Name your favorite prayer

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are I

This is the prayer of St. Francis. I admit I don't have it memorized only certain lines in it and the contrast down but it's very moving to me.

I've seen several versions, but this is essentially it:

http://prayerfoundation.org/st_patricks_breastplate_prayer.htm

So many of them are just sublime. But, sure, St Francis' Prayer is a gem, John.

Gosh, I've just read your full version of St Patrick's Breastplate, MadOldDem, and it looks great. I must read it at leisure and keep it.

from childhood. We generally say it by rote, the words so familiar we don't think about them very
much.

But one day I sat down and took it apart, phrase by phrase, and thought about what each phrase
meant. I realised how beautiful it was, the greatest prayer of love and trust ever written.

i.e., taking each line and thinking about what it means as a pattern for all of our prayers.

Our Lord certainly came up with a good one there.

There's so many out there - I'm going to have to go with two - neither are technically prayers, but both are used in prayer.

First the Magnificat - sung by Our Lady at her visitation to St. Elizabeth:
My soul doth magnify the Lord : and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded : the lowliness of his handmaiden.
For behold, from henceforth : all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me : and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him : throughout all generations.
He hath shewed strength with his arm : he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat : and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things : and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel : as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son : and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be : world without end. Amen.


The second is a short responsary from Compline:
Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
For Thou hast redeemed us, O Lord, Thou God of truth.
I commend my spirit.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Keep us, O Lord, as the apple of Thine eye.
Hide us under the shadow of Thy wings.

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from Christ's side, wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee
From the malicious enemy defend me
In the hour of my death call me
And bid me come unto Thee
That I may praise Thee with Thy saints
and with Thy angels
Forever and ever
Amen.

but I learned it as a poem:

Soul of Christ, be my sanctification,
Body of Christ, be my salvation.
Blood of Christ, fill my veins,
Water from Christ's side, wash out my stains.
Passion of Christ, my comfort be,
Oh, good Jesus, listen to me.
Within thy wounds I fain would hide,
Ne'er to be parted from thy side.
Guard me should the foe assail me,
Call me when my life shall fail me.
Bid me come to thee above
With thy saints to sing thy love.
Amen.