Becoming A Prayer: The Trisagion

The Trisagion is probably the most frequently said prayer for Orthodox, next to the Jesus prayer. This prayer comes within in the first part of our morning prayers and may even suffice as the entire morning prayer for some. Although we do exchange the Trisagion part of the prayer with other prayers between Lent and Pentecost.      

        Nevertheless, take some time, light some candles and slowly and intentionally say this prayer for a week. It is a prayer of many confessions about ourselves, but mostly about God. As we confess this to God, it will begin to form a better theology and faith within us.

            Morning Prayer

(Before beginning this, take a moment to become internally still and aware that the Presence and Kingdom of God is already around you and in you.)

In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen. (Make the sign of the Cross while saying it).[1]

Prayer of the Publican

(Each time you say this make the sign of the cross, bow and touch the floor, unless mobility restricts you, then do what you can).

O God, be merciful to me a sinner.

O God, be merciful to me a sinner.

O God, be merciful to me a sinner.[2]

The Beginning Prayer

O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, for the sake of the prayers of Thy most pure mother, and all the saints, have mercy on us.[3]

Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

O Heavenly King, Comforter and Spirit of Truth, Who is everywhere present and fills all things, Treasury of good things and Giver of life: Come and dwell in us, and cleanse us of all impurity, and save our souls, O Good One.

The Trisagion

(Each time you say the Trisagion make the sign of the cross, bow and touch the floor).

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal have mercy on us

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal have mercy on us.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal have mercy on us

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirt (Make the sign of the cross) both now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Lord's Prayer

Our Father, Who are in the heavens, hallowed be Your name.

Let Your Kingdom come; Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.

Do not let us come into time of trial, but deliver us from evil,

For Yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory

Of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

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[1] Put your index, middle and thumb together (Represents the Trinity), and fold your other two fingers down (Represents Christ’s two natures: human/divine). Touch your forehead, abdomen, right shoulder, left shoulder (yes, we cross the opposite of most Roman Catholics, who incidentally used to cross this ancient way).

 

[2] Do not ask for God’s mercy as if you are begging for it to happen. God loves you and is endlessly giving mercy to you already, so say it with the intention of trying to become more aware of it.

 

[3] If you are confused as to why Orthodox and Catholics include prayer from the mother of God and saints, it is not because we worship them. Christian theology believes that because of Christ, death did not get the final say and now their lives are hidden in Christ, but are free to intercede (like any living friend) for us as the “great cloud of witnesses.”

Becoming a Prayer: Saint Moses the Black

Saint Moses the Black was a 4th-century man from Africa with a reputation for violence and roaming the land as a bandit, but after being deeply moved by a group of peaceful desert monks, Moses too wanted to know their faith and dedicated his life to Christ and became a desert monk and martyr. After his conversion he came to be known everywhere for being a man of deep humility and holiness. Moses once turned down a request to serve with a council of judges against a Christian brother, but after much pressure, accepted the request. Moses would later arrive with a basket full of leaking sand on his back (as seen in the icon). They asked why he carried the basket and Moses stated, “I carry behind me my manifold sins where I cannot see them, and I come to judge my brother?” When the other monks heard this, they all forgave their guilty brother.

Saint Moses Prayer:

Almighty God, whose blessed Son dost guide our footsteps into the way of peace: Deliver us from paths of hatred and violence, that we, following the example of thy servant Moses, may serve thee with singleness of heart and attain to the tranquility of the world to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Becoming A Prayer

 

Since entering into the Eastern Orthodox Church years ago my theology has taken a different shape because I have taken a different shape. I am continually being formed by our prayers and the mysterious love and peace of God in my life. If you have never been to a Divine Liturgy, I highly recommend attending one, but what should be known is that it is a prayer service by which we spiritually pilgrimage together before the throne of God where a table has been set to nourish us. We prostrate, venerate, light candles, incense and bring our whole selves as a prayer before God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). Our prayer is never separate from our theology, but are inseparable and pertinent to uniting us with God and forming us into a community with the character of faithfulness to Christ and to each other. What becomes equally important is that we are people of prayer after we leave as well. Our lives should live in a constant interactive flow between God, ourselves and our world.

            I say all this to say that I want to spend more time in the coming months posting outside of my typical writing. Right now, it seems, the world needs something more edifying and hopeful in a time that has embraced its hate, blame, violence and hopelessness. So, I will be posting more prayers, hymns and poems that are nourishing for the human soul and mind. And I want to begin by offering this prayer:

From “The Prayers of Saint Isaac the Syrian”

As my soul bows to the ground, I offer to you with all my bones and with all my heart the worship that befits you. O glorious God, who dwell in ineffable silence, you have built for my renewal a tabernacle of love on earth where it is your good pleasure to rest, a temple made of flesh and fashioned with the most holy oil of the sanctuary. Then you filled it with your holy presence so that all worship might be fulfilled in it, indicating the worship of the eternal persons of your Trinity, and revealing to the worlds which you had created in your grace an ineffable mystery, a power which cannot be felt or grasped by any part of your creation that has come into being. In wonder at it, angelic beings are submerged in silence, awed at the dark cloud of this eternal mystery and at the flood of glory which issues from within this source of wonder, for it receives worship in the sphere of silence from every intelligence that has been sanctified and made worthy of you. (Prayer 1)

O mystery exalted beyond every word and beyond silence, who became human in order to renew us by means of your voluntary union with the flesh, reveal to me the path by which I may be raised up to your mysteries, traveling along a course that is clear and tranquil, free from the illusions of this world. Gather my mind into the silence of prayer, so that wandering thoughts may be silenced within me during that luminous converse of supplication and mystery-filled wonder. (Prayer 7)