An Armenian Sanctuary Prayer

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Deacon

[...]  And again for peace
let us beseech the Lord. 

Let us praise the Almighty God,
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has made us worthy to stand
in this place of glorification
and to sing spiritual songs;
may the Almighty Lord, our God,
save us and have mercy upon us.

The Prayer in Sanctuary

Celebrant

In this holy abode and in this place of glorification, 

in this dwelling place of angels, 

and in this Temple of purification, 

before these God-accepted and resplendent holy symbols 

and before this holy sanctuary, 

we all humble ourselves and worship You with awe; 

we praise and glorify

Your holy, wondrous and triumphant Resurrection, 

and together with the heavenly hosts 

we offer You praise and glory 

together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, 

now and always forever and ever. Amen.

from The Badarak, pp. 21-22

The Sacred Music and the Divine Liturgy

of the Armenian Apostolic Church

Glendale, California, 1997

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Saint Isaac of Nineveh: The Gift of Tears

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Saint Isaac the Syrian writes:

Perpetual tears during prayer 

are a sign of divine mercy 

of which the soul is deemed worthy 

because of her repentance 

which has been accepted: 

and with tears 

she begins to enter 

the plain of sincerity,
the plain of purity.

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The Canticle of the Lamb

Repost from 2015

For whoever believes 

in the power of the Blood of Jesus,

nothing is impossible.

After a rather vigorous (if not contentious) discussion concerning the late Mother Basilea Schlink and the Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary , I was put in mind of her most important spiritual canticle —'most important' in my humble opinion of course—a spiritual canticle to the Wounds of Jesus and the Blood of the Lamb entitled The Canticle of the Lamb.

Today I understand that the Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary uses a new English translation of the Canticle, but liturgically I prefer the diction of the first translation — which one may find in Celtic Daily Prayer and which I print below for ease of reference.  

     I praise the Wounds 
          and the Blood of the Lamb

 
     I praise the Wounds and the Blood of the Lamb

              that heals the weakness of my body,

     I praise the Wounds and the Blood of the Lamb

              that heals the weakness of my soul,
 
     I praise the Wounds and the Blood of the Lamb

               that heals the weakness of my spirit!


     Praise be to the Blood of the Lamb in His forgiving power.

     Praise be to the Blood of the Lamb in His cleansing power.

     Praise be to the Blood of the Lamb in His saving power.

     Praise be to the Blood of the Lamb in His releasing power.

     Praise be to the Blood of the Lamb in His victorious power.

     Praise be to the Blood of the Lamb in His renewing power.

     Praise be to the Blood of the Lamb in His protecting power.

     For whoever believes in the power of the Blood of Jesus,      
             nothing is impossible.

     I praise the Blood of the Lamb that covers all my sins

          so that they can no longer be seen,
 
     I praise the Blood of the Lamb that cleanses me from all my sins

         and makes me white as snow,
 
     I praise the Blood of the Lamb that has power to free me

          from all my bondages and chains of sin.

     I praise the Blood of the Lamb that is stronger

          than my own sin-infested blood

              and remoulds me into the image of God,

     I praise the Blood of the Lamb that is victorious

         over all powers that seek to oppress me,

              over every power of the enemy.
 
     I praise the Blood of the Lamb 

          that protects me from all the devious attacks of the enemy.

     I praise the Blood of the Lamb 

          that prepares for me the bridal garment.

     I praise the Blood of the Lamb

          that makes all things new.

              Hallelujah! Amen.

M. Basilea Schlink

as translated in Celtic Daily Prayer

For whoever believes 
in the power of the Blood of Jesus,

nothing is impossible.

St. Cyprian: "The Day of Our Own Struggle"

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Saint Cyprian writes:

"Divine Providence has now prepared us. God's merciful design has warned us that the day of our own struggle, our own contest, is at hand. 

"By that shared love which binds us close together, we are doing all we can to exhort our congregation, to give ourselves unceasingly to fastings, vigils and prayers in common.

"These are the heavenly weapons which give us the strength to stand firm and endure; they are the spiritual defences, the God-given armaments that protect us. Let us then remember one another, united in mind and heart. 

"Let us pray without ceasing, you for us, we for you; by the love we share we shall thus relieve the strain of these great trials."

Heart of Jesus, think of me.

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El Divino Niño • Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament • Hanceville, Alabama

HEART OF JESUS, think of me. 

Eyes of Jesus, look on me. 

Face of Jesus, comfort me. 

Hands of Jesus, bless me. 

Feet of Jesus, guide me. 

Arms of Jesus, hold me. 

Body of Jesus, feed me. 

Blood of Jesus, wash me. 

Jesus, make me thus thine own

Here and in the world to come. Amen.

Saint Augustine's Prayer Book

Order of the Holy Cross
The Episcopal Church

USA

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