Monday, March 23 : Symeon the New Theologian

O my God, my Creator, who love to forgive,
Make the brightness of your inaccessible light grow greater over me
To fill my heart with joy.
Be not angry; do not forsake me!
But make my soul radiant with your light,
For your light, O my God, is you… I have gone aside from your straight road, the divine road,
And have fallen lamentably from the glory that had been given me.
I have been stripped of the shining robe, the divine robe,
And fallen into the darkness; now I lie in darkness
And do not realize I am deprived of light…
For if you have shone from on high, if you have appeared in the shadows,
If you have come into the world, O Merciful One,
If you have desired to live with men
In our human condition, for love of humankind,
If… you are said to be the light of the world (Jn 8:12)
And we do not even see you,
Is this not because we are completely blind
And more unfortunate than the blind, O my Christ?… As for you, who are all good things, you give them unceasingly
to your servants, to those who see your light…
Whoever possesses you, truly possesses in you all other things.
May I not be deprived of you, O Lord! May I not be deprived of you, Creator!
May I not be deprived of you, O Merciful One, I, the humble stranger…
I beg you, set me with you,
Even if I have multiplied sins more than everyone else.
Receive my prayer like that of the publican (Lk 18:13)
Or like that of the sinful woman, Lord, even though I weep not as she did (Lk 7:38)…
Are you not the source of pity, the spring of mercy and river of goodness?
Therefore, on this account have pity on me!
Ah yes, you who had hands and feet nailed to the cross
And your side pierced with the lance, you the All-Compassionate,
Have pity on me and snatch me away from the eternal burning…
That on that day I may stand before you without condemnation
To be welcomed into your wedding chamber
In which I shall share your happiness, good Master,
In inexpressible joy throughout the ages. Amen.

Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team