Category: Time to Pray

  • 2 John 5-9

    And now I am asking you, Lady, 

    (not as one writing to you a new commandment
    but one which we have had from the beginning,)

    that we love one another .

    (And this is love,
    that we walk according to his commandments.)

    This is the commandment, 
    as you have heard from the beginning,
    that you should walk in it.

    For many deceivers have gone out into the world,
    those who do not confess Jesus Christ coming in the flesh.
    This one is the deceiver  and the antichrist. 

    Watch yourselves,
    lest you lose what we have worked for,
    rather than receive a full reward.

    Be thou a bright flame before me,
    Be thou a guiding star above me
    Be thou a smooth path below me
    Be thou a kindly shepherd behind me
    Today – tonight -forever
    Amen.

    St Columba

  • 2 John 1-4

    The elder to the elect lady, and her children,
    whom I love in the truth,
    and not only me but also all those who have known the truth ,
    because of the truth that dwells in us and will be with us forever. 

    Grace, mercy, peace  will be with you, from God the Father,
    and Jesus Christ the son of the Father, in truth and love. 

    I have rejoiced greatly
    because I have found some of your children walking in the truth,
    -as we have received the commandment from God.

    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

  • 1 John 5:18-21

    We know that everyone who is born from God does not sin. 
       But the ones born from God,
    he keeps them
    and the evil one does not touch them. 

    We know that we are from God
    and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

    We know that the Son of God has come
    and gives to us understanding
    so that we might know him who is true,
    and we are in him who is true,
    in his Son, Jesus Christ,

    This one is the true God and eternal life. 

    Little children guard yourselves from idols.

    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

  • 1 John 5 16-17

    If someone sees their brother or sister committing a sin that does not result in death, they will ask
          and he will give life to them.

                          to those sinning not to death.

    (There is a sin to death, I am not saying that they should ask about that.
    All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin which is not to death)

    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

  • 1 John 5:13-15 Boldness to pray

    I have written these things
    – to you all so that you may know that you have eternal life, 
    – to those who believe in the name of the Son of God. 

    And this is the confidence which we have with him,
            because whenever we ask according to his will, he hears us. 

    And if we know that he hears us whatever we ask,
    we know that we have the requests we have requested from him.

    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)

  • 1 John 5:10-12

    The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in them,
    (the one who does not believe in God has made him a liar
    because they have not believed in the testimony
    which God has testified about his Son.) 

    And this is the testimony,
    that God has given eternal life to us,
    and this life is in his Son.
    The one who has the Son has life.
    The one who does not have the Son
    does not have life. 

    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

  • 1 John 5:6-9

    And who is conquering the world
    except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

    This is the one who came through water and blood – Jesus Christ,
    not by water alone
    but by water and blood.

    And the Spirit is the one who testifies,
    – because the Spirit is truth
    -because those who testify are three :
    the Spirit, and the water, and the blood,
    and the three agree. 

    If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater,
    because this is the testimony of God that he has testified  about his Son.

    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)

  • 1 John 5 1-5

    Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ, has been born of God,
    and everyone who loves the parent loves their child. 

    By this we know that we love the children of God, 
    that we love God and we keep his commands. 

    For this is  the love of God,
    that we keep his commands,
    and his commands are not burdensome. 

    Because everyone who has been  born of God conquers the world.
    And this is the victory which has conquered the world – our faith.
    And who is conquering the world
    except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

    God, give me grace to accept with serenity
    the things that cannot be changed,
    Courage to change the things
    which should be changed,
    and the Wisdom to distinguish
    the one from the other.

    Living one day at a time,
    Enjoying one moment at a time,
    Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
    Taking, as Jesus did,
    This sinful world as it is,
    Not as I would have it,
    Trusting that You will make all things right,
    If I surrender to Your will,
    So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
    And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

    Amen.

  • 1 John 4:18-21

    There is no fear in love,
    but perfect love throws out fear,
    because fear has [to do] punishment,
    but the one who fears is not made perfect in love.

    We love, because he first loved us.

    If someone says that they love God
    and hate their brother or sister,
    they are a liar.

    For the one who does not love their sister or brother whom they see,
    cannot love God whom they do not see.

    And we have this command from him:
    the one who loves God also loves his brother or sister.

    Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
    Naught be all else to me, save that thou art –
    Thou my best thought, by day or by night;
    Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.

  • 1 John 4: 16b-17

    God is love, 
    and the one who continues to remain in love 
    continues to remain in God, 
    and God continues to remain in them. 


    This [the above] is how love is completed with us
    –  so that we might have confidence on the day of judgement,
    [and this is] because just as he is, we are, in this world.

    Lord, you have given me so much,
    I ask for one more thing –
    a grateful heart.

    George Herbert