A prayer for Friday

Lord Jesus Christ, sweet Savior of my soul, on this day of Your crucifixion, when You suffered on the cross and accepted death for our sins, I confess before You that I myself have crucified You with my many sins.  But I beseech Your indescribable goodness:  Grant me Your grace, O Lord, so that I may endure suffering for the sake of the faith, hope and love that I have for You, just as You, in Your longsuffering, endured the passion in order to save me.  Strengthen me, O Lord, that from this day forth I may bear Your cross with joy and repentance, and that I may thus hate my wicked thoughts and desires.   

Instill sadness in my heart at Your death, allowing me to grieve just as Your beloved Mother, Your disciples and the myrrh-bearing women did as they stood near Your cross.  Illumine the senses of my soul so that they may awaken and comprehend Your death, just as you brought comprehension to the lifeless creation at the time of Your crucifixion, and it trembled; just as the faithful thief understood, repented, and confessed You, and with that confession, You led him into paradise.  May Your grace, which You then granted to him, now forgive my sins, for the sake of You holy passion; and as I truly turn and repent, may that same grace place me together with the thief in paradise, for You are my God and Creator. 

 

 

I bow down before Your cross, O Christ, and because of Your love for us, I cry out to it:  Rejoice, honored cross of Christ, upon which He was lifted and affixed with nails for the salvation of the world; Rejoice, blessed tree, for you held the Fruit of life Who has saved us from the death of sin; Rejoice strong bar which has shattered the gates of hell; Rejoice, royal key, which has opened the door of paradise. 

 

 

O my crucified Christ, how You suffered for us!  How many wounds, spitting, mockery and insults You endured because of our sins, giving us an example of true patience in times of suffering and troubles which we must endure in this life.  Since God sends these to us because of our sins, that we may correct ourselves and draw near to Him, He thus chastises us for our own good during this life.  Therefore, I pray to You, O Master:  during times of troubles, temptations and pain that come upon me, grant that I may increase in patience, strength and gratitude.  For I confess that I am helpless if You do not strengthen me; blind, if You do not illumine me; bound if You do not set me free; fearful, if You do not make me brave; lost, if You do not seek me; a slave, if You do not redeem me with Your abundant and divine power and with the grace of Your holy cross, which I venerated and glorify, now and ever and unto ages of ages.  Amen. 

Prayers for husbands and wives

Lord, Jesus Christ our God, Who taught us to pray continually for one another, thus fulfilling Your commandment and manifesting our desire for Your mercy, in Your compassion, watch over and protect my husband (wife) from all seen and unseen enemies.  Grant him (her) health and complete wisdom that that he (she) may fulfill all his (her) obligations according to Your will and commandments.  Protect him (her) from all temptations which he (she) does not have the strength to resist.  Strengthen him (her) in the right faith and in perfect love, that we may live together in virtue, and direct our lives according to Your precepts.  For Yours is the power and the glory forever.  Amen. 

We implore You, O merciful Lord:  Help us to remember that marriage is indeed holy and strengthen the sanctity of our union.  Shower Your grace upon us so that we may live our lives in true faithfulness and love.  Help us to understand and trust each other fully, keeping quarrels and arguments far from us.  Bestow Your blessings upon us, and in Your mercy, count us worthy of Your kingdom:  for You are our sanctification, and we offer glory to You:  to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.  Amen.

 

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Prayer for Saturday

Lord Jesus Christ, my righteous Judge, I know that my sins are without number, therefore I pray to You on this day when Joseph and Nicodemus placed You in the tomb and You descended to hades with Your holy and divine soul.  There, the light of Your divinity drove away the darkness and You brought unspeakable joy to our first parents, saving them from terrible slavery, and raising them up to paradise.  Bury my wicked and evil sins and deeds; erase them from my mind, that they may no longer war against my soul.  Illumine the dark hell of my heart, driving off the blackness of my sins, and raise my mind to heaven so that I may delight in Your face.  Yea, O Lord, accept my humble prayer as sweet-smelling incense, through the prayers of Your beloved Mother who was wounded in her heart by piercing pain when she beheld Your crucified upon the cross between two thieves.  Together with Your apostles and the myrrh-bearing women, she saw You placed in the tomb, and then beheld You risen from the dead on the third day and also ascending, together with Your holy angels, from earth to heaven.  Have compassion O Lord, on the living and the departed, through the prayers of Your saints, to whom I the unworthy one cry out:  O blessed servants of God, do not cease to intercede with Him day and night for us unworthy ones who ever transgress with innumerable sins.  Intercede for us that God will send us His grace and help for we do not know how to rightly petition Him.  Do not cease to intercede, that through your prayers sinners may obtain forgiveness, the poor find help, the sorrowful be comforted, the troubled be quieted, the oppressed find shelter and that God’s grace may descend upon all for whatever is needful for their souls, to the glory of God Who is extolled in the Trinity, and to Whom is due honor and worship forever.  Amen. 

