A PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

O Lord Jesus Christ our God, the God of all mercies and bounties, Whose mercy is immeasurable, and whose love for mankind is an unfathomable deep: falling down in adoration before Thy majesty, with fear and trembling, as unprofitable servants, and now humbly rendering thanks unto Thy loving-kindness for Thy benefits bestowed upon us. We thank Thee, O Lord, for having become one of us, suffering, dying and rising again, by which Thou hast reopened to us the doors of Paradise. We thank Thee O Lord, for Thy One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic, Orthodox Church, through which Thy teachings are preserved and practiced, and we are led to Thee. We thank Thee, O Lord, for the Saints whom Thou hast given us as role models and as intercessors before Thy Judgment Seat. We thank Thee, O Lord, for having helped us to overcome all difficulties, tensions, passions, temptations and restored peace, mutual love and joy in sharing the communion of the Holy Spirit. We thank Thee, O Lord, for the sufferings Thou didst bestow upon us, for they are purifying us from selfishness and reminding us of the “one thing needed,” Thine eternal Kingdom. We thank Thee, O Lord, for having given us this country where we are free to worship Thee. We thank Thee, O Lord, for our families: husbands, wives and, especially, children who teach us how to celebrate Thy holy Name in joy, movement and holy noise. We thank Thee, O Lord, for everyone and everything. Great art Thou, O Lord, and marvelous are Thy deeds, and no word is sufficient to celebrate Thy miracles. Glory to Thee, O God our Benefactor, together with Thine unoriginate Father, the Creator and Source of all things, and Thine All-holy, Good, and Life-giving Spirit, the Treasury of Blessings, unto ages of ages.