For Civil Discourse

Almighty God, who spakest to Elijah, not in a strong wind, nor in earthquake, nor in fire, but in a still small voice: Vouchsafe us to refrain our tongues from evil, and our lips, that they speak no guile. Teach us to beware of murmuring, which is unprofitable, and to refrain our tongues from backbiting. Let our every discourse be civil, and let us always be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath; for sweet language multiplieth friends, and a fairspeaking tongue increaseth kind greetings; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

This collect was written at the suggestion of one of the priests at St Stephen’s, in light of the vitriolic arguments engendered by the 2016 presidential election, but it is generally applicable to the comments sections on the internet.