I Confess With Faith (Prayers for every hour from Saint Nerses the Grace-filled)

[Benedict]

“I Confess with Faith”

St. Nerses Shnorhali the Gracious (1102-1173)

~

A prayer for every hour of the day

~

~

1

I confess with faith and worship you,

Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

uncreated and immortal Essence,

creator of angels, humans and of all that exists.

Have mercy upon your creatures,

and on me, a manifold sinner.

˜˜˜˜

2

I confess with faith and worship you,

O Indivisible Light,

unified Holy Trinity and one Godhead;

creator of light and dispeller of darkness,

dispel from my soul the darkness of sin and ignorance,

and enlighten my mind at this moment,

so that I may pray to you according to your will,

and receive from you the fulfillment of my requests.

Have mercy upon your creatures,

and on me, a manifold sinner.

˜˜˜˜

3

Heavenly Father, true God,

who sent your beloved Son to seek the lost sheep.

I have sinned against heaven and before you;

receive me as the prodigal son,

and clothe me with my former garment,

of which I was deprived by sin.

Have mercy upon your creatures,

and on me, a manifold sinner.

˜˜˜˜

4

Son of God, true God,

who descended from the bosom of the Father,

and took on flesh from the holy Virgin Mary for our salvation;

crucified, buried, and raised from the dead,

ascended in glory to the Father;

I have sinned against heaven and before you;

remember me like the penitent thief

when you come into your kingdom.

Have mercy upon your creatures,

and on me, a manifold sinner.

˜˜˜˜

5

Spirit of God, true God,

who descended on the river Jordan,

and into the Upper Room;

who enlightened me by the baptism of the Holy Font,

I have sinned against heaven and before you.

Purify me again with your divine fire,

as the fiery tongues purified the Holy Apostles.

Have mercy upon your creatures,

and on me, a manifold sinner.

˜˜˜˜

6

Uncreated Essence, I have sinned against you,

with my mind, with my soul and with my body,

remember not my former sins

for the sake of your Holy Name.

Have mercy upon your creatures,

and on me, a manifold sinner.

˜˜˜˜

7

Beholder of all, I have sinned against you,

in thought, word and deed;

erase the record of my transgressions,

and write my name in the book of Life.

Have mercy upon your creatures,

and on me, a manifold sinner.

˜˜˜˜

8

O Searcher of secrets, I have sinned against you,

willingly and inadvertently, knowingly and unknowingly.

Grant forgiveness unto me a sinner;

since from my birth through the holy baptism, until this day,

I have sinned before you Lord,

with all my senses and in all the members of my body.

Have mercy upon your creatures,

and on me, a manifold sinner.

˜˜˜˜

9

All-provident Lord,

place your holy awe as a guardian before my eyes,

so that I may not look with askance;

before my ears, not to delight in hearing evil discourses,

before my mouth, not to speak falsehood,

before my heart, not to mediate wickedness,

before my hands, not to commit injustice,

before my feet, not to walk on the paths of iniquity;

rather, guide always my motions,

that they may be according to all your commandments.

Have mercy upon your creatures,

and on me, a manifold sinner.

˜˜˜˜

10

O Christ, the quickening fire,

inflame my soul with the fire of your love

that you dispersed over the earth,

so that it may consume the stains of my soul;

cleanse my conscience and my mind,

purify my body from sin,

and kindle the light of your knowledge in my heart.

Have mercy upon your creatures,

and on me, a manifold sinner.

˜˜˜˜

11

O Jesus, wisdom of the Father,

grant me the wisdom that I may always

think, speak, and do what is good in your sight;

deliver me from evil thoughts, words and deeds.

Have mercy upon your creatures,

and on me, a manifold sinner.

˜˜˜˜

12

Benevolent Lord, your will encompasses all that is good;

you are the director of the will.

Do not let me follow the inclinations of my heart;

rather, guide me to always walk according to your good pleasure.

Have mercy upon your creatures,

and on me, a manifold sinner.

˜˜˜˜

13

Heavenly King, grant me your kingdom

which was promised to your beloved,

and strengthen my heart to hate sin,

and to love only you, and to do your will.

Have mercy upon your creatures,

and on me, a manifold sinner.

˜˜˜˜

14

Upholder of all creatures,

preserve by the sign of your cross,

my soul and body, from the allurements of sin,

from the temptation of evil, from unjust people,

and from all dangers physical and spiritual.

Have mercy upon your creatures,

and on me, a manifold sinner.

˜˜˜˜

15

O Christ, guardian of all,

may your right hand guard and shelter me, day and night;

while at home and while traveling;

while I am sleeping and while I am awake,

so that I may never falter.

Have mercy upon your creatures,

and on me, a manifold sinner.

˜˜˜˜

16

My God, inside your open hand

the whole creation is filled with your bounty.

Unto you I commit my being; take care of me

and provide the needful for my soul and body,

from this time forth for evermore.

Have mercy upon your creatures,

and on me, a manifold sinner.

˜˜˜˜

17

Finder of the lost,

turn me away from my evil habits to good ones;

and imprint on my soul the dreadful day of death,

the fear of eternal punishment,

and the love of your kingdom,

so that I may repent of my sins,

and I may follow the path of righteousness.

Have mercy upon your creatures,

and on me, a manifold sinner

˜˜˜˜

18

Fountain of immortality,

cause the tears of repentance to flow from my heart,

like those of Mary Magdalene,

so that before I depart this world,

I may wash away the sins of my soul.

Have mercy upon your creatures,

and on me, a manifold sinner.

˜˜˜˜

19

Grantor of mercy,

grant that I may come to you

with true faith, with good works,

and the communion of your Holy Body and Blood.

Have mercy upon your creatures,

and on me, a manifold sinner.

˜˜˜˜

20

Benevolent Lord,

commit me to a good angel,

who may deliver up my soul in peace,

and convey it undisturbed

through the malice of evil, to heavenly places.

Have mercy upon your creatures,

and on me, a manifold sinner.

˜˜˜˜

21

O Christ, the true Light,

make my soul worthy to encounter with joy

the light of your divine glory,

on the day I will be called by you;

and to rest in good hope,

in the mansions of the righteous,

until the great day of your coming.

Have mercy upon your creatures,

and on me, a manifold sinner.

˜˜˜˜

22

Righteous judge,

when you come with the glory of the Father

to judge the living and the dead,

do not enter into judgment with your servant;

but save me from the eternal fire,

and make me worthy to hear

the most blessed call of the righteous

for those who will enter to your heavenly kingdom.

Have mercy upon your creatures,

and on me, a manifold sinner.

˜˜˜˜

23

All-merciful Lord,

have mercy on all those who believe in you;

on my beloved ones, and on those who are strangers to me;

on all those I know, and on those unknown to me;

on the living and on the dead;

even forgive my enemies, and those who hate me,

forgive the trespasses they have committed against me;

and relieve them from the malice they bear towards me,

so that they become worthy of your mercy.

Have mercy upon your creatures,

and on me, a manifold sinner.

˜˜˜˜

24

O glorious Lord, receive the prayers of your servant;

and fulfill my requests that are deemed good.

Through the intercession of the Holy Mother of God,

and St. John the Baptist, and St. Stephen the first martyr,

and St. Gregory our Illuminator, and the Holy Apostles,

Prophets, Doctors of the Church,

Martyrs, Patriarchs, Hermits, Virgins,

and all your saints in heaven and on earth.

Unto you, O indivisible Holy Trinity,

be glory and worