Orthodox Daily Prayers Part 9

Lord, have mercy! _(3 times)_

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Our Father Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespa.s.ses, as we forgive those who trespa.s.s against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

_(If there is a priest, he adds the usual exclamation)_

_After the AMEN, the following Troparia are sung (Tone 6) or read:_

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us, for laying aside all excuse, we sinners offer to Thee, as to our Master, this supplication: have mercy on us.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

O Lord, have mercy on us, for in Thee have we put our trust. Do not be angry with us, nor remember our iniquities, but look down on us even now, since Thou art compa.s.sionate, and deliver us from our enemies; for Thou art our G.o.d and we are Thy people; we are all the work of Thy hands, and we call on Thy name.

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

O blessed Theotokos, open the doors of compa.s.sion to us whose hope is in you, that we may not perish but be delivered from adversity through you, who are the salvation of the Christian people.

Lord, have mercy! _(12 times)_

1st Prayer, to G.o.d the Father, by St. Macarius the Great

O Eternal G.o.d and King of all Creation, Who hast granted me to reach this hour: forgive the sins I have committed this day in deed, word and thought. Cleanse, O Lord, my humble soul from every defilement of flesh and spirit. Grant, Lord, that I may pa.s.s through this night in peace.

When I rise from my humble bed, may I please Thy most holy Name all the days of my life and trample under foot the physical and bodiless enemies that wage war against me. Deliver me, Lord, from vain thoughts which defile me and from evil l.u.s.ts. For Thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

2nd Prayer, to Our Lord Jesus Christ by St. Antiochus

Almighty Word of the Father, Jesus Christ, Who art perfect: never abandon me, Thy servant, for Thy great mercy's sake, but ever abide in me. O Jesus, Good Shepherd of Thy sheep, do not deliver me to the serpent's rebellion! Do not abandon me to Satan's will, for the seed of corruption is within me! Instead, O Lord G.o.d the Adored, Holy King Jesus Christ, keep me while I sleep by Thy unwavering Light, Thy Holy Spirit by Whom Thou didst sanctify Thy disciples. O Lord, grant to me, Thine unworthy servant, salvation on my bed. Enlighten my mind with the light of understanding Thy Holy Gospel; my soul with the love of Thy Cross; my heart with the purity of Thy Word; my body with Thy pa.s.sionless Pa.s.sion.

Keep my thoughts with Thy humility and raise me at the right time to glorify Thee. For Thou art most glorified, with Thine unoriginate Father and Thy most Holy Spirit forever. Amen.

3rd Prayer, to the Holy Spirit

O Lord, the Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth: have compa.s.sion and mercy on me, Thy sinful servant! Absolve me, who am unworthy. Forgive all the sins I have committed this day both in my humanity and my inhumanity, behaving worse than beasts in sins voluntary and involuntary, known and unknown, from my youth, from evil suggestions, haste and despondency. If I have sworn by Thy name or blasphemed it in thought; if I have reproached anyone or become angered by something; or slandered or saddened anyone in my anger; or have lied, or slept unnecessarily; or a beggar has come to me and I have despised him; or have saddened by brother or quarrelled with him; or have judged someone; or have allowed myself to become haughty, proud or angry; or, when standing in prayer, my mind has been shaken by the wickedness of this world; or have entertained depraved thoughts; or have over-eaten, over-drunk or laughed mindlessly; or have had evil thoughts or seen the beauty of someone and been wounded by it in my heart; or have spoken inappropriately; or have laughed at my brother's sins when my own transgressions are countless; or have been indifferent to prayer; or have done any other evil that I can not remember--for I have done all this and more: have mercy, O Master, my Creator, on me, Thy despondent and unworthy servant! Absolve, remit and forgive me, in Thy goodness and love for mankind, that I, who am prodigal, sinful and wretched, may lie down in peace and find sleep and rest. May I wors.h.i.+p, hymn and praise Thy most honorable Name, with the Father and His only-begotten Son, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

4th Prayer, of St. Macarius the Great

What can I bring Thee? With what can I repay Thee, O Immortal King, the bestower of great gifts, O generous Lord, the Lover of mankind? Though I have been lazy in pleasing Thee and have done no good, Thou hast brought me to the end of this day, ordering the conversion and salvation of my soul. Be merciful towards me, a sinner devoid of any good deeds. Raise up my fallen soul, defiled by immeasurable sins. Remove from me every evil thought of this visible life. Forgive, O only Sinless One, all the sins I have committed against Thee this day, in knowledge or in ignorance, in word, deed or thought or through any of my senses. Covering me Thyself, protect me from every a.s.sault of the enemy through Thy divine Power, inexpressible Love for mankind and Strength. Cleanse, O G.o.d, cleanse the mult.i.tude of my sins. Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me from the snares of the Evil One, and save my pa.s.sionate soul. When Thou comest in glory, illumine me with the light of Thy countenance. May I fall uncondemned into a sleep free of apparitions. Keep the thoughts of Thy servant untroubled, and keep far from me every satanic activity. Enlighten the reason-endowed eyes of my heart, that I fall not into the sleep of death.

