A prayer book for Orthodox young adults
Annalisa Boyd
Chesterton, Indiana
Hear Me: A Prayer Book for Orthodox Young Adults
3rd edition
Original material copyright © 2016 and 2024 by Annalisa Boyd
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the Publisher.
Prayers are adapted from original ancient sources by the author unless otherwise noted.
Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version of the Bible, ©1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, TN, and are used by permission. Published by Ancient Faith Publishing A
Printed in the United States of America
ISBN: 978-1-955890-66-3
Contents
HEAR ME: an introduction 9
On the Front Lines: daily prayers 11
Morning Prayers 12
Midday Prayers 17
Evening Prayers 19
On Watch: prayers for any time 25
Lord, Have Mercy 25
The Jesus Prayer 25
Prayer to Your Guardian Angel 26
Prayer to Your Patron Saint 26
Prayer to the All-Holy Trinity 26
Hymn to the Theotokos 26
Prayer of Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow 27
Psalm 141:2 27
The Good, the Bad, and the Family:
prayers for relationships 29
Prayer for a Sick Friend 30
Prayer of a Child or Youth 30
Prayer of a Foster or Adopted Child 31
Prayer of a Single Person 31
Prayer for Friendships 31
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Prayer for Enemies 32
Prayer for Family Relationships 33
Prayer for Parents 33
Prayer for Godparents 34
Prayer for One Who Is Dying 34
Prayer for the Dead 34
Psalm 23—A Psalm of David 35
Prayer for the Departed 36
In the Hope of Resurrection 36
Life under Pressure:
prayers for circumstances 39
Prayer before Beginning Any Task 39
Prayer before Going to School 40
Prayer before Going Online 40
Prayer against Internet Pornography 41
Prayer before a Journey 41
Prayer in Times of Need 42
Prayer when Facing the Unknown 42
Prayer in Times of Trouble 43
Thanksgiving after Deliverance 43
Declaration of Dependence: the sacrament of confession 45
The First Commandment 46
The Second Commandment 47
The Third Commandment 48
The Fourth Commandment 49
The Fifth Commandment 50
The Sixth Commandment 51
The Seventh Commandment 52
Mine Field! 53
The Eighth Commandment 54
The Ninth Commandment 55
The Tenth Commandment 56
Demolition 57
Prayer before Confession 60
After Confession 61
Armed and Ready 62
The Beatitudes 66
Prayer after Receiving the Eucharist 68
The Witness Stand:
prayers with the bible & the saints 69
Addiction 70
Anger 72
Bitterness 74
Chastity/Purity/Modesty 75
Confusion/Doubt 78
Fear 80
Gossip/Taming the Tongue 84
Identity 86
Loneliness 89
Mental Health 90
Passions 93
Persecution—The Persecuted Church 95
Sexuality/Sensuality 96
Sexual Purity 100
Stepping away from God 103
Suffering/Trials 105
Troubled Sleep 107
Worldliness 108
Scriptures for Meditation 110
When the Saints Go Marching In: some saints who pray for you 111
Standing in the Gap: intercessory prayer 115
Basic Training: the christian walk 119
What is Orthodox Christianity? 119
How is an Orthodox Christian “saved”? 120
Do Orthodox Christians believe they are “saved by works”? 121
Don’t we just need the Bible and nothing else to understand and follow God? 121
What’s the big deal about Mary? 122
Do you pray to the saints? Why? 123
Why can’t just any Christian take Communion (the Eucharist) in an Orthodox church? 124
Why do you fast all the time? 124
Why do you have icons? What about “no graven images”? 125
Why do you light candles? 126
Why do you burn incense? 127
Why do you baptize babies? 127
Getting Through the Obstacle Course 128
I feel betrayed by a friend. 128
I don’t think I can trust my priest. 129
My parents aren’t Christians. Do I have to obey them? 130
I’ve committed a big sin and am afraid to tell anyone. 131
I keep committing the same sin over and over again. 131
I think I’m in love. 132
I really want to be in an intimate relationship. 133
I’m making myself throw up or starving myself to lose weight. 134
My friend is depressed. 135
I’m so depressed I’m hurting myself or don’t want to live. 135
I’m being pressured to drink or do drugs. 136
I can’t control my anger. 137
I’m anxious all the time. 137
I’m having a hard time believing in God. 139
I can’t forgive. 139
Someone is hurting me. 140
I don’t think my parents’ rules are fair. 141
I saw someone do something dangerous or illegal.
