Πρωϊνὴ Προσευχὴ Γέροντος Σωφρονίου

Νεοελληνικὴ ἀπόδοση

Prayer at Daybreak by Archimandrite Sophrony

Αἰώνιε Κύριε, Δημιουργὲ τῶν ἁπάντων,
ὁ καλέσας με εἰς τὴν ζωὴν ταύτην τῇ ἀνεξερευνήτῳ σου ἀγαθότητι·
ὁ δούς μοι τὴν Χάριν τοῦ βαπτίσματος καὶ τὴν σφραγῖδα τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος·
ὁ κοσμήσας με τῇ ἐπιθυμίᾳ τοῦ ἀναζητεῖν σε, τὸν μόνον ἀληθινὸν Θεόν,
ἐπάκουσον τῆς δεήσεώς μου.
Ὁ Θεός μου, οὐκ ἔχω ζωήν, φῶς, χαράν, σοφίαν, δύναμιν ἄνευ σοῦ.
Ἀλλὰ σὺ εἶπας τοῖς μαθηταῖς σου: «Πάντα ὅσα ἐὰν αἰτήσητε ἐν τῇ προσευχῇ πιστεύοντες, λήψεσθε».
Ὅθεν τολμῶ ἐπικαλεῖσθαί σε: Καθάρισόν με ἀπὸ παντὸς μολυσμοῦ σαρκὸς καὶ πνεύματος.
Δίδαξόν με πῶς δεῖ προσεύχεσθαι.
Εὐλόγησον τὴν ἡμέραν ταύτην ἣν ἐχάρισάς μοι, τῷ ἀναξίῳ δούλῳ σου.
Ἱκάνωσόν με τῇ δυνάμει τῆς Χάριτός σου ἀδιαλείπτως ὁμιλεῖν καὶ ἐργάζεσθαι πρὸς τὴν σὴν δόξαν ἐν πνεύματι καθαρότητος, ταπεινώσεως, ὑπομονῆς, ἀγάπης, εὐγενείας, εἰρήνης, ἀνδρείας καὶ σοφίας, ἐπιγινώσκειν ἀεὶ τὴν ἁπανταχοῦ παρουσίαν σου.
Κύριε ὁ Θεός, δεῖξόν μοι τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ θελήματός σου ἐν τῇ ἀπείρῳ σου ἀγαθότητι καὶ ἀξίωσόν με πορεύεσθαι ἐνώπιόν σου χωρὶς ἁμαρτίας.
Καρδιογνῶστα Κύριε, σὺ ἐπιγινώσκεις πᾶσάν μου ἔνδειαν, σὺ γινώσκεις τὴν τυφλότητα καὶ τὴν ἄγνοιάν μου, σὺ γινώσκεις τὴν ἀστάθειαν καὶ τὴν διαφθορὰν τῆς ψυχῆς μου.
Ἀλλ᾿ οὐδ᾿ ὁ πόνος οὐδ᾿ ἡ ἀγωνία ἡ ἐμὴ κεκρυμμένα σοὶ τυγχάνει.
Ἐπάκουσον τῆς δεήσεώς μου καὶ δίδαξόν με τῷ Πνεύματί σου τῷ Ἁγίῳ, ὁδὸν ἐν ᾗ πορεύσομαι.
Μὴ ἐγκαταλείψης με, ὅτι ἡ διεφθαρμένη μου θέλησις ὁδηγήσῃ με πρὸς ἄλλας ὁδούς, ἀλλὰ βιαίως ἐπανάγαγέ με πρὸς σέ.
Δός μοι, τῇ δυνάμει τῆς σῆς ἀγάπης, στερεωθῆναί με εἰς τὸ ἀγαθόν.
Φύλαξόν με ἀπὸ παντὸς λόγου ἢ ἔργου ψυχοφθόρου, ἀπὸ πάσης ἐσωτερικῆς καὶ ἐξωτερικῆς κινήσεως μὴ εὐαρέστου ἐνώπιόν σου καὶ ἐπιβλαβοῦς διὰ τὸν ἀδελφόν μου.
Δίδαξόν με πως δεῖ καί τί με δεῖ λαλεῖν.
Ἐὰν τὸ σὸν θέλημά ἐστι τοῦ μὴ ἀποκριθῆναι μὲ δός μοι πνεῦμα εἰρηναίας σιωπῆς, ἀλύπου καὶ ἀκινδύνου διὰ τὸν ἀδελφόν μου.
