What joy is ours to know Christ is interceding with the father (praying) constantly on our behalf. Some times in life, prayer comes easily. Words flow. At other times we are much like St. Paul who wrote this amazingly comforting passage in Romans 8: "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words." Luther and the New Testament certainly reverberate with admonition for us to pour out our hearts to our dear Father in heaven as thoughts come to our minds. It is also the case that prayer for the NT and for Luther is heavily based upon texts and ex-corde prayers are focused by solid biblical texts. See Luther's "Simple Way to Pray" for instance. Note also the instruction on prayer based on Luther's thoughts in "90 Day of Joy" in my "A Little Book on Joy."
In 1521 or so, the Litany fell out of use in Luther's church in Wittenberg. By 1528 Luther had removed the un-evangelical elements (i.e. prayers to the saints) of the old Litany (which had been around already for a thousand years then!) he had used often as an Augustinian Monk. And just as all of Europe was being threatened by the Turks the Litany was re-introduced at St. Mary's by Luther. He first revised the Latin Litany, then translated it into German. It was sung regularly during the week and on Sundays thereafter.
It is my very favorite prayer. Some day I'd like to do a bible study on it, line by line because it's all from the words and teachings of holy scripture. The Litany firmly places prayer at the mercy of a gracious God in Christ. It focuses on a breadth of need. It focuses our prayer away from ourselves and toward the needs also of our neighbor, the church, the government, family, the needy, the imprisoned. What if we spent 1/1000 of the time we complain about government officials, praying for them? The prayers for disaster victims and those in despair, and for mothers and orphans are particularly meaningful for me and my particular vocation. The petitions for pastors and the church are golden. It even includes a petition for the sending of workers and the spread of the gospel! Pray it and you will see that you have prayed for people and things you've never thought about praying for previously. Most of all, it brings the one praying to acknowledge his/her own deep sinfulness in the face of a gracious God, and to be forgiving and gracious to others in all circumstances. Contemplating prayer in the light of "your holy incarnation" etc., offers a profound depth to prayer in light of Christ FOR US every second of his life on earth and into eternity. Stop and mediate on that or any other portion of the Litany as the Spirit prompts.
The words are from Lutheran Worship. It's also in LSB, but LW has the notation for singing. It only takes a few minutes and it truly refreshes the soul.
Pastor H.
O Christ - have Mercy
O Lord - have Mercy
O Christ - hear us.
God the Father in heaven - have mercy.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world - have mercy.
God the Holy Spirit - have mercy.
Be gracious to us. - Spare us good Lord.
Be gracious to us. - Help us, good Lord.
From all sin, from all error, from all evil;
From the crafts and assaults of the devil,
from sudden and evil death;
From pestilence and famine;
from war and bloodshed;
from sedition and rebellion;
From lightning and tempest;
from all calamity by fare and water; and from everlasting death:
Good Lord Deliver us.
By the mystery of your holy incarnation;
by your holy nativity;
By your baptism, fasting and temptation;
by your agony and blood sweat;
by your cross and Passion;
by your precious death and burial;
By your glorious resurrection and ascension;
and by the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter:
Help us good Lord.
In all time of our tribulation;
in all time of our prosperity;
in the hour of death;
and in the day of judgement:
Help us good Lord.
We poor sinners implore you - to hear us, O Lord
To rule and govern your holy Christian Church;
to preserve all pastors and ministers of your Church
in the true knowledge and understanding of your wholesome Word
and to sustain them in holy living;
To put an end to all schism and causes of offense;
to bring into the way of truth all who have erred and are deceived;
To beat down Satan under our feet;
to send faithful laborers into your harvest;
and to accompany your Word with your grace and Spirit:
We implore you to hear us, good Lord.
To raise those that fall and to strengthen those that stand;
and to comfort and help the weak-hearted and the distressed:
We implore you to hear us, good Lord.
To give all peoples concord and peace;
to preserve our land from discord and strife;
to give our country your protection in every time of need;
To direct and defend our President and all in authority;
to bless and protect our magistrates and all our people;
To watch over and help all who are in despair,
necessity, and tribulation; to protect and guide all who travel;
To grant all women with child, and all mothers with infant children,
increasing happiness in their blessings; to defend all orphans and widows
and provide for them.
To strengthen and keep all sick persons and young children;
to free those in bondage; and to have mercy on us all:
We implore you to hear us, good Lord.
To forgive our enemies, persecutors and slanderers
and to turn their hearts;
to give and preserve to our use the kindly
fruits of the earth; and graciously to hear our prayers:
We implore you to hear us, good Lord.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God - we implore you to hear us.
Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world - have mercy.
Christ the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world- have mercy.
Christ the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world-
Grant us your peace.
O Christ - hear us.
O Lord - have mercy.
O Christ, have mercy.
O Lord, have mercy. Amen.
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