A Prayer to the Holy Spirit

[minasoliman]

I wanted to share a contemplation on the Holy Spirit in the form of a prayer, in connection with what we celebrate in some of the feasts of the Lord, one of which is tomorrow, the Holy Theophany.

Oh Comforter, Spirit of Truth, who fills all with light and grants all life,
 
 
You who hovered over waters at the beginning of creation's proclaimed light,
And breathed life at the beginning of mankind's proclaimed image,
 
 
You who hovered over the Virgin in Bethlehem at the beginning of the Word's star-lead Incarnation,
And breathed through the wilderness' Voice of the Jordan at the beginning of the Word's baptism-lead ministry,
 
 
You who hovered over palm-spread Jerusalem at the beginning of the King's enlightening passion,
And breathed into the key-bearing Apostles the gift of thanksgiving at the beginning of the King's life-giving Supper,
 
 
You who hovered over the tomb at the beginning of the blinding Resurrection,
And after the Ascension of our risen Promise into the Right Hand of the Father,
Have blown fires to anoint new life at the beginning of the newly-wed Church,
 
 
Hover over us that we may be cleansed, healed, and give birth to Your light of godliness,
And breathe through us that we may share and inherit Your life of eternity.


That through Your indwelling in us, we may be made worthy in Christ to cry to out to Our Father who is in heaven.
 

Amen!

[Cantor Krishnich]

Amin!

[Hiwot]

Amen!

Thank you Mina!

[Orest]

I think it is good for a personal prayer and should be used as such  but lacks the poetry of many of our liturgical prayers and the cadence to be set to music.

[minasoliman]

Personally, I'm hoping to encourage people here to share their prayers, not to add to the liturgy 

[minasoliman]

Another prayer, in contemplation of the fruit of the Spirit:

My Lord and God, the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, teach to love the goals of this work.  Through You Oh Holy Spirit, teach me to love the work.

Through loving you and the work through You, I count it all joy that I suffer in this work.  Enlighten me Lord so that I may be more joyful as you comfort me and carry this burden with me.

Through the joy of suffering, give me oh Lord the peace which surpasses all understanding, that I know by You helping me in this burden and the joy I receive of Your presence, I may be at peace, that the light You shine at the end of this tunnel may be present even though it's a long way ahead.

Through Your peace Oh Comforter, give me patience that the long way ahead may not feel so long, but that the patience reflects a relationship with You that is eternal.  Being in peace, I know patience, in that You will take care of all things in due time according to Your good will according to the time You see fit.

Through patience Oh Lord, help me to exude kindness towards others and towards my work.  Help me to not curse my work when I hit a roadblock, but that I patiently take it step by step, to be kind to my mind as well as learn kindness to others despite my suffering in this work.

Through kindness Oh Lord, help me to do good.  Grant me goodness, that I may do good with myself by applying what I am learning and remembering what I learn.  Help me develop this goodness in my learning to be goodness to others.  For just as kindness is my reaction towards others and this work through patience, so also goodness is my initiative towards others and this work through this kindness.

Through goodness Oh Lord, teach me faithfulness.  Knowing the rewards of goodness in my life, I can then have consistency in my work, maintenance of the stage of work, steadfastness in the maintenance of the work, confidence in fulfilling and advancing the work, and trust in my level of working through Your faithfulness in me, the hope that I have in You.

Through faithfulness Oh Lord, teach me meekness.  For in being consistent, I practice willful submission.  For in healthy maintenance, I understand moderation.  For in righteous steadfastness, I value modesty.  For in confidence, I become gentle.  And in trust, I am humbled.  Help me to not forget to be consistently submissive, maintain moderation in my work, not to be burnt out, and burning out others in the process.  By being steadfastly modest, Oh Lord that I may uproot all desire of vainglory and extremes, leading me to have the confidence to afford gentleness and to be truthfully and deeply rooted in humility.  Only by faithfulness can I learn to become meek.

Through meekness Oh Lord, teach me self-control.  For as soon as one learns submission, one learns subduing of the senses.  For as soon as one learns moderation, one learns to stay focused.  For as soon as one learns modesty, one learns stay away from extremes.  For as soon as one learns gentleness, one learns mindfulness.  For as soon as one learns humility, one learns one's capabilities and is able to discern and have wisdom how to guide oneself in life.  When I master meekness Oh Lord, I proceed to learn to know myself, and to be able therefore to truly and masterfully control the self, true mastery of my destiny, that I would be able to proceed to the unknown virtues of angels and my interceding saints.

Grant me Oh Holy Spirit Your Holy and Precious fruits, that through them, which comes from You in eternity, which are You in grace, I may partake of Your Divine Life, and become in You a successful son of the Father.

Through Your gift and Life-Giving communion, with the Only Begotten Son, and the Father Who You proceed from, the Co-Essential Trinity in Glory, now, and at all times, and unto the ages of all ages.  Amen!

[zekarja]

Those are beautiful. I personally am not one to write prayers. They either come out of me spontaneously on the spot or, I pray pre-composed prayers of liturgical nature.

[Orest]

Personally, I'm hoping to encourage people here to share their prayers, not to add to the liturgy 

But is that a good idea?