Νομοθέτησόν με ἐν τῇ τρίβῳ τῶν ἐντολῶν σου καὶ ἕως ἐσχάτης μου ἀναπνοῆς μὴ ἐπιτρέψῃς παρεκκλίναι με ἀπὸ τοῦ φωτὸς τῶν προσταγμάτων σου, ἕως ὅτου καταστῶσιν ὁ μοναδικὸς νόμος πάσης ὑπάρξεώς μου, προσκαίρου τε καὶ αἰωνίου.
Δέομαί σου ὁ Θεὸς ἐλέησόν με.
Λύτρωσαί με ἀπὸ τῆς θλίψεως καὶ ἀθλιότητός μου καὶ μὴ ἀποκρύψῃς ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ τὴν ὁδὸν τῆς σωτηρίας. Ἐν τῇ ἀφροσύνῃ μου, ὁ Θεός, περὶ πολλῶν καὶ μεγάλων δέομαί σου, γινώσκων ἀεὶ τὴν ἐμὴν κακότητα, τὴν ἀδυναμίαν καὶ φαυλότητα κράζω σοι: ἐλέησόν με.
Μὴ ἀποῤῥίψης μὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ προσώπου σου ἕνεκεν τῆς ἀλαζονείας μου.
Δὸς καὶ αὔξησον ἐν ἑμοὶ τῷ ἀχρείῳ τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ ἀγαπᾶν σε, κατὰ τὰς ἐντολάς σου, ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας μου, ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς μου, ἐξ ὅλης τῆς διανοίας μου, ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ἰσχύος μου, καὶ δι᾿ ὅλου τοῦ εἶναί μου.
Ναί, ὁ Θεός, δίδαξόν με δικαίαν κρίσιν καὶ γνῶσιν τῷ Πνεύματί σου τῷ ἁγίῳ.
Δός μοι τοῦ γνῶναι τὴν ἀλήθειάν σου προτοῦ μὲ ἀπελθεῖν ἐκ τῆς ζωῆς ταύτης.
Παράτεινον τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς μου ἕως ὅτου σοὶ προσφέρω μετάνοιαν ἀληθινήν.
Μὴ ἀναγάγῃς με ἐν ἡμίσει ἡμερῶν μου μηδὲ ἐν ᾧ ὁ ἐμὸς νοῦς τετυφλωμένος ἐστί.
Καὶ ὅταν εὐδοκήσης ἐλθεῖν τὸ τέλος τῆς ζωῆς μου προγνώρισόν μοι τὸν θάνατον, ἵνα ἡ ψυχή μου ἑτοιμασθῇ πρὸς συνάντησίν σου.
Ἔσο μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ, Κύριε, ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ὥρᾳ τῇ φοβερᾷ καὶ ἀπόδος μοι τὴν ἀγαλλίασιν τοῦ σωτηρίου σου.
Καθάρισόν με ἀπὸ παντὸς ἁμαρτήματος φανεροῦ καὶ ἀποκρύφου, ἀπὸ πάσης ἀνομίας κεκρυμμένης ἐν ἑμοὶ καὶ δώρησόν μοι καλὴν ἀπολογίαν ἐνώπιον τοῦ φοβεροῦ βήματός σου.
Ὁ Θεός, κατὰ τὸ μέγα ἔλεός σου καὶ τὴν ἄμετρον φιλανθρωπίαν σου, ἐπάκουσον τῆς δεήσεώς μου.

