A Short Prayer

YOUNG MAN, DO not forget to pray. Each time you pray, if you do so sincerely, there will be the flash of a new feeling in it, and a new thought as well, one you did not know before, which will give you fresh courage; and you will understand that prayer is education. Remember also: every day and whenever you can, repeat within yourself: “Lord, have mercy upon all who come before you today.”

— The Brothers Karamazov, Fyodor Dostoevsky

These are the opening words of the Elder Zossima's sermon on prayer, and they fill me with so much wonder. To think of prayer as education transforms the prayer experience - because to see it this way no longer places it as a chore or duty, but purely as an act of inquisition. Prayer is the means through we can acquire knowledge.

O Lord, I ask that you help each and every one of us in our sufferings, and to help us find your quiet and joyful love in us in the midst of our troubles. O God, touch our hardened hearts, soften them and give us a share in your profound eternal peace. We lift up our hands to you God, for our entire being depends on you O Lord, you give us our food in due season, the roof over our heads, and our families.

Help us to love our neighbour, the ones that ridicule us and mock us, slander and abhor us out of the hardness of their hearts. Soften their hearts O Lord, but most importantly kill all feelings of anger, impatience that stir in my own spirit near these neighbours, and most horrible of all, the desire to judge and disdain them. But Lord, I am weak, have pity on me a sinner, that in my pride I forget in spite of my many sins, that I am below my neighbour and that I should not dare even look up to heaven for fear of thinking that I am somehow worthy of you O God.

That I must keep dear and precious to me as the most precious jewel of all, the edifying thought that you O God are the humble God, who took the form of a servant, the lowest form of all, for me. Let me burst into joyful tears at this thought, that I might begin to comprehend the Love that you have towards me, my Lord and my God Jesus Christ, true God of true God, begotten not created! Let me be ashamed of my own pride, all prideful thoughts in my breast, let them be utterly destroyed in the purifying flame of your humble love, O my Lord Jesus Christ! You did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but rather emptied yourself and consented to be born in a manger - how incomprehensible this is to me, considering my woeful shame in being unclean. But you, O God, Jesus Christ, have shown me that my desire for physical cleanliness and social prestige are born of nothing but my own pride. Help me God, to look then upon the homeless with compassion, and be truly moved by the desire to help them; the needs of others, let me place above my own with the sure conviction that it is not my needs which need to be served, but rather my neighbour.

How edifying your humility is for me! That this is but the beginning of your life on Earth, shows for me where true importance lies - that service for Your children, whoever they are, whatever they are, where-ever they might be, you have marked with the highest importance.

And how my heart becomes so light at the thought of you washing your disciples feet! How, in spite of my wretchedness and deep sin, I cannot help but burst into tears! The image of you, Jesus Christ, our True God, falling to your knees, with back bent and wet cloth girded to your waist, you proceeded to wipe the grime and filth from their feet. How imcomprehensible! How can this be God? How can God serve me like this! I who am sinful and infinitely below him! What humble Love, and that this is nothing but the Love of God is so profound and should stagger anyone for at least a moment to fearful wonder!

Let your humility always be on my mind O Lord. Help me to serve my family, my friends, the ones who need help, with this Love.

Remember O Lord the ones who have no one to remember them, let this be prayer be girded on their breast and give them strength.

Help all of us God, for you are the hope of the hopeless, the help of the helpless, the compass for the lost, the shelter for the homeless.

O God, the sick, heal them from all bodily and spiritual maladies, give strength to the weak, give food to the hungry, give alms to the poor and bless them in their humility. O Lord, I pray also that you grant the rich and wealthy steadfastness in the faith, and fill them with your Love - grant them a humility and tenderness of heart.

Bless O Lord our dealings with others, that you might vanquish all feelings in us not arising from love.

Sanctify our thoughts, sanctify our minds, our intentions, our hearts. Purify us from all guile and deceit.

For your people O Lord, and for your Church, we ask you and entreat you O God, the Father the Pantocrator - have mercy on us! Lord Have Mercy!  Have mercy on us O God!

For Yours is the Glory, the Power and Dominion Forever unto the ages of the ages, Amen.