Let us Pray

A Supplication Before Prayer.

Glory be to You, O One and Only God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Glory be to You, O Creator of the worlds. Glory be to You O Lord of Mercy and Goodness.  Praise be to You, O Good One.  Praise be to You Who are benevolent to souls and bodies. Praise be to You, Who do cause Your sun to shine on the righteous and the wicked alike.  O God, I adore You, I praise You, I worship You, I magnify You and I glorify You.  Illuminate my mind with Your Divine light so that I say before Your magnificence a pure and acceptable prayer.  Forgive all those who have transgressed against me, and make the hearts of those against whom I have sinned compassionate that they may forgive me.  O Lord, many are my enemies.  They are continually making war against my soul, and I am unable to fight them without Your power.  Take up Your weapon and Your sword, O Lord, and rise up to my aid.  Say to my soul, be you not afraid, I am your Savior.  O Lord, come to my aid by Your grace, that I say before You a prayer that pleases Your Majesty. For I am ashamed of my transgressions and iniquities.  With what tongue shall I entreat You? With what thought shall I ponder Your grand glory?  What hands shall I stretch before You or with what knees shall I kneel before You?  What pure heart shall I present to You?  For I am totally defiled with iniquities, and fully stained with uncleanness from my head even unto my feet. I am trembling with fear to stand before You in prayer, O You Who are the source of holiness and the Lord of perfection.  Lo, I stand before You as a servant before his master.  Have mercy upon me, O compassionate Lord of Lords.  I stand before You as a sick man before the physician.  Do You heal the wounds of my soul, O heavenly Healer.  I stand before You as a son before his father.  Have pity upon me, Heavenly Father, as a father takes pity on his children.  I stand before You as a pupil before his master.  Do You, O Divine Teacher, enlighten my mind and illuminate my thought and perception pouring upon me the bounty of Your grace.

O God, teach me how to pray, and remember not my sins.  Rather, remember that I am the one whom Your holy hands fashioned.  I am the one who is created in Your image.  I am the lost sheep and the Prodigal son.  I am the paralytic who is paralyzed by sin.  I am the blind man born in iniquity, and I see not the shining light of Your truth.  I am the Publican.  I am that sick man.  Have pity on me.  Lend Your ear to my petition, and listen to my entreaty, O Lord.  Look upon my contrition of heart and my penitence.  Look upon my tears and pay heed to my sighs.  Look upon my repentance and my good faith. Do not turn Your face from me and be not inattentive to my salvation. Rather, be compassionate, and have pity and mercy upon me. Absolve and forgive me.  Make me worthy to offer to You an acceptable and befitting prayer, and to worship You in spirit and truth. Give me to become a pure temple that befits to be Your dwelling place, O Holy and ever Glorious Trinity.  Praise be to You forever and ever. Amen.

The source:

The Spiritual Treasure on Canonical Prayer, By: Mor Ignatius Ephrem Barsoum