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Friday, March 11, 2016

During the Great Lent the Church makes an effort to wake us up to repentance.


During the Great Lent the Church makes an effort to wake us up to repentance. Heart-penetrating services, canons and frequent readings from the Old Testament are the tools for coming to realization of our sinfulness. The examples from the Old Testament caution us and, based on the experience of thousands of years, point us to the only way of grace: the way of communion with God.

God led the Jewish people to His Truth and Righteousness by means of various tribulations, long years of slavery and devastating diseases. All of the Old Testament is the story of God’s Righteousness punishing for sin and showing mercy. But despite such a multitude of punishments, the Jewish people often hardened their hearts and did not want to receive God’s rebuke.

Such hardening of heart can also be observed amongst us today. The Lord strikes us with tribulations, pours grief upon the stone-like ground of our heart, so that it may be ploughed and made ready to receive the seed of God’s grace; i.e. our hearts are often not receptive to the mercy of the Lord, even when He is showing us mercy in obvious ways. Like animals, we are still possessed by the fear of death, but do we fear God’s Judgment? The Lord is waiting for us to see in our troubles the axe and mercy of God, not just a coincidence.

Thus comparing the Old Testament with our time, we can see than both then and now the Lord cares for His people, not allowing them to perish in carelessness and iniquity. In various ways He leads us to repentance, calls us to again be united with Him, Who is the Source of life. Truly the love of God surpasses human understanding! His love goes to the extent that, according to the prophet Isaiah, for the sake of His chosen ones, for the sake of a small part of the people, He spares the whole people. For the sake of a few saints the kingdom shall stand. Thus God was leading his servants, showing Himself sometimes as a terrible and rebuking Judge, and sometimes as Merciful and All-Forgiving for the sake of man, to establish righteousness on the earth. (Indeed, there is yet another aspect of love, its protective power.)

If the Lord cared so much for his servants, does he not care even more for His sons? The Old Testament is slavery; the New Testament is sonship. We are no longer slaves in the Master’s house, but sons in the Father’s home. A slave strives only to please his master, and their relationship is measured by the slave’s work. But a son has a closer relationship with the father and is afraid of insulting him not only by action, but also by intention, lest he be separated from the love of the father; his relationship with the father is measured by feelings and thoughts. Yet to whom more was given, of him more will be asked. "We are children of God, but it has not yet been revealed what we will become,"-says the apostle; we have been given a lot, and it is up to us to multiply the Lord’s gift. It is up to us to set our feet on the warrior path, the path of the warriors of Christ, fighting on the battlefield of our hearts for the Truth and Righteousness of God. It is up to us to make a good beginning, since the Lord appreciates even our intentions, and everything else we will be able to do with the help of God’s grace.

Our weapon is frequent prayer, creative prayer beyond a mechanical repetition of memorized words. The Holy Church offers such prayers to us in the touching services of the Great Lent. The goal of our struggle is to acquire the inner peace of the soul. When peace finds home in our hearts, then we begin our blessed journey toward communion with God. The state of communion with God is so great, that this communion itself is our reward, the Kingdom of Heaven inside of us. This is what the Lord has called us to, so that here on earth we could in separate moments acquire eternity for ourselves. Amen.

Akathist to the All-Merciful Lord, Physician of Our Souls and Bodies





Kontakion 1


O Champion Leader and Lord, Wondrous Creator of human nature, hear our prayers from the height of the throne of Your Glory: Jesus, Almighty Physician, heal our souls and bodies.

Ikos 1


Having created the multitude of archangels and angels for Your service,


You made man from the dust of the ground for the inheritance of the Kingdom of Heaven, and You loved him above all creatures, O All-Merciful Lord. Learning of Your inexpressible love, as Your children, we cry unto You:


Jesus, Who called us into the marvelous world, allow us to abide with You forever.


Jesus, Who called us to be children of the Creator, allow us to ever hymn Him.


Jesus, grant us healing from our sins, with which we stained ourselves.


Jesus, grant us to stand at Your right on the Day of the Resurrection of all.


Jesus, Almighty Physician, heal our souls and bodies.

Kontakion 2


Seeing the perdition of the human race, You, O Father, desired to save it, for You so loved the world that You willed to send Your Only-Begotten Son Jesus Christ for our salvation. Therefore to Him we sing: Alleluia.

Ikos 2


You endowed Your creature with heavenly understanding, O Compassionate Lord, worthy of songs of praise and thanksgiving, You abide in Your Heavenly Kingdom, but we who are enslaved to sin abide in the poverty of our minds. Therefore we pray to You, fill our feeble minds with Your grace that we may know that we bear Your image and may become Your worthy children. For this sake, receive our petition:



Jesus, Who made our bodies to be temples of God, cleanse them from all impurity.


Jesus, Who breathed the breath of life into our bodies, enlighten them again with the Holy Spirit.


Jesus, Who created our souls to be immortal, deliver us from mortal sins.


Jesus, Who gave us luminous reason, chase the darkness from our hearts.


Jesus, Almighty Physician, heal our souls and bodies.

