Rogationtide: Traditional prayers

 

Planting tip: Blackberries don't bloom till after your last frost

Last week I wrote about the season; today I want to share some traditional prayers for the Rogation days, which are today, tomorrow, and Wednesday—that is, the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday between the Sixth Sunday of Easter and Ascension Day (40 days after Easter).

The following collects are from the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, but they can also be found in the 2017 ACNA prayer book. [When used as a noun, “collect” is pronounced /COL-lect/.]

In our daily morning prayers, after the Lord’s Prayer we pray the collect for the previous Sunday followed by other prayers according to the season or specific prayer needs of our loved ones. During the Rogation days, after the collect of the day, we pray a different Rogation collect each day.


Sixth Sunday of Easter

O God, who hast prepared for those who love thee such
good things as pass man’s understanding:  Pour into our
hearts such love toward thee, that we, loving thee in all
things and above all things, may obtain thy promises, which
exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one
God, for ever and ever.  Amen.



For Rogation Days
For use on the traditional days or at other times

I. For fruitful seasons

Almighty God, Lord of heaven and earth:  We humbly pray
that thy gracious providence may give and preserve to our
use the harvests of the land and of the seas, and may prosper
all who labor to gather them, that we, who constantly receive
good things from thy hand, may always give thee thanks;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with
thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

II. For commerce and industry

Almighty God, whose Son Jesus Christ in his earthly life
shared our toil and hallowed our labor: Be present with
thy people where they work; make those who carry on
the industries and commerce of this land responsive to thy
will; and give to us all a pride in what we do, and a just
return for our labor; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who
liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

III. For stewardship of creation

O merciful Creator, whose hand is open wide to satisfy the
needs of every living creature: Make us, we beseech thee,
ever thankful for thy loving providence; and grant that we,
remembering the account that we must one day give, may be
faithful stewards of thy bounty; through Jesus Christ our
Lord, who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth,
one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.