Let us pray (in silence) [that we may be open to God’s goodness]
pause
Almighty everliving God,
you are always more ready to hear than we to pray,
and to give more than we desire or deserve;
pour upon us the abundance of your mercy,
forgiving us those things
of which our conscience is afraid,
and giving us those things
for which our prayer dares not ask;
through Jesus Christ
who is alive with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God now and for ever.
Amen.
The above is my reworking of the collect shared by Roman Catholics and Episcopalians/Anglicans this coming Sunday and the week following. I am very happy to receive comments and also suggestions for improvement.
The original was
Omnipotens sempiterne Deus,
qui abundantia pietatis tuae
et merita supplicum excedis et vota;
effunde super nos misericordiam tuam,
ut dimittas quae conscientia metuit,
et adjicias quod oratio non praesumit.
1549 BCP translated this as
ALMIGHTIE and everlastyng God, which art alwayes more ready to heare then we to praye, and art wont to geve more than eyther we desyre or deserve; Powre downe upon us the aboundance of thy mercy; forgeving us those thynges wherof our conscience is afrayde, and gevyng unto us that that our prayer dare not presume to aske, through Jesus Christe our Lorde.
I have had a commentary on this collect here.
TEC’s BCP has:
Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to
hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire
or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy,
forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid,
and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy
to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus
Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Roman Catholic new translation 2011:
Almighty ever-living God,
who in the abundance of your kindness
surpasses the merits and the desires of those who entreat you,
pour out your mercy upon us
to pardon what conscience dreads
and to give what prayer does not dare to ask.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ,
your Son,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Dear Bosco, Today’s collect is particularly apposite for me as I prepare for Ordination. I thank you for your generosity in sharing your ministry and your insights with us.
Yours in prayer,
Barbara
Thanks, Barbara, for your encouragement. I will pray for you and your ongoing ministry – I ask you to pray for me and mine. Blessings.