PRAYER OF POPE CLEMENT XI

PRAYER OF POPE CLEMENT XI 
Oratio Universalis

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Oratio Universalis

Lord, I believe in Thee: increase my faith.
I trust in Thee: strengthen my trust.
I love Thee: let me love Thee more and more.
I am sorry for my sins: deepen my sorrow.

I worship Thee as my first beginning,
I long for Thee as my last end,
I praise Thee as my constant helper,
and call on Thee as my loving protector.

Guide me by Thy wisdom,
correct me with Thy justice,
comfort me with Thy mercy,
protect me with Thy power.

I offer Thee, Lord, my thoughts;
to be fixed on Thee;
my words: to have Thee for their theme; my actions:
to reflect my love for Thee;
my sufferings: to be endured for Thy greater glory.

I want to do what Thou asketh of me:
in the way Thou asketh, because Thou asketh.

Lord, enlighten my understanding,
strengthen my will,
purify my heart,
and make me holy.

Help me to repent of my past sins
and to resist temptation in the future.
Help me to rise above my human weakness
and to grow stronger as a Christian.

Let me love Thee, my Lord and my God,
and see myself as I really am:
a pilgrim in this world,
a Christian called to respect and love
all whose lives I touch,
those in authority over me
or those under my authority,
my friends and my enemies.

Help me to conquer anger with gentleness,
greed by generosity,
apathy by fervour.
Help me to forget myself
and reach out toward others.

Make me prudent in planning,
courageous in taking risks.
Make me patient in suffering,
unassuming in prosperity.

Keep me, Lord, attentive at prayer,
temperate in food and drink,
diligent in my work,
firm in my good intentions.

Let my conscience be clear,
my conduct without fault,
my speech blameless,
my life well-ordered.

Put me on guard against my human weaknesses.
Let me cherish Thy love for me,
keep Thy law, and come at last to Thy salvation.

Teach me to realize that this world is passing,
that my true future is happiness of heaven,
that life on earth is short,
and the life to come eternal.
Help me to prepare for death with a proper fear of judgment,
but a greater trust in Thy goodness.
Lead me safely through death to the endless joy of heaven.

Grant this though Christ our Lord.

Amen.  

A UNIVERSAL PRAYER

FOR ALL THINGS

NECESSARY TO SALVATION

(By Pope Clement XI) 

 

O my God, I believe in Thee; 
do Thou strengthen my faith. 
All my hopes are in Thee; 
do Thou secure them. 
I love Thee with my whole heart; 
teach me to love Thee daily more and more. 
I am sorry that I have offended Thee; 
do Thou increase my sorrow.

I adore Thee as my first beginning; 
I aspire after Thee as my last end. 
I give Thee thanks as my constant Benefactor; 
I call upon Thee as my sovereign Protector.

Vouchsafe, O my God, to conduct me by Thy wisdom, 
to restrain me by Thy justice, 
to comfort me by Thy mercy, 
to defend me by Thy power.

To Thee I desire to consecrate all my thoughts, 
words, actions, and sufferings; 
that henceforward I may think of Thee, 
speak of Thee,
constantly refer all my actions to Thy greater glory, 
and suffer willingly whatever Thou shalt appoint.

Lord, I desire that in all things Thy will may be done, 
because it is Thy will, 
in the manner Thou willest, 
and as long as Thou willest.

I beg of Thee to enlighten my understanding, 
to inflame my will, 
to purify my body, 
and to sanctify my soul.

Grant that I be not puffed up with pride, 
moved by flattery, 
deceived by the world, 
or duped by the devil.

Give me grace to purify my memory, 
to bridle my tongue, 
to restrain my eyes, 
and to mortify my senses.

Give me strength, O my God, 
to expiate my offences, 
to overcome my temptations, 
to subdue my passions, 
and to acquire the virtues proper for my state.

Fill my heart with a tender affection for Thy goodness, 
a hatred for my faults, 
a love for my neighbour, 
and a contempt of the world.

Let me always remember to be submissive to my superiors 
condescending to my inferiors, 
faithful to my friends, 
and charitable to my enemies.

Grant, O Jesus, that I may remember Thy precept and example, 
by loving my enemies, 
bearing with injuries, 
doing good to them that persecute me, 
and praying for them that slander me.

Assist me to overcome sensuality by mortification, 
avarice by almsdeeds, 
anger by meekness, 
and tepidity by devotion.

O my God, make me prudent in mine undertakings, 
courageous in dangers, 
patient in afflictions, 
and humble in prosperity.

Grant that I may be ever attentive at my prayers, 
temperate at my meals, 
diligent in my employments, 
and constant in my good resolutions.

Let my conscience be ever upright and pure, 
my exterior modest, 
my conversation edifying, 
and my life according to rule.

Assist me, that I may continually labour to overcome nature, 
to correspond with Thy grace, 
to keep Thy commandments, 
and to work out my salvation.

Help me to obtain holiness of life by a sincere confession of my sins, 
by a devout reception of the Body of Christ, 
by a continual recollection of mind, 
and by a pure intention of heart.

Discover to me, O my God, 
the nothingness of this world, 
the greatness of heaven, 
the shortness of time, 
and the length of eternity.

Grant that I may prepare for death, 
that I may fear Thy judgments, 
that I may escape hell, 
and in the end obtain heaven, 
through the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen.