Litany for the Holy Innocents

Litany for the Holy Innocents

Litany for the Holy Innocents is an occasional service of the Reformed Episcopal Church used for prayer for the protection of children, repentance for sins against life, and mercy for the vulnerable.

Overview

This litany intercedes for children, families, the unborn, the abused, the vulnerable, and those who work for protection and mercy. It is especially suited to Holy Innocents observances and pro-life pastoral prayer.

Full Text of the Service

O GOD the Father, Creator of heaven and earth;

Have mercy upon us.

O God the Son, Redeemer of the world;

Have mercy upon us.

O God the Holy Spirit, Lord and Giver of Life;

Have mercy upon us.

O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, one God;

Have mercy upon us.

Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

O Christ, hear us.

Graciously hear us, O Christ, Graciously hear us, O Lord Christ.

Blessed art thou O LORD God, through whom all things were made, the author and giver of life, lover of the poor and weak, defender of the helpless, who dost fashion in mystery each child conceived in a mother’s womb, the One who loves every child thou hast made.

We humbly beseech thee to hear the prayers of thy people offered at this time when we remember the Innocents who perished for thy Name’s sake by the sword at Herod’s command.

Be pleased, O LORD, to accept our repentance and humble supplications which we offer today on behalf of all the young and innocent.

Our Father, whose beloved Son didst say to His disciples, when they would have kept the infants and children from Him, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven"; of thy great mercy, defend from the wickedness of the evil one all such as are unable to defend themselves.

LORD, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

O gracious Father, as Rachel wept for the Holy Innocents of Ramah, we deeply mourn the loss of millions of innocents taken by abortion in America; May this horrible disgrace which overshadows our nation, by thy hand, be speedily lifted from us. Drive far from us all wicked and unclean spirits that travel throughout the world to the ruin souls.

LORD, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Forgive us LORD for every sin against life, for the heinous practice of abortion, for the neglect and abuse of children, for silence, apathy, and any cooperation of thy people in commission of injustices toward the young and innocent. Grant us true repentance and better minds.

LORD, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

May thy holy Church throughout the world be always strengthened in true faith, holiness, and perfect love. May She uphold the truth in love and acknowledge the goodness of thy divine providence in the conception of each new child, that each one, being wrought mysteriously in the womb, would be valued, protected, and nurtured.

LORD, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Especially we pray for all bishops, priests, deacons, deaconesses, and those in prominent places of service in thy Church, that they may bear faithful witness in teaching and through godly example how we may protect the young and innocent, and care for those parents who are in need.

LORD, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

For all in authority in this our nation, especially the President of the United States, the governors of each state, all legislators and judges, that they would above all things seek thine honour and glory. May they, remembering whose ministers they are, labour to serve this people in thy faith and fear, and faithfully administer justice to the maintenance of thy true religion and virtue, especially for the sake of the unborn.

LORD, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We offer unto thee, O Lord, our humble and hearty thanks for the overturning of Roe v. Wade and pray now for each state government and its leaders to uphold the sacredness of life in policy and legislation.

May those in authority ever be reminded of, and keep always before their eyes, the account they will one day render unto thee. May those still blind to thy Truth be swiftly brought to the Light and granted courage and strength to boldly speak for the cause of justice.

LORD, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Almighty God, our heavenly Father who hast committed to thy holy Church the care and nurture of children; Enlighten with thy wisdom all who teach and those who learn; grant to thy faithful people everywhere insight and courage to bear faithful witness to the world about the sanctity of human life.

LORD, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

On behalf of the innocents we commend to thy continual care the homes in which thy people dwell; Knit together in constant affection those who, in holy wedlock have been made one flesh: grant them to know themselves to be icons of Christ and the Church, to give themselves to one another in the love of the Holy Trinity, and to find the soothing balm of the Gospel in all their wounds.

LORD, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Touch with pity the hearts of those pregnant women who do not think of motherhood. Grant them to see that the child they carry is made in thine image for eternal life. Dispel their fears and give them true womanly hearts to love their babies, give them birth, and all the needed care a mother alone can give.

LORD, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Grant grace especially to the single parent led home. Protect and keep them ever in thy Name, granting wisdom and strength in the nurture and raising of thy children.

LORD, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

In thy great compassion bring healing, salvation, and deliverance to all whose lives have been touched by these sins.

LORD, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for all unborn children who will lose their lives this (day, week, year) by abortion; in thy great compassion attend them in the hour of their death, and mercifully bear them to thyself.

LORD, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Bless all those who seek in this our day to bring an end to abortion and child abuse, and all who offer help, encouragement, and the Gospel to mothers and families in need or distress (N…,) especially to those women in the balance of deciding whether or not to have an abortion.

LORD, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Father, graciously direct all thy people to know and understand their part in answering the issues of abortion and the abuse of young children; grant us wisdom, courage, and strength to do it. We thank thee for granting us fruitful labor on behalf of thy children.

LORD, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Bless the fruit of the womb with havens of peace, in the fear of God and the nurture of the Lord, and heal the brokenness of our land.

LORD, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

For all who suffer ridicule, rejection, mistreatment, and imprisonment in defending the innocents; sustain them in their afflictions and suffer not their faith in thee to fail.

LORD, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

And finally, we praise thee for the wonderful grace and virtue demonstrated to us in all thy saints, who have been chosen vessels of thy grace and Lights of the world in their generations; grant us grace so to direct our lives in following their good examples, that at the last, we may join them in everlasting life. Amen.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

O Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy upon us.

O Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy upon us.

O Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Grant us thy peace.

Let us pray.

Almighty and ever-living God, thou hast created all things through thy Son Jesus Christ who trampled the power of death by his Paschal Mystery. May all who acknowledge thee promote the sacredness of life and always serve thee faithfully, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Notes on Use

• Use on or near the Feast of the Holy Innocents, in pro-life prayer services, or in pastoral contexts of lament and intercession.
• Because the subject matter is grave, lead the litany with sobriety, compassion, and care for those present.
• Avoid adding commentary inside the litany; pastoral teaching may be offered before or after the service.

Liturgical Structure

• Invocation of the Trinity
• Confession and petitions for mercy
• Intercessions for church and society
• Prayers for children, families, and the vulnerable
• Concluding petitions

Theological Themes

• The sanctity of human life.
• Repentance and mercy.
• Christ's care for children and the church's duty to protect the innocent.

Source

This text is transcribed from the official Reformed Episcopal Church PDF.

See Also

• Book of Common Prayer
• Reformed Episcopal Church
• Anglican liturgy
• Book of Occasional Services (Reformed Episcopal Church)