 Ὦ Κύριε, αἰώνιε καὶ Δημιουργὲ τῶν πάντων,
ὁ ὁποῖος μὲ τὴν ἀνεξερεύνητη ἀγαθότητά Σου μὲ κάλεσες σὲ αὐτὴν τὴν ζωή,
ὁ ὁποῖος μου ἔδωσες τὴν χάρη τοῦ Βαπτίσματος καὶ τὴν σφραγῖδα τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος,
ὁ ὁποῖος μὲ προίκισες μὲ τὴν ἐπιθυμία νὰ ἀναζητήσω ἐσέ, τὸν μόνο ἀληθινὸ Θεό,
εἰσάκουσε τὴν προσευχή μου.
Δὲν ἔχω ζωή, φῶς, χαρὰ, ἢ σοφία,οὔτε δύναμη χωρὶς ἐσένα, ὦ Θεέ.
Ἐξαιτίας τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν μου δὲν τολμῶ νὰ ὑψώσω τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου σὲ Ἐσένα.
Ἀλλὰ Σὺ εἶπες στοὺς μαθητές Σου: «Καθετὶ ποὺ θὰ ζητήσετε στὴν προσευχή σας μὲ πίστη, θὰ τὸ λάβετε» καὶ «καθετὶ ποὺ ζητήσετε στὸ ὄνομά μου θὰ γίνει».
Γι᾿ αὐτὸ τολμῶ νὰ Σὲ ἐπικαλεστῶ: Καθάρισέ με ἀπὸ κάθε ρύπο σωματικὸ καὶ πνευματικό.
Δίδαξέ με νὰ προσεύχομαι ὀρθά.
Εὐλόγησε αὐτὴν τὴν μέρα ποὺ χάρισες σὲ ἐμένα, τὸν ἀνάξιο δοῦλο Σου.
Μὲ τὴν δύναμη τῆς εὐλογίας Σου, κάνε με ἱκανὸ συνέχεια νὰ ὁμιλῶ καὶ νὰ ἐργάζομαι γιὰ τὴ δόξα Σου, μὲ καθαρὸ πνεῦμα, ταπείνωση, ὑπομονή, ἀγάπη, εὐγένεια, εἰρήνη, θάρρος καὶ σοφία, νὰ αἰσθάνομαι πάντοτε τὴν παρουσία Σου.
Μὲ τὴν ἄπειρη ἀγαθότητά Σου, ὦ Κύριε Θεὲ Δεῖξε μου τὸν δρόμο τοῦ θελήματός Σου, καὶ δῶσε ὥστε νὰ βαδίζω μπροστά Σου χωρὶς ἁμαρτία.
Ὦ Κύριε, σὲ ἐσένα ὅλες οἱ καρδιὲς εἶναι ἀνοιχτές. Σὺ γνωρίζεις ὅλα ὅσα ἔχω ἀνάγκη. Σὺ γνωρίζεις τὴν τυφλότητα καὶ τὴν ἄγνοιά μου. Σὺ γνωρίζεις τὴν ἀστάθεια καὶ τὴν διαφθορὰ τῆς ψυχῆς μου.
Ἀλλὰ οὔτε ὁ πόνος καὶ ἡ ἀγωνία μου εἶναι κρυμμένα ἀπὸ Σένα.
Δέξου, σὲ παρακαλῶ τὴν προσευχή μου καὶ μὲ τὸ Ἅγιο Πνεῦμα σου, δίδαξέ με δρόμο ποὺ πρέπει νὰ πορευθῶ.
Καὶ ὅταν ἡ διεστραμμένη μου θέληση μὲ ὁδηγήσει σὲ ἄλλους δρόμους, μὴν μὲ ἀφήσεις νὰ χαθῶ, ἀλλὰ κάνε με νὰ ἐπιστρέψω σὲ Ἐσένα.
Δῶσε μου μὲ τὴν δύναμη τῆς ἀγάπης Σου νὰ κρατηθῶ σταθερὰ στὸ ἀγαθό.
Φύλαξέ με ἀπὸ κάθε λόγο ἢ πράξη ποὺ μπορεῖ νὰ καταστρέψει τὴν ψυχή, ἀπὸ κάθε ἐπιθυμία ποὺ μπορεῖ νὰ δυσαρεστήσει καὶ νὰ βλάψει τὸν ἀδελφό μου.
Δίδαξέ με πῶς πρέπει καὶ τί πρέπει νὰ λέγω.
Ἂν εἶναι θέλημά σου νὰ μὴν ἀπαντῶ, δῶσε μου πνεῦμα εἰρηνικῆς σιωπῆς ποὺ νὰ μὴν προκαλεῖ λύπη ἢ πόνο στὸν ἀδελφό μου.
Στήριξέ με στὸν δρόμο τῶν ἐντολῶν Σου καὶ μέχρι τὴν τελευταία μου πνοή, δῶσε νὰ μὴν ἀπομακρυνθῶ ἀπὸ τὸ φῶς τῶν ἐντολῶν Σου.
Οἱ ἐντολές Σου ἂς γίνουν ὁ μόνος νόμος στὴν ζωή μου στὴ γῆ καὶ σ᾿ ὅλη τὴν αἰωνιότητα.
Ὦ Θεὲ, σὲ παρακαλῶ, ἐλέησέ με.
Λύτρωσέ με ἀπὸ τὴ θλίψη καὶ τὴν ἀθλιότητά μου καὶ μὴν κρύβεις ἀπὸ μένα τὸν δρόμο τῆς σωτηρίας.
Μέσα στὴν μωρία μου Θεέ μου, σοῦ ζήτησα πολλὰ πράγματα καὶ μεγάλα.
Θυμᾶμαι τὴν ἀγένεια, τὴν φαυλότητά μου καὶ τὴν ἀδυναμία μου καὶ κράζω: ἐλέησέ με.
Μὴ μὲ ἀπομακρύνεις ἀπὸ τὸ Πρόσωπό Σου ἐξαιτίας τῆς ἀλαζονείας μου.
Δῶσε καὶ αὔξησε σὲ μένα τὴ δύναμη νὰ σὲ ἀγαπῶ σύμφωνα μὲ τὶς ἐντολές σου, ἐγὼ ὁ χειρότερος τῶν ἀνθρώπων, μὲ ὅλη μου τὴν καρδιά, μὲ ὅλη μου τὴν ψυχή, μὲ ὅλη μου τὴν διάνοια, μὲ ὅλη μου τὴν δύναμη, καὶ μὲ ὅλη μου τὴν ὕπαρξη.
Ναί, ὦ Θεέ, μὲ τὸ ἅγιο Πνεῦμα σου, δίδαξέ με δίκαια κρίση καὶ γνώση.
Δῶσε μου τὴν γνώση τῆς δικῆς σου ἀλήθειας, πρὶν ἔλθει τὸ τέλος μου.
Διατήρησε τὴν ζωή μου στὸν κόσμο τοῦτο, μέχρι νὰ μπορέσω νὰ σοῦ προσφέρω ἄξια μετάνοια.
Μὴ μὲ ὁδηγήσεις σὲ θάνατο στὴν μέση τῶν ἡμερῶν μου, οὔτε ἐνόσω ὁ νοῦς μου εἶναι τυφλωμένος.
Ὅταν ὅμως θελήσεις νὰ βάλεις τέρμα στὴν ζωή μου, νὰ μοῦ τὸ δείξεις ἀπὸ πρωτύτερα γιὰ νὰ προετοιμάσω τὴν ψυχή μου πρὶν παρουσιαστεῖ μπροστά σου.
Νὰ εἶσαι μαζί μου κατὰ τὴν φοβερὴ αὐτὴ ὥρα καὶ νὰ μοῦ δωρίσεις τὴν χαρὰ τῆς σωτηρίας.
Καθάρισέ με ἀπὸ τὶς κρυφὲς ἁμαρτίες μου καὶ ἀπ᾿ ὅλη τὴν ἀχαριστία ποὺ ἔχω μέσα μου καὶ δώρισέ μου καλὴ ἀπολογία μπροστὰ στὸν θρόνο τῆς κρίσης σου.
