Prayer for Acceptance

Prayer for the Acceptance of God’s Will

(Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow)

      O Lord, I know not what to ask of thee. Thou alone knowest what are my true needs. Thou lovest me more than I myself know how to love. Help me to see my real needs which are concealed from me. I dare not ask either a cross or consolation. I can only wait on thee. My heart is open to thee. Visit and help me, for thy great mercy’s sake. Strike me and heal me, cast me down and raise me up. I worship in silence thy holy will and thine inscrutable ways. I offer myself as a sacrifice to thee. I put all my trust in thee. I have no other desire than to fulfil thy will. Teach me how to pray. Pray thou thyself in me.   Amen. (From A Manual of Eastern Orthodox Prayers, Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1991, p.24)

About the Author of this prayer:

Metropolitan Philaret was the son of a Russian Orthodox priest who became a priest himself. He taught at St. Petersburg Theological Academy, and eventually became the Metropolitan of Moscow – a ranking somewhere between archbishop and patriarch. Not quite on par with the pope, but awfully close. He worked for offering scripture and other teachings in Russian so more people could read them. He wrote a catechism that is still in use. I suspect Philaret was a very busy man who had his share of difficulties.

 

Over the next couple of weeks, Philaret’s prayer will be the focus of my writings. I started my blog with his Prayer at the Beginning of the Day, and wanted to spend time with another of his prayers. Sentence by sentence I’ll reflect on Philaret’s words. Please add your own thoughts – questions, concerns, and epiphanies…

2 thoughts on “Prayer for Acceptance

  1. Bill Albritton

    This brief excerpt for the daily prayers sent out to the prayer team got me thinking about that “pray thou thyself in me” part again.
    “As we entire the holy period between Ascension Day and Pentecost let us pray for the coming of the Holy Spirit first recalling the words of St. Paul in Romans 8: ‘The Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray but the Spirit intercedes for us in sighs too deep for words.'”

    Reply
    1. Johnna Post author

      Thanks for this, Bill. “Pray thou thyself in me” is in so many prayers from this Orthodox resource. I think it’s something I’ll come back to again and again. A prayer to grow with and on…peace, Johnna

      Reply

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