Special Daily Prayers

paschal procession

Paschal Procession, St. Michael's Church, Binghamton, NY

Parish Renewal (Monday)

O Lord, Who did send down Your Most Holy Spirit upon Your Apostles at the third hour and changed the simple fishermen into 'fishers of men', so now we ask of You to help us consciously recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in the lives of our parishes and our diocese. May our lives continue to be worthy Temples of the Holy Spirit. May we be mindful of the continuous Pentecost, the constant outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon us, our families, our parishes and our diocese. May we do nothing to grieve the Holy Spirit, but may our lives be acceptable to Him Who will bring us to the knowledge of Truth, the knowledge of Your Son and our God. O God, look down graciously upon us from Your holy dwelling place and pour forth your abundant mercies and blessings upon our Diocesan Parishes which You have raised for the honor and glory of Your all-holy Name. As your Most Holy Son walked here on earth so let Him ever be present in our parishes and may all of us find Him walking in our midst. As You sent Your Most Holy Spirit upon Your Apostles at the Feast of Pentecost, so we continue to implore and beg of You take not Your Holy Spirit from us, but renew Him in us who pray to You. For You are the Giver and the Herald of the Way of our salvation, now and ever and forever. Amen.

Harvest 2000/Evangelization (Tuesday)

O God of truth and love, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, hear our prayer for those who do not know You, that they may come to a saving knowledge of the truth and that Your Name may be praised among all peoples of the world. Sustain, inspire, and enlighten Your servants who bring them the Gospel. Bring fresh vigor to wavering faith; sustain our faith when it is still fragile. Grant them wisdom and courage to proclaim Your message effectively, to endure the hardships they face, to trust in Your mercy, and to see all their sufferings as part of the suffering Your dear Son Jesus Christ endured on the cross and let the joy of the Holy Spirit working in their lives ever strengthen them in their resolve to see Christ proclaimed in every nation. Continually renew missionary zeal in ourselves and in the Church, and raise up new missionaries who will follow You to the ends of the world. Make us witnesses to Your goodness, full of love, of strength and of faith, for Your glory and for the salvation of the entire world. Through the Prayers of St. Paul, Saints Cyril and Methodius, St. Rostislav of Moravia, St. Maxym Sandovich, St. Herman of Alaska, St. Innocent the Enlightener and all the missionary saints, have mercy on us and save us. Amen.

Vocations/Seminary (Wednesday)

O Lord, the High Priest of God's people, You have shown us that it is Your will that men be called to the service of Your Holy Church. From the ranks of fishermen, You called Andrew and Peter and James and John, and made them and their successors in every age to be the "fishers of men." We, your people in this age, call upon Your great love to inspire for our churches, young men to be Your future priests. Touch their lives with Your Holy Spirit; give them the courage to answer Your call and the strength to work all the days of their life for Your service. Continue to shower upon our Diocesan Seminary Your choicest blessings and make us aware of her needs so that it may continue to be a place where the souls of those called to Your service may be trained and prepared to teach and preach, to pray and labor, to forgive and heal - to care in every way as priests of Your fold, O Good Shepherd. You told us with Your precious lips, "Without me, you can do nothing." As we call upon Your Name for more vocations, O Great High Priest, hear us and have mercy.

Youth/Camp Nazareth (Thursday)

O Lord Jesus Christ, Who embraced and blessed the little children when they came to You, and said: "Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them. The kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these; and their angels ever see the face of my Father," we beg You to look with favor on the innocence of our Diocesan Youth and on the devotion of their parents, and bless them. Let them ever advance in Your grace and goodness, the better to know You, love You, fear You, and serve You, and happily reach their blessed destiny. Strengthen our Diocesan Youth with heavenly grace, so that they may grasp with their minds, treasure in their hearts, and carry out in their deeds all the teachings that lead to salvation. Look with favor upon our Camp Nazareth, built for the education and salvation of our Youth. Command Your angels to guard it and to drive away from it all power of the enemy. For You are the enlightenment of our souls and bodies, O Christ our God, and we give glory to You, together with Your eternal Father and Your all-holy, gracious and life-giving Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen.

Monastics/Monasticism (Friday)

O Lord, You commanded that anyone who would be perfect should go and sell what they have and give to the poor, and they will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow You, so now do we humbly beseech You to guide Your servants to take upon themselves the monastic yoke, and learn from You for You are gentle and You will find rest for their souls. For Your yoke is easy, and Your burden is light. Grant to Your humble servants grace, peace, love, patience, vigilance, and prayerful discernment in the monastic life. Lead them into Your spiritual dwelling place, O Lord our God, and enroll them in Your monastic flock of reason endowed sheep. Through the prayers of our holy fathers and spiritual mothers, O Lord, have mercy and save them. Amen.

Departed (Saturday)

O God of spirits and of all flesh, Who has conquered death and destroyed Satan and Who has granted life to Your world: O Lord, rest the soul(s) of Your departed servant(s) (name) in a serene, luxuriant and peaceful place where all pain and sorrow and lamentation are absent. As a gracious God Who loves mankind, forgive all transgressions committed by (him, her, them) by word or deed or thought, for there is no one living who does not sin; You alone are without sin, Your truth is truth in eternity and Your word is truth. For You are the resurrection, life and repose of Your departed servant(s) (name) O Christ our God, and we give glory to You and to Your eternal Father and Your most holy, gracious and life-giving Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen.

Diocesan Clergy (Sunday)

O Lord Jesus Christ, Good Shepherd of Your sheep, light the fire of ardent love in the hearts of all Your priests, that they may ever and in all things seek only Your glory. Remember especially, Lord, our Bishop (name), and our spiritual father (name), and all our diocesan clergy, who are laboring in Your vineyard for the salvation of all those whom You have entrusted to them. Make their lives as holy as the word they preach. Keep them from being discouraged. Hear their prayers for our salvation. Give them wisdom and courage to proclaim Your truth. Make them priests after Your own heart. For You are a merciful God Who loves us and to You we give glory, together with Your eternal Father and Your all-holy, good and life-giving- Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen.