A Prayer of Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow

A long-time friend sent me the following prayer recently. It’s one I’ll treasure and often pray:

 A Prayer of Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow:

Lord, I do not know what to ask of You.
You alone know what my true needs are.
You love me more than I myself know how to love.
Help me to see my real needs which may be hidden from me.
I dare not ask for either a cross or a consolation.
I can only wait upon You.  My heart is open to You.
Visit and help me in Your steadfast love.
Strike me and heal me; cast me down and raise me up.
I worship in silence Your holy will.
I offer myself to You as a living sacrifice.
I put all my trust in You.
I have no other desire than to fulfil Your will.
Teach me to pray.  Pray Yourself in me.
Amen.

 

Comments

[Chelle]

Thanks for this. I'm in the process of writing a 'spiritual discipline' exercise for a friend based on Orthodox practice and this fits exactly. Meditating upon Mary are the archetypal spiritual person - opening herself to carry God in her very womb. What a wonderful prayer.

[Gary Manders]

Thanks Paul. A really great prayer.

[Rachael]

A brave prayer indeed. It looks like one line may be copied wrong though - 'I dare not ask for neither a cross nor a consolation' would have to be 'I dare not ask for either... or...' or 'I ask for neither... nor...'?