Prayer for the Right Attitude to Life

(Icon of St. Symeon the New Theologian - found here)

“I do not know how I came into the world;

Nor what the things here in it are.

What my sight is, O my God,

And what the objects that I see, I cannot tell.

How all we men are vain,

And have no proper judgement of reality!

Yesterday at least I came and tomorrow I shall go,

And I think to be immortal yonder.

That Thee are my God I confess to everyone,

And yet deny Thee daily in my deeds.

I teach that Thee have made each living thing;

And yet without Thee struggle to have all.

Thy rule extends above, below

And yet I am not feared to strive against Thee.

Let me the needy one, me most miserable;

Disburden all the sickness of my soul

Crushed, alas and broken into bits.

By vanity, by foolish arrogance.

Grant me to be humble, grant me a hand of help;

And cleanse my soul’s pollution.

And give me tears of repentance;

Love’s tears, tears of liberty;

Tears cleansing my mind’s darkness.

And filling me with heavenly radiance!

For Thee it is, the world’s Light;

The Light of my poor eyes, I wish to see –

I who fill my heart with life’s evils,

Suffering much of affliction and of envy.

From those who have worked my exiles:

From those, rather, who are my benefactors;

Who are my masters, my true friends:

To whom, O Christ, instead of ill give blessing:

Eternal, rich, divine;

Prepared by Thee for all the ages;

For those who deeply long for Thee, love Thee.”

~St. Symeon the New Theologian