And (Jesus) said to them:
‘Imagine one of you has a friend –
and he goes to him
at midnight
and says to him:
‘Friend, will you lend me three breads?
Because my friend has come
from the road to me,
and I do not have anything
to set before him.’
And he answers from inside:
‘Don’t bother me,
The door has already been shut,
and my children are with me in bed.
I cannot get up to give you (anything).’

– I say to you:
even though he will not get up to give (him anything)
because he is his friend
he will get up,
because of his sense of shame
he will give to him as much as he needs.

So I say to you:
ask and it will be given to you all
Seek and you all will find
Knock and it will be opened to you all

For everyone who asks, receives
and the one who seeks, finds,
and to the one who knocks, it will be opened

if your son asks for a fish
Which father of you
instead of a fish will give a snake to him?
or again if he asks for an egg
will give to him a scorpion?
So if you then
although you are evil
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more
the Father who is from heaven,
will give the Holy Spirit
to those who ask him. ‘

O Love, O God who created me, in your love recreate me.
O Love, who redeemed me,
fill up in me whatever part of your love
has fallen into neglect within me.
O Love, O God, who first loved me,
grant that with my whole heart,
and with my whole soul,
and with my whole strength,
I may love you.

Gertrude the Great

So just as you received the Christ,
Jesus, the Lord,
continue to walk in him –
being firmly rooted
and (now) being built in him,
and being strengthened in the faith,
– as you have been taught.,
abounding in thanksgiving.

Watch that there is no-one
who takes you captive
through philosophy
that is empty deceit
derived from human traditions
about the elemental spirits of the universe
and not about Christ.

Teach us, good Lord,
to serve thee as thou deservest;
to give and not to count the cost;
to fight and not to heed the wounds;
to toil and not to seek for rest;
to labour and not to ask for any reward,
save that of knowing that we do thy will,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

St Ignatius

David’s.

I will confess you with all my heart,
in front of the gods I will make music for you.
I will bow low to your sacred palace,
and confess your name for your commitment and for your truthfulness, Because you have made great above everything
your name, your word.
On the day I called, you answered me;
you make me defiant in my being, with vigour.

All earth’s kings will confess you, Yahweh,
because they will have heard the sayings of your mouth.
They will sing of Yahweh’s ways,
because Yahweh’s splendour will be great.
Because Yahweh is on high, but he sees the lowly;
lofty, he acknowledges from afar.

If I walk in the middle of pressure you will give me life;
on account of my enemies’ anger you will put out your hand.
Your right hand will deliver me;
Yahweh will bring it to an end for me.
Yahweh, your commitment is permanent;
don’t slacken your hold of the things your hands made.

Grant, Lord,
that we may hold to you without parting,
worship you without wearying,
serve you without failing;
faithfully seek you,
happily find you,
and forever possess you,
the only God,blessed now and for ever.
Amen

St Anselm

When they were travelling,
he entered a certain village.
A certain woman by the name of Martha,
welcomed him as a guest.
And she had a sister called Mary,
and she sat beside the feet of the Lord
and listened to his word.
But Martha was distracted by much serving.
And she came up and said:
‘Lord, is it of no concern to you
that my sister left me alone
to serve?
So tell her to help me.’
But the Lord answered her and said:
Martha, Martha ,
you are anxious and troubled about many things
But one thing is needed,
For Mary has chosen the better part
which will not taken away from her.

Thank you, dear Jesus,
for all you have given me,
for all you have taken away from me,
for all you have left me.

Thomas More (c.1478-1535)

(the beloved Son)
who is the image
of the invisible god,
first-born of all creation
because in him everything was created:
all things in heaven and upon the earth,
visible things and invisible things whether
enthroned or
powers or
rulers or
authorities
all things through him and for him
have been created.

and he himself is before all things
and everything in him
holds together.

And he himself is the head
of his body, the church,

in that he is the beginning
the first-born from the dead people,
in order that he may become in all things, himself, first.
because
in him
all the fullness of God
was well pleased
to dwell
and through him
reconcile everything to Him (God),
making peace
through the blood of his cross-
whether things upon the earth
or things in the heavens.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is discord, union;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy,
For your mercy and for your truth’s sake. Amen

The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. 

He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them and bowed down to the ground. He said, “My lord, if I find favor with you, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.” And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah and said, “Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes.” Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it. Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared and set it before them, and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.

They said to him, “Where is your wife Sarah?” And he said, “There, in the tent.” Then one said, “I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son.”

And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him…

O Lord Jesus Christ,
stay beside me to defend me,
within me to guide me,
before me to lead me,
and above me to bless me,
that with you and in you,
I may live, and move and have my being,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

(unknown)