Lent Prayers, Devotions, and Collects
What is Lent?
Lent is the 40-day period of fasting, penitence, simplicity, and sorrow leading up to the feast of Easter, recalling Jesus' 40-day fast in the wilderness. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, which falls either in February or March. These Lent prayers reflect the themes of fasting, penitence, and sorrow.
More info: Lent
Penitential Prayer of Saint Augustine
O Lord, The house of my soul is narrow; enlarge it that you may enter in. It is ruinous, O repair it! It displeases Your sight. I confess it, I know. But who shall cleanse it, to whom shall I cry but to you? Cleanse me from my secret faults, O Lord, and spare Your servant from strange sins. St. Augustine of Hippo (AD 354-430)
Alternate Collect for Ash Wednesday
Father in Heaven, the light of your truth bestows sight to the darkness of sinful eyes. May this season of repentance bring us the blessing of Your forgiveness and the gift of Your light. Grant this through Christ our Lord. International Committee on English in the Liturgy (ICEL)
Collect for the First Sunday of Lent
Father, through our observance of Lent, help us to understand the meaning of Your Son's death and resurrection, and teach us to reflect it in our lives. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son. who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. International Committee on English in the Liturgy (ICEL)
Penitential Prayer of Saint Ambrose of Milan
O Lord, who hast mercy upon all, take away from me my sins, and mercifully kindle in me the fire of thy Holy Spirit. Take away from me the heart of stone, and give me a heart of flesh, a heart to love and adore Thee, a heart to delight in Thee, to follow and enjoy Thee, for Christ's sake, Amen St. Ambrose of Milan (AD 339-397)
A Prayer of Contrition
Merciful Father, I am guilty of sin.
I confess my sins before you and I am sorry for them.
Your promises are just; therefore I trust that you will forgive my sins and cleanse me from every stain of sin.
Jesus himself is the propitiation for my sins and the sin of the whole world. I put my hope in his atonement.
May my sins be forgiven through His name and in His blood may my soul be made clean.
New Saint Joseph People's Prayer Book
Prayer of Saint Ephraim the Syrian
O Lord and Master of my life, give me not the spirit of laziness, despair, lust of power, and idle talk. (prostration)
But give rather the spirit of sobriety, humility, patience and love to Thy servant. (prostration)
Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own transgressions and not to judge my brother, for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen. (prostration)
Saint Ephraim the Syrian (AD 305-373)
Litany of Humility
O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed: Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved: Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled: Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being honored: Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being praised: Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others: Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted: Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being approved: Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being humiliated: Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being despised: Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes: Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated: Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten: Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed: Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged: Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected: Deliver me, Jesus.
That others may be loved more than I: Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I: Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease: Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be chosen and I set aside: Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be praised and I unnoticed: Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be preferred to me in everything: Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should: Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val (1865-1930)
Prayer for Aid in Fasting
Hanging as a vine upon the Wood, O Christ our Saviour, Thou hast made the ends of the earth to drink from the wine of incorruption. Therefore do I cry aloud: I am darkened always by the hateful drunkenness of sin; Give me to drink from the sweet wine of true compunction, and grant me now the strength, O Saviour, to fast from sensual pleasures, for Thou art good and lovest mankind.
Saint Joseph Studite, Lenten Triodion
Eastern Sinner's Prayer
O my all-merciful God and Lord, Jesus Christ, full of pity: Through Your great love You came down and became incarnate in order to save everyone.
O Savior, I ask You to save me by Your grace! If You save anyone because of their works, that would not be grace but only reward of duty, but You are compassionate and full of mercy!
You said, O my Christ, "Whoever believes in Me shall live and never die." If then, faith in You saves the lost, then save me, O my God and Creator, for I believe.
Let faith and not my unworthy works be counted to me, O my God, for You will find no works which could account me righteous.
O Lord, from now on let me love You as intensely as I have loved sin, and work for You as hard as I once worked for the evil one.
I promise that I will work to do Your will, my Lord and God, Jesus Christ, all the days of my life and forever more.
Prayer of Saint John Chrysostom
The Jesus Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have mercy on me, a sinner.
Anglican Collect for the First Sunday of Lent
Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan; Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
1979 Book of Common Prayer
Anglican Collect for the Fourth Sunday of Lent
Almighty God, You know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
1979 Book of Common Prayer
Anglican Collect for the Fifth Sunday of Lent
Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
1979 Book of Common Prayer
Compiled by David Bennett
Updated 02-21-2019