Commontide

Preparation for Personal Prayer

Holy Spirit, breath of God and fire of love, I cannot pray without your aid: Kindle in me the fire of your love, and illumine me with your light; that with a steadfast will and holy thoughts I may approach the Father in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who reigns with you and the Father in eternal union. Amen.

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Commontide
Collect
Prayers

The Great Vigil of Easter — Abraham's Sacrifice of Isaac

Almighty God, whose servant Abraham faithfully obeyed your call, and rejoiced to see the day of your Son: Multiply the number of your children by the grace of the Lamb who was slain; that your Church may also rejoice to see your promise to our father Abraham fulfilled; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Found in the Prayer Book

  • Great Vigil Of EasterLent & Holy Week

Provenance

ACNA 2019

Draft — AI-assisted research under editorial review.

This prayer is said after the Easter Vigil reads the story of Abraham and Isaac. It asks God to keep multiplying his family, the Church, the way he once multiplied Abraham's children, now through Jesus, "the Lamb who was slain." The exact wording is new to the 2019 Anglican prayer book, but it carries forward a much older prayer, translated from the Roman Church's Easter Vigil, that has stood at this same spot in the service for generations.