Send to me an angel of peace, the guide and guardian of my soul and body, that he may deliver me from my enemies. Then, when I arise from my bed, I shall offer Thee prayers of thanksgiving. Yea, Lord, hear me, Thy sinful servant, impoverished in will and conscience. Grant that I may learn from Thy words when I arise. Cause Thy Angels to drive demonic despondency far from me. May I bless Thy holy Name and praise and glorify Mary, the most pure Theotokos, whom Thou hast given to us sinners as an intercessor.

Receive her as she prays for us. We know that she imitates Thy love for mankind and never ceases to pray. Through her intercessions, the Sign of the Precious Cross and for the sake of all Thy saints, O Jesus Christ our G.o.d, have mercy on my wretched soul, for Thou art Holy and most glorified unto ages of ages. Amen.

5th Prayer

O Lord our G.o.d, forgive all the sins I have committed this day in word, deed and thought, for Thou art good and lovest mankind. Grant me a peaceful sleep, free of restlessness. Send Thy Guardian Angel to protect and keep me from all harm. For Thou art the Guardian of our souls and bodies, and to Thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

6th Prayer

O Lord our G.o.d, in Whom we believe and upon Whose Name we call more than any other name: grant relief to our souls and bodies as we go to sleep.

Keep us from every fantasy and dark pleasure. Halt the rus.h.i.+ng of pa.s.sions and quench the fiery arousals of the flesh. Grant us to live chastely in word and deed. Having embraced a virtuous life, may we not fall away from Thy promised blessings, for blessed art Thou for ever.

Amen.

7th Prayer, by St. John Chrysostom

_Prayers of Supplication, corresponding to the twenty-four hours of day and night._

For the Day

Lord, exclude me not from Thy heavenly blessings.

Lord, deliver me from eternal torments.

Lord, whether I have sinned in mind or thought, word or deed, forgive me.

Lord, deliver me from all ignorance, forgetfulness, cowardice, and stone-like insensitivity.

Lord, deliver me from every temptation.

Lord, enlighten my heart which evil desires have darkened.

Lord, as a man I have sinned: as a gracious G.o.d, have mercy on me, seeing the weakness of my soul.

Lord, send Thy Grace to my aid, that I may glorify Thy holy name.

Lord Jesus Christ, inscribe me, Thy servant, in the book of life, and grant me a good end.

Lord, my G.o.d, even though I have done nothing good before Thee, grant by Thy Grace that I may make a good beginning.

Lord, sprinkle the dew of Thy Grace into my heart.

Lord of Heaven and earth, remember me, Thy sinful, shameful and impure servant, in Thy Kingdom. Amen.

For the Night

Lord, accept me in penitence.

Lord, abandon me not.

Lord, lead me not into temptation.

Lord, grant me good thoughts.

Lord, grant me tears, the remembrance of death and compunction.

Lord, grant me the thought of confessing my sins.

Lord, grant me humility, chast.i.ty and obedience.

Lord, grant me patience, courage and meekness.

Lord, cause the root of good to dwell in me--Thy fear in my heart.

Lord, grant that I may love Thee with all my soul and mind and to do Thy will in all things.

Lord, protect me from certain people, demons and pa.s.sions, and from any other unseemly thing.

Lord, I know that Thou doest as Thou wilt: may Thy will be in me, a sinner, for blessed art Thou for ever. Amen.

8th Prayer, to our Lord Jesus Christ

O Lord Jesus Christ the Son of G.o.d, for the sake of Thy most honorable Mother, Thy bodiless Angels, Thy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist, the Divinely inspired Apostles, the bright and victorious Martyrs, the venerable and G.o.d-bearing Fathers and all the Saints: deliver me from this present a.s.sault of the devil. Yea, O Lord my Creator, Who desirest not the death of the sinner, but that he should return to Thee and live: grant repentance to me, wretched and unworthy. s.n.a.t.c.h me from the jaws of the consuming serpent, its mouth opened to devour me and take me down to h.e.l.l alive. Yea, my Lord and my Comfort, Who didst put on corruptible flesh for my wretched sake: deliver me from wretchedness and bring comfort to my wretched soul. Implant in my heart the accomplishment of Thy precepts, the abandonment of evil deeds and the obtainment of Thy blessings. In Thee, O Lord, have I trusted: save me!