Page 1 of 4 \nPrayer for Those Preparing to Celebrate The Divine Mysteries \nSaint Ambrose Bishop of Mediolansus (Milan) \n \nO Lord Jesus Christ, Who art the true High Priest and Bishop of \nour souls: Who didst upon the Altar of the Cross offer Thyself to \nGod the Father to be a pure and undefiled sacrifice for us miserable \nsinners, Who hast likewise given us Thy Flesh to eat and Thy \nBlood to drink: and hast established this Mystery in the power of \nthe Holy Spirit, saying, Do this in remembrance of me: \n \nI beseech Thee by the same Thy precious Blood, the ransom of our \nsalvation. \n \nI beseech Thee by that wondrous and ineffable love wherewith \nThou dost vouchsafe to love us (miserable and unworthy sinners) \nwashing us clean from all our sins in Thine own Blood. \n \nTeach me, Thy unworthy servant, whom among Thy manifold \nmercies Thou hast vouchsafed to share in the benefits of Thy \nPriesthood. (And this through no merits of my own, but only of \nThine abundant mercy!) \n \nTeach me, I pray Thee, by Thy Holy Spirit to draw near to so great \na Mystery, as is meet and right, with reverence and honor, and in \nall godliness and holy fear. \n \nMake me by Thy grace always so to believe and understand, to feel \nand firmly to hold, to speak, and to think, concerning this holy \nMystery as shall be well-pleasing to Thee and profitable to my \nsoul. \n \nLet Thy good Spirit enter into my heart, that with voiceless utterance and without sound of words He \nmay speak there, all Thy truth, which same, hidden under the veil of holiness, passeth man's \nunderstanding. \n \nOf Thy great mercy vouchsafe to me to take part in this holy Mystery with purity of heart and integrity \nof mind. \n \nDeliver me with the gracious and unfailing guard of Thy blessed Angels, that by their mighty \nprotection the enemies of good may be banished thence. \n \nBy the power of this great Mystery and by the hand of that holy Angel whom Thou dost send me, drive \nfar from me and from all Thy servants the spirit of hardness of heart, the spirit of pride and vainglory, \nthe spirit of envy and blasphemy, the spirit of fornication and uncleanness, the spirit of doubt and \nunfaithfulness. Confound them that persecute us, destroy them that make haste to destroy us. \n \nO King of virgins, Lover of chastity and purity; pour on me the heavenly dew of Thy blessing, to \nquench in my flesh any smoldering embers of lustful desires, that I may abide in continual chastity both \n\n\nPage 2 of 4 \nof body and soul. \n \nMortify in my members all incentives of the flesh, all inordinate affections, all motions of \nconcupiscence. And give unto me true and abiding chastity, and all other gifts which be pleasing to \nThee. Grant me thus to offer unto Thee this Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving in purity of body and \ncleanness of heart. \n \nFor who can understand what a sorrow of heart and what a fountain of tears is needful! What reverence \nand fear, what chastity of body and purity of heart is required! \n \nAnd yet only thus should one draw near to assist at that divine and heavenly Sacrifice. For herein Thy \nFlesh is eaten indeed and Thy Blood is drunk indeed. For herein things beneath and things above, \nthings earthly and things heavenly, are made one. For herein are Thy holy Angels ever present. For \nherein in a wonderful and ineffable order Thou hast constituted Thyself to be both Sacrifice and Priest. \n \nWho can be worthy to offer this Sacrifice unless Thou, Almighty God, dost make him worthily so to \ndo! I know, O Lord, and know of a surety, and to Thy goodness do I confess the same, that I am not \nworthy to draw near to so great a Mystery, because of my grievous sins and my manifold negligence. \nBut I know, and truly believe with all my heart, and confess with my mouth, that Thou canst make me \nworthily so to do, Who alone canst justify and sanctify sinners. \n \nO my God, I pray Thee, by this Thy almighty power, that Thou wouldest vouchsafe to me a sinner \nworthily to take my part in this Sacrifice. And thereto endue me with fear and trembling, with purity of \nheart and a fountain of tears, with spiritual gladness and heavenly rejoicing. Grant that my soul may \nfeel the sweetness of Thy blessed Presence, and the guard of Thy holy Angels round about me. \n \nFor I, O Lord, having in devout remembrance Thy holy passion, draw near unto Thy Altar. Although a \nsinner, I draw near in the Sacrifice which Thou didst institute , and which Thou hast commanded us to \noffer unto Thee in Thy memory and for our salvation. \n \nI beseech Thee, Almighty God, that Thou wouldest receive the same for the benefit of Thy holy \nChurch, and the people which Thou hast purchased with Thine own Blood. \n \nAnd forasmuch as Thou dost vouch safe to place Thy Priesthood upon sinful men; and to give each \nPriest as a mediator between Thee and the same Thy people: I pray Thee that wherever Thou findest \nnot the testimony of good works in them; yet Thou wouldest not make void the office and ministry \nwhich Thou hast committed unto their charge: that the Price of their Redemption, for whom Thou hast \nvouchsafed to offer Thyself to be a perfect Oblation and Satisfaction, be not lost through any of our \nunworthiness. \n \nAnd moreover, O Lord, I lift up before Thee (if Thou wilt vouchsafe to look favorably thereon): \nthe tribulations of all peoples and the perils of all nations; \nthe sighing of all prisoners and the sorrows of the fatherless; \nthe necessities of them that travel, \nthe wants of the sick, \nthe depression of the weary; \nthe