do not remember his wrongdoing. You free him from many perils. You soften his heart for penitence. You frighten him with chastisement. You entice him with promises. You castigate him with rods. You guard him with ministering angels.
For You supply us wit all temporal goods. You reserve for us an eternal good. You inspire us with the beauty of creation. You appeal to us with the mercy of redemption. You promise us blessings in reward.
For all these I am incapable of sufficient praise.
I thank Your Majesty for the abundance of Your immense goodness. May You always increase Your grace in me, Preserve that increase, and reward what You have preserved.

Amen.

[Shin]

Ah, I am liking this!

It's great to have more prayers from the saints!

I wish there was the Latin for it!  

[James - a humble servant]

Ah yes ! As a matter of fact I do have the Latin for the prayers. I only have so much time on the PC, but I will post the Latin for these to in the next day or two.
Thanks for reminding me.

[Shin]

Ah yes ! As a matter of fact I do have the Latin for the prayers. I only have so much time on the PC, but I will post the Latin for these to in the next day or two.
Thanks for reminding me.

Deo gratias! Thank you for the time to type them down.

I think they'll be appearing in the prayer generator. 

[martin]

That is a beautiful prayer.
God is so good to us all. Deo gratias! 

[James - a humble servant]

~ Ad Vitam Sapienter Instituendam ~
      ( For Ordering A Life Wisely )

Quam Angelicus quotidie recitare solebat ante imaginem Christi.


Concede mihi, misericors Deus, quae tibi sunt placita, ardenter concupiscere, prudenter investigare, veraciter agnoscere, et perfecte adimplere, ad laudem et gloriam nominis tui.
Ordina, Deus meus, statum meum.
Et quod a me requiris ut faciam, tribue ut sciam.
Et da exsequi, sicut oportet et expedit animae meae.
Da mihi, Domine Deus meus, inter prospera et adversa non deficere, ut in illis non extollar et in istis deprimar.
De nullo gaudeam vel doleam, nisi quod ducat ad te vel abducat a te.
Nulli placere appetam vel displicere timeam, nisi tibi.
Vilescant mihi, Dominie, omnia transitoria, et cara mihi sint omnia aeterna.
Taedeat me gaudii quod est sine te, nec aliud cupiam quod est extra te.
Delectet me, Dominie, labor, qui est pro te, et taediosa sit mihi omnis quies quae est sine te.
Da mihi, Deus meus, cor meum ad te dirigere et in defectione mea cum emendationis proposito constanter dolere.
Fac me, Domini Deus meus, obedientem sine contradictione, pauperem sine dejectione, castum sine corruptione, patientem sine murmuratione, humilem sine fictione, hilarem sine dissolutione, maturum sine gravedine, agilem sine levetate, timentem te sine desperatione, veracem sine duplicitate, operantem bona sine praesumptione, proximum corripere sine elatione, ipsum aedificare verbo et exemplo sine simulation.
Da mihi, Domine Deus, cor pervigil, quod nulla abucat a te curiosa cogitatio.
Da nobile, quod nulla deorsum trahat indigna affectio.
Da rectum, quod nulla seorsum obliquet sinistra intentio.
Da firmum, quod nulla frangat tribulatio.
Da liberum, quod nulla sibi vindicet violenta affectio.
Largire mihi, Domine Deus meus, intellectum te cognoscentem, diligentiam te quaerentem, sapientiam te invenientem, conversationem tibi placentem, perseverantiam fidenter te expectantem, et fiduciam te finaliter amplectentem.
Da tuis poenis hic affligi per poenitentiam, tuis beneficiis in via uti per gratiam, tuis guadiis in patria perfrui per gloriam.
Qui vivis et regnas, Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum.

Amen.

[Shin]

This is splendid James.. Thank you!

Hmm, now to prepare it for the prayers library.

Hmm, I see there is an alternative English translation I found.

Here's one of the other options! Hmm... they both have their good points..


GRANT me, O merciful God, to desire eagerly, to investigate prudently, to acknowledge sincerely, and to fulfill perfectly those things that are pleasing to Thee, for the praise and glory of Thy holy Name.

O my God, order my life, and grant that I may know what Thou wilt have me to do; and grant that I may fulfill it as is fitting and profitable to my soul.

