The Paramythia Mother of God ~ Night Prayer

This is the 8th century Paramythia Icon of the Mother of God -Comforter. She has her own side-chapel in the Vatopedi Monastery on Mt. Athos in Greece.

It is night. The monks have retired for their rest. The priest has left his stole hooked onto the icon's frame. There are a few candles we may light and a chair to the right where we may sit peacefully for awhile at the end of our own day. A small rug has been placed on the floor before the wonder-working icon where we may kneel or even touch our forehead to the floor. We can feel the silence of this inviting space.

O Lady, 

gratitude for this day ~

  its gift of life,

  energy and stamina,

for the food and water that have sustained me,

for the beautiful and the good I have

  seen or heard,

  tasted or touched,

for the clarity and strength to make any right choice,

for every awareness of God's nearness,

for the love of others ~ love given and received,

for any inspiration and movement towards 

  justice and charity,

for the help of others

  in my weakness,

  my loneliness,

  my indecision,

  anxiety,

  doubt,

  sorrow or sickness.

And O Lady,

Comforter,

I pray for those who are sleepless,

  who will work through this night,

  who keep us safe,

  who rescue others,

  who work in hospitals,

  who tend to children,

for those whose night is ruined with arguing

  and even violence,

for those who stay awake to watch over the dying,

for the children born tonight,

for those away from loved ones,

for wanderers without home or bed,

for night-travelers,

for mourners and those whose night is tear-filled.

Bless my own night time rest now,

may I have a sweet-dream,

and bring me to tomorrow ready and renewed.

Amen.

The Paramythia Mother of God ~ The Comforter

I've snuck in,
drawn near at night,
a cyber visitor,
an online pilgrim,
visiting the chapel-home
your Vatopedi sons have prepared for you.*
Rejoicing in your dignity,
they call you Abbess!

Someone has left two candles behind
I'm presuming to light,
but all the more my inner being lit up - 
so glad for the solitude with you
and your boy in his silver robe.

Oh Paramythia,
loving Mother-Consoler,
who do I know needing comfort tonight?
The UNICEF children of the television plea,
and their brothers and sisters,
withering in squalor,
hidden in fear.
Comfort them.

And their parents...
Oh, the fearful mothers running,
hoping to survive the sail-away
from the hateful menace,
and the panicking who are told to 
turn around,
go back,
You're on the next flight out.
Comfort them.

Console the bent ones
who get no bathroom break,
who pick the lettuce,
the grapes,
the strawberries
and cabbages,
who wear hooded shirts to conceal their faces
for fear of being returned to their fearsome land.
Comfort them.

And the ones who clean the toilets
and change the beds they could never
afford to sleep in
for even a night,
the ones who wash the dishes,
who breathe the demolition dust.
Comfort them.

And Paramythia-Mother,
now I must ask you to do something
against your nature,
but would you dis-comfort us?
Discomfort us in our indifference, 
ingratitude,
expectant entitlement.

Discomfort the politicians  and the churchmen,
the ones with so much power,
the clubs of billionaires,
millionaires,
the corporate boards,
the media moguls,
the investors and inventors
and the people we call stars.

Discomfort the men who love to wear decorations
and costumes of distinction and gradation:
buttons and ribbons,
badges and crowns, 
feathers and medals, 
veils and rings.
Discomfort them.

And discomfort
even those who live (they think) 
on the lower rungs of our country.
Discomfort us who have so much,
yet still complain so much.
Discomfort us in our pettiness, 
small thoughts, 
so-smartness and shopping.

And now I'll simply sit here some moments,
near the lamp which holds an eternal flame.
Perhaps the young monk will come in from 
his disturbed sleep
to refresh the oil 
which keeps the flame alive,
and who will no doubt ask you, 
for love to be refreshed in his heart.


* Vatopedi is one of the twenty monasteries on Mount Athos which is a mountainous peninsula in North East Greece. About 2000 monks live on Mount Athos