Deus Misereatur

  (Anxiety and Mental Illness) : LORD God of Sabaoth, you have recorded for us these words of deep comfort: “ Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you ” (Isaiah 35:3-4). We pray for the anxious and the forlorn, those troubled with mental illness, and those with long histories of distress, especially these we know (…). Break through the dark walls that have been set up around their assessments; pull back the thick curtains they have around the eyes of their hearts; and bring the light of your face to shine on their lives that their weak hands may be strengthened and their feeble knees made firm. O Lord, hear our prayer.   (Rest) : With your servant, Augustine, we pray: “You awake us to delight in your praise; for you made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you” (“Confessi

  Our Father, who turns our darkness into the brilliance of day, and gives us garments of joy in place of the apparel of sorrow; we find ourselves in times of worry and deep concern for ourselves, our children, our grandchildren, our nation and our world. In times of prosperity fill our hearts with thankfulness; and in the day of trouble suffer not our trust in you to fail. We remember those who are grappling with specific hardships (…), may it please you to console and relieve them, according to their specific needs. Give them enduring patience under their sufferings and a happy conclusion to all their afflictions.  With your watchful eye preserve those in our Military, especially (…), and encourage their families. Look kindly on those we know who are thinking of marriage. Help them, in all of the excitement of romance to listen to wise counsel, to see clearly what it means to be married, and to learn how to sensibly and graciously work together as they go through the sometimes testy