Orthodox Daily Prayers Part 20

Cleanse, O Lord, the defilement of my soul and save me, for Thou lovest mankind.

Now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Great is the mult.i.tude of my sins, O Theotokos! I come to you, O Pure One, in need of salvation. Visit my ailing soul, O You who alone are blessed, and pray to your Son and our G.o.d that He absolve the evil I have done.

_NOTE: On Great and Holy Thursday, the following TROPARION is used, in TONE 8:_

When the glorious disciples were enlightened at the was.h.i.+ng of their feet before the supper, then the impious Judas was darkened, ailing with avarice, and to the lawless judges he betrayed Thee, the Righteous Judge.

Behold, O lover of money, this man who because of money hanged himself.

Flee from the greedy soul which dared such things against the Master. O Lord Who art good towards all men, glory to Thee!

_If the Canon of Preparation for Holy Communion has not been read the preceding evening, it may be read here._

Lord, have mercy! _(40 times, with as many prostrations as desired)_

_Then, we read the following Verses of Instruction:_

When you intend, O man, to eat the Master's Body, Approach with fear, lest you be burned--for It is fire!

Before drinking the Divine Blood in Communion, Make peace with those who have grieved you.

Only then may you dare To eat the Mystical Food.

_We also add the following verses:_

Before partaking of the Dread Sacrifice, The life-giving Body of the Master, Pray, trembling, in this manner:

1st Prayer, of Saint Basil the Great.

O Lord and Master, Jesus Christ our G.o.d, the Fountain of life and immortality, the Creator of everything visible and invisible, the eternal and everlasting Son of the eternal Father: Thou hast come in these latter days because of the abundance of Thy goodness. Thou hast put on our human flesh and wast crucified and buried for us thankless and graceless men, and through Thine own blood Thou hast renewed our human nature which is corrupted by sin. And now, O Immortal King, accept the repentance of me a sinner, and incline Thine ear to me and listen to my words:

I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned before heaven and before Thy face, and I am not worthy to look upon the height of Thy Glory.

I have provoked Thy goodness, I have transgressed Thy commandments, I have not obeyed Thy statutes.

But, O Lord, since Thou dost not remember evil, but art long-suffering and of great mercy, Thou hast not given me over to destruction for my lawlessness, but hast ever awaited my conversion.

O Lover of mankind, Thou hast said by Thy prophets: "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live."

For Thou dost not wish, O Master, that the work of Thy hands should perish, neither dost Thou take pleasure in the destruction of men, but Thou desirest that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.

Therefore, although I am unworthy both of heaven and of earth and of this pa.s.sing life, having wholly yielded myself to sin and defiled Thine image, yet being Thy creature and of Thy making, I do not despair of my salvation in my wickedness. But made bold by Thine infinite compa.s.sion, I draw near.

Receive me, O Christ Who lovest mankind, as Thou didst receive the prost.i.tute, the thief, the tax-collector and the prodigal. Take away the heavy burden of my sins, for Thou takest away the sins of the world, Thou healest the infirmities of mankind, Thou callest to Thyself and givest rest to those who labor and are heavy laden.

Thou hast not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Cleanse me from every stain of flesh and spirit. Teach me to fulfill holiness in fear of Thee, that having the testimony of my own conscience clean, and having communion of Thy holy things, I may be united with Thy Body and Blood and may have Thee to dwell and abide in me, with the Father and Thy Holy Spirit.

O Lord Jesus Christ my G.o.d, may the communion of Thy most pure and life-creating mysteries not bring me into judgment, nor may I become weak in soul and body by partaking in an unworthy manner, but grant me to receive communion of Thy holy things without condemnation even to my very last breath, and by them to receive communion of the Holy Spirit, provision for the journey of eternal life, and an acceptable answer at Thy dread judgment seat; that I, together with all Thy chosen ones, may also be a partaker of the incorruptible blessings which Thou hast prepared for those who love thee, O Lord, in whom Thou art glorified forever. Amen.

