Being a relatively new Catholic when I entered Catholic University I did not have all of the traditional Catholic prayers down. Fr, Carl Peter always began class with the same prayer, the opening prayer for today's mass
Prompt our actions with your inspiration, we pray, O Lord,
and further them with your constant help,
that all we do may always begin from you
and by you be brought to completion.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
When I got to Rome the now Cardinal Valasio DiPaolis began with the same prayer but in Latin
Actiónes nostras, quaesumus, Dómine,
aspirándo praeveni et adiuvándo proséquere,
ut cuncta nostra operátio
a te semper incípiat,
et per te copta finiátur. Per Dóminum...
This ancient prayer truly summarizes the Christian life. Every action that we take, should be inspired by the Lord. Only with his help should we carry out any project. Our every work should be begun not by us, but by him. And only through him brought to completion.
There is a reason these and hundreds of other priests and religious memorized this prayer, and recited it each day. From listening to Cardinal DiPaolis repeatedly I memorized it and this lent I will return to reciting it, and hopefully living it.
