Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Reflections on God by St. Ephraim the Syrian

Enlighten and Strenghten me for the sake of Redemption
Grant us Thy help, O All-good One, and never abandon our race!  Vouchsafe us thine all-searching wisdom, that we may know the transience of all things.  Heal our sores with repentance.
Visit us, that we might not persist in our sins.  Thou Who art most merciful to our souls, instill in us remembrance of good, for much have we loved evil.  Dispel all harm from us, O Good One.
Accept whatever good will is in us, and send us a corresponding measure of strength.  Our soul is not capable of offering Thee a gift which is as great as Thou art.  May Thy mervelous death move Thee to compassion, O Lord.
Our error is much mightier than our prayer.  Our prayer is insignificant, but our guilt is great.  What sacrifice could we bring to reconcile ourselves with Thee?  We have nothing to give up to Thee.  Thus we ask Thee to reconcile us by Thy blood, O All-merciful One.
Thanks be to the Father Who sent Thee, O our Savior!  For by Thee we who are guilty are vindicated.  Though hast taken away our sins by Thy Cross; take away our guilt also in Thy coming.
--St. Ephraim the Syrian, A Spiritual Psalter

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Northwest Arkansas, Arkansas, United States
My name is Ignatios Jason Rogers and I was received into the Holy Antiochian Orthodox Church at St. Nicholas in Springdale, AR on Christmas Eve of 2006. I am currently seeking the monastic path and hopefully one day will be able to enter a monastery.

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