A prayer
May we now, and on each return of night,
consider how the past day has been spent by us,
what have been our prevailing Thoughts, Words, and Actions during it,
and how far we can acquit ourselves of Evil.
Have we thought irreverently of Thee,
have we disobeyed Thy Commandments,
have we neglected any known Duty,
or willingly given pain to any human Being?
Incline us to ask our Hearts these questions Oh! God,
and save us from deceiving ourselves by Pride or Vanity.
Give us a thankful sense of the Blessings in which we live,
of the many comforts of our Lot;
that we may not deserve to lose them by Discontent or Indifference.Jane Austen, excerpt from “Prayer One (Evening Prayer)”In these lines, Austen focuses her
attention on reflective prayer. She
contemplates her “thoughts, words,
and actions” and carefully “consider[s]”
the way “the past day has been spent”.
Her words point to a wonderful
end-of-day habit, wherein she and
her family took time to think back on
their day and weigh their attitudes and
actions during it.
Austen asks God to “incline” their
hearts to ask four important questions:
“Have we thought irreverently
of Thee, have we disobeyed Thy
Commandments, have we neglected
any known Duty, or willingly given
pain to any human Being?” These
questions cover two important areas:
Our relationship with God and our
relationship with people.
She also prays that they might see
themselves clearly, citing “Pride or
Vanity” as common causes of spiritual
blindness. She expresses a wish to
exchange any dishonouring inward
thoughts or outward habits for a
“thankful sense of the Blessings” and
“comforts” in their lives.
Austen’s prayer reveals a heartfelt
desire to honour God and love others
well. Her words echo the first and
second greatest Commandments as
expressed by Christ: “You shall love
the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all
your mind. This is the great and first
Commandment. And a second is like
it: You shall love your neighbour as
yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39 ESV )Reflections provided by Rachel Dodge,
author of Praying with Jane: 31 Days
Through the Prayers of Jane Austen