[minasoliman]

Personally, I'm hoping to encourage people here to share their prayers, not to add to the liturgy 

But is that a good idea?

I don't know.  If I have written anything wrong, I ask for forgiveness and correction.

[zekarja]

Personally, I'm hoping to encourage people here to share their prayers, not to add to the liturgy  

But is that a good idea?

Who do you suppose wrote the hymns and prayers used by the Church? Sinners struggling towards holiness wrote them. Unless one is writing heresy, their is nothing wrong with writing prayers for non-liturgical use.

[Hiwot]

Personally, I'm hoping to encourage people here to share their prayers, not to add to the liturgy 

But is that a good idea?

Its an excellent idea!

[Hiwot]

Amen! thank you Mina!

[CoptoGeek]

Very well done, Mina!

[Orest]

Personally, I'm hoping to encourage people here to share their prayers, not to add to the liturgy  

But is that a good idea?

Who do you suppose wrote the hymns and prayers used by the Church? Sinners struggling towards holiness wrote them. Unless one is writing heresy, their is nothing wrong with writing prayers for non-liturgical use.

Yes, but the prayers of the church were revised, approved and sanctioned by the Church.  It adds to our concept of unity and eternity to be praying the words prayed for centuries by generations of saints and sinner called to repentenca

[minasoliman]

Well, I'm not replacing or looking for liturgical acceptance.  Just sharing my meditations.

[Hiwot]

Personally, I'm hoping to encourage people here to share their prayers, not to add to the liturgy  

But is that a good idea?

Who do you suppose wrote the hymns and prayers used by the Church? Sinners struggling towards holiness wrote them. Unless one is writing heresy, their is nothing wrong with writing prayers for non-liturgical use.

Yes, but the prayers of the church were revised, approved and sanctioned by the Church.  It adds to our concept of unity and eternity to be praying the words prayed for centuries by generations of saints and sinner called to repentenca

how do you think those prayers were composed? if the Faithful at one time or another did not write them? how are they revised and approved and sanctioned by the Church if the Church did not read them? our unity and eternity is not based on few people who wrote prayers, but by the unity and eternity of the Truth those prayers contain in themselves. the Holy Spirit can move whoever He chooses into a life of prayer, to which we are all called. when He gives His Chrism of Prayer with understanding that will transform our lives into Living Prayer, we should rejoice and not give into unprofitable murmuring as if The Holy Spirit is not active today as He was in the beginning.

if this was a hymn sung would it offend you as much as hearing it without musical melody in a redable format? although it is quite beautiful and melodious to me. what Mina shared with us is a blessing, we should thank the Paraclete for it. the words comforted me, strengthen me encouraged me to perserver,opened the eyes of my heart to  the sacredness of what I see as mundane task in my daily living when the Holy Spirit sanctifies it. there is much to be thankful for what the Lord has allowed to be shared with us.May the Lord grant our Mina to hear on that day, the Words of Life. amen.

[Orest]

First of all to the best of my knowledge we only have ONE prayer in the Eastern Orthodox tradition addressed to the Holy Spirit only. 
In the Eastern Orthodox tradition there is a stress on community and sobornost rather than individuality.  As I said the prayers we use in our daily prayers were written, edited and sanctioned not by one individual but by the church or members of the church for use in the church.  Our prayers are poetic, beautiful and theologically sound.  The use of paradox, metaphors, images and reeferences to scripture are abundant in our prayers that have survived for centuries.  Even new tropars or akathists that are composed today for new saints or feast days follow this pattern.

[sheenj]

I'm still not sure what your objection is. Do you not want anyone to write any new prayers at all? What's wrong with writing down meditations on the holy spirit as long as it Orthodox in content?

[Hiwot]

First of all to the best of my knowledge we only have ONE prayer in the Eastern Orthodox tradition addressed to the Holy Spirit only. 
In the Eastern Orthodox tradition there is a stress on community and sobornost rather than individuality.  As I said the prayers we use in our daily prayers were written, edited and sanctioned not by one individual but by the church or members of the church for use in the church.  Our prayers are poetic, beautiful and theologically sound.  The use of paradox, metaphors, images and reeferences to scripture are abundant in our prayers that have survived for centuries.  Even new tropars or akathists that are composed today for new saints or feast days follow this pattern.

interesting that you would chose to resort to such approach. I have not seen your jurisdiction to be this or that when I addressed your prior comments , perhaps you knowing ours,  my use of 'our' may have sent the wrong message to you, if that is so , then you have misunderstood gravely, when I said our , I  meant to address you as one of us who cares about the Theological soundness and adherence to tradition of the Church.now that things are said the way the are said, may the Lord forgive me because I must address this in the manner you have set it up.

 Both the individual and the community prayer are sanctioned in the Church.

as to there being Only One prayer in the EO tradition addressed to the Holy Spirit the number is not the qualifier of validity or the lack there of,  rather it is whether or not there should be a prayer addressed to the Holy Spirit that should be the measure of Validity. if your say there can be then the number is not a theological point to be made.

as to the stress in the community, the key point is the word stress not absolute disregard to the individual prayers as perhaps you might be interested to know both exist in the Oriental Orthodox Churches as well. the Church is replete with the Prayers of her Saints they have composed for personal and communal use. we are blessed and privileged to have them with us  for centuries to use them still.The Church is ever young and the Holy Spirit nurtures her young and makes her sing "2 O Lord our Lord, how admirable is thy name in the whole earth! For thy magnificence is elevated above the heavens.
 
