Convocation

“ Parliaments, prelates, convocations, synods may order forms of prayer. They may get speeches to be spoken upward by people on their knees. They may obtain a juxtaposition in space of curiously tessellated pieces of Bible and Prayer Book. But when I speak of the rareness and preciousness of prayers, I mean such prayers as contain three conditions—permanence, capability jot being really prayed, and universality. ”

“ In 1713 he was made bishop of Rochester and dean of Westminster, two posts which, according to the objectionable custom of the times, always went together. 'Thus,' says his enemy, Bishop Burnet, 'he was promoted and rewarded for all the flame he had raised in our church.' As a debater and public speaker he had long held the highest rank among the representatives of the clergy in convocation, and he soon became almost as prominent a figure in the House of Lords. ”

“ When this action has been completed for all candidates, the Bishop or Priest, at a place in full sight of the congregation, prays over them, saying
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, we thank you that by water and the Holy Spirit you have bestowed upon these your servants the forgiveness of sin, and have raised them to the new life of grace. Sustain them, O Lord, in your Holy Spirit. Give them an inquiring and discerning heart, the courage to will and to persevere, a spirit to know and to love you, and the gift of joy and wonder in all your works. ”

“ As a pledge of heavenly gifts and of Our benevolence, We lovingly grant in the Lord, to you, venerable brethren, and to the clergy and all the people committed to your watchful care, Our apostolic benediction. ”

“ I will, sir, in as plain english, as I can command;—and then, addressing the congregation, I thus delivered the genuine sentiments of my soul: I am commissioned to say, to every individual before me, that God loves you, and that you are not to accept this declaration upon my bare word; you have the word of a God, who cannot lie; who proclaims Himself loving unto every man; who has given you proof positive of His love. ”

“ I beseech Thee, O Lord, to accept the dedication of my whole being, and of all my good works and prayers to Thy divine honor, in union with the offerings of all just souls on earth, and of all Religious Congregations.
I implore Thy grace to enable me to perform all my duties in the spirit of our Holy Rule, and to observe faithfully my vows, which I now renew. Bless our dear Reverend Mother in the government of our holy Institute, and direct her in the way of salvation. Teach us all to do Thy will, O God, and strengthen us to fulfill it perfectly. ”

“ Knowing your father, as you know him too, I would have from you a pledge—a promise, here, solemnly uttered in the eye of Heaven, and in the holy stillness of this place, which has witnessed other of our vows no less sacred and solemn, that, should he sanction the prayer of another who seeks your love, and command your obedience, that you will not obey—that you will not go quietly a victim to the altar—that you will not pledge to another the same vow which has been long since pledged to me. ”

“ Do with them as to the world, as thou thinks fit—only, convey grace down to their posterity; let them be pleaders for thee, as I have pleaded for them at the throne of grace: this is all my desire, and would be my comfort to see. O Lord, come this day and smile upon my poor gift, and accept of them. I solemnly stand to all my former engagements, and make a solemn resignation of myself unto thee, and desire to close with thee on thine own terms. ”

“ O Lord, I here desire to enter solemnly into covenant with thee, taking thee for my Lord and Master, accepting thee on thy own terms, taking thee for my King, Priest, and Prophet; and in my station, thro' thy grace, to stand by truth, and cheerfully to take on thy yoke and follow thee. Lord, thou knowest my weakness: I desire to believe that thou wilt be a present help, in the day of need, to me, according to thy promise ”

“ Behold, Lord, we all here present to Thee, in this bread and wine, the symbols of our perfect union. Grant, Lord, that they may be made for us the true body and blood of Thy dear Son; that, being consecrated to Thee by this holy victim, we may live in Thy service, and depart this life in Thy grace.
AT THE CONSECRATION.
Bow down your body and soul in solemn adoration; make an act of faith in the real presence of your Saviour's body and blood, soul and divinity, under the sacramental veils. ”

