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but by Your grace I knew myself to be a stranger to the things that are seen, having been illuminated intellectually by Your light and having known that You transfer to an immaterial and invisible world, and You settle the human race, and You apportion and divide worthy dwellings to each, as he kept, Savior, Your commandments. For this reason, then, I pray to enroll me with You, even if I have sinned much more than all men and am worthy of punishment and vengeance, but receive me as a suppliant like the publican and like the harlot, Master, even if perhaps I do not weep, if I do not likewise wipe Your feet with my hair, if I do not groan and lament, Christ, in a similar way; (342) but You pour forth mercy and gush forth compassion, You are a fount of goodness, through which have mercy on me. Yes, You Whose hands were pierced, yes, You Whose feet were pierced on the cross and Whose side was speared, all-compassionate one, have mercy and deliver me from the eternal fire, having deemed me worthy from here to serve you well, and then to stand before you without condemnation and be received within Your bride-chamber, Savior, where I will rejoice with You, the good Master, with ineffable joy for all ages, amen.

46.

Confession joined to a prayer; and concerning the union of the Holy Spirit and dispassion. (343)

I went far away, Lover of mankind, I took lodging in the desert and was hidden from You, the sweet Master; having been under the night of the cares of life I endured many bites and wounds from there, returning, I bear many blows in my soul and I cry out in my pain and the sorrow of my heart: Have mercy, pity me the transgressor! O You Who love souls and are the only compassionate physician, Who heals the sick and wounded for free, heal my bruises, my wounds. Drop Your oil of grace, my God,

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ἀλλά τῇ χάριτι τῇ σῇ ἐμαυτόν ἔγνων ξένον τῶν ὁρωμένων νοερῶς ἐλλαμφθείς τῷ φωτί σου καί γνούς ὅτι πρός ἄϋλον καί ἀόρατον κόσμον μετάγεις, κατοικίζεις τε τό ἀνθρώπινον φῦλον, μερίζεις τε καί διαιρεῖς ἀξίους κατοικίας ἑκάστῳ, ὡς ἐφύλαξεν, Σωτήρ, τάς ἐντολάς σου. ∆ιά τοῦτο οὖν δέομαι σύν σοί με κατατάξαι, εἰ καί πολλά ἐξήμαρτον ὑπέρ πάντας ἀνθρώπους καί ἄξιος κολάσεως εἰμί καί τιμωρίας, ἀλλά με ἱκετεύοντα δέξαι ὡς τόν τελώνην καί ὡς τήν πόρνην, ∆έσποτα, εἰ καί μή ἴσως κλαίω, εἰ μή ὁμοίως πόδας σου ταῖς θριξί μου ἐκμάσσω, εἰ μή στενάζω καί θρηνῶ, Χριστέ, παραπλησίως˙ (342) ἀλλά ἐκβλύζεις ἔλεος καί βρύεις εὐσπλαγχνίαν, πηγάζεις ἀγαθότητα, δι᾿ ὧν ἐλέησόν με. Ναί, ὁ παγείς τάς χεῖράς σου, ναί, ὁ παγείς τούς πόδας ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ καί λογχευθείς τήν πλευράν, πανοικτίρμον, ἐλέησον καί ῥῦσαί με πυρός τοῦ αἰωνίου, καλῶς καταξιώσας με ἐντεῦθέν σοι δουλεῦσαι, ἀκαταγνώστως τότε δέ στῆναι ἐνώπιόν σου καί προσδεχθῆναι ἔνδοθεν τοῦ νυμφῶνός σου, Σῶτερ, ἔνθα συνευφρανθήσομαι σοί, τῷ καλῷ ∆εσπότῃ, ἀνεκλαλήτῳ χαρᾷ εἰς πάντας τούς αἰῶνας, ἀμήν.

ΜΣΤ'.

Ἐξομολόγησις εὐχῇ συνημμένη˙ καί περί συναφείας Πνεύματος Ἁγίου καί ἀπαθείας. (343)

Ἐμάκρυνα, φιλάνθρωπε, ηὐλίσθην ἐν ἐρήμῳ καί ἀπεκρύβην ἀπό σοῦ, τοῦ γλυκέος ∆εσπότου˙ ὑπό τήν νύκτα γεγονώς τῆς τοῦ βίου μερίμνης πολλά ἐκεῖθεν δήγματα καί τραύματα ὑπέστην, πολλάς πληγάς ἐπανελθών φέρω ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ μου καί κράζω ἐν ὀδύνῃ μου καί πόνῳ τῆς καρδίας˙ Ἐλέησον, οἰκτείρησον ἐμέ τόν παραβάτην! Ὦ ἰατρέ φιλόψυχε καί φιλοικτίρμον μόνε, ὁ δωρεάν τούς ἀσθενεῖς καί τετραυματισμένους ἰώμενος, ἰάτρευσον μώλωπας, τραύματά μου. Στάλαξόν σου τό ἔλαιον τῆς χάριτος, Θεέ μου,