The Great Litany of Thanksgiving (Jakob Olrik)

Beginning of the Preface

It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give You thanks, Holy Lord, Almighty Father, Eternal God.

Lord, have mercy on us! – Lord, have mercy on us!

Christ, have mercy on us! – Lord, have mercy on us! – Christ, hear us! – Christ, graciously hear us!

God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us!
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us!
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us!
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us!

Holy Mary, Mother of God, lead us in the choir of thanksgiving!

For the light, for life and for all creation,
we thank You, O God!

For the manger, the Cross and the morning of Easter,
we thank You, O God!

For the dove with the seven flames of heavenly fire,
we thank You, O God!

For the revelation of the mystery of Your Most Holy Trinity,
we thank You, O God!

For the Queen of Heaven, Your Son’s Mother and ours,
we thank You, O God!

For the cleansing water of Baptism upon our heads,
we thank You, O God!

For the one who led us to Your Church,
we thank You, O God!

For father and mother, relatives and friends,
we thank You, O God!

For our homeland, our government and our mother tongue,
we thank You, O God!

For our daily bread, our home and our daily work,
we thank You, O God!

For comfort, happiness and protection in danger,
we thank You, O God!

For the works of penance that You gave us to perform,
we thank You, O God!

For the bitter but strengthening cup of suffering,
we thank You, O God!

For the grace of Confirmation, the sign of the soldiers of the Holy Spirit,
we thank You, O God!

For the sacrifice of Christ’s Body and Blood,
we thank You, O God!

For our daily nourishment with the Bread of Heaven,
we thank You, O God!

For Jesus, who dwells among us at the altar,
we thank You, O God!

For the strength we receive in the tribunal of Penance,
we thank You, O God!

For the oil that brings relief and salvation to the sick,
we thank You, O God!

For the power of the priest to call upon You,
we thank You, O God!

For the dignity, honor and worth of the marriage bond,
we thank You, O God!

For the Church, who lifts up and gathers us all,
we thank You, O God!

For Peter, with the keys of the kingdom of heaven in his hands,
we thank You, O God!

For Your royal shepherd’s office and priesthood,
we thank You, O God!

For the flourishing branches of the religious orders on the tree of the holy Church,
we thank You, O God!

For the most complete proof of the faith,
we thank You, O God!

For the hope of seeing You face to face,
we thank You, O God!

For the happiness of being able to love Your name and Your honor,
we thank You, O God!

For the help of the angels in the battle on earth,
we thank You, O God!

For the courage we draw from the works of the saints,
we thank You, O God!

For all the saints who intercede at Your throne,
we thank You, O God!

For the spotless purity of the Virgin Mary,
we thank You, O God!

For Holy Scripture and the teaching of the Church,
we thank You, O God!

For all the glorious victories of Your kingdom,
we thank You, O God!

For all the radiant feasts of the Church,
we thank You, O God!

For the answering of our prayers for the dead,
we thank You, O God!

For having given us an immortal soul endowed with reason,
we thank You, O God!

For having ennobled our will with freedom,
we thank You, O God!

For having given us good will,
we thank You, O God!

For having promised us eternal reward even for the smallest thing,
we thank You, O God!

For the loving providence that guides us through life,
we thank You, O God!

For the light that shone for us in dark nights,
we thank You, O God!

For the hand that held us fast when the ground shook beneath our feet,
we thank You, O God!

For the compassionate Heart of Jesus Christ,
we thank You, O God!

For the graces You gave instead of punishments,
we thank You, O God!

For the fact that one day we shall rise from the dead,
we thank You, O God!

For the fact that Christ will come on the clouds of heaven,
we thank You, O God!

For the fact that He will judge the good with justice,
we thank You, O God!

For the fact that He will bring the proud to their knees,
we thank You, O God!

For the fact that on the evening of the Last Judgment we may enter heaven rejoicing,
we thank You, O God!

O Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, (three times)
Spare us, O Lord.
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Have mercy on us, O Lord.

Let us pray.

O God, You have said: “Give thanks in all circumstances.” We humbly ask You, grant us the grace to begin our thanksgiving here on earth in such a way that we may complete it in heaven. We ask this through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord and God, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever. Amen.

Prayed after each invocation.

Great Litany of Thanksgiving by Jakob Olrik, convert and Catholic priest in Denmark, Imprimatur: Hafniae, April 7, 1923, † Josef Brems, O. Praem. Episc. Roskildensis Vicarius Apostolicus Daniae.