I
love the monthly magazine, Magnificat,
which offers daily devotionals. I try to read every day's devotional at some
point, but I admit I'm always behind.
Saturday,
December 7th, was St. Ambrose's feast day and in the devotional they had a prayer he wrote, titled "The
Prayer of the Laborer." Magnificat
presents the prayer in the form of a poem, but I don't know if that is how St.
Ambrose originally wrote it or the translator or the editors. But it was very
inspirational. I present it here:
The Prayer of the Laborer
by Saint Ambrose
God, creator of all
things
and ruler of the heavens,
fitting
the day with beauteous
light
and the night with grace
of sleep:
May rest restore our
slackened limbs
to the exercise of toil,
lighten our wearied
minds,
and relieve our anxious
preoccupations.
Now the day is over and
night has begun,
we, your devotees, sing
our hymn,
offering thanks and
begging
that you would help us in
our sinfulness.
May the depths of our
hearts magnify you,
may our harmonious voices
sound you,
may our chaste affections
love you,,
may our sober minds adore
you.
Thus, when the deep gloom
of night
closes in upon the day,
our faith may not know
darkness
and the night may shine
with faith.
Do not permit our minds
to slumber;
it is sinfulness that
knows slumber.
May faith, which
refreshes the chaste,
temper sleep’s embrace.
When the depths of our
hearts have been stripped of unclean thoughts,
let them dream of you,
nor let worry, the
stratagem of the envious foe,
disturb us as we rest.
We beseech Christ and the
Father,
and the spirit of Christ
and the Father,
who are one and omnipotent.
O Trinity, assist us who
pray to you!
How
lovely, especially after a tiring day at work.
It is a blessing to recite as you fall into that “grace of sleep.”
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