Litany of St. Paul
Antiphon: Thou hast proved me and known me: Thou hast known my sitting down and my rising up.
V. The great Saint Paul, the vessel of election, is indeed worthy to be glorified:
R. For he also deserved to possess the twelfth throne.
Lord have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us.
Queen conceived without original sin, Pray for us.
Saint Paul, Pray for us.
Apostle of the Gentiles, Pray for us.
Vessel of Election, Pray for us.
St. Paul, who wast rapt to the third heaven, Pray for us.
St. Paul, who heard things not given to man to utter, Pray for us.
St. Paul, who knew nothing but Christ, and Him crucified, Pray for us.
St. Paul, whose love for Christ was stronger than death, Pray for us.
St. Paul, who wished to be dissolved and be with Christ, Pray for us.
St. Paul, whose zeal knew no bounds, Pray for us.
St. Paul, who made thyself all to all, to gain all to Christ, Pray for us.
St. Paul, who called thyself prisoner of Christ for us, Pray for us.
St. Paul, who wast jealous of us, with the jealousy of God, Pray for us.
St. Paul, who glories only in the Cross of Christ, Pray for us.
St. Paul, who bore in thy body the mortification of Christ, Pray for us.
St. Paul, who exclaimed: With Christ I am nailed to the cross! Pray for us.
St. Paul, that we may awake and sin no more, Pray for us.
That we may not receive the grace of God in vain, Pray for us.
That we may walk in newness of life, Pray for us.
That we may work out our salvation with fear and trembling, Pray for us.
That we may put on the armor of God, Pray for us.
That we may stand against the deceits of the wicked one, Pray for us.
That we may stand fast to the last, Pray for us.
That we may press forward to the mark, Pray for us.
That we may win the crown, Pray for us.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world:
Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world:
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world:
Have mercy on us.
Let us pray. O God, Who hast taught the whole world by the preaching of blessed Paul the Apostle: grant that we, who celebrate his memory, may by following his example be drawn unto Thee. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son, Who with Thee livest and reignest in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
R. Amen.
-from Kyrie Eleison — Two Hundred Litanies by Benjamin Francis Musser O.F.M., The Magnificat Press, 1944
Graciously hear us, O Lord. #BISblog #prayerpledge //Click to tweet
Reflect
Are you still here? That was a long one, I know. But litanies are a beautiful traditional type of prayer, recommended to us by the Church. They are long, but worth it.
You’ll see the letters V and R in litanies. These stand for Versicle and Response. In a public recitation of a Litany in a church, family, or religious community, the leader says the Versicle and everyone else recites the Response. In a private recitation, you just say both parts yourself.
Today is the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, and it’s from the words of St. Paul that we learn everything we need to know about intercessory prayer. Philippians 4:6 says, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God."
Act
Try out this Litany today, and consider making litanies a part of the prayer life of your family or community.
Let Us Pray
O Lord, hear our prayers. Replace our anxiety with trust in You. Lord, you spoke to St. Paul on the road to Damascus and led him to his conversion. Speak to us today, and convert our hearts. Amen.
For Your Inspiration
Each week, we will have a special download for each form of prayer: Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, and Supplication (ACTS). Download this week's printable below.
Prayer Pledge 2018: Supplication Day 4 #BISblog #prayerpledge //Click to tweet
Kendra Tierney is currently writing a book, fixing up a tumbledown hundred year old house, and just welcomed baby number nine. In her free time, she carpools, homeschools, and feeds the other eight kids. And her husband. You can find her first book, A Little Book About Confession, here, her blog here, and her word art here.