Let us pray (in silence) [to live in the freedom God gives us]
Pause
Almighty and most tender-hearted God, [or Compassionate God]
through your inexhaustible goodness,
keep us from all that may hurt us,
so that, ready in both mind and body,
we may, with free hearts, pursue your purpose;
through Jesus Christ
who is alive with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
The above ancient prayer is used by Roman Catholics and Episcopalians/Anglicans (but not necessarily on the same day). It has a long, shared history which you can find here with commentary and reflection: Ordinary 32 or below. The above is my rendering in my Book of Prayers in Common.
Resources beyond this site
Textweek
Resourcing Preaching Down Under
Reflection on the collect
The original is:
Omnipotens et misericors Deus, universa nobis adversantia propitiatus exclude, ut, mente et corpore pariter expediti, quae tua sunt liberis mentibus exsequamur.
Once again Episcopalians (Anglicans) and Roman Catholics pray the same prayer, even if on different days.
In the Gelasian Sacramentary, this is the first collect in the 15th of 16 Sunday Masses (#1234). In the Supplement to the Gregorian (#1186) it is for the 20th Sunday after the Pentecost octave. This is the equivalent of Trinity 20 where it is found in the Sarum Missal and all BCPs from 1549 to 1928.
misericors – compassionate; tender-hearted
universa nobis adversantia exclude – exclude all things that oppose us
propitiatus (passive) – having been rendered favourable
ut quae tua sunt liberis mentibus exsequamur – that we may carry out with free spirit things which are yours
mente et corpore pariter expediti – having been freed in mind and body [
expedire – free the feet (like from a snare); extricate, disengage, set free; to be without baggage [expeditus – a soldier lightly burdened]
Archbishop Thomas Cranmer translated this for the 1549 Book of Common Prayer (Trinity 20) as:
ALMIGHTIE and merciful God, of thy bountiful goodnes, kepe us from all thynges that maye hurte us; that we, beyng ready bothe in body and soule, maye with free heartes accomplishe those thynges that thou wouldest have doen; Through Jesus Christ our Lorde.
In 1662 this was revised to:
O ALMIGHTY and most merciful God, of thy bountiful goodness keep us, we beseech thee, from all things that may hurt us; that we, being ready both in body and soul, may cheerfully accomplish those things that though wouldest have done; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
BCP (TEC) now has it for Proper 2 (Week of the Sunday closest to May 18):
Almighty and merciful God, in your goodness keep us, we
pray, from all things that may hurt us, that we, being ready
both in mind and body, may accomplish with free hearts
those things which belong to your purpose; through Jesus
Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
OBSOLETE ICEL 1973 translated this for Roman Catholics (Ordinary 32) as:
God of power and mercy, protect us from all harm. Give us freedom of spirit and health in mind and body to do your work on earth.
In the failed 1998 English Missal translation:
Almighty and merciful God,
drive from us whatever things are harmful and make us ready in both body and mind to accomplish your will in perfect freedom.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.
CURRENT ICEL (2011):
Almighty and merciful God, graciously keep from us all adversity, so that, unhindered in mind and body alike, we may pursue in freedom of heart the things that are yours.
In the Catechism of the Catholic Church 1742 in the section on “Human Freedom in the Economy of Salvation”: “Almighty and merciful God, in your goodness take away from us all that is harmful, so that, made ready both in mind and body, we may freely accomplish your will.”
