A prayer for beginning the day

"In the silence of the morning
we are alive to the new day's light,
alert to the early stirrings of the wind
and the first sounds of the creatures.
In the silence of our heart
we hear the yearnings that are in us and the fears,
the hopes that rise from within
and the doubts that trouble our soul.
In the beginnings of this day, O God,
before night's stillness is lost to the day's busyness,
open to us the treasure of our inner being
that in the midst of this day's busyness
we may draw on wisdom.
Assure us again of our origins in you,
assure us again that our true depths are of you."
- From 'Sounds of the Eternal: A Celtic Psalter'

(Image courtesy of Evgeni Dinev / FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

Celtic prayer

"As this day begins Christ be with us,
Be in our hearts and in our minds,
Be in our souls and in our spirits,
Be in our thoughts and in our desires.
As this day begins Christ walk beside us,
Show us the love only you can give,
Show us the light only you can provide,
Show us the wholeness only you can reveal.
As this day begins Christ surround us,
Circle us with your presence,
Keep protection near and danger far,
Bring us the assurance of your love."
- Celtic prayer

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the gift

In the gift of this new day,
in the gift of the present moment,
in the gift of time and eternity intertwined
let us be grateful
let us be attentive
let us be open to what has never happened before,
in the gift of this new day,
in the gift of the present moment,
in the gift of time and eternity intertwined.
- A Celtic prayer

Image courtesy of dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

A prayer by David Adam

"Lord you are in this place, 

Fill us with your power, 

Cover us with your peace, 

Show us your presence.

Lord help us to know, 

We are in your hands, 

We are under your protection, 

We are covered by your love.

Lord we ask you, today, 

To deliver us from evil, 

To guide us in our travels, 

To defend us from all harm.

Lord give us now,

Eyes to see the invisible, 

Ears to hear your call, 

Hands to do your work, 

And hearts to respond to your love."

(David Adam, 'Border Lands')

Photo by me of Iona 

Another Celtic morning prayer

May I arise this morning

feeling your warmth

embracing me,

conscious of your love

forgiving me,

knowing your peace

within me,

feeling your Spirit

strengthen me,

hearing your whisper

encouraging me.

In all I do

and in all I say

may my life 

this day

and all days

reflect

the beauty of my Lord.

- Celtic morning prayer from Faith and Worship

This is one of my favourite prayers so I post it again...

Image courtesy of dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Morning prayer

Keep your people, Lord,

in the arms of your embrace.

Shelter them under your wings.

Be their light in darkness,

Be their hope in distress,

Be their calm in anxiety,

Be strength in their weakness

Be their comfort in pain

Be their song in the night

In peace I will go out this day,

for it is you O Lord,

you alone who guides my paths,

your wisdom in my heart.

- Celtic morning prayer

Image courtesy of zole4 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Celtic morning prayer

Guiding God

be with us 

in our going out

and coming home

in our journeying

and returning

in our decision making

and organising

Guarding God

be with us

through the calm

and through the storm

be our comfort

when we’re hurting

be our helper

when we’re falling

Gracious God

walk with us

every moment

of this new day.

- Celtic morning prayer from 'Faith and Worship'

(Image courtesy of Evgeni Dinev / FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

Morning prayer

Christ our healer

Christ our teacher

Our inspiration and purpose.

Christ our defender

Christ our redeemer

Our liberation and precious.

Bless both day and night.

Bless our travelling and arriving.

Bless our service and our sleeping.

Christ, our all in all,

into your presence I come, Lord;

a few moments of quietness,

closeness

in a busy world

that demands my attention.

Breathe on me now,

that I might know your power

to see this day though 

- Morning prayer from Faith and Worship

 Image courtesy of Photokanok / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Morning prayer

May I arise this morning

feeling your warmth

embracing me,

conscious of your love

forgiving me,

knowing your peace

within me,

feeling your Spirit

strengthen me,

hearing your whisper

encouraging me.

In all I do

and in all I say

may my life 

this day

and all days

reflect

the beauty of my Lord.

