2 traditional prayers for vocations, and 4 passages from the Bible to pray with them. Choose one, read it aloud, or print it as a card to keep.
O Almighty God, look mercifully upon the world which thou hast redeemed by the blood of thy dear Son, and incline the hearts of many to dedicate themselves to the sacred Ministry of thy Church; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
O Lord, I beseech Thee to grant me Thy divine light, that I may know the designs of Thy providence concerning me, and that, filled with a sincere desire for my soul's salvation, I may say, with the young man in the Gospel: What must I do to be saved? All states of life are before me; but, still undecided what to do, I await Thy commands, I offer myself to Thee without restriction, without reserve, with a most perfect submission.
Far be it from me, O Lord, to oppose the order of Thy wisdom, and, unfaithful to the inspiration of Thy grace, to strive to subject the will of the Creator to the caprice of the creature. It is not for the servant to choose the way in which he will serve his master: do Thou lay upon me what commands Thou pleasest. My lot is in Thy hands. Speak, Lord, to my soul; speak to me as Thou didst to the youthful Samuel: Speak, Lord; for Thy servant heareth.
37Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 38Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
Matthew 9:37-38, King James Version
10And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
1 Samuel 3:10, King James Version
8Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
Isaiah 6:8, King James Version
1For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: 2Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity. 3And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. 4And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.
Hebrews 5:1-4, King James Version
Start with "Prayer for the Increase of the Ministry" and pray it each day, with Pray the Lord of the Harvest (Matthew 9:37-38) to read alongside it.
Both. They come from Catholic prayer books, the Anglican Book of Common Prayer and the Bible. Most can be prayed by any Christian.
Yes. Where a prayer says "N." or "thy servant", put in the name of the person you are praying for.
They keep the words of the older prayer books and the King James Bible, the words generations have prayed. "Thee" and "thou" are the old familiar forms of "you".