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the communion of sufferings, the imitation of works, and your humility becomes a procurer of divinity for those who pursue it with knowledge. I thank you, Master, when I suffer unjustly, but if justly, let it be for me an atonement for my offenses, a cleansing of my immeasurable, O Christ, transgressions, and never allow pains to be brought upon me beyond my strength, Master, or temptations or afflictions, but always grant me a way out, my God, and the strength to be able to endure the sorrows. For you are the provider of good things from the beginning to those who from their soul fall down worthily before your might, providing the gifts of faith, of works, and of good hopes, and all the gifts of your Divine and adorable Spirit, O merciful One, now and ever and always unto the ages of ages, amen.

37.

A supplication and prayer of the same to God for His help (286) Master Christ, Master, Savior of souls, Master, God of all visible and invisible powers, as creator of all things in heaven, of those above the heaven and all the heavens, and of those under the earth and on the earth likewise! You are Lord of these things, both God and Master, you hold creation in your hand, for in it you contain all things. Your hand, Master, is the great power, which, fulfilling the will of your Father, both creates, works, and builds and orders our affairs ineffably; this therefore, having now brought even me forth from non-being, has made me to be, when I had come to be in this world completely ignorant of you, the good Master, you, my creator, you, O my maker, and I was like a blind man in the world and as one without God, not knowing my God. You yourself therefore had mercy and visited (287) and you turned me back, shining a light for me in the darkness and drawing me to yourself, O fashioner, and leading me out from the lowest pit, the darkness of the passions, the deepest darkness

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ἡ κοινωνία τῶν παθῶν, ἡ μίμησις τῶν ἔργων, καί πρόξενος θεότητος ἡ ταπείνωσις πέλει ἡ σή τοῖς μετά γνώσεως ταύτην μετερχομένοις. Εὐχαριστῶ σοι, ∆έσποτα, πάσχων μᾶλλον ἀδίκως, εἰ δέ δικαίως, ἔστω μοι εἰς ἔκτισιν πταισμάτων, εἰς κάθαρσιν ἀμέτρων μου, Χριστέ, πλημμελημάτων, καί μή ἐάσῃς μοι ποτέ πόνους ἐπενεχθῆναι ὑπέρ δύναμιν, ∆έσποτα, ἤ πειρασμούς ἤ θλίψεις, ἀλλά ἀεί μοι χάρισαι τήν ἔκβασιν, Θεέ μου, καί τήν ἰσχύν τοῦ δύνασθαι ὑπενεγκεῖν τάς λύπας. Σύ γάρ ὑπάρχεις τῶν καλῶν ὁ παροχεύς ἀρχῆθεν τοῖς ἐκ ψυχῆς προσπίπτουσι τῷ σῷ κράτει ἀξίως, τῆς πίστεως, τῶν ἔργων τε καί τῶν χρηστῶν ἐλπίδων παρέχων τά χαρίσματα, τάς δωρεάς τε πάσας τοῦ Θείου καί προσκυνητοῦ Πνεύματός σου, οἰκτίρμον, νῦν καί ἀεί καί πάντοτε εἰς αἰῶνας αἰώνων, ἀμήν.

ΛΖ'.

∆έησις καί προσευχή τοῦ αὐτοῦ πρός Θεόν τῆς ἐκείνου ἕνεκα βοηθείας (286) ∆έσποτα Χριστέ, ∆έσποτα ψυχοσῶστα, ∆έσποτα Θεέ πάντων τῶν ὁρωμένων ἀοράτων τε δυνάμεων, ὡς κτίστης τῶν ἐν οὐρανῷ πάντων, τῶν ὑπεράνω τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τε καί οὐρανῶν ἁπάντων, τῶν ὑπό γῆν τε καί τῶν ἐν γῇ ὡσαύτως! Σύ εἶ Κύριος τούτων, Θεός τε καί ∆εσπότης, σύ τῇ χειρί σου περικρατεῖς τήν κτίσιν, ὅτι ἐν αὐτῇ περιέχεις τά πάντα. Χείρ σου, ∆έσποτα, δύναμις ἡ μεγάλη, ἥ τό θέλημα τοῦ σοῦ Πατρός πληροῦσα καί δημιουργεῖ, ἐργάζεται καί κτίζει καί οἰκονομεῖ τά καθ᾿ ἡμᾶς ἀρρήτως˙ αὕτη οὖν κἀμέ νυνί παραγαγοῦσα ἐκ τοῦ μή ὄντος πεποίηκε τοῦ εἶναι, ὅε καί γεγονώς ἤμην ἐν τῷδε κόσμῳ ἀγνοῶν ὅλως σέ, τόν καλόν ∆εσπότην, σέ, τόν κτίστην μου, σέ, ὦ δημιουργέ μου, καί ὥσπερ τυφλός ὑπῆρχον ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ καί ὡς ἄθεος, ἀγνοῶν τόν Θεόν μου. Αὐτός οὖν ἐλεήσας καί ἐπεσκέψω (287) καί ἐπεστρέψας λάμψας ἐν σκότει φῶς μοι καί ἑλκύσας με πρός ἑαυτόν, ὦ πλάστα, ἐξαγαγών τε ἐκ κατωτάτου λάκκου, σκότους τῶν παθῶν, σκότους τοῦ βαθυτάτου