Ναί, ὦ Θεέ, μὲ τὸ μεγάλο Σου ἔλεος καὶ τὴν ἀμέτρητη ἀγάπη σου γιὰ τὸ ἀνθρώπινο γένος, ἄκουσε τὴν προσευχή μου.		 O Lord Eternal and Creator of all things,
Who of Thy inscrutable goodness called me to this life;
Who bestowed on me the grace of Baptism and the Seal of the Holy Spirit;
Who imbued me with the desire to seek Thee, the one true God: hear my prayer.
I have no life, no light, no joy or wisdom; no strength except in Thee, O God.
Because of my unrighteousness I dare not raise my eyes to Thee. But Thou said to Thy disciples,
'Whatsoever you shall ask in prayer believing, you shall receive.' and
'Whatsoever you shall ask in my name, that will I do.'
Wherefore I dare to invoke Thee. Purify me from all taint of flesh and spirit.
Teach me to pray aright.
Bless this day which Thee give unto me, Thy unworthy servant.
By the power of Thy blessing enable me at all times to speak and act to Thy glory with a pure spirit, with humility, patience, love, gentleness, peace, courage and wisdom: aware always of Thy presence.
Of Thy immense goodness, O Lord God, show me the path of Thy will, and grant me to walk in Thy sight without sin.
O Lord, unto Whom all hearts be open, Thee know what things I have need of.
Thee are acquainted with my blindness and my ignorance, Thee know my infirmity and my soul's corruption;
but neither are my pain and anguish hid from Thee.
Wherefore I beseech Thee, hear my prayer and by Thy Holy Spirit teach me the way wherein I should walk; and when my perverted will would lead me down other paths
Spare me not O Lord, but force me back to Thee.
By the power of Thy love, grant me to hold fast to that which is good.
Preserve me from every word or deed that corrupts the soul; from every impulse unpleasing
in Thy sight and hurtful to my brother-man.
Teach me what I should say and how I should speak.
If it be Thy will that I make no answer, inspire me to keep silent in a spirit of peace
that causes neither sorrow nor hurt to my fellow man.
Establish me in the path of Thy commandments and to my last breath let me not stray from the light of Thy ordinances, that Thy commandments may become the sole law of my being on this earth and all eternity.
Yea, Lord, I pray to Thee, have pity on me.
Spare me in my affliction and my misery and hide not the way of salvation from me.
In my foolishness, O God, I plead with Thee for many and great things.
Yet am I ever mindful of my wickedness, my baseness, my vileness. Have mercy upon me.
Cast me not away from your presence because of my presumption.
Do Thee rather increase in me this presumption, and grant unto me, the worst of men,
to love Thee as Thee have commanded, with all my heart, and with all my soul,
and with all my mind, and with all my strength: with my whole being.
Yea, O Lord, by Thy Holy Spirit, teach me good judgment and knowledge.
Grant me to know Thy truth before I go down into the grave.
Maintain my life in this world until I may offer unto Thee worthy repentance.
Take me not away in the midst of my days, nor while my mind is still blind.
When Thee shall be pleased to bring my life to an end, forewarn me that I may prepare my soul to come before Thee. Be with me, O Lord, at that dread hour and grant me the joy of salvation.
Cleanse me from secret faults, from all iniquity that is hidden in me; and give me a right answer
before Thy judgment-seat.
Yea, Lord, of Thy great mercy and immeasurable love for mankind.

