An Everyday Morning Prayer of the Opthina Elders

Grant unto me, O Lord, that with peace of mind, I may face all that this new day is to bring !

Grant unto me to dedicate myself completely to Thy Holy Will !

Guide and support me in all things every hour of this day !

Whatsoever tidings I may receive during the day, teach me to accept tranquility in the firm belief that all eventualities fulfill Thy Holy Will !

Govern Thou my thoughts and feelings in all I do and say !

When things unforeseen occur, let me not forget that all cometh down from Thee !

Teach me to behave sincerely and sensibly toward every member of my family, that I may bring confusion and sorrow to none !

Bestow upon me, my Lord, strength to endure the weariness of the day, and to bear my part in all its passing events !

Guide Thou my will and teach me to pray, to believe, to hope, to be patient, to forgive, and to love !

Amen !

This prayer in Slavonic language is a very beautiful one. I searched for its correct Russian and English translations. Finally got a translation of an old English version. With the help of few people, who knows English very well, finalized this text with the apt translation of the Russian words. Still it can be modified and even translated to modern English.

This prayer is powerful and will connect you fully to the Holy Spirit by submitting yourself to His Will, whether you are a family person or part of a community.

Opthina Pusthina, was the heart of the Russian Spirituality. Recently three Priests at Opthina were brutally killed by terrorists to slow down the flow of Pilgrims, or perhaps those Priests had Ecumenical point of views. Still people are going there. (I lived in a Keyli (cell) of the living Starets or the oldest monk of Opthina, last year, for three days and had continuous prayers with the monks. It was a blessed experience.)

This 16th Century good old monk's prayers came out to the use of the public, in a printed manner, only in 1990's, after the Communists rule. They were continuously praying. The Characteristic of the continuous prayer is similar to the doctrine of the Indian Rishis, propagated and spread by Adi Sankara after the Buddhist's influence in India.

This is beautifully written by the unknown Russian Christian traveler monk, in the book 'The way of a Pilgrim' . This book is already published by Sri Ramakrisna Mission. Another 10,000 copies are going to be published with my lengthy preamble. The book says about the continuous prayer and are the reflection of the 14th century Hesikaza movement of the monks lived in Athens, in Greece. All were in search of Truth!

This prayer can be used by anybody, irrespective of religion, race, caste and belief.

May the good God bless all those who are praying this prayer!

Roy Cherian

See Also:

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All Prayers

Prayer and Spirituality Infocenter