“ PRAYERS IN PREPARATION FOR HOLY COMMUNION
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, through the prayers of Thy most pure Mother and all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
A priest uses the following:
Blessed is our God, always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth Who art everywhere and fillest all things. Treasury of Blessings and Giver of Life: Come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every impurity, and save our souls, O Good One. ”

“ XXIII. O you man of proclamation, chosen one, chosen out of the world, may your eyes shine upon you, good one, whom they clothe with splendid garments. At your call and preaching, the great life has accepted your prayer and praise. ”

“ The Minister standing up shall say the Lord's Prayer and the Collect following, the People kneeling, but the Lord's Prayer may be omitted if it hath been said immediately before.
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from evil. ”

“ The priests chant texts, and the people wait upon the worship. And we see faces-in-the-fire of the time to be, when the eyes of the poet shall rest upon the sacrifice, and shall fashion therefrom this mighty vision of God and nature, the soul and life. ”

“ I will pay my vows to the Lord before all his people: * precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.
O Lord, for I am thy servant: * I am thy servant, and the son of thy handmaid.
Thou hast broken my bonds: * I will sacrifice to thee the sacrifice of praise, and I will call upon the name of the Lord.
I will pay my vows to the Lord in the sight of all his people: * in the courts of the house of the Lord, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost. ”

“ Then the Saviour of the world upraised His voice in prayer to Heaven, in accents of such certainty of answer, such oneness of communion with the Father, as could leave no doubt within the hearts of men! ”

“ I want my brethren to do the same, that the hearts and faith of the congregation may have an opportunity to join in the worship of God. When any one rises to preach, pray, sing, exhort, or bless the sacramental emblems, let him do so with voice sufficient for all to hear. ”

“ It is observable that the words 'return praise,' in contrast with the words 'prayers of the congregation,' in the prayer for all conditions of men, implies the presence of those who desire to return thanks. ”

“ Miss —— remains so long in the confessional-box! they receive the holy communion so frequently; they both speak so eloquently and so often of the admirable piety, modesty, holiness, patience, charity, of their incomparable spiritual Father!
Every one congratulates them on their new and exemplary life; and they accept the compliment with the utmost humility, attributing their rapid progress in Christian virtues to the holiness of their confessor. He is such a spiritual man! ”

“ O Lord, Lord, grant me an open countenance before Thee, that with the confidence which is from Thee we may fulfil this awful and divine sacrifice with consciences free from all iniquity and bitterness. Sow in us, O Lord, affection, peace, and concord towards each other, and toward every one. ”

“ At the ringing of the bell the people adore on their knees, and strike their breasts in token of repentance for their sins. 9. The Priest begs of God graciously to accept the Sacrifice, to have mercy on all mankind, also on the souls in Purgatory, and concludes with the Lord's Prayer, which contains the substance of all petitions. 10. After a preparatory prayer, during which, at Solemn Masses, the Kiss of Peace is given, follows the Holy Communion, of which all those who are present should partake, at least spiritually. ”

“ Yes, prayer is speech Godward, and worship is man's whole life of friendship with God, flowing out, as it were, of all that tide of emotion and service which is love's best speech. It is by thinking, then, of the nature of fellowship between man and man, which is the most beautiful thing in the world excepting only fellowship with God, that we can get substantial help in developing the life of prayer. Consider the Christian fellowship of two noble characters. ”

“ If the conversation and fellowship of good men be so delightful, what pleasure will it be, to be associated with so great a multitude of saints? — to be conversant with the Apostles, to talk with the prophets, to discourse with martyrs, and to enjoy the blessed familiarity of all the elect? ”

“ HE who seeks furtherance and grace to help him goes to the Son of Strength with newest worship, Calling the heavenly Priest to share the banquet, who rends the wood, bright, with his blackened pathway. ”

“ This indulgence may be gained on any day, when, being truly penitent, after confession and communion, they shall pray for peace and union among Christian princes, for the extirpation of heresy, and for the triumph of Holy Church. ”