* * *

Προσευχὴ τῶν συζύγων καὶ τῆς οἰκογενείας
(Γέροντος Σωφρονίου)

Κύριε, Ἰησοῦ Χριστέ, ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὁ αἴρων τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου, ὁ τῇ σῇ ἀναβάσει ἐπὶ τὸν Γολγοθᾶν ἐξαγοράσας ἡμᾶς ἐκ τῆς κατάρας τοῦ Νόμου καὶ ἀποκαταστήσας τὴν πεπτωκυῖαν εἰκόνα σου, ὁ ἐκτείνας ἐπὶ τοῦ Σταυροῦ τὰς ἀχράντους χεῖράς Σου, ἵνα τὰ ἐσκορπισμένα τέκνα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπισυναγάγῃς εἰς ἕν, καὶ καλέσας τῇ ἐπιφοιτήσει τοῦ Παναγίου Πνεύματος εἰς ἑνότητα πάντας, Σύ, ὁ Ὤν, τοῦ Πατρὸς τὸ ἀπαύγασμα, πρὸ τῆς ἐξόδου Σου ἐπὶ τὴν μεγάλην ταύτην καὶ κοσμοσωτήριον ἱερουργίαν ἐδεήθης τοῦ Πατρός Σου, ἵνα πάντες ἓν ὦμεν, καθὼς Σὺ εἶ μετὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ Ἁγίου.

