Most countries across the world usually begin school classes with an opening prayer. Before starting the school class, the teacher will lead the opening prayer or ask their students to say their prayers. However, some students usually don’t know what to say for prayers before class.
And if you’re a teacher looking for ideas for prayers before class or a student tasked to lead the prayer, you’re in the right place. This article has sample prayers before class that you can use online, face-to-face, or during school activities. We’ll also share how to create an opening prayer, so read on!
What Is An Opening Prayer
A prayer is a form of communication that connects us with our creator. It allows us to express to the Lord our gratitude and deepest desires. In addition, prayers can be private, personal, or recited by one person, in public, or with a group. It’s also recited in gatherings, and events, especially in classes or school activities. Then, a closing prayer will follow as the event or activity ends successfully.
Most often, an opening prayer is used by Catholic or Christian schools. But public and non-sectarian schools don’t often practice it. Opening prayer before class is a powerful but humble way to seek wisdom and guidance from God as you begin learning and studying lessons. During an opening prayer, you can also express your gratitude as you have the opportunity to learn and go to school.
On the other hand, the Catholic Church doesn’t have specific prayers before class. Thus, teachers create their own prayer to start school classes with the Lord’s guidance. Meanwhile, some teachers tasked their students daily to lead the opening prayer before class. So students make an impromptu or create their own opening prayers before class.
But don’t worry! You don’t have to make an opening prayer by yourself since we have created prayers before class that you can freely use. Our sample prayers before class are ideal for online and face-to-face. So the next time your teacher asks you to lead the opening prayer, you can try our solemn and simple prayers before class.
Short Opening Prayers Before Class
Prayer For Teachers
Dear God, we thank you for this new day. Teach us to embrace that everything is according to Your plans. As we start the class, I ask you to guide my students and grant them wisdom to understand our lessons for today. I ask you to help my students enhance their knowledge, so they can excel in everything they do.
Heavenly Father, I am grateful for this day as my students are all gathered here and in good health. I ask you to enlighten them and bestow them with honesty and knowledge to perform well in today’s exam. We know that everything is according to your will and whatever the outcomes of their exams are right and just.
Prayer For Children
Thank you, Lord, for everything you have given us. For our teachers, parents, and friends, that makes us happy. We thank you for our food and snacks and the toys we could play with. We also thank you for our school and for giving us a home. We know you always hear our prayers, and we are thankful.
Dear Lord, thank you for watching over our school. We thank you for loving and caring for all of us. Please help us learn our lessons and teach us to share and play together. We thank you for giving us loving parents and for sending us to school to study. We know that you look after us every day and everywhere. We thank Jesus Christ for keeping us safe.
Prayer For High School & College Students
Dear Lord, we are thankful for the love, mercy, and grace you have bestowed upon us. We are grateful for keeping us safe and right-minded, especially during the pandemic. We also ask for your guidance to learn new things and the wisdom to use what we learned for good.
Dear Heavenly Father, we are grateful for giving us this opportunity to gather here today to enhance our knowledge. We ask you to gift us knowledge, wisdom, and understanding that benefits our progress and growth. Also, whatever you grant us today is for the greater good.
Dear Lord and the Father of all, we ask for your guidance as we begin this day to learn new things. May you be our guide and allow us to see, listen, and speak through Your greatness. We ask you to accompany us as we explore and face difficulties in this world. May you grant us the heart to be kind and to love one another. Also, please protect our teachers, classmates, and their families.
Dear God and your beloved son Jesus Christ, we are thankful for the gift of life and another day to learn and study our lessons. May you make us instruments to show others your kindness and unconditional love. Please enlighten our minds and grant us the strength to partake in our class today. We thank you for allowing us to study and reminding us of your glory.
Lord, we thank you for being here and giving us another day to witness your glory. We ask you to bless our class and instructors so we may have a safe and fruitful day. May you take control of our lives and let everything happen based on your will and Jesus Christ’s purpose.
How To Create Opening Prayers Before Class
Meanwhile, if you’d like to create your own opening prayer, we’ve also created a guide to help you communicate with the Lord. The steps below are based on Matthew 6:9-13, which teaches us how to pray. To make opening prayers before class, follow these easy steps:
1. Call On The Eternal Father in Heaven
Since we pray to God, the first step to creating a solemn prayer is to call on His name. You should start your prayer by addressing God, such as “Dear Father in Heaven”, “Dear Heavenly Father”, and “Dear God”. God is our creator and the Father of our spirits. We owe everything to Him.
He gave us everything we have, from the planet we live on to our lives. Thus, we address Him as the Heavenly Father when we talk or communicate with Him through our prayers.