3 Out of the mouth of infants and of sucklings thou hast perfected praise, because of thy enemies, that thou mayst destroy the enemy and the avenger." Psalm8:2-3

Perhaps you have prayed the Akhatist to the Mother of God today, you might  have began thus 'I shall open my mouth and it will be filled with the Spirit." you might have prayed the Creed and said 'I believe' the Prayer's of the Saints such as St.Ephrem the Syrian the one you pray often during lent, were not cast away because one person wrote them or because they say 'I' instead of we. there is no separation in the sense you have implied. the Union of the Church is an organic union, if one suffers all suffer , the health of one member benefits all. so the Church uses both individual prayers and communal one, properly understood and properly implemented.

Now our Mina have repeatedly said that he is sharing with us his personal reflections and prayers , he has also repeatedly told us he has no wish to change the liturgical prayers of the Church. why my brother, did you chose to ignore it?

as to your last three sentences, I can only say to God be the Glory!

[minasoliman]

If you can do something along the lines of this:

I heard a nice prayer today on the Prayers By the Lake audiobook:

Prayer XXXIV

Love makes me God, and You, O God, man.

Where there is one, there is no love.  Where there are two united there is only a semblance of love. Where three are united, there is love.  Your name is Love because Your name is trinity in Unity.

If You were solitary, You would not be love but hatred.

If You were a duality, You would be an alternation of love and hatred.  But You are a trinity, and therefore You are love, and in You there is neither darkness nor alternation.

Love knows neither time nor space.  It is outside of time and outside of space.  For love one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day.

When I am united with You in love, neither heaven nor earth exists--only God exists.  No "you" or "I" exists--only God exists.

Love has three hypostases: chastity, knowledge, and light.  Without chastity love is not affection but selfishness and passion.  Without knowledge love is not affection but selfishness and passion.  Without knowledge love is not wisdom but foolishness.  Without light love is not power but weakness.  When passion, foolishness, and weakness combine, they become hell, which is what satan likes to call "love."

When my soul is a most pure virgin, and my conscience is keen-sighted wisdom, and my spirit is life-giving light, I am a love that coincides with Your love.  Through love I see You in myself, and You see me in Yourself.

Through love I do not see myself but only You.  Through love You do not see Yourself, but only me. 

Love sacrifices itself, and does not feel that the sacrifice is giving but rather receiving.

My worldly children:  the world "love" is the deepest prayer of all.

"Does worldly love not exist?" my neighbors ask me.  "To the same extent that a worldly God exists," I answer.  "Worldly love burns and burns out, Heavenly love burns without burning out.  Worldly love, like everything worldly, is only a dream and semblance of Love.  Your love resembles divine love the way smoke resembles flames.

"When you exchange a gold coin for copper pennies, you do not call the pennies a gold coin but copper pennies.  Why then do you call divine love that has been broken and ground into ashes by time and space 'love' and not 'ashes'?"

O Lord, make me worthy of Your love, O Lord, and I shall be free of all laws.

Move Your love into me, and love will move me into You.


St. Nikolai Velimirovich

Of course, I pale in comparison to this great contemplative prayer on the Trinity of Love.  Nevertheless, it is in this spirit I only have been writing these.

The reason why I chose the Holy Spirit is that I feel we have many prayers to the Son and to the Father, but very few to the Holy Spirit.  In reality, one would pray to the Father by the Spirit in Christ.  Nevertheless, I wanted to acknowledge the Comforter's humility in guiding my life through prayer and through my work, and in that I desired only to give my personal contemplation in this.  So recently I wrote one in connection to the feast days (originally I was thinking of the seven major feast days of the Coptic Church, but I combined the Annunciation and Nativity in one line and added one minor feast day, which is the Feast of the Last Supper; this is why really this is in the OO forum to begin with), and one in connection to the fruit of the Spirit.

[Salpy]

First of all to the best of my knowledge we only have ONE prayer in the Eastern Orthodox tradition addressed to the Holy Spirit only. 

Really?  Only one?  Off the top of my head, I can think of at least a few prayers addressed to the Holy Spirit used in the Armenian Church during the hours, or the liturgy.

In the Eastern Orthodox tradition there is a stress on community and sobornost rather than individuality.  As I said the prayers we use in our daily prayers were written, edited and sanctioned not by one individual but by the church or members of the church for use in the church.  Our prayers are poetic, beautiful and theologically sound.  The use of paradox, metaphors, images and reeferences to scripture are abundant in our prayers that have survived for centuries.  Even new tropars or akathists that are composed today for new saints or feast days follow this pattern.

That seems to be something the EO's and OO's have in common.

As Mina said, he wrote the above prayers as personal meditations, and is sharing them as such.  He's not suggesting they replace, or even be added to, any officially sanctioned Church prayers.

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