Παράσχου τοίνυν ἡμῖν χάριν και σοφίαν τοῦ ἐκπληροῦν τὴν ἐντολὴν ταύτην καθ᾿ ἑκάστην, καὶ ἐνίσχυσον ἡμᾶς εἰς τὸν ἀγῶνα τῆς ἀγάπης, ἣν σὺ ἐνετείλω ἡμῖν εἰπών· Ἀγαπᾶτε ἀλλήλους καθὼς ἠγάπησα ὑμᾶς.

Δώρησαι ἡμῖν διὰ τοῦ ἁγίου σου Πνεύματος τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ ταπεινοῦν ἑαυτοὺς ὁ εἷς ἐνώπιον τοῦ ἑτέρου, ἐν τῷ κατανοεῖν ὅτι, ἐάν τις πλεῖον ἀγαπᾷ, πλεῖον καὶ ταπεινοῦται.

Δίδαξον ἡμᾶς εὔχεσθαι ὁ εἷς ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἄλλου, ἀλλήλων τὰ βάρη βαστάζειν ἐν ὑπομονῇ καὶ ἕνωσον ἡμᾶς τῷ συνδέσμῳ τῆς ἀκαταλύτου ἀγάπης ἐν τῷ Ὀνόματί σου τῷ ἁγίῳ, χαριζόμενος ἡμῖν ὡσαύτως τοῦ ὁρᾶν ἐν ἑκάστῳ ἀδελφῷ καὶ ἑκάστῃ ἀδελφῇ ἡμῶν τὴν εἰκόνα τῆς ἀῤῥήτου δόξης σου καὶ μὴ ἐπιλανθάνεσθαι ὅτι «ὁ ἀδελφὸς ἡμῶν ἡ ζωὴ ἡμῶν ἐστι».

Ναί, Κύριε, ὁ τῇ Σῇ εὐδοκίᾳ ἐπισυναγαγὼν ἡμᾶς ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό, ποίησον ἡμᾶς γενέσθαι ἐν ἀληθείᾳ μίαν οἰκογένειαν, ζῶσαν ἐν μιᾷ καρδίᾳ, μιᾷ θελήσει, μιᾷ ἀγάπῃ, ὡς εἷς ἄνθρωπος, κατὰ τὴν περὶ τοῦ προπάτορος Ἀδὰμ προαιώνιον βουλήν Σου. Ἐπισκίασον τὸν οἶκον ἡμῶν τῷ τοῦ φόβου Σου πνεύματι καὶ σκέπασον αὐτὸν τῇ σκέπῃ τῆς Παναχράντου Σου Μητρός, (τῶν ἁγίων ὧν φέρομεν τὰ ὀνόματα καὶ ὧν εὐλαβούμεθα) καὶ πάντων τῶν Ἁγίων Σου, εὐλογῶν καὶ ὑπερασπιζόμενος ἕνα ἕκαστον τῶν ἐνθάδε διαμενόντων (μνημονεύομεν τὰ ὀνόματα τῶν μελῶν τῆς οἰκογενείας), διαφυλάττων ἡμᾶς ἐκ φθοροποιῶν λογισμῶν, ἀναρμόστων λόγων ἢ κινήσεων καρδίας, ἐπιβλαπτόντων τὴν εἰρήνην καὶ τὴν ὁμόνοιαν, ὅπως οἰκοδομηθῇ ὁ οἶκος οὗτος ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν τῶν εὐαγγελικῶν Σου ἐντολῶν, εἰς τόπον προσευχῆς, ἁγιασμοῦ καὶ σωτηρίας δι᾿ ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς καὶ διὰ πάντας τοὺς ἐπισκεπτομένους ἡμᾶς, τοὺς κοπιῶντας καὶ πεφορτισμένους ἀδελφοὺς καὶ ἀδελφὰς ἡμῶν, ἵνα πάντες εὕρωμεν ἀνάπαυσιν ἐν Σοί, τῷ πράῳ καὶ ταπεινῷ Βασιλεῖ ἡμῶν, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

