Personal Prayer * & Hymn

Most Merciful Lord Jesus Christ as Thou didst wish to relieve those burdened with sore afflications, to redeem the captives, to free the imprisoned, to bring together those who are scattered, to restore the contrite in heart, to comfort the wretched, and to console those who grieve and mourn, deign to release me from the afflication, temptation, grief, infirmity, poverty and peril in which I am held, and give me aid. Extend Thine arm to me; pour Thy grace over me, and free me from all the distresses and griefs by which I find myself troubled.

Free me, O Lord, by Thy most holy merits, by Thine incarnation, by Thy nativity, by Thy fasting, by Thy labour and suffering, by the blows and by the nailes, by the crown of thorns, by Thy most cruel and unworthy death on the cross.

Thou saidst, O Lord, "It is finished," showing that the labours and griefs which Thou hadst undertaken for us wretches were now completed.

I ask Thee, O most gentle Christ Jesus, to keep me and to defend me from all evil and from my evil enemy, and from all danger, present, past, and to come, and deign to console me by Thy descent into hell, by Thy resurrection, by Thy grace of the Holy Spirit, and by Thy coming in the day of Judgement.

O Lord hear me, by all Thy benefits for which I give and return Thee thanks, because Thou didst make me from nothing, and hast redeemed me by Thy most wonderful love and mercy from damnation to everylasting life. I ask Thee, O Most gentle Jesus Christ to save me from all perils of body and soul, and after the course of this life to bring me to Thee, the living and true God, who livest and reignest, O God, through Jesus Christ the living and true Lord, AMEN.

* From his Book of Hours

KING RICHARD'S HYMN written by the Reverend Tom Hunter-Clare Tune: Saint Matthew by W. Croft 

The Lord My God is ever true,
Faithful and sure is He:
He will not fall; but dare I say
Such loyalty binds me?
I know that if I turn at need
He at my side will be
Can he depend upon my truth?
Doth loyalty bind me?

O Lord, Thou knowest I am weak,
My doubts and fears dost see;
But canst thou build in lasting strength
My loyalty to Thee.
I think of those who went before
In Thy true service free,
And did proclaim by word and deed
Their loyalty to Thee.

Firm bound to Thee and to their friends,
In faith and fealty,
Where duty led, where honour lay,
Strong with their loyalty.
No traitor's kiss could make them fall,
With eyes held fast on Thee;
And now the torch has passed to us;
Be ours their loyalty.

They ran the course we now must run
To share Thy victory,
The life of faith in this our day,
Right royal, Lord to Thee.
They word is truth, Thy name is Love,
Thy Cross is strength to me;
Burn Thou its mark upon my life,
The badge of loyalty.

To Thee, I pray, O Christ most sure,
As I do trust in Thee,
To Thee, to land, to home and friends,
For Thou alone art God of God;
In life, in death, O bind me fast, in loyalty to thee.