Tagged

Blimey, Mac and Leutgeb!

Three favourite prayers...

Well let's start with the rules:

Name your three most favourite prayers, and explain why they're your favourites. Then tag five bloggers - give them a link, and then go and tell them they have been tagged. Finally, tell the person who tagged you that you've completed the meme... The Liturgy and the Sacraments are off limits here. I'm more interested in people's favourite devotional prayers.


I'm not sure I have three favourite prayers - probably don't pray enough.

So should I think theologically - one to the Father, one to the Son, and one to the Holy Ghost (I'm particularly fond of 'fill the hearts of thy faithful' etc)?

Or in terms of the language and imagery (I love the prayer to St Michael and the Salve Regina on that count)?

Or in terms of prayers that have particular memories for me (my mother saying the Hail Mary as she died)?

But I'm also conscious of the risk of this meme being very repetitive, so let's strike out into fresh territory.

I choose the Veni Creator Spiritus, because I love the melody as well as the words, and it evokes in particular memories of the children's confirmations at St James, Spanish Place; the Regina Caeli as a great resurrection prayer and a wonderful Marian prayer - and it has a wonderful melody too... and this prayer of Cardinal Newman's because we really should include him this year, and it has long been a favourite:

May He support us all the day long, till the shades lengthen and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then in His mercy may He give us a safe lodging, and a holy rest and peace at the last.

And I tag Ttony, Fr Brown, James Preece, Radagast, and Athanasius.