 

 

Through the intercessions of the Forerunner

Lord, my God, I stand condemned before Your holy face, and I confess my unworthiness, my weakness and my great poverty.  Therefore I pray to You, the sweet fountain and depth of compassion:  Open the gates of heaven and rain the abundance of Your loving kindness upon me that I may thus pour forth tears and weep, cleansing and washing my soul of the stain of sin with true and deep repentance.  I offer as my intercessor for this great gift, O Lord, the forerunner John, and I cry to him, O teacher of repentance and great prophet who are greater than all the prophets, as the Son of God Himself said in the holy Gospel.  You showed the Master Christ to the people; you baptized Him in the Jordan and beheld the heavens opening; you heard the voice of the heavenly father and beheld the Holy Spirit as a dove descending upon Him.  I pray to you to help me by your intercessions as you stand in heaven before the eternal Judge.  Turn Him to have compassion upon me, for you have great boldness before His love.  Stretch forth your hand, with which you baptized Him, and destroy my evil thoughts, and strengthen me to spend my life on the good path of God.  O Prophet, illumine my mind with the commandments of the Lord so that I may remember them and preserve them to the end of my life.  Stand near me at the hour of my death, and lead me before God, my Master.  Intercede also for the whole world, that God may grant help to Christians.  May He grant the living and the departed rest from their many labors, bestowing upon them all which is needful and making them worthy of His kingdom.  Amen. 

 

Pre and post marital prayers

Master, Lord, our God, who bless marriages and preserve the nature of incorruptibility, and Who govern all earthly affairs in wisdom; from the beginning, You created man and set him as king over Your creation, saying:  It is not good that man should be alone upon earth; let Us make him a helpmate.  You therefore established that a man leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife.  The two become one body and man shall not separate that which God had joined together.  O Master, send Your heavenly grace upon us, Your unworthy servants, and bless this marriage which shall take place before You.  Cleanse us of all our sins, forgive our transgressions and involuntary iniquities.  Unite us in mind, thought and heart, in pure love and unshakable faith, guiding our steps along Your path so that we may ever fulfill Your holy will.  Fill our house with all which is good; grant us healthy children and enable us to live our entire lives in purity as we strive in every way to please You.  Help us to obey all Your commandments with a pure heart, so that we may glorify and praise Your all honorable and blessed name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.  Amen.

 

Lord Jesus Christ our God, Who taught us to pray continually for one another, thus fulfilling Your commandment and manifesting our desire for Your mercy, in Your compassion, watch over and protect my husband (wife) from all seen and unseen enemies.  Grant him (her) health and complete wisdom so that he (she) may fulfill all his (her) obligations according to Your will and commandments.  Protect him (her) from all temptations which he (she) does not have the strength to resist.  Strengthen him (her) in the right faith and in perfect love that we may live together in virtue, and direct our lives according to Your precepts.  For Yours is the power and glory forever.  Amen. 

We implore You, O merciful Lord:  Help us to remember that marriage is indeed holy and strengthen the sanctity of our union.  Shower Your grace upon us so that we may live our lives in true faithfulness and love.  Help us to understand and trust each other fully, keeping quarrels and arguments far from us.  Bestow Your blessings upon us, and in Your mercy, count us worthy of Your kingdom:  for You are our sanctification, and we offer glory to You:  to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.  Amen.

 

 

Prayer in time of need or trouble

The dark clouds of trouble gather above me, O Lord, and the grief of torments terrifies me.  Although I find myself in a state of suffering, I do not complain against You, O Good One, for You are my support and the unshaken rock upon which I place my hope.  You know, O God, the cause of my wretchedness and sorrows, and You continue to look after me.  Even in my suffering I know that You love me, and it is this very knowledge that strengthens me. Thus, hoping in Your very love and goodness, I shall not allow these assaults to overcome me; instead, I will fight with courage, and confident in Your help, I shall be victorious.  It is You Who guide the world and the fate of mortals; thus direct the ship of my life which is assailed by the waves of temptation, so that it may reach the calm harbor.  Alone, I fight in vain against the tempests of life, for without You I can do nothing.  I therefore flee to You, O Good One, and I pray: Come to my aid and save me by Your might, just as You once saved Peter who came to You upon the water.  Stretch out Your hand to me as You did to him, O Lord of mercy, and do not delay.  Amen.