From lips defiled
and a vile heart,
from an impure tongue
and a soul defiled,
receive my prayer, O my Christ,
and do not despise
my words, my appearance,
nor my shamelessness.
Grant me the boldness, my Christ,
to say what I desire
Even more--teach me
what to do and say.
I have sinned more than the harlot
who, on learning where Thou wast,
bought myrrh and came boldly
to anoint thy feet, my God,
my Master and my Christ.
As Thou didst not turn her away
when she came with her heart,
so, O Word, turn me not away,
but give me Thy feet
to hold, to kiss,
and to anoint boldly
with a stream of tears
as a precious ointment.
Wash me with my tears, O Word,
and cleanse me with them!
Remit my transgressions
and grant me forgiveness.
Thou knowest the multitude of my evil:
Thou knowest also my wounds!
Thou seest my scars:
Thou knowest also my faith!
Thou seest my intentions
and hearest my sighs.
Nothing is hidden from Thee,
my God, my Maker, my Redeemer--
not even a tear-drop
or part of that drop.
Thine eyes have seen
that which I have not yet done.
Thou hast inscribed in Thy book
things yet to happen.
See my humility!
See each of my labors and all of my sins!
Absolve me, O God of all,
that with a pure heart,
trembling thoughts
and a contrite soul
I may partake of Thine undefiled
and most holy Mysteries
which enliven and deify
all who partake of them
with a pure heart.
Thou hast said, O Master:
"Whoever eats my Body
and drinks my Blood
abides in me
and I in him!"
True is every word
of my Master and God!
When I partake of Thy divine
and deifying Grace,
I am no longer alone--
I am with Thee, my Christ,
the Light of the Triple Sun
which enlightens the world.
May I not remain alone--
without Thee, O Life-Giver,
My Breath, my Life and my Joy,
the salvation of the world.
I approach Thee, therefore,
with tears, as Thou seest,
and a contrite soul.
I beg to receive
deliverance from my sins.
May I partake uncondemned
of Thy life-giving
and spotless Mysteries,
that Thou mayest abide,
as Thou hast said,
with me, the thrice-wretched.
May the Tempter not find me
without Thy Grace
and seize me deceitfully
and lead me, deceived,
from Thy deifying words.
Therefore, I fall down before Thee
and fervently cry:
as Thou didst receive the Prodigal
and the harlot who came to Thee,
O Gracious One, receive me,
prodigal and defiled.
With a contrite soul
I approach Thee now:
I know, O Savior, that no-one has sinned
against Thee as I have,
nor done the deeds
that I have done.
But I also know
that neither the greatness of my
transgressions
nor the multitude of my sins
surpass the great patience of my God
and His extreme love for mankind.
Through Thy merciful compassion
Thou dost cleanse and brighten
those who repent with fervor,
making them partakers of Light
and full communicants
of Thy Divinity.
To the astonishment of angels
and human minds,
Thou dost converse with them often
as with Thy true friends.
This makes me bold, my Christ,
this gives me wings!
Emboldened by the wealth
of Thy generosity towards us,
with both joy and trepidation,
I who am grass
partake of fire.
O strange wonder!
I am sprinkled with dew
and am not burned,
as the bush burned of old
without being consumed.
With grateful thoughts
and a grateful heart,
with my grateful members,
my soul and my body,
I now fall down and worship
and glorify Thee, my God,
for blessed art Thou,
now and for ever.