Kontakion 13
Life-giving and merciful *Trinity, receive my thanksgiving for all your goodness. Make us *worthy of your blessings, so that, when we have brought to fruit the talents you have entrusted to us, we may enter into the joy of our Lord, forever exulting in the shout of victory: Alleluia!
Ikos 1 (repeated)
I was born *a weak, defenseless child, but your angel spread his wings over my cradle to defend me. From birth until now your love has illumed my path, and has wondrously guided me towards the light of eternity: from birth until now the generous gifts of your providence have been marvelously showered upon me, I give you thanks, with all who have come to know you, who call upon your name.
Glory to you, for calling me into being.
Glory to you, showing me the beauty of the universe.
Glory to you, spreading out before me heaven and earth
Like the pages in a book of eternal wisdom.
Glory to you, for your eternity in this fleeting world.
Glory to you, for your mercies, seen and unseen.
Glory to you, through every sigh of my sorrow.
Glory to you, for ever step of my life's journey.
* See in the Andre Rublev Trinity Icon here that the Trinitarian persons sit in a circle around the table, that the three would fit inside a circle, that their heads are en-circled — indicators of their shared inter-relatedness — each filled with divinity simultaneously without depriving the others of divine life and love.
* "Worthy" — we must be very careful with this word. "Lord I am not worthy..." the soldier said to Jesus and we repeat at Mass before Communion. Even if I choose another word, like deserving, we are not helped. If I believe myself to be worthy, I risk thinking God owes me something.
* "a weak, defenseless child" — as are we all. Realizing this, remembering this, might help us to live in solidarity with others in all their variety and possibility.
