For Theology of the Body buffs...
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Catholic Truth Society of London has published a new prayerbook for Catholic spouses, including a prayer before making love - no blessing of the genitals however - Christopher West can supply that, I'm sure.
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The new prayer:
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Father, send your Holy Spirit into our hearts.
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Place within us love that truly gives, tenderness thattruly unites,
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self-offering that tells the truth and does not deceive,
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forgiveness that truly receives, loving physical union that welcomes.
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Open our hearts to you, to each other and to the goodness of your will.
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Cover our poverty in the richness of your mercy and forgiveness.
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Clothe us in our true dignity
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and take to yourself our shared aspirations, for your glory, for ever and ever.
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Mary, our Mother, intercede for us. Amen. - Source
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An older model of spousal prayer:
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Then Tobias exhorted the virgin, and said to her: Sara, arise, and let us pray to God to day, and to morrow, and the next day: because for these three nights we are joined to God: and when the third night is over, we will be in our own wedlock. 5 For we are the children of saints, and we must not be joined together like heathens that know not God.
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6 So they both arose, and prayed earnestly both together that health might be given them, 7 And Tobias said:
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Lord God of our fathers, may the heavens and the earth, and the sea, and the fountains, and the rivers, and all thy creatures that are in them, bless thee.
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8 Thou madest Adam of the slime of the earth, and gavest him Eve for a helper.
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9 And now, Lord, thou knowest, that not for fleshly lust do I take my sister to wife, but only for the love of posterity, in which thy name may be blessed for ever and ever.
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10 Sara also said:
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Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us,
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and let us grow old both together in health. - Tobit 8
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I think the biblical version contains better theology.
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Catholic Truth Society of London has published a new prayerbook for Catholic spouses, including a prayer before making love - no blessing of the genitals however - Christopher West can supply that, I'm sure.
.
The new prayer:
.
Father, send your Holy Spirit into our hearts.
.
Place within us love that truly gives, tenderness thattruly unites,
.
self-offering that tells the truth and does not deceive,
.
forgiveness that truly receives, loving physical union that welcomes.
.
Open our hearts to you, to each other and to the goodness of your will.
.
Cover our poverty in the richness of your mercy and forgiveness.
.
Clothe us in our true dignity
.
and take to yourself our shared aspirations, for your glory, for ever and ever.
.
Mary, our Mother, intercede for us. Amen. - Source
.
An older model of spousal prayer:
.
Then Tobias exhorted the virgin, and said to her: Sara, arise, and let us pray to God to day, and to morrow, and the next day: because for these three nights we are joined to God: and when the third night is over, we will be in our own wedlock. 5 For we are the children of saints, and we must not be joined together like heathens that know not God.
.
6 So they both arose, and prayed earnestly both together that health might be given them, 7 And Tobias said:
.
Lord God of our fathers, may the heavens and the earth, and the sea, and the fountains, and the rivers, and all thy creatures that are in them, bless thee.
.
8 Thou madest Adam of the slime of the earth, and gavest him Eve for a helper.
.
9 And now, Lord, thou knowest, that not for fleshly lust do I take my sister to wife, but only for the love of posterity, in which thy name may be blessed for ever and ever.
.
10 Sara also said:
.
Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us,
.
and let us grow old both together in health. - Tobit 8
.
I think the biblical version contains better theology.
... agreed
ReplyDeleteThere was a newspaper story (sorry, forget which)about this prayer that was linked to on the Drudge Report. The headline claimed that the Catholic Church was telling couples to pray before sex -- the comments that followed included the usual attacks on the Church, never mind that the Church wasn't behind it at all, but rather a Catholic group. I was pleased, however, to see the number of positive comments as well.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Terry.
ReplyDeleteIt used to be that I would privately pray to God before going to bed that my wife will want to have sex....
...holy moley!!! Did I just say that?!?
I crack me up.
Yes you did Larry! LOL! I had a little sitcom script at the end of the post about all of this - "How to get your husband to be more prayerful" - I took it down because the laugh track distracted from the seriousness of the subject.
ReplyDeleteSurely only a randy Trad could come up with such nowadays.
ReplyDeleteSo does it include any prayers used personally by Paul and Jan Crouch?
ReplyDelete