"One Accord"

Excerpts from Christian writers Past and Present

Blessed immortal King, kind heavenly Christ, who love mankind, 0nly-begotten Son of the living God. Almighty, exalted beyond understanding, beyond telling, who pardon us, awesome God: scold the undulating agitation of my soul, whipped up by the winter tempests. Calm the uncontrollable commotion in my troubled heart…. Subdue the wild urges of my mind. By the grace of your command, O great God, may the storm that constantly pelts me with icy gusts be calmed. Put to rest and banish forever the multi-headed ghosts of secret shame which attack like pirates in their vulgar ways. Consider my constant prayer, whose letters are written with ever-renewed compunction in this book of the sighs of my grieving heart. Lift me out of the abyss of death depths and grant me miraculous life among the redeemed prophets. Receive my repentance, my self-reproaches offered with savory incense. Console me for I am out of hope, and ease my afflictions and sighs. To You ,with the Father and the Holy Spirit glory, honor and dominion forever I meant. – Prayer by Saint Gregory of Narek, 11th century Armenian