Prayers - Helping Others

Happy is he who loves you and loves his friend in you and loves his enemy in your name! It is surely he alone who never loses a dear one because all are dear to him through him who is never lost, through our God; God who crafted heaven and earth fills them with His presence, just as He created them by filling them with Himself
(St Augustine, 5th century)

Oh Lord, give us more charity, more self-denial, more likeness to you. Teach us to sacrifice our comforts to others and our likings for the sake of doing good. Make us kindly in thought, gentle in word, generous in deed. Teach us that it is better to give than to receive, better to forget ourselves than to put ourselves forward, better to minister than to be ministered unto. And to You, the God of love, be all glory and praise, now and forever.
(Henry Alford, 19th century)

Dear Jesus, help us to spread your fragrance everywhere we go. Flood our souls with your spirit and life.
Penetrate and possess our whole being so utterly that our lives may only be a radiance of yours.
Shine through us and be so in us that every soul we come in contact with may feel your presence.
(John Henry Newman, 19th century)

Almighty God, and most merciful Father, who has given us a new commandment that we should love one another, give us also grace that we may fulfil it. Make us gentle, courteous and forbearing. Direct our lives so that we may look each to the good of the other in word and deed.
(Bishop Wescott, 19th century)

Let this day, O Lord, add some knowledge or good deed to yesterday.
(Lancelot Andrews, 16th century)