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

Of a Pastor

O God, our heavenly Father, you raised up your faithful servant N. to be a [Bishop and] pastor in your Church and to feed your flock: Give abundantly to all pastors the gifts of your Holy Spirit, that they may minister in your household as true servants of Christ and stewards of your divine mysteries; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

BCP 2019, p. 638

Proper Preface

Preface of a Pastor

Through Jesus Christ, the great shepherd of the sheep; in him you call faithful pastors and anoint them with your Holy Spirit, to feed your flock by Word and Sacrament, and to lead them in the way of everlasting life.

Provenance

TEC 1979

Draft — AI-assisted research under editorial review.

A collect first drafted in the 1970s for the Episcopal Church's liturgical renewal, "Of a Pastor" gathers pastoral imagery from across the New Testament – feeding the flock, stewardship of the mysteries – into a petition that those who lead God's people may do so with the gifts of the Holy Spirit.