2nd Prayer, of St. John Chrysostom

O Lord my G.o.d, I know that I am not worthy nor sufficiently pleasing that Thou shouldst come under the roof of the house of my soul for it is entirely desolate and fallen in ruin, and Thou wilt not find in me a place worthy to lay Thy head. But as Thou didst humble Thyself from on high for our sake, so now humble Thyself to my lowliness.

As Thou didst deign to lie in a cavern, in a manger of dumb beasts, so now deign to enter into the manger of my beastly soul, and into my soiled body.

As Thou didst not disdain to enter and to eat with sinners in the house of Simon the leper, so now be pleased to enter into the house of my soul, humble and leprous and sinful.

As Thou didst not cast away the sinful woman who came to touch Thee, so have compa.s.sion on me a sinner who comes to touch Thee.

As Thou didst not abhor the kiss of her sin-stained and unclean mouth, do not abhor my mouth, worse stained and more unclean than hers, nor my stained and shamed and unclean lips, nor my still more impure tongue.

But let the fiery coal of Thy most pure Body and Thy most precious Blood bring me sanctification, enlightenment and strengthening of my lowly soul and body, relief from the burden of my many transgressions, protection against every action of the devil, repulsion and victory over my wicked and evil habits, mortification of my pa.s.sions, accomplishment of Thy commandments, increase of Thy divine grace, and inheritance of Thy Kingdom.

For I do not come to Thee in presumption, O Christ my G.o.d, but made bold by Thine inexpressible goodness, lest I stray far away from Thy flock, O Master, and become caught by the wolf of souls.

Therefore, I pray Thee, O Master, for Thou alone art holy: sanctify my soul and body, my mind and heart, my muscles and bones. Renew me entirely. Implant Thy fear in my fleshly members and let Thy sanctification never be removed from me.

Be my helper and defender, guide my life in peace and make me worthy to stand at Thy right hand with all Thy saints.

By the prayers and supplications of Thy most pure Mother, of Thy spiritual servants, the most pure angelic powers, and of all the saints who have been well-pleasing to Thee. Amen.

3rd Prayer, of St. Simeon Metaphrastes

O only pure and incorruptible Lord! Because of the inexpressible mercy of Thy love for mankind, Thou didst take to Thyself our entire human composition from the pure blood of the Virgin who gave birth to Thee beyond nature, by the descent of the Holy Spirit and the good-will of the ever-existing Father.

O Christ Jesus, Wisdom of G.o.d and Peace and Power, through the human nature which Thou didst take to Thyself, Thou didst suffer the life-creating and saving pa.s.sion: the Cross, the nails, the spear--death itself. Put to death in me the soul-destroying pa.s.sions of the body.

Through Thy burial Thou didst capture the kingdom of death. Bury in me the evil devices of the devil with good thoughts, and destroy the spirits of evil.

Through Thy life-bringing Resurrection Thou didst raise up the first father who had fallen. Raise me up who am sunk down in sin and give me the image of repentance.

Through Thy glorious Ascension Thou didst deify the flesh which Thou didst a.s.sume, and placed it on the throne at the Father's right hand.

Grant me to receive a place at the right hand with the saved through communion of Thy holy mysteries.

Through the coming of Thy Spirit, the Comforter, Thou didst make Thy consecrated disciples to be honorable vessels. Show me also to be the receptacle of His coming.

Thou hast promised to come again to judge the world in righteousness.

Grant that I may go to meet Thee in the clouds, my Judge and Creator, with all Thy saints; that I may glorify and praise Thee without end, together with Thy Father Who is without beginning, and Thy most holy and good and life-creating Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

4th Prayer, of St. John of Damascus

O Lord and Master Jesus Christ our G.o.d, Who alone hast power to absolve men from their sins, for Thou art good and lovest mankind: forgive all my transgressions done in knowledge or in ignorance, and make me worthy without condemnation to have communion of Thy divine and glorious and pure and life-creating mysteries. Let them not be for my punishment, or for the increase of my sins. But let them be for my purification and sanctification, as a promise of the life and Kingdom to come, a defense and a help and a repulsion of every attacker and the removal of my many transgressions. For Thou art a G.o.d of mercy and generosity and love for mankind, and to Thee we ascribe glory, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

5th Prayer, of St. Basil the Great