Universal Prayer

I recently found this prayer and fell in love with it. Not only does it touch on every issue that I've felt the need to pray about but does it well. It also works to simply pray a couple paragraphs only, focusing on that specific part. It makes a great thanksgiving after Mass too. Anyhow, I felt that this is the sort of prayer that every Christian should pray because it is somehow appropriate in every stage of the spiritual life.

The Universal Prayer (Pope Clement XI)

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,
protect me with your power.

I offer you, Lord, my thoughts: to be fixed on you;
my words: to have you for their theme;
my actions: to reflect my love for you;
my sufferings: to be endured for your greater glory.

I want to do what you ask of me:
in the way you ask,
for as long as you ask,
because you ask it.

Lord, enlighten my understanding,
strengthen my will,
purify my heart,
and make me holy.

Help me to repent of my past sins
and to resist temptation in the future.
Help me to rise above my human weaknesses
and to grow stronger as a Christian.

Let me love you, my lOrd and my God,
and see myself as I really am:
a pilgrim in this world,
A Christian called to respect and love all whose lives I touch,
those in authority over me or those under my authority,
my friends and my enemies.

Help me to conquer anger with gentleness,
greed by generosity,
apathy by fervor.
Help me to forget myself and reach out toward others.

Make me prudent in planning,
courageous in taking risks.
Make me patient in suffering,
and unassuming in prosperity.

Keep me, Lord, attentive at prayer,
temperate in food and drink,
diligent in my work,
and firm in my good intentions.

Let me conscience be clear,
my conduct without fault,
my speech blameless,
my life well-ordered.

Put my 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 my true future is the happiness of heaven,
that life on earth is short,
and the life to come eternal.

Help me to prepare for death
with a proper fear of judgment
but a greater trust in your goodness.
Lead me safely through death to the endless joy of heaven.

Grant this thorugh Christ our Lord. Amen.