“ Such noble heart yearnings are, in the truest sense, prayers. The uttered prayer clothed in beautiful language, that which is delivered in the pulpit to be heard of men, may not be a real prayer at all. The collective prayer of the congregation may be a mockery. ”

“ Our sacred orators for the most part confine themselves to preaching on such subjects as fidelity, to wives; probity, to men; obedience, to children. They descend to a level with a lay congregation, and endeavour to sow, each according to his powers, a little virtue on earth. ”

“ Deliver us from the presumption of coming to this Table for solace only, and not for strength; for pardon only, and not for renewal. Let the grace of this Holy Communion make us one body, one spirit in Christ, that we may worthily serve the world in his name.
Risen Lord, be known to us in the breaking of the Bread.
Accept these prayers and praises, Father, through Jesus Christ our great High Priest, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, your Church gives honor, glory, and worship, from generation to generation. AMEN.
Continue with the Lord’s Prayer on page 364. ”

“ We pray that thy good Spirit may be poured out upon us, thy people, while we remain together at this Conference,—that thou wilt dictate all things pertaining thereunto,—that we may be enabled to accomplish thy righteous will in all things, and grow up in perfection through the gift of thy Spirit,—that at last we may rest in thy presence with all thy sanctified ones; and we will ascribe all praise, glory, and honour unto God and the Lamb, for ever and ever. ”

“ Let us all in purity and in contrition give thanks unto the Lord, and offer up our prayers and supplications unto Him. With reverence stand and behold the things which are about to be performed,—the awful sacraments which are about to be consecrated,—for the priest hath drawn near to pray that through him peace may be multiplied unto you. ”

“ If he to whom I speak hears whom I call, shows himself firm, enters into communion with life and allows himself to be built into the great edifice of truth, I will be to him a helper, escort and guide to the great place of light and the shining abode. ”

“ Our gracious-minded Helper in our deeds of might, be thou, O Excellent, this day. 3. Thee for our messenger we choose, thee, the Omniscient, for our Priest. The flames of thee the mighty are spread wide around: thy splendour reaches to the sky. ”

“ Let us pray then, most beloved brethren, as our teacher, God, has instructed us. It is a welcome and friendly prayer to petition God from his own, to mount up to his ears by the prayer of Christ. Let the Father recognize the words of his Son. When we offer a prayer let Him who dwelleth inwardly in our breast, Himself be in our voice; and since we have Him as our advocate with the Father for our sins, when as sinners we are petitioning for our sins let us put forth the words of our Advocate. ”

“ But if a man ask him for a prayer, he must esteem himself to be the servant of him that asketh him, and he must kneel down before the cross and say, “O Lord, provide for my brethren according to Thy Will, and according to Thy design, and according as it may be beneficial for them before Thee, and make me, a sinner, worthy of Thy mercy through my prayers” ”

“ Dear Son, I pray thee, if it shall please our Lord that I should quit this life before thee, that thou wilt help me with Masses and prayers, and that thou wilt send to the congregations of the kingdom of France, to make them put up prayers for my soul, and that thou wilt desire that our Lord may give me part in all the good deeds thou shalt perform. ”

“ If any unfortunate wretch, mindful of his innocent youth, muttered out the fragment of a prayer, his next companion would perhaps shake his fetters, whilst he howled an obscene song, and the prayer expired in the midst of lengthened howls and shrieks. ”

“ WE BESEECH Thee, O Lord, to hear the prayer which we send up to Thee in honor of Thy glorified servants, the Fourteen Holy Helpers: and as we can not rely upon our own justice, grant our petition through the intercession of those whose merits have made them especially dear to Thee. ”

“ THAT most perfect of prayers, the Our Father, contains all the things for which we should pray, and also indicates the order of importance according to which our requests should be made. Therefore, in the first of the seven petitions which constitute this the best of prayers we say, “Hallowed be Thy Name,” thus asking that God be acknowledged and glorified and praised throughout the earth. In the second petition we say, “Thy kingdom come,” that is, may we one day possess the kingdom of heaven, which God has prepared for us. ”