Kontakion 3


Strengthened by divine power, though we are great sinners, do not despair of our salvation, but put all hope in You alone and sing to You with compunction: Alleluia.

Ikos 3


With Your immeasurable compassion, enter our hearts and make them into Your dwelling place so that abiding with You, we may know You with our whole souls and minds, for You are the God of those who repent and all things are possible with You. We cry to You such things as these:


Jesus, Who created our eyes, allow us to see You with clarity.


Jesus, Who created our ears, allow us to hear Your sweet voice.


Jesus, Who created our mouths, allow us to unceasingly praise You.


Jesus, Who created our senses, allow us to apprehend the fullness of life in You alone.


Jesus, Almighty Physician, heal our souls and bodies.

Kontakion 4



Wearied by the storms of life, we hasten to Your divine intercession, O our Savior.


Strengthen our weakness enabling us to carry our cross for the rest of our lives without complaint but praising You: Alleluia.


Ikos 4


Hearing our endless weeping, tell us as You told Your friends, O Lord: “Do not cry, O my beloved, I will not leave you without my protection, but will heal you from your sickness and sorrow.”


Gladdened by such promise, we call upon You:



Jesus, the True Light, enlighten us with the knowledge of God.


Jesus, the Living God, vouchsafe us worthy of eternal life.


Jesus, Who gave Your body to us as incorruptible food, fill our hungering souls.


Jesus, Who suffered on the Cross for us, heal the wounds of our souls with Your Blood.


Jesus, Almighty Physician, heal our souls and bodies.

Kontakion 5


Worshipping the Unoriginate Trinity, we humbly beg You, our Christ: intercede for us sinners before Your Father so that He would not withdraw the Holy Spirit from us. And we cry to Him: Alleluia.


Ikos 5


Again and again we behold your outpourings of mercy on us of which we are not deserving, but marveled by Your compassion and long-suffering, we cry to You:



Jesus, we know that we are infirm and careless, but we diligently seek Your help.


Jesus, we know that we are hard-hearted and disobedient, but we long for the recovery from our ills.


Jesus, we know that we have sinned many times against You, but offer You tearful repentance.


Jesus, we know that we fall every day, but we can rise from our falls by the strength of Your power.


Jesus, Almighty Physician, heal our souls and bodies.


Kontakion 6


Desiring to save us from perishing forever, O Our Father, Your Only-Begotten Son was sent for our salvation as a Sacrifice. Through Your grace, heal our bodies and souls infected with the leprosy of sin so that we may even here on earth worthily praise You: Alleluia.


Ikos 6


Enlighten our souls with Your unwaning Light, O Lord, teaching us to walk in the light of Your commandments so that we may not sin before Your face but sing to You:


Jesus, Inexpressible Love, warm our cold hearts with Your Love.


Jesus, Gentle Light, make our darkened souls radiant with Your never-waning Light.


Jesus, Heavenly Sweetness, delight our human nature with Your Grace.


Jesus, Benevolent Master, fill our lives with Your bounties.


Jesus, Almighty Physician, heal our souls and bodies.


Kontakion 7


Desiring to manifest the greatness of Your love and compassion throughout Your earthly life, O Lord, You led many sinners to repentance. As the Publican, we cry to You: “God, be merciful to us, sinners!” And hoping in Your abundant mercy, we call unto You: Alleluia.

Ikos 7


You revealed in us a new creation, O Jesus, when in Your baptism You delivered us from the ancestral sin. For such benevolence to our mankind, we praise You:


Jesus, we glorify Your inexpressible loving-kindness.


Jesus, we praise Your great benevolence.


Jesus, we extol Your saving Passion.


Jesus, we thank You for all Your bounties.


Jesus, Almighty Physician, heal our souls and bodies.

Kontakion 8


Amazing and strange is Your ineffable benevolence and care for us, O Lover of mankind. Knowing our infirmities and weaknesses, with tears we entreat You: endure us, O Merciful One, and if we find favor in Your sight, do not forsake us, Your servants who cry to You: Alleluia.

Ikos 8


O Christ Our God, You are the fulfillment of our every desire and enjoyment by which we strengthen and satisfy our souls and bodies. For this we hymn You:


Jesus, You are our Joy and Sweetness.


Jesus, You are our Tenderness and Delight.


Jesus, You are our Glory and Stronghold.


Jesus, You are our Power and Protection.


Jesus, Almighty Physician, heal our souls and bodies.


Kontakion 9



All of the human nature healed by You from infirmity and illness gratefully praises You, Almighty Physician, and, knowing that God's power is made perfect in our weaknesses, cries out with compunction: Alleluia.


Ikos 9


God-loving orators, though they speak much of You, are unable to worthily glorify the great power of Your miracles, O Lord, by which You healed the woman with the issue of blood from her sickness, raised Lasarus from four days in the grave, lifted up Jairus' daughter from her death bed, and performed many other healings. But we, well aware of such miracles, cry out to You:



Jesus, Who raised the paralytic from his bed, raise our souls from sins.


Jesus, Who opened the eyes of the man born blind, open our spiritual eyes.


