PRAYER OF JOHN CHRYSOSTOM, TO BE SAID BEFORE READING OR HEARING A READER
Lord Jesus Christ, our God, open the ears and eyes of my heart so that I may hear your words, and understand and execute your commandments, Lord, for I am a "sojourner on the earth" (Ps. CXVII, 19). Do not hide your commandments from me, but open my eyes, and I will consider the wondrous things of your law (Ps. CXVII, 18). For in you do I hope, my God, that you may illuminate my heart.
SECOND PRAYER OF JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
A Lord my God, great and fearful and glorious, Creator of every visible and intelligible nature, who keepest your covenant and your mercy for those who love you and keep your commandments: I give you thanks both now and forever for all your benefits, both manifest and hidden, which you have bestowed upon me. And up to this present time I praise, glorify, and magnify you, because you have shown your mercy and compassion toward me, protecting me from my mother’s womb, and providing for me in all things, keeping and guiding me holily in those things that concern me, out of your sole kindness and clemency. For neither because of my unworthiness and my passions have you despised my humility; but out of your kindness and compassion you have not ceased to do me good and to provide for me. And "until old age and gray hairs" (Ps. LXX, 18), my God, do not forsake me, Jesus Christ, beautiful name, my sweetness, my desire, and my hope: you who for our sake became man, and endured the death of the cross, and in your wisdom dispensed and arranged all things for our salvation.
I confess to you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I bend the knee of my body and soul, confessing to you, my God, all my sins. Incline your ear also to my supplication, and forgive the wickedness of my heart. I have sinned, I have done wickedly, I have transgressed, I have angered and exasperated my good Lord, my nurturer and provider: there is no kind of iniquity, whether it can be spoken of or cannot be spoken of, that I have not committed, both in act and in word, both knowingly and in ignorance, in mind and in thoughts, sinning beyond every measure; and although I have often promised to perform penance, so often have I fallen into the same evils. B Faster might the drops of rain be numbered than my sins: for they have gone over my head, and like a heavy burden have they burdened me. For from my youth until this present time, opening the doors to absurd desires, I have used a headlong impulse, defiling the divinely-woven garment of holy baptism, staining the temple of my body, debasing my miserable soul with shameful passions, practicing every iniquity and injustice: were I to wish to recount these one by one, time would fail me. But since you know all things—for there is no creature hidden from you; for all things are naked and open to your eyes—what is to be said to you who know all, who are ignorant of nothing? But as for me, my heart and the bones of my mind are crushed, and I am wholly plunged into the depth of perplexity, reflecting within myself that, having committed such great and many sins, I have not shown even the smallest work of repentance: and the time of pruning is near, and the appointed hour of death is at hand, and there is no time for repentance. Therefore my soul is troubled, full of grief and sorrow: for being unprepared, C as I examine and judge myself, I find nothing suitable for a defense, nor any device or way by which I might be snatched from the eternal fire. For "if the just man is scarcely saved, where shall I, the sinner, appear?" (I Pet. IV, 18) And if "through many tribulations the kingdom of heaven is given as a lot to the worthy" (Acts XIV, 21), and "narrow and strait is the way of life" (Matt. VII, 14): how shall I, given over to passions and ruined morals, be deemed worthy of salvation? If "all the righteousness of man is like a menstruous cloth" (Is. LXIV, 6); such filth, such iniquity, what shall it be reckoned? If "account must be given for an idle word" (Matt. XII, 36): for so many and such great sins, what defense shall I have that can even be seen? Woe to me, O soul! that our affairs have proceeded thus. Life is short and limited, quickly passing by and sending [us] to death: is the punishment for sinners eternal, just as the kingdom is for the just, and the life of both is not cut off by death? What, therefore, shall I do? What shall I perform? Into what chaos shall I cast myself? Death is terrible, especially to sinners, because it is an evil: for "the death of sinners is the worst" (Ps. XXXIII, 22); but it is far more terrible to fall into the hands of the living God, from whom no one can rescue. Since, therefore, He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to render to each according to his works: when the thrones shall be set, when the Judge, who is terrible and without respect of persons, shall sit, and a river of fire shall flow in His sight, and splendor and joy shall be prepared for the just, and all the myriads of angels, and all men who have been from the beginning of time, and all creation together, shall be seen.