failing powers of all the aged, \nthe aspirations of all young men, \nthe resolutions of all maidens, \nand the lamentations of all widows. \n \n\nPage 3 of 4 \nFor Thou, O Lord, hast mercy upon all men and hatest nothing that Thou hast made. \n \nRemember how frail is our nature, for Thou art our Father, for Thou art our God. Be not angry with us \nas we have deserved, and withdraw not Thou Thy mercy from us. For we do not present our \nsupplications before Thee because we are righteous, but rather because Thou art compassionate. \n \nTake away from us our iniquities, and in Thy mercy kindle in us the fire of Thy Holy Spirit. \n \nTake away the stony heart from us, and give us a heart of flesh; that we may love Thee, cherish Thee, \ndelight in Thee, follow Thee, and enjoy Thee. \n \nWe beseech Thee, O Lord, of Thy mercy, to show the light of Thy countenance upon Thy family \nperforming this sacred office, to the honor of Thy Name. And to the intent that their supplications be \nnot in vain, nor their petitions of none effect, do Thou put into our minds such prayers as it shall be \nwell-pleasing unto Thee to hear and to fulfill. \n \nWe pray Thee also, O Lord, holy Father, for the souls of the faithful departed: that this most \ncomfortable Sacrament may be to them salvation, health, rejoicing, and refreshment. O Lord my God, \ngrant unto them this day to feast abundantly on Thee, the Living Bread; Who didst come down from \nheaven, and givest life unto the world. \n \nGrant them to eat Thy Flesh, holy and blessed, Who art the immaculate Lamb that takest away the sins \nof the world; even the Flesh which Thou didst take of the womb, holy and glorious, of the blessed \nVirgin Mary, by the operation of the Holy Spirit. Grant them to drink of that fountain of love which \nflowed from Thy sacred side, pierced by the soldier's spear that being thereby refreshed and satisfied, \nrestored and comforted, they may rejoice in giving praise and glory unto Thee. \n \nI pray Thee, O Lord, of Thy mercy, that Thou wouldest send upon the bread now to be offered unto \nThee, the fullness of Thy blessing and the sanctifying powers of Thy Godhead. Send down also, O \nLord, the unseen and incomprehensible majesty of Thy Holy Spirit, as once Thou didst send the same \nupon the sacrifice of the fathers: that he may make our oblations to be indeed Thy Body and Blood \n \nAnd because I am so unworthy, teach me to approach this holy Mystery with purity of heart and with a \ndevout sorrow for my sins, in reverence and in awe. So shalt Thou lovingly and graciously accept this \nSacrifice at my hands for the salvation of all men, both living and departed. \n \nI beseech Thee also, O Lord, by this same sacred Mystery of Thy Body and Blood whereby, in Thy \nholy Church, we are daily given to eat and drink; are washed and sanctified, and made partakers in Thy \none Almighty Godhead; grant to me Thy holy virtues, that being filled therewith, I may draw near unto \nThine Altar with a good conscience; that so this heavenly Sacrament may be unto me life and salvation. \n \nFor Thou, Who art ever holy and blessed, hast said: The Bread which I will give is my Flesh for the life \nof the world: I am the living Bread which came down from heaven: If any man eat of this Bread, he \nshall live for ever. \n \nO Bread of Sweetness, give healing to my taste, that I may perceive the delights of Thy love. Deliver \nme from mine earthiness that I may find no sweetness in anything apart from Thee. \n \nO Bread of purest whiteness, that containest all delights, and all pleasant savors! O Thou Who dost \never refresh us, and never failest! Grant that my heart may feed on Thee, and that my inmost soul may \nbe filled with the sweetness of Thy savor. The Angels do feed upon Thee with full mouth. Grant that I, \n\nPage 4 of 4 \na pilgrim and a sojourner, may feed on Thee in such measure as I may. And thereby grant that I fail not \nin my journey, with such provision to stay me. \n \nO Bread, holy, pure, and living, Who didst come down from heaven and givest life unto the world! \nCome into my heart, and cleanse me from all defilement both of flesh and of spirit. \nEnter into my person, and heal and cleanse me both inwardly and outwardly. \nBe the protection and abiding health of my body as well as of my soul. \nDrive far from me all the enemies that lie in wait for me. \nGrant that they may fly far off from the presence of Thy power. \nGrant that being in all things defended by Thee, I may walk in a straight way into Thy \nKingdom. \n \nFor there we shall no more behold Thee in a mystery as in this present time. But rather we shall see \nThee face to face, when Thou shalt deliver up the kingdom to God the Father, and God shall be all in \nall. \n \nFor on that day shalt Thou satisfy me with a wondrous fullness, so that I shall no more hunger or thirst \nfor ever, O Jesus. Who with the same God the Father and the Holy Spirit livest and reignest, world \nwithout end. \n \nAmen. \n \n \nThis prayer is at: \nHTML PDF Word \nhttp://www.orthodox.net/trebnic/of-ambrose-before-celebrating-mysteries.html \nhttp://www.orthodox.net/trebnic/of-ambrose-before-celebrating-mysteries.html \nhttp://www.orthodox.net/trebnic/of-ambrose-before-celebrating-mysteries.doc \n \nBlog posts & local parish news are posted to our email list. Go to here: \nhttp://groups.google.com/group/saint-nicholas-orthodox-church to join. \n \nRedeeming the Time BLOG: http://www.orthodox.net/redeemingthetime \n \nUse this for any edifying reason, but please give c redit, and include the URL of the article. \n(seraphim@orthodox.net )