In Christian piety, an ejaculation, sometimes known as ejaculatory prayer or aspiration, is "a short prayer, in which the mind is directed to God, on any emergency." [1] "A sigh, a devout aspiration, a holy ejaculation, will oftener pierce the sky, and reach the ear of Omnipotence, than a long set exercise of prayer..." [2]
Within Roman Catholicism, some common ejaculations include the Jesus Prayer (more frequently used in Eastern Orthodoxy), the Fatima Prayer of the Holy Rosary, Come Holy Spirit, and Eternal Rest. [3] [4] In Methodism, some common ejaculations include "Praise the Lord!", "Hallelujah!" and "Amen!" [5] The Puritan theologian William Perkins urged his pupils to "pray continually" through "secret and inward ejaculations of the heart". [6] The Lutheran rite for corporate Confession and Absolution includes the pastor offering ejaculatory prayers after penitents recite the Confiteor. [7]
Ejaculatory prayers have been used for indulgences, decreasing the number of days spent in purgatory. They are collected in the Enchiridion Indulgentiarum . The Raccolta (1866 version) states that "these prayers may be said in any language, provided the version be correct, and approved by the S. C. of Indulgences." [8]
The following is a prayer consisting of two parts, given in the Raccolta (1943 version): [9] : 7
a) Holy God, Holy Strong One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us. b) To Thee be praise, to Thee be glory, to Thee be thanksgiving through endless ages, O Blessed Trinity (Roman Missal).
According to the Raccolta, it grants a partial indulgence of 500 days, for each complete recitation, even if the two parts are recited separately. If recited daily with devotion for an entire month, it grants a plenary indulgence.