Prayer to Our Lord Jesus Christ

Prayer to Our Lord Jesus Christ

Lord, lover of mankind, You created me and gave me the gift of free will. Yet I have exalted myself and forgotten Your dominion, have transgressed all Your commandments and fallen into the bitter captivity of the devil, who taught me every sin and evil habit. You, O Lord my God, have endured me, awaiting my sincere repentance and conversion, and have not destroyed me, though I lived in lawlessness. Therefore I, knowing Your mercy, have dared with unclean lips to bring prayer to You. You have shown mercy and saved many sinners—save and heal me also. They are Your creatures and children—and I as well.

Even though my sins have taken hold of me, I, imperfect and wretched, place my hope in Your mercy. I pray to You, Lord: take away my will from me, for all my will is wickedness. I have learned that I can do nothing good of my own, unless You, by Your goodness and love, strengthen and enlighten me with Your Holy Spirit. Animals, beasts and birds of the heavens have no free will, yet as You created them they are as they are; You created me pure, but having my own will I have become wholly unclean and defiled.

Yet, although You have given humanity free will, do not grant it to me, O Lord, for by nature I am a man, but by my custom I am worse than the beasts. Woe to me that I, worse than the beasts, stand before You as a doer of good! Yet do not judge me by my evil deeds. Grant me time to rise, and open to me the doors of repentance and forgiveness. Return me, a captive, from the lawlessness that condemns me for my sins; draw me out of the pit of sin and impurity.

Jesus Christ, Light of those in darkness, illuminate my dimmed light! Healer of the patient, heal my hidden ailments, pouring oil and wine, bind my wounds, wipe away the list of my sins with the sponge of Your goodness and mercy. Grant me, O Lord, always to have a reverent fear of God before You, and to submit to Your will, that I, inspired and guided by Your Holy Spirit, may be cleansed from sin, that the enemy may not seize me, and that I may sing to You with joy, in the Trinity‑glorified God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Source: kyrios.org.ua