It’s summertime again! And with Summer comes adventures, trips, outings, relaxation, and a host of other good stuff we should be doing to refresh our bodies, minds, and souls. Here are sixteen prayers you’ll need to make this summer your best one yet.
1. The official beer blessing
V. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who made heaven and earth.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.
Bless, O Lord, this creature beer, which thou hast deigned to produce from the fat of grain: that it may be a salutary remedy to the human race, and grant through the invocation of thy holy name; that, whoever shall drink it, may gain health in body and peace in soul. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
2. Blessing of lard or bacon (BACON WRAP ALL THE THINGS)
V. Our help is in the name of the Lord. R. Who has made heaven and earth. V. The Lord be with you. R. And with your spirit.
Let us pray.
Bless, Lord, this lard (or bacon) which You have made, that I may be a healthful food for mankind. Grant by the invocation of Your holy name that all who partake of it may receive health of body and safety of soul, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
3. Prayer to bless a swimming pool
Lord Jesus, our loving brother,
bless this swimming pool and all who use it.
Keep us safe and healthy
as we enjoy this refreshing water.
Lord, we praise you for ever. Amen
4. Prayer for acceptance of whatever weather comes our way aka the Canticle of the Three Youths
Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord;
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord;
You heavens, bless the Lord;
All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord.
All you hosts of the Lord; bless the Lord.
Sun and moon, bless the Lord;
Stars of heaven, bless the Lord.
Every shower and dew, bless the Lord;
All you winds, bless the Lord.
Fire and heat, bless the Lord;
Cold and chill, bless the Lord.
Dew and rain, bless the Lord;
Frost and cold, bless the Lord.
Ice and snow, bless the Lord;
Nights and days, bless the Lord.
Light and darkness bless the Lord;
Lightning and clouds, bless the Lord.
Let the earth bless the Lord;
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Mountains and hills, bless the Lord
Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord.
You springs, bless the Lord;
Seas and rivers, bless the Lord.
You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord;
All you birds of the air, bless the Lord.
All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord;
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
You sons of men, bless the Lord;
O Israel, bless the Lord.
Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord;
Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord;
Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord.
Ananias, Azarias, Misael, bless the Lord;
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Let us bless the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost;
Let us praise and exalt God above all forever.
Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven;
Praiseworthy and glorious forever.
5. Bless your vehicle before traveling
V. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who has made heaven and earth.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with your spirit.
Let us pray.
Lend a willing ear, Lord God, to our prayers, and bless this vehicle with Your holy right hand. Direct Your holy angels to accompany it, that they may free those who ride in it from all dangers, and always guard them. And just as by Your deacon Philip You gave faith and grace to the man of Ethiopia as he sat in his chariot reading the Sacred Word, so, point out to Your servants the way of salvation. Grant that, aided by Your grace, and with their hearts set on good works, they may, after all the joys and sorrows of this journey through life, merit to receive eternal joys, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
(And it is sprinkled with holy water.)
6. Prayer for traveling by sea aka before you take a cruise or go fishing
O God, Who brought our fathers through the Red Sea
and carried them safely through the deep
as they sang praises of Thy name,
we humbly beseech Thee
to guard Thy servants aboard ship,
and having repelled all adversities,
bring them to the desired port after a calm voyage.
Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, Thy Son,
Who livest and reigneth with Thee
in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen.
7. Prayer to St. Christopher
Dear Saint Christopher,
protect me today
in all my travels
along the road’s way.
Give your warning sign
if danger is near
so that I may stop
while the path is clear.
Be at my window
and direct me through
when the vision blurs
From out of the blue.
Carry me safely
to my destined place,
like you carried Christ
in your close embrace. Amen.
8. Peace prayer of St. Francis (for when you go to visit family)
Lord, make me an instrument of your 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;
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 born to eternal life.
Amen.
9. Serenity Prayer (because we all need to let go sometimes)
God, grant me the Serenity
To accept the things I cannot change…
Courage to change the things I can,
And Wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as the pathway to peace.
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it.
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His will.
That I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with Him forever in the next.
Amen.
10. Psalm 23 for when you’re feeling lonely
The Lord is my shepherd; There is nothing I lack. In green pastures he makes me lie down; to still waters he leads me; he restores my soul.
He guides me along right paths for the sake of his name.
Even thought I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff comfort me.
You set a table before me in front of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Indeed, goodness and mercy will pursue me all the days of my life; I will dwell in the house of the Lord for endless days.
11. Prayer for a safe flight
Almighty God and Father “Who pass by like a breeze,” and to whose glory the heavens narrate, we bless you and glorify you in all your works because in your infinite wisdom you have entrusted to mankind the task of achieving marvelous and great wonders. Hear our prayer, which we address to you through the intercession of Mary, Our Lady of Loreto. The planes which travel in the sky spread your praise and serve men to carry on their arduous labors more rapidly. Your blessing brings to pilots, technicians, and their assistants wisdom and prudence to operate in order that those who travel by air, after having overcome all obstacles and difficulties, can happily reach their eternal home. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
12. Prayer from the Divine Office
Direct, we beseech thee, O Lord, all our actions
by thy holy inspiration, and carry them on by
thy gracious assistance so that every prayer and
work of ours may begin always from thee and
through thee be happily ended.
13. Prayer for peaceful rest (after having loads of fun with dear friends and family)
Dear Lord Jesus, as I rest in the comfort of your love, I ask to experience your gentle embrace as you tenderly wrap your loving arms around me. I trust your compassionate care will bring peace to my mind, serenity to my heart and renewal to my spirit.
In your loving embrace, I ask that you grant me a peaceful night’s rest. Please purify my dreams, cleanse my subconscious and wash my thoughts with the purity of your infinite love. Please minister to my heart, mind, body, soul and spirit as I rest in your compassionate care tonight.
Please send forth your protective angels to stand guard over me as I sleep. May your angelic army destroy all curses, hindrances and demonic influences that have been sent against my ability to experience a peaceful night’s rest. I ask that your heavenly host protect me as I stay awake and watch over me as I sleep, that awake I may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace. Amen.
14. Prayer Before Meals (for cookouts, tailgating, and having company over)
Bless us, O Lord, and these, Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
15. The Glory Be
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
16. Prayer for hospitality
Lord, give us the eyes of Jesus to see our neighbours and the strangers we meet. Teach us what it means to love the stranger as we love ourselves.
Forgive us for our selfishness,
for our silence, for not caring enough for the strangers who come to our communities. Teach us to love and care for the stranger the way you do. Amen.
