Sunday, November 12, 2017

A Prayer by St. Ephraim to work out our Salvation in coperation with God

In the Orthodox Christian Tradition, we are taught to work out our Salvation in cooperation with Grace of God who works in us (Ref :  Therefore, my dear friends , as you have always obeyed - not only in my presence ,but much more in my absence -Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose - Philippians 2:12) .
This teaching is what has been practised in the Church by those before us and it is in our peril we forget this that has been handed to us. An example of this is reflected in the 5th Psalm of the Spiritual Psalter by St. Ephraim in 4th Century and pray that we too can make his prayer our own.


November 12, 2017
Calgary, Canada


----------------------------------------------------------


Like the apple Thine eye , Preserve me, O Lord God ; Defend me and beneath Thy wings Shelter me from temptations.
Be the guardian of the eye , that it might not look abut in the manner of a thief ;
Be the guardian of the ear that it might not perceive falsehood
Be the guardian of the lips, that slander, judgement , criticism and idle words might not come froth from them.
Be the guardian of the heart, that it might not be inclined to evil nd might not work iniquity.
Grant us, O Lord, knowledge both of what we should do and how to set about it.
Grant us , O our Lord ,that we may be sweeter to Thee than fragrances and perfumes.
Grant us , O our Lord , that we may love Thee and hate the world.
Grant us , Our Lord, to acquire Only Thee rather than all transient possessions.
Grant us ,O our Lord , to bring to Thee three choice gifts .
Grant us , O our Lord to burn three aromatic censers before Thee.
Grant us , O our Lord ,to light for thee three brightly burning lamps : The Spirit, The Soul and The Body ,these three gifts to the One Trinity .
Let us dedicate the Spirit to the Father , The Soul to the Son and the Body to the Holy Spirit - The Spirit which will raise it again from dust.
O Father Consecrate our Spirit to Thyself ,
O Son , Consecrate our Soul to Thyself !
O Holy Sprit, Consecrate to Thyself our Body which is afflicted by sores.
Grant us , O our Lord , to rejoice in Thee, and may though rejoice in us in the last day.
To thee is praise from the Spirit, Soul and Body
And unto us be Thy Mercies .
------------------------------------------------------