Prayers of Faith

Aurelius Augustinus (Augustine 0f Hippo) (354 - 430)

"Oh, you sons of men, how long will you remain so stubborn and arrogant?
Even after all the failures of life, won't you come down and confess Jesus?
Descend, so that you can ascend to the heights of God."

Prayer for Divine Comfort

My Holy Lord and God,

You are most majestic and most excellent, most strong and most omnipotent.

You are most merciful and most fair; most hidden and most truly present.

You are stable, yet without foundation; permanent, yet flexible in all things.

You change Your ways, leaving Your plans unchanged;

You recover what You have never lost.

You are never young, yet never old; always searching, yet possessing all of creation

You are always working, ever at rest:

Restoring, Sustaining, and Protecting;

Creating, Nourishing, and Developing;

Drawing all things to You, yet needing nothing.

You are never in need but rejoice at Your gains;

You are never greedy, yet You demand a return.

Men try to pay more than is required to make you a debtor;

Yet who can possess anything at all which is not already Yours?

You owe men nothing,

Yet You are faithful as if in debt to Your own creature,

when you cancel debts you have lost nothing.

You love,

yet without prejudice;

You are jealous,

yet attentive;

Yet, O my God, my life, my holy joy, what is this that I have said?

What can anyone say when he speaks to You?

But woe to them that keep silent.

Unless Your ears attend us even in the depths,

Where should we go?To whom should we cry?

O Lord, deliver us who now call upon You, so that our hearts may rest.

O Lord, seek also those who have not called upon You,

so that You may also deliver them.

Our hearts were made for You, O Lord,

and they are restless until they rest in you.