Thursday, March 20, 2008

A Prayer of St. Nicholas of Zhicha

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

Enemies have driven me into Thy embrace more than friends have.
Friends have bound me to earth, enemies have loosed me from earch and
have demolished all my aspirations in the world.

Enemies have made me a stranger in worldly realms and an
extraneous inhabitant of the world. Just as a hunted animal finds
safer shelter than an unhunted animal does, so have I, persecuted by
enemies, found the safest sactuary, having ensconced myself beneath
Thy tabernacle, where neither friends nor enemies can slay my soul.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

They, rather than I, have confessed my sins before the world.

They have punished me, whenever I have hesitated to punish
myself.

They have tormented me, whenever I have tried to flee torments.

They have scolded me, whenever I have flattered myself.

They have spat upon me, whenever I have filled myself with
arrogance.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

Whenever I have made myself wise, they have called me foolish.

Whenever I have made myself mighty, they have mocked me as
though I were a dwarf.

Whenever I have wanted to lead people, they have shoved me into
the background.

Whenever I have rushed to enrich myself, they have prevented me
with an iron hand.

Whenever I thought that I would sleep peacefully they have
wakened me from sleep.

Whenever I have tried to build a home for a long and tranquil
life, they have demolished it and driven me out.

Truly, enemies have cut me loose from the world and have
stretched out my hands to the hem of Thy garment.

Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.

Bless them and multiply them; multiply them and make them even
more bitterly against me:

So that my feeing to Thee may have no return;

So that all hope in men may begin to reign in my soul;

So that my heart may become the grave of my two evil twins:
arrogance and anger;

So that I might amass all my treasure in heaven;

Ah, so that I may for once be freed from self deception, which
has entangled me in the dreadful web of illusory life.

Enemies have taught me to know what hardly anyone knows, that a
person has no enemies in the world except himself.

One hates enemies only when he fails to realize that they are
not enemies, but cruel friends.

It is truly difficult for me to say who has done me more good
and who has done me more evil in the world: friends or enemies.

Therefore bless, O Lord, both my friends and my enemies.

A slave curses enemies, for he does not understand. But a son
blesses them, for he understands.

For a son knows that his enemies cannot touch his life.
Therefore, he freely steps among them and prays to God for them.

Bless my enemies, O Lord, Even I bless them and do not curse them.

1 comment:

Mimi said...

It's just as sobering the second read. Thank you.