Fr. Sophrony’s prayer for Unity

LORD JESUS CHRIST, Thou, Lamb of God, who didst take upon Thyself the sin of the world, Who by Thine ascent to Golgotha didst redeem us from the curse of the Law and didst restore Thy fallen image; Who didst stretch Thy most pure hands on the Cross, gathering together in one the scattered children of God, and by the descent of the most Holy Spirit didst call all men to unity; THOU, THAT ART the brightness of the Father, before going forth to this great and sacred work for the salvation of the world, didst pray to Thy Father that all may be one, even as Thou art one with the Father and the Holy Ghost:

Do Thou grant even unto us the grace and wisdom each day to fulfill this commandment, and strengthen us to strive for that love, which Thou didst command of us, saying: “LOVE ONE ANOTHER, AS I HAVE LOVED YOU.”

By Thy Holy Spirit give us the power to humble ourselves, one before the other, mindful that he who loveth the more doth humble himself the more. Teach us to pray for one another, in patience to bear one another’s burdens, and unite us with the unbreakable bond of love in thy holy Name. Grant us to behold in our every brother and sister the image of Thine ineffable glory, and never to forget that our brother is our life.

Yea, O Lord, Who hast gathered us together of Thy good providence, make us truly into one family, living with one heart, one will, a single love, as one man, according to Thy pre-eternal counsel for Adam the first-born. Fill our house with the spirit of Thy holy fear, and let the prayers of Thy Most Holy Mother, of Thy Forerunner John, and our hallowed Fathers Silouan and Seraphim overshadow it always, blessing and defending each one of them that dwell therein (Names), preserving us from pernicious thoughts, from unseemly words or impulses of the heart that might destroy peace and concord; that this house may be builded on the rock of Thy Gospel commandments as a place of prayer, of sanctification and salvation, for ourselves and for all who visit us, our labouring and burdened brothers and sisters, that we may all find rest in Thee, our meek and lowly King, now and for ever; world without end. Amen.

Fr. Sophrony’s prayer for Unity (modern English)

It is my sincere hope that I will get to see it used, and that people may learn to be more merciful to each other as God is infinitely merciful to them.

Lord Jesus Christ, you, lamb of God, who took upon yourself the sin of the world; who by your ascent to Golgotha redeemed us from the curse of the Law and restored your fallen image; who stretched your most pure hands on the Cross, gathering together in one the scattered children of God, and by the descent of the most Holy Spirit called all men to unity; you, that are the brightness of the Father, before going forth to this great and sacred work for the salvation of the world, prayed to your Father that all may be one, even as you are one with the Father and the Holy Spirit:

Do grant even unto us the grace and wisdom each day to fulfill this commandment, and strengthen us to strive for that love, which you commanded of us, saying: “Love one another, as I have loved you.”

By your Holy Spirit give us the power to humble ourselves, one before the other, mindful that he who loves the more does humble himself the more. Teach us to pray for one another, in patience to bear one another’s burdens, and unite us with the unbreakable bond of love in your holy Name. Grant us to behold in our every brother and sister the image of your ineffable glory, and never to forget that our brother is our life.

Yea, O Lord, who have gathered us together of your good providence, make us truly into one family, living with one heart, one will, a single love, as one man, according to your pre-eternal counsel for Adam the first-born. Fill our house with the spirit of your holy fear, and let the prayers of your Most Holy Mother, of your Forerunner John, and our hallowed Fathers Silouan and Seraphim overshadow it always, blessing and defending each one of them that dwell therein (Names), preserving us from pernicious thoughts, from unseemly words or impulses of the heart that might destroy peace and concord; that this house may be built on the rock of your Gospel commandments as a place of prayer, of sanctification and salvation, for ourselves and for all who visit us, our labouring and burdened brothers and sisters, that we may all find rest in you, our meek and lowly King, now and for ever; world without end. Amen.