"Whenever physical hunger turned cruel against me, I found my gratification in prayer. Whenever the biting cold of winter was unkind to me, I found my warmth in prayer. Whenever people were harsh to me (and their harshness was severe indeed) I found my comfort in prayer. In short, prayer became my food and my drink, my outfit and my armor, whether by night or by day." Fr. Matta El Meskeen (Matthew the Poor)
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
The Prayer of St. Ephrem the Syrian
During the lenten period the church incorporates the prayer of St. Ephrem the Syrian to conclude many services like Matins and Vespers. It is a beautiful prayer and it can definitely be added to anyone's prayer rule throughout the day:
O Lord and Master of my life!
Take from me the spirit of sloth, faint-heartedness, lust of power, and idle talk.
But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to thy servant.
Yea, O Lord and King! Grant me to see my own errors and not to judge my brother; for thou art blessed unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The prayer within the liturgical use is prayed twice with a set of prostrations in between each line. The prostrations would be added as follows:
O Lord and Master of my life!
Take from me the spirit of sloth, faint-heartedness, lust of power, and idle talk.
(Cross yourself and make a prostration)
But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to thy servant.
(Cross yourself and make a prostration)
Yea, O Lord and King! Grant me to see my own errors and not to judge my brother; for thou art blessed unto the ages of ages. Amen.
(Cross yourself and make a prostration)
(Then you make 12 small prostrations as you recite "O God cleanse me a sinner")
O Lord and Master of my life!
Take from me the spirit of sloth, faint-heartedness, lust of power, and idle talk.
But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to thy servant.
Yea, O Lord and King! Grant me to see my own errors and not to judge my brother; for thou art blessed unto the ages of ages. Amen.
(Cross yourself and make a prostration)
Labels:
Ethos,
Lent,
Mission,
Orthodoxy,
Orthodoxy is Orthodoxy,
Prayer,
Prayer life,
Salvation,
St. Ephrem,
Syrian,
Theology,
Theosis,
Worship
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