Recently this week, I have been
reading such amazing stories of Holy Patriarch Pavle and until now, I am still amazed. To read about his humility, holiness, purity and his whole life is really a great joy and blessing. Glory to Thee, O God! I couldn't hold my tear of amazement to hear the stories. What a saint! Here are some stories posted by brother Romanos (click) here and here and Father Milovan here and here.And glory to God for allowing me to have this little time to reflect and glorify Him for His love and faithfulness for me the unworthy one. Lord, How great art Thou among Thy saints! It's amazed me to be reminded that Thou sought us in humility, came to our lowliness and even visited us in our pain to bear our pain and invited us to Thy very life. It's amazed me to see Thy servant as a messenger of grace: expecting pain so obediently, so that he might be a great help for those who are suffering, to bring them into Thy eternal green pastureland. Like Christ Who is full of compassionate and mercy, wholeheartedly with open hand received and being friend of 'sinners' and the rejected, restored them, healed them and above all, giving them and us Life, he kept much silent for his own cares and looked after those whose God loves so deeply.
Lord, grant me the unworthy one a gentle and compassionate heart in following Thy step
Gladly knowing that I am Thine
Joyfully follow Thy steps even though the world hates us so deeply,
Lord, grace my poor mind to expect the pain, any spiritual pain in each moment
if in that pain I might be like Thee and behind Thee
to be attracted to Thy Holy Will
to be crucified with Thee
so that I might see Thee in awe and love
see others compassionately and burned with love
to stay with them, to feel their longing for Thee
to love them as Thou Thyself love me and them greatly!
Lord have mercy on me, Thy unworthy servant!
Amen.
Beautiful post, Yudhie!
ReplyDeleteDo you know this prayer of Francesco di Bernardone of Assisi? He is a great saint among the Roman Catholics, but he lived very soon after the schism, and many people believe (as do I) that himself he was not an enemy to Holy Orthodoxy, but to us, and even to God-fearing Muslims, he was a friend. Of all saints he was the first to receive the marks of Christ's crucifixion on his own body, and the only one to receive them, even the nails formed of cartilage protruding from his hands and feet. Francesco's early life is beautifully shown in the film Brother Sun Sister Moon and in that film you can also hear this prayer…
Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.
Where there is hatred let me sow love.
Where there is injury let me sow pardon.
Where there is doubt let me sow faith.
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.
It is in dying that we are born,
that we are born to eternal life.
Thanks, Romanos! :)
ReplyDeleteYes, I heard about this great saint when I was in my catholic high school. In fact, that was the first time I was moved to read the historical persons in the church, the saints and the history of Christianity :).
Thanks for posting this beautiful prayer.
Ameyn!