Grant me, O Lord my God, the grace that I may not falter either in prosperity or adversity.

May I not be unduly lifted up by the one, nor unduly cast down by the other.
Let me neither rejoice nor grieve at anything, save what either leads to Thee or leads away from Thee.
Let me not desire to please anyone nor fear to displease anyone save only Thee.

Let all things transitory seem vile in my eyes, and all things eternal be dear to me.
Let me tire of that joy which is without Thee and to desire nothing that is outside Thee.
Let me find joy in the labor that is for Thee; and let all repose that is without Thee be tiresome to me.

Grant me, my God, the grace to direct my heart towards Thee, and with a firm purpose of amendment, to grieve continually my failures, together with a firm purpose of amendment.

O Lord my God, make me obedient without complaining, poor without despondency, chaste without stain, patient without grumbling, humble without pretense, cheerful without dissipation, mature without undue heaviness, quick-minded without levity, fearful of Thee without abjectness, truthful without duplicity, devoted to good works without presumption, ready to correct my neighbor without arrogance, and to edify him by word and example without hypocrisy.

Grant me, Lord God, a watchful heart which shall be distracted from Thee by no vain thoughts; give me a generous heart which shall not be drawn downward by any unworthy affection; give me an upright heart which shall not be led astray by any perverse intention; give me a stout heart which shall not be crushed by any hardship; give me a free heart which shall not be enslaved by passion.

Bestow upon me, O Lord my God, an understanding that knows Thee, diligence in seeking Thee, wisdom in finding Thee, conversation pleasing to Thee, perseverance in faithfully waiting for Thee, and confidence in embracing Thee in the end.

Grant that I may be chastised here by penance, that I may make good use of Thy gifts in this life by Thy grace, and that I may partake of Thy joys in the glory of heaven: Who livest and reignest, God, forever and ever. Amen.

[martin]

Hmm, I see there is an alternative English translation I found.

Here's one of the other options! Hmm... they both have their good points..

I've grown to favor the more reverential language of the older style with the "Thee's" and "Thou's.
I find myself using this type of language in my own prayers when asking favors from the saints. It seems more humble when begging. 

[Shin]

I agree Martin, though I like how the first one flows.

Hmm. I wonder how the first would sound it if were a bit more like the second. Or vice versa.

[susanna]

Here's one:
...order our days in Thy peace...

...diesque nostros in tua pace disponas...
from the Latin mass prayers at the consecration.

(I like short prayers sometimes  ) 

[James - a humble servant]

Doesn't that just say it all ! 

[James - a humble servant]

To Acquire the Virtues
O God,
all-powerful and all-knowing,  without beginning and without end,
You who are
the source, the sustainer, and the rewarder of all virtues,
Grant that I may
abide on the firm ground of faith, be sheltered by an impregnable shield of hope,
and be adorned in the bridal garment of charity.
Grant that I may
through justice be subject to You, through prudence avoid the beguilements of the devil,
through temperance exercise restraint, and through fortitude endure adversity with patience.
Grant that
whatever good things I have, I may share generously with those who have not and that
whatever good things I do not have, I may request humbly from those who do.
Grant that I may
judge rightly the evil of the wrongs I have done and bear calmly the punishments I have brought
upon myself, and that I may never envy my neighbor's possessions and ever give thanks for Your
good things.
Grant that I may
always observe modesty in the way I dress, the way I walk, and the gestures I use, restrain my
tongue from frivolous talk, prevent my feet from leading me astray, keep my eyes from wandering
glances, shelter my ears from rumors, lower my gaze in humility, lift my mind to thoughts of heaven,
contemn all that will pass away, and love You only.
Grant that I may
subdue my flesh and cleanse my conscience, honor the saints and praise You worthily, advance in
goodness, and end a life of good works wit a holy death.
Plant deep in me, Lord,
all the virtues, that I might be devout in divine matters, discerning in human affairs, and burdensome
to no  one in fulfilling my own bodily needs.
Grant to me, Lord,
fervent contrition, pure confession, and complete reparation.
Order me inwardly through a good life,
that I might do what is right and what will be meritorious for me and a good example for others.
Grant that I may,
never crave to do things impulsively, nor disdain to do what is burdensome, lest I begin things before
I should or abandon them before finishing.

                                                                Amen.
~ St. Thomas Aquinas