A Prayer of St. Basil
the Great
O Lord and
Master, Jesus Christ, our God, Fountain of life and immortality, Creator of all
things visible and invisible; Consubstantial and Co-eternal Son of the eternal
Father, who in thine exceeding great love didst become incarnate in the latter
days, and was crucified for us ungrateful and wicked children, and by thine own
Blood didst renew our nature corrupted by sin; Do thou, O Immortal King,
receive me, a repentant sinner; incline thine ear unto me and hear my prayer. I
have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and I am not
worthy to lift up my eyes to the majesty of thy glory, for I have affronted thy
goodness, and broken thy commandments, and disobeyed thy laws. But thou, O Lord
most loving, long-suffering and merciful, hast not given me over to perish in
my sin, but dost ever await my return. For, O Thou who lovest mankind, thou
hast said, by thy Prophet, that thou hast no pleasure in the death of a sinner,
but rather that he should turn from his wickedness and live. Thou dost not
desire, O Master, to destroy the works of thy hands or that they should perish,
but willest that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the
Truth. Wherefore I, although unworth both of heaven and of earth and of this
temporary life, even I, a wretched sinner who had given myself over to every
evil desire, despair not of salvation, though I have been wholly subject to sin,
a slave to passion, and have defiled thine image within me, who am thy creation
and thy work; but trusting in thine infinite compassion, draw nigh unto thee.
Receive me, O Lord, thou that lovest mankind, as thou didst receive the sinful
woman, the thief, the publican and the prodigal son. Take away the heavy burden
of my sins, O Thou that takest away the sins of the world, and healest the
infirmities of men, and callest all that are weary and heavy laden to thyself
and givest them rest; thou that camest not to call the righteous but sinners to
repentance, cleanse thou me from all stain of body and soul and teach me to
fulfill holiness in thy fear, that with the witness of my conscience pure, I
may receive a portion of thy Holy Gifts, and be united to thy Holy Body and
Precious Blood, and may have thee, with thy Father and Holy Spirit, dwelling
and abiding in me. And grant, O Lord Jesus Christ, my God, that the partaking
of thy precious and Life-giving Mysteries may not be to my condemnation, nor
may not through the weakness of my soul and body be received unworthily; but
grant that, even unto my last breath, I may partake of a portion of thy Holy
Gifts without condemnation, unto the Communion of thy Holy Spirit, as a
preparation for eternal Life and for a good defence at thy dread Judgement
Seat; so that I, together with all thine elect, may also receive those
incorruptible good things which thou hast prepared for them that love thee, O
Lord; in whom thou art glorified forever. Amen.
Another Prayer of St.
Basil the Great
A Prayer of St. John Chrysostom
O Lord my God,
I know that I am not worthy nor sufficient that thou shouldest enter under my
roof into the habitation of my soul, for it is all deserted and in ruins, and
thou hast not a fitting place in me to lay thy head. But as from the heights of
thy glory thou didst humble thyself, so now bear me in my humility; as thou
didst deign to lie in a manger in a cave, so deign now also to come into the
manger of my mute soul and corrupt body. As thou didst not refrain from
entering into the house of Simon the leper, or shrink from eating there with
sinners, so also vouchsafe to enter the house of my poor soul, all leprous and
full of sin. Thou didst not reject the sinful woman who ventured to draw near
to touch thee, so also have pity on me, a sinner, approaching to touch thee.
And grant that I may partake of thine All-holy Body and Precious Blood for the
sanctification, enlightenment and strengthening of my weak soul and body; for
the relief from the burden of my many sins; for my preservation against all the
snares of the devil; for victory over all my sinful and evil habits; for the
mortification of my passions; for obedience to thy Commandments; for growth in
thy divine Grace and for the inheritance of thy Kingdom. For it is not with
careless heart that I approach thee, O Christ my God, but I come trusting in
thine infinite goodness, and fearing lest I may be drawn afar from thee and
become the prey of the wolf of souls. Wherefore I pray thee, O Master, who
alone art holy, that thou wouldest sanctify my soul and body, my mind and heart
and reins, and renew me entirely. Implant in my members the fear of thee, be
thou my helper and guide, directing my life in the paths of peace, and make me
worthy to stand at thy right hand with thy Saints; through the prayers and
intercessions of thine immaculate Mother, of thy Bodiless Servitors, of the
immaculate Powers, and of all the Saints who from all ages have been
well-pleasing unto thee. Amen.
A Prayer of St. John of Damascus
O Lord and
Master Jesus Christ, our God, who alone hath power to forgive the sins of men,
do thou, O Good One who lovest mankind, forgive all the sins that I have
committed in knowledge or in ignorance, and make me worthy to receive without
condemnation thy divine, glorious, immaculate and life-giving Mysteries; not
unto punishment or unto increase of sin; but unto purification, and
sanctification and a promise of thy Kingdom and the Life to come; as a
protection and a help to overthrow the adversaries, and to blot out my many
sins. For thou art a God of Mercy and compassion and love toward mankind, and
unto Thee we ascribe glory together with the Father and the Holy Spirit; now
and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Another Prayer of St. John of Damascus
I stand before
the gates of thy Temple,
and yet I refrain not from my evil thoughts. But do thou, O Christ my God, who
didst justify the publican, and hadst mercy on the Canaanite woman, and opened
the gates of Paradise to the thief; open unto me the compassion of thy love
toward mankind, and receive me as I approach and touch thee, like the sinful
woman and the woman with the issue of blood; for the one, by embracing thy feet
received the forgiveness of her sins, and the other by but touching the hem of
thy garment was healed. And I, most sinful, dare to partake of thy whole Body.
Let me not be consumed but receive me as thou didst receive them, and enlighten
the perceptions of my soul, consuming the accusations of my sins; through the
intercessions of Her that without stain gave Thee birth, and of the heavenly
Powers; for thou art blessed unto ages of ages. Amen.
A Prayer of St. John
Chrysostom
I believe, O
Lord, and I confess that thou art truly the Christ, the Son of the living God,
who didst come into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. And I
believe that this is truly thine own immaculate Body, and that this is truly
thine own precious Blood. Wherefore I pray thee, have mercy upon me and forgive
my transgressions both voluntary and involuntary, of word and of deed, of knowledge
and of ignorance; and make me worthy to partake without condemnation of thine
immaculate Mysteries, unto remission of my sins and unto life everlasting.
Amen. Of thy Mystic Supper, O Son of God, accept me today as a communicant; for
I will not speak of thy Mystery to thine enemies, neither will I give thee a
kiss as did Judas; but like the thief will I confess thee: Remember me, O Lord,
in thy Kingdom. Not unto judgement nor unto condemnation be my partaking of thy
Holy Mysteries, O Lord, but unto the healing of soul and body.
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