What is my responsibility? 142
I have a friend/relative who attempted or committed suicide. 142
How I feel about my body/gender and what the Church teaches don’t match. What should I do? 143
I think God wants me to be a monastic. 143
I have been considering having or have had an abortion. Is God’s love big enough for me? 144
I am drawn to the LGBTQ+ community/lifestyle. What should I do? 145
I am attracted to someone of the same sex. Can I participate in the fullness of the Faith if I act on those attractions? 146
My teacher/therapist says some teachings of the Church are wrong. What should I do? 147
In Closing: at ease 150
HEAR ME
an introduction
I sought the Lord, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.
—Psalm 34:4
welcome to your personal prayer book. May you find joy and peace within its pages. As a youth, you have entered an exciting time of life. You are able to exercise more freedom in your daily activities and in your faith. You may not be aware of it, but right at this moment you are developing patterns for living that will follow you through the teen years and into adulthood. Patterns for developing friendships. Work and study patterns. Even patterns for your spiritual life.
Prayer is a valuable pattern to establish, and you will be
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challenged as you pursue your personal prayers and quiet times with Christ and His saints. The world offers so many distractions, but a well-established prayer time is like a tree with strong roots. When the winds or trials and temptations of life come, you will stand firm.
In this book you will find prayers and encouragement for many areas of your life. Written prayers are valuable tools which, in time, become prayers of the heart, not just the mouth. Adding your own personal thoughts, praise, and confession makes praying even more meaningful.
May these prayers open your heart to your Savior and bless you as you grow in the love and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. May you know that you have a God who hears you!
DAI
Who is this King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
The Lord mighty in battle.
—Psalm 24:8
when preparing for a battle, it is important to go to your commander, seeking his direction and listening to his plan of attack. It is no different in our Christian walk. Trials and temptations assail us daily, and if we are not armed and prepared through close communication with our Commander, we will fall in battle. We arm ourselves through extensive training in prayer and union with the Lord through the sacraments. Through prayer we are able to recognize the enemy and false teachings, which can be deadly landmines resulting in unnecessary casualties. God doesn’t wait for you to fall, either; He is right there with you in the heat of battle.
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Do not rush one prayer after another, but say them with orderly deliberation, as one addressing a great person for a favor. Do not just pay attention to the words, but rather let the mind be in the heart, standing before the Lord in full awareness of His presence, in full consciousness of His greatness and grace and justice.
—Saint Theophan the RecluseMorning Prayers
The Trisagion Prayers
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. amen.
Glory to You, our God, glory to You.
O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of truth, everywhere present and filling all things, Treasury of blessings and Giver of Life, come and abide in us, cleanse us from every stain, and save our souls, O Good One.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever and unto ages of ages. amen.
O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us.
O Lord, cleanse us from our sins.
O Master, pardon our iniquities.
O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for Your name’s sake.
Lord, have mercy, Lord, have mercy, Lord, have mercy.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever and unto ages of ages. amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name; Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. amen.
A Prayer for the Beginning of the Day by Saint Philaret of Moscow
O Lord, grant me to greet this new day in peace. Help me in all things to humbly rely upon Your holy will. In every hour of the day, reveal Your will to me. Bless my dealings with all who surround me. Teach me to treat all that comes to me throughout the day with peace of soul and with the firm conviction that
Your will governs all. In all I do and say, guide my thoughts and feelings. In unforeseen events, let me not forget that all are sent by You. Teach me to act firmly and wisely, without embittering or embarrassing others. Give me the strength to bear the fatigue of the coming day with all that it shall bring. Direct my will, teach me to pray, and pray Yourself within me. amen.
A Portion of the Breastplate Prayer by Saint
PatrickI arise today, through God’s strength to pilot me: God’s might to uphold me, God’s wisdom to guide me, God’s eye to look before me, God’s ear to hear me, God’s word to speak for me, God’s hand to guard me, God’s way to lie before me, God’s shield to protect me, God’s host to secure me:
Against snares of devils, against temptations of vices, Against inclinations of nature, against everyone who shall wish me ill, afar and near, alone and in a crowd.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ in breadth, Christ in length, Christ in height,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.
Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is of Christ. May Thy Salvation, O Lord, be ever with us.
Psalm 5:1–3
Give ear to my words, O Lord,
Consider my meditation.
Give heed to the voice of my cry,
My King and my God, for to You I will pray.
My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up.
A Prayer to the Holy Trinity
Arising from sleep I thank You, O Holy Trinity, because of the riches of your goodness and longsuffering. In Your compassion You raised me up, as I lay in hopelessness, that in the morning I might sing the glories of Your Majesty. Guide the eyes of my understanding; open my mouth to receive Your words; teach me Your commandments; help me to do Your will, confessing You from my heart, singing and praising Your All-holy Name: of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. amen.
