Christ
is Born! Glorify Him!
Have you ever read the spiritually rich Akathist Hymn to the
Nativity of Christ? It is found in the
second volume of the Book of Akthists published by Holy Trinity Monastery. It is worth obtaining this volume if you don’t
already own one.
I was particularly moved by the closing prayer of this akathist,
which I will share with you here:
O great and unapproachable God, unoriginate Father, Son Who art
equally without beginning, and Spirit Who are equally eternal, Who givest being
to things which were not in existence, Who savest the perishing, Who givest
life to the dead, Who doest what Thou willest among the hosts of heaven and in
Thine earthly habitation, and directest all according to Thy wondrous
providence! Incline Thine ear from the
heights of Thy holiness, and accept from us, Thy lowly and unworthy servants,
to whom Thou hast revealed Thy great salvation from misfortunes and plague,
these grateful supplications, confessions and glorifications, which we offer to
Thee with heart and mouth. For Thou has
not dealt with us according to our iniquities, O Lord, neither hast Thou
rewarded us according to our sins. Thou
didst say of old to the children of Israel that if they would not act to keep
Thy words and do all Thy commandments, Thou wouldst bring against them a nation
of unashamed countenance, which would assail them in their cities until the
walls thereof were broken. And we have
come to realize that this dread sentence hath been directed against us and our
fathers as well. For, failing to fear
Thy threat and paying no heed to Thy lovingkindness, we have forsaken the path
of Thy righteousness and walked in the will of our own hearts, and have made no
attempt to hold Thee, the God of men’s understanding and hearts, in our
mind. Moreover, treating the traditions
of our fathers as of no import, we have abandoned Thee for others. For these reasons, grievous ill fortune
overtook us as it did the children of Israel of old, and because we paid no
heed to their lessons, mindless and savage-minded foes have come against
us. But do Thou, O compassionate and
merciful Lord God, Who are long-suffering, greatly merciful and true, Who
maintainest justice and workest mercy among the thousands, Who takest away
iniquities, injustices and sins, having abandoned us for a little time, have
mercy upon us according to Thy great mercy, and having visited our
unrighteousness with the rod, as a compassionate father doth his children, so
do Thou spare us. For Thou has looked
down on our tribulation, and upon our entreaties which, trusting not in our own
righteousness, but upon Thy many compassions, we cast at Thy feet O Lord; and
Thou hast shown us the back of our ungodly adversaries, for melting away before
the face of Thy Christ, Thine enemies have vanished like smoke, and those who
love Thee shine forth like the rising of the sun in their power. We have seen, O Lord, we have seen, and in us
all nations have seen, that Thou are God, and there is none other besides
Thee. Thou slayest and makest to live,
Thou smitest and healest, and there is no one who can deliver from Thy
hand. Wherefore, our heart has been
established in our Lord, our horn hath been lifted up in our God, and we have
been gladdened in Thy salvation. We
thank Thee, O Lord, that, chastizing us, Thou hast chastened us but a little,
lest Thou give us over utterly unto death.
Grant, O Lord, that we may hold the memory of this, Thy glorious visitation,
firmly and continually within us, that made steadfast in Thee by filial fear,
faith and love, and protected by Thy might, we may ever, as we do today, hymn
and glorify Thy holy name. Confirm Thy
blessing also upon our civil authorities, that Thy good Spirit may continually
rest upon them. In our land grant
holiness unto pastors, judgment and justice to those who govern, peace and
tranquility to the people, efficacy to the laws and advancement to the
Faith. O Lord of all lovingkindness,
extend Thy mercy unto those who know Thee, and reveal Thyself even unto those
who seek Thee not; turn the hearts even of our enemies unto Thee; and make
Thyself known to all nations and people in Thy true Christ: that from the rising of the sun, even unto
the setting thereof, all nations may with one heart cry out to Thee with a
voice of rejoicing: Glory to Thee, the
God and Saviour of all, unto the ages of ages!
Amen.
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