# The universal prayer of Pope Clement XI
*2020-08-02*

> Bill Young leads a prayer session focused on the Universal Prayer written by Pope Clement XI, emphasizing total surrender to God's will.

## Introduction

Good afternoon. This is Bill Young and welcome to the Prayer N Lunch podcast. Today is Monday, August 3rd. As we continue our dedication to God the Father for the month of August, we are praying a prayer called the Universal Prayer, written by Pope Clement XI.

## The Universal Prayer

Lord, I believe in you; increase my faith. I trust in you; strengthen my trust. I love you; let me love you more and more. I am sorry for my sins; deepen my sorrow. I worship you as my first beginning; I long for you as my last end. I praise you as my constant helper and call on you as my loving protector. Guide me by your wisdom, correct me with your justice, comfort me with your mercy, and protect me with your power.

I offer you, Lord, my thoughts to be fixed on you, my words to have you for their being, my actions to reflect my love for you, and my sufferings to be endured for your greatest glory. I want to do what you ask of me, in the way that you have asked for, and for as long as you ask, because you have asked it.

Lord, enlighten my understanding, strengthen my will, purify my heart, and make me holy. Help me to repent for my past sins and to resist temptations in the future. Help me to rise above my human weakness and to grow stronger as a Christian. Let me love you, my Lord, my God, and see myself as I really am: a pilgrim in this world, a Christian called to respect and to love all those lives I touch—those in authority over me or those under my authority, my friends and my enemies.

Help me to conquer anger by gentleness, greed by generosity, and apathy by fervor. Help me to forget myself and reach out towards others. Make me prudent in planning, courageous in taking risks, patient in suffering, and humble in prosperity. Keep me, Lord, attentive in prayer, temperate in food and drink, and firm in my intentions in my work. Let my conscience be clear, my conduct without fault, my speech blameless, and my life well-ordered.

Put me on guard against my human weaknesses. Let me cherish your love for me, keep your law, and come at last to your salvation. Teach me to realize that this world is passing, that the true feature of happiness is heaven, that life on earth is short, and the life to come is eternal. Help me prepare for death with proper fear of judgment, but greatest trust in your goodness. Let me pass safely through death to the endless joy of heaven. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

## Gratitude and Reflection

I would like to thank God the Father in heaven, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit for keeping the storms away from the coast of Florida, especially South Florida. While we are currently experiencing thunderstorms and rain, we are grateful to avoid a hurricane and the associated damage and loss of life. Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, for always listening to me and for being my friend and my spiritual Father. God bless you.

*By praying the Universal Prayer, we ask God to align our thoughts, words, and actions entirely with His divine will.*