Short prayers used in personal devotion
Many Church Fathers taught the use of the “arrow prayer”, deliberately short prayers for personal devotion that were easily remembered, and could communicate one’s love for God, while seeking His help. They were like arrows being shot into the air, wholeheartedly demonstrating our sincerity in asking God’s help. One of my personal favorites is an arrow prayer attributed to Saint Gregory Palamas.
Lord enlighten my darkness, Lord enlighten my darkness, Lord enlighten my darkness…..
This is the perfect prayer when seeking God’s help in keeping His commandments, and doing battle with habitual sins. By this prayer we are asking that grace abound and transformation take place. It is a prayerful plea for God’s mercy, and that He make us holy by coming quickly to our aid.
It is the perfect prayer to utter at the very moment we are receiving the Holy Mysteries of Christ’s Body and Blood, the hot coals that burn within and bring about healing of body and soul, and illumine our heart. It is a prayer in which we confess before God that we are living in a state of darkness, and asking Him to dispel all that darkness which keeps us from attaining holiness, and communing with Him.
“There is no need at all to make long discourses; it is enough to stretch out one’s hands and say, “Lord, as you will, and as you know, have mercy.” And if the conflict grows fiercer say, “Lord, help!” He knows very well what we need and he shews us his mercy (Saint Macarius the Great).”
Love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Photos: I spoke at the Greek Orthodox Mission in Salem, Oregon, on Saturday. Father Jerry is the priest who serves this mission, while also serving as rector of Saint George Greek Orthodox Church in Eugene, Oregon.
Sunday January 21, 2018 / January 8, 2018
33rd Sunday after Pentecost. Tone eight.
Sunday after the Baptism of Our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ
St. George the Chozebite, abbot (7th c.) and St. Emilian Bishop of Cyzicus (9th c.).
Venerable Domnica of Constantinople (395).
Venerable Gregory, wonderworker of the Kiev Caves (1093).
Venerable Gregory, hermit of the Kiev Caves (14th c.).
Hieromartyr Isidore and 72 companions at Yuriev (Dorpats) in Estonia, slain by the Latins in 1472.
New Hieromartyr Victor priest (1937).
New Hieromartyrs Demetrius, Vladimir priests, Paphnutius, Martyr Michael (1938).
New Hieromartyr Basil priest (1939).
Martyr John (1940).
St. Michael confessor, priest (1941).
Venerable Paisius of Uglich (1504).
Hieromartyr Carterius of Caesarea in Cappadocia (304).
Martyrs Theophilus the Deacon and Helladius in Libya (4th c.).
Martyrs Julian and his wife Basilissa, and with them Marcionilla and her son Celsus, Anthony, Anastasius, seven children, and twenty soldiers, at Antinoe in Egypt (313).
Venerable Elias the Hermit of Egypt (4th c.).
Martyr Abo the Perfumer of Baghdad, who suffered at Tbilisi, Georgia (786) (Georgia).
Sts. Atticus (425) and Cyrus (714), patriarchs of Constantinople.
Venerable Agatho of Egypt, monk (4th c.)
Holy Virgin Gudula of Brussels (659) (Celtic & British).
St. Gregory of Ochrid, bishop of Moesia (1012) (Bulgaria).
St. Severinus, apostle of Noricum, Austria (482).
St. Theodore of Constantinople (595).
St. Erhard, bishop of Regensburg (Bavaria) (700).
St. Emilian the Confessor, bishop of Cyzicus (9th c.).
St. Macarius (Macres) of Vatopedi, Mt. Athos (1431).
St. Severin, bishop of Cologne (397).
St. Nathalan of Aberdeenshire.
St. Pega, hermitess, of Peakirk.
St. Wulsin, bishop of Sherborne.
The Scripture Readings
John 21:15-25
Jesus Restores Peter
15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”
16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”
And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. 18 Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.”19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”
The Beloved Disciple and His Book
20 Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” 21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?”
22 Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”
23 Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?”
24 This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true.
25 And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.
1 Timothy 4:9-15
9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. 10 For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. 11 These things command and teach.
Take Heed to Your Ministry
12 Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 13 Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. 14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. 15 Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.
Luke 19:1-10
Jesus Comes to Zacchaeus’ House
19 Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. 2 Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3 And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”6 So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. 7 But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.”
8 Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.”
9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; 10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”