so that in the dark night of life they will

strengthened and gave us strength.

***

Mother of God,

pray for us,

grieving, dejected, sinners,

who also have a choice:

or the Lord shall be for us to fall;

or for rebellion.

Amen.

Prayer for Sundays of Great Lent

I believe, O Lord, but Thou shalt establish

my faith.

I trust, O Lord, but strengthen my hope.

I have loved Thee, O Lord, but Thou hast purified my love and kindled it.

I am grieved, O Lord, but Thou shalt do it;

that I may increase my repentance.

I revere Thee, my Creator, I sigh

in Thee, I call upon Thee.

But guide me with Thy wisdom, protect and strengthen me.

I commit to Thee, O my God,

My thoughts,

let them proceed from Thee.

Let my works be done according to Thy will.

Enlighten my mind, strengthen my will,

Cleanse the body, sanctify the soul.

Да узрю мои прегрешения, да не прельщусь гордостью,

помоги мне побеждать искушения.

Да славлю Тебя во все дни жизни, которые Ты даровал мне.

Аминь.

Prayers before confession

Lord, you are our first and last love, you are the one for whom we live, in whom we live,

To Whom we aspire,

Which we breathe!

Forgive us for being believers, but our faith is so small;

We are those who pray, but our prayer is so weak! How seldom do you and I meet in real prayer!

And our word, addressed to Thee, turns into soulless muttering.

Forgive us, O Lord, for the fact that, standing before an icon, opening a prayer book or Holy Scripture, even preparing to receive the Holy Mysteries, we are absent-minded, our thoughts wander somewhere sluggish, gloomy, tired. 

How guilty we are before You, that we are often present in church during common prayer only with our feet, as it were, while our heart, insensitive and cold, remains somewhere far away.