My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ God,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.
THE LIFE OF THE ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN IS A
LIFE OF PRAYER
PRAYER TO GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT
MY GOOD COMFORTER, Spirit of Right. Thou art my God, and I will confess to Thee; thou art my God, and I will extol Thee; for Thou hast procession from the Father Who is without beginning, and hast rest in the Co-Eternal Son, and hast perfect knowledge of the Father and of the Son; for Thou searchest the depths of God and knowest all, a treasure of good things and a bestower of life verily art Thou, a plentiful and perennial Fountain of all Grace, lord and Most Prudent Bestower of Grace. I pray Thee therefore in the name of the good-will of the Ever-Living Father and grace of the Only-Begotten Son, and our Lord Jesus Christ, I pray Thee, O Spirit, Lord and Giver of Life, Good Paraclete, breathe forever delightfully and graciously upon my soul, and, remaining with me forever, comfort me with a blissful consolation, bestowing on me grace to be well and to live well. Lead me into all truth, imparting to me abundantly of Thy wisdom and understanding, filling me with consel and strength, knowledge and piety, and the fear of God, that I may faultlessly and irreproachably please the Father and the Son, together with Whom, my Holy Spirit, I adore Thee and glorify Thee unto the ages of ages. Amen.
PRAYER TO GOD THE SON
MY LORD JESUS CHRIST, the Only-Begotten Son, and Logos/Word, Who at in the bosom of the Father, Who didst become flesh and dwelt among us full of grace and truth, Thou art the perfect God and the perfect man. Thou art the perfect man, pure in heart, meek and humble, righteous and merciful, a peacemaker, Who endurest the Cross for the sake of mercy, peace and righteousness, Our Great High Priest, Holy, guileless, undefiled, separate from sinners, cleansing and sanctifying us sinners with Thy own blood, Who sittest at the right hand of the Father, having become higher than the heavens, having been placed above all rule and authority and power and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in the world to come. Thou art that elect stone, the precious one, the Chief Cornerstone, Who hast knocked down the image of the old man, and has Thyself filled all the earth lie a great mountain, the True Vine, cultivated by the Heavenly Father, the Tree of Life, planted of old in the Paradise of God. Thou art the Mighty, the Eternal, the Great King, and Thy Kingdom hath no end. Thou art the perfect God, perfect Logos/Word, of perfect Mind, the Being of the Being, the Living One of the Living One, the True One of the True One, the radiance of glory, the similitude of substance, the exact image, the effusion of tenderness, exceedingly good in every respect, my righteousness, my sanctification, my redemption, my life, my joy, my peace, my light, my truth, my beginning, my science, my wisdom, my perfection, my good, the one, the perfect help of which all have need, the good portion, the perfect gift coming down to us from above from the Father of Lights. I desire as Thou desirest, that I may be with Thee forever, that I may behold Thy glory, which the Father gave to Thee, having loved Thee before the foundation of the world. Give unto me grace and mission to teach obedience to the faith unto all nations, in order that I may conciliate with Thee the people that have departed from Thee, for whom Thou didst die, whom Thou didst redeem from the curse by Thy Precious Blood. Amen.
[ A. Makrakis – Divined and Sacred Catechism]
It is imperative for all Orthodox Chrisitan believers to have a personal prayer and who feel vividly the desire in their hearts for frequent communion with the Almighty God through prayer and worship. Saint John Climacus says, "Prayer is the spring of virtues, the cause of gifts, food for the soul, and the enlightenment of the mind."
Our prayer must come out of a convicted and sincere heart and not to pray robotically and mechanically because by doing so we offend our Lord who knows what is true and what is hypocritical. From time immemorial and under both the Old and New Testaments, the faithful ended the day with the setting of the sun, beginning the new day by lighting the lamps of the evening. As the comes to a close, believers, together with the Church, stand before God filled with thankfulness. We thank God for the abundant blessings He has granted to us and to all creation throughout time.
Most glorious, Ever-virgin, blessed Mother of God, present ur prayer to thy Son and our God, and plead with Him, that through thee He may save our souls.
My hope is the Father, my refuge is the Son, my protection is the Holy Spirit. O Holy Trinity, glory to Thee.
In thee, O Mother of God all my hope I set; guard me under thy protection.
Saint Paul exhorts all Christians to pray unceasingly. An inspiring Orthodox prayer is the following: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner."
The Eastern Orthodox Christian Ethos 