Almighty God, 
to you all hearts are open, all desires known,
and from you no secrets are hidden. 
Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your
Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily 
magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen. 
 
We have been using this prayer to begin our Sunday services for this season.
 
It is known as the “Collect for Purity” and is over 1,000 years old. However, it became most known and widespread within and through the Anglican tradition when Thomas Cranmer translated it into English and incorporated it into the service in the Book of Common Prayer in the 1500s.

Ever since, it has been in every Anglican prayer book published around the world.

It is a prayer that I have memorized – it has been written on my heart from years and years of use.
 
We need prayers that are fresh and new and creative. We need prayers in our own words. We need prayers without and beyond words.
 
We also need prayers that have been handed down to us through the generations – treasures of the past that connect us with all who have gone before us. We need prayers, written on our hearts, that come to us when no other words or prayers will.
 
I hope that this gift from our ancestors in the faith might be a blessing to you this season in our worship together.
 
As the prayer says (in my own words), may the Holy Spirit working in us prepare the soil of our hearts and minds for the seed of God’s love. May that seed grow and move us to seek and serve and love our God more and more. Amen.

Thanks be to God!

CG+