Jesus, Who resurrected the son of the widow of Nain, resurrect our kind thoughts.


Jesus, Who granted Abgar healing from his terrible disease, grant us healing from all our diseases.


Jesus, Almighty Physician, heal our souls and bodies.


Kontakion 10


Desiring to save all who believe in You, O Christ the Savior, You ascended into heaven and prepare a place for them in Your Kingdom. Therefore, vouchsafe us at the hour of our death to reach our Father's home in heaven, where we can glorify You: Alleluia.



Ikos 10


Everlasting King, Jesus Christ, Who for our salvation received flesh from the all-pure Virgin Mary and sanctified her by Your divinity, sanctify our sinful flesh with Your divinity so we may cry out to You in gratitude:


Jesus, cleanse our hands so we may glorify You with good deeds.


Jesus, strengthen our legs so we may follow You with gladness.


Jesus, correct our thoughts so we may live our lives to Your glory.


Jesus, bring peace to our souls so we may love all Your servants.


Jesus, Almighty Physician, heal our souls and bodies.


Kontakion 11



Most tender songs we offer to You, our Sweetest Jesus, exalting Your great mercy towards us and worshipping You with love and humility, we call on You: Alleluia.


Ikos 11


Shine into our souls the great and divine Light, O Giver of eternal life, so enlightened by it, we may reach the Heavenly Kingdom and, as the apostles on Mount Tabor, exclaim to You: “It is good for us to be here!” Receive now our supplications:


Jesus, forgive all our sins.


Jesus, receive our humble repentance.


Jesus, place our souls into the heavenly abode.


Jesus, transfigure our bodies at the resurrection of all.


Jesus, Almighty Physician, heal our souls and bodies.

Kontakion 12


Grant us Your grace, O Jesus Our God, which You bestowed on Your beloved disciples here on earth. Receive the confession of our sins, hear our groaning, send down upon us Your Holy Spirit, so that purified by Him, we can be accounted worthy to call upon You on earth as the angels call upon You in heaven: Alleluia.


Ikos 12


Singing of Your unspeakable love for mankind, we worship the greatness of Your deeds, O Christ, and fall down at Your feet with faith and love as before the Almighty Physician of our souls and bodies, exclaiming to You:


Jesus, our Maker, make us heirs of Your Kingdom,


Jesus, our Savior, save us from eternal torments.


Jesus, our Redeemer, redeem us from death unto eternal life.


Jesus, our Archpriest, save all Your archpriests who intercede for us at Your Judgment.


Jesus, Almighty Physician, heal our souls and bodies.


Kontakion 13



O Sweetest and Most-Bountiful Jesus, look down with love from Your Heavenly throne on us who are infirm and exhausted by the wounds of soul and body. Mercifully incline Your ear to our tearful plea and heal us by Your saving Passion from all sickness of soul and body, so that rising from our sick bed, we may enter into Your Holy Church, forever singing to You: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.


O Sweetest and Most-Bountiful Jesus, look down with love from Your Heavenly throne on us who are infirm and exhausted by the wounds of soul and body. Mercifully incline Your ear to our tearful plea and heal us by Your saving Passion from all sickness of soul and body, so that rising from our sick bed, we may enter into Your Holy Church, forever singing to You: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.


O Sweetest and Most-Bountiful Jesus, look down with love from Your Heavenly throne on us who are infirm and exhausted by the wounds of soul and body. Mercifully incline Your ear to our tearful plea and heal us by Your saving Passion from all sickness of soul and body, so that rising from our sick bed, we may enter into Your Holy Church, forever singing to You: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

(then again ikos 1 and kontakion1)


Ikos 1


Having created the multitude of archangels and angels for Your service,


You made man from the dust of the ground for the inheritance of the Kingdom of Heaven, and You loved him above all creatures, O All-Merciful Lord. Learning of Your inexpressible love, as Your children, we cry unto You:


Jesus, Who called us into the marvelous world, allow us to abide with You forever.


Jesus, Who called us to be children of the Creator, allow us to ever hymn Him.


Jesus, grant us healing from our sins, with which we stained ourselves.


Jesus, grant us to stand at Your right on the Day of the Resurrection of all.


Jesus, Almighty Physician, heal our souls and bodies.

Kontakion 1



O Champion Leader and Lord, Wondrous Creator of human nature, hear our prayers from the height of the throne of Your Glory: Jesus, Almighty Physician, heal our souls and bodies.


Prayer


O All-Powerful and Almighty Physician of our souls and bodies – Lord Jesus Christ! Hear now the tearful prayers of all Your servants who are suffering from grievous illnesses and who place all their hope in You alone. For we know, O Lord, that where human hand cannot give relief and healing - You can, for nothing is impossible for You. Having created our souls and bodies, You possess the power to save us. Therefore we beseech You, All-Merciful One, if it is Your holy will, heal us of our infirmities of soul and body and, according to the judgments known to You, regenerate our nature afflicted with sickness. Above all, we entreat You to forgive all our sins so that with our souls purified by repentance, we can hymn You, together with Your Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen.