Prayer from the East Syrian Orthodox Offices
Strengthen, O our Lord and our God, our weakness in thy compassion, and comfort and help the wants of our soul in thy loving kindness; waken the sleep of our thoughts and lighten the weight of our limbs. Illuminate the darkness of our minds, and stretch forth your arm and confirm us, and give us strength and a helping hand, so we may arise and confess and glorify you, without ceasing all the days of our life, Lord of all. Amen.
Breath Meditation Practice
Take some deep breaths: In through the nose, out through the mouth, three at least or more. As your mind wanders, return your focus to the breath.
Saturday Reading
Isaiah 6:1–8
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”
At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”
Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
Serenity Prayer
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference.
Prayer for Loved Ones
Take a minute (more if you like) to simply name your loved ones. Practice not over-thinking. Just naming. Focus on your feeling of love for each one.
Closing: Prayer from the East Syrian Orthodox Offices
As a breath prayer. On the in breath: Waken the sleep of my thoughts. On the out breath: Lighten the weight of my limbs. If you like, pick another line to return to through the day.
Strengthen, O our Lord and our God, our weakness in thy compassion, and comfort and help the wants of our soul in thy loving kindness; waken the sleep of our thoughts and lighten the weight of our limbs. Illuminate the darkness of our minds, and stretch forth your arm and confirm us, and give us strength and a helping hand, so we may arise and confess and glorify you, without ceasing all the days of our life, Lord of all. Amen.
Benediction
Go in peace: wash your hands, love your neighbor, you are not alone.