- Morning prayer from 'Faith and Wordship'

(Image courtesy of Danilo Rizzuti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net )

Morning prayer

"May I arise this morning
feeling your warmth
embracing me,
conscious of your love
forgiving me,
knowing your peace
within me,
feeling your Spirit
strengthen me,
hearing your whisper
encouraging me.
In all I do
and in all I say
may my life
this day
and all days
reflect
the beauty of my Lord."
- Morning prayer from 'Faith and Worship'

 

 

Image courtesy of dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Morning prayer from the Elders of Optino

"Lord, grant that I may meet the coming day with spiritual tranquility.
Grant that in all things I may rely upon your holy will.
In each hour of the day, reveal your will to me.
Whatever news may reach me this day, teach me to accept it with a calm soul, knowing that all is subject to your holy will.
Direct my thoughts and feelings in all my words and actions.
In all unexpected occurrences, do not let me forget that all is sent down by you.
Grant that I may deal firmly and wisely with every member of my family and all who are in my care, neither embarrassing nor saddening anyone.
Give me the strength to bear the fatigue of the coming day with all that it shall bring.
Direct my will and teach me to pray,
to believe,
to hope,
to be patient,
to forgive
and to love."
- Morning prayer from the Elders of Optino

Image courtesy of Danilo Rizzuti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Celtic morning prayer canticle

"Christ, as a light
illumine and guide me.
Christ, as a shield
overshadow me.
Christ under me;
Christ over me;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Be in the heart of each to whom I speak;
in the mouth of each who speaks unto me.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Christ as a light;
Christ as a shield;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right."
- Celtic Morning Prayer Canticle

 

Image courtesy of dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net )

 

Iona prayer praising God for the new day

O Sun behind all suns,
I give you greeting this new day.
Let all Creation praise you,
Let the daylight
and the shadows praise you.
Let the fertile earth
and the swelling sea praise you.
Let the winds and the rain,
the lightening and the thunder
praise you.
Let all that breathes,
both male and female, praise you.
And I shall praise you.
O God of all life
I give you greeting this day.

- From 'Celtic Prayers From Iona'

Morning prayer

Thanks to Thee, O God, that I have risen today,
To the rising of this life itself;
May it be to Thine own glory, O God of every gift,
And to the glory of my soul likewise.

O great God, aid Thou my soul
With the aiding of Thine own mercy;
Even as I clothe my body with wool,
Cover Thou my soul with the shadow of Thy wing.

Help me to avoid every sin,
And the source of every sin to forsake;
And as the mist scatters on the crest of the hills,
May each ill haze clear from my soul, O God.

- Celtic morning prayer

(Image courtesy of Evgeni Dinev / FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

Celtic prayer for the new day

"Let us walk into this day
God’s light before us,
God’s shield behind us,
God’s friends beside us.
Let us be filled

With the music of God’s world,
With the wonder of God’s love,
With the glory of God’s presence."
- Celtic prayer

Morning prayer

"As the sun scatters the mist
at the dawning of a new day,
So you calm our fears and anxieties
if we trust you.
You give us strength and courage
to live our daily lives
knowing you are with us
and we do not walk alone.
As the midday sun warms us,
we feel your protecting arms around us

and sense your loving presence.
As the sun sinks in a kaleidoscope of colour
you give us hope and renewal."
- Celtic prayer

Celtic prayer for the morning

"As the sun rises, Lord, Let your light shine on me.
Destroy the darkness about me, Scatter the darkness before me, Disperse the darkness behind me, Dispel the darkness within me. Let your light shine on me.
As the sun rises, Lord, Let your light shine on me.
The warmth of your Presence, The brightness of your love, The radiance of your joy, The shining of your hope. Let your light shine on me.
As the sun rises, Lord, Let your light shine on me. Your light to guide, Your light to lead, Your light to direct, Your light to brighten.
Let your light shine on me."
- David Adam, 'Power Lines: Celtic Prayers About Work'