2. Acknowledge And Give Thanks For His Blessings
The second step to creating a good opening prayer is to express our gratitude to the Lord. After addressing the Heavenly Father, you can introduce yourself by saying, “I’m grateful” or “I thank you”. But since we’re talking about an opening prayer for the school, you should introduce the class by saying, “We thank you” or “We are grateful”.
As you pray, you should express your appreciation of the Lord’s Blessing by saying we’re thankful for our families, teachers, and good health. You can also say that we’re grateful for the opportunity to attend school and learn to broaden our knowledge. Furthermore, ensure to give thanks for specific blessings depending on the situation.
For instance, if you’re on an educational trip with your class, you can pray for divine protection or safety. If your school class has an activity for the day, you can also say thanks for allowing the event to happen. In short, expressing gratitude to the Lord can be general or specific.
3. Seek His Blessings And Guidance
Once we’ve expressed our gratitude to the Lord, the third step is to seek His blessings and guidance. You can say so in different ways like, “Help us” or “We ask you”. For instance, if your class is having exams today, you can say, “We ask for your guidance to do well in our exams”.
You can also say, “Help us and bless our class to win” if joining a competition. But remember, a prayer is only a form of communication. So whether we get answers and blessings depends on the Heavenly Father. Also, challenges are inevitable in the world we are living in. Thus, seeking the Lord’s guidance and blessings is more ideal than asking Him to remove obstacles in our lives.
4. End The Prayer In Jesus Christ’s Name
Finally, you can end the prayer by calling on Jesus Christ after expressing your gratitude and seeking requests. Say “In the name of Jesus Christ” to finish your prayer. Then, say “Amen” to close the prayer. Remember, Jesus Christ is our Lord, Savior, and mediator in our physical and spiritual life.
So we should call on His name whenever we pray. Most of all, saying “Amen” is a sign of agreeing or approving a statement that was said earlier. Thus, we end the prayer before class by saying “Amen”.
How To Lead An Opening Prayer Before Class
Now that you know how to make an opening prayer, you should also learn how to lead a prayer before starting the class. To do so, follow the steps below:
1. Start With The Sign Of The Cross
If you are chosen to lead the prayer before class, the first step is to start with the sign of the cross. For face-to-face, proceed to the front and face your classmates or wherever the altar is in the room. Face the camera and do the sign of the cross if attending an online class.
2. Narrate The Trinitarian Formula
Next, narrate the Trinitarian Formula. It is a phrase recited while doing the sign of the cross. It goes, “In the name of the father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”. When reciting the Trinitarian Formula, ensure that you say it in sync with the sign of the cross.
3. Pray Clearly In A Slow And Solemn Tone
Afterward, recite the opening prayer slowly and clearly. Make sure your tone is solemn and not too loud but clear enough to be heard by everyone. By doing so, your prayer will sound sincere and make everyone feel the Lord’s presence.
4. Finish The Prayer With Amen
Again, always finish your prayer with “Amen”. Wait for the class to say it since it indicates approval of the statements in the prayer.
5. Repeat Steps 1 & 2
Then, repeat the sign of the cross while reciting the Trinitarian Formula.
FAQs
What is a good prayer for school?
A good prayer before class should be short, simple, and solemn. It should also acknowledge and appreciate the Lord’s blessings and seek guidance for students in learning and activities. In short, a good prayer before school should be relevant to students’ challenges and Heavenly Father’s blessings.
What is the best short prayer before class?
The best short prayer before class should be general and praise the Lord’s greatness and presence. When asking for requests, it should also be relevant to the specific event for the school day. For instance, you can ask the Lord to enlighten you with knowledge if your class has exams for the day.
You can also thank the Heavenly Father for the opportunity to be in school or for having good health and a happy family to express your gratitude.
How do you say a short opening prayer?
You can say a short opening prayer by starting with the sign of the cross while saying the Trinitarian Formula. Next, proceed by expressing gratitude and making a request. End the prayer with the name of Jesus Christ. Then, repeat the sign of the cross and Trinitarian Formula.
Also, ensure that you say the prayer slowly and clearly. Keep your tone solemn and never raise your voice, like shouting. Just say your prayer loud enough for the class to hear.
Why start the class with prayer?
Starting the class with an opening prayer is a humble way to seek the Lord’s wisdom and guidance while learning and studying. Thus, teachers often say an opening prayer or ask students to say the prayer.
Summary
Whether in school or attending an online class, saying a prayer is a good way to start the day. You can communicate with the Heavenly Father and thank Him for allowing your classmates to be present in school to learn something new and broaden your knowledge.
If you’re a teacher or instructor, teaching your students to pray before class encourages them to focus and value their opportunity to study. So if you’re out of ideas on what to say, you can use our sample prayers before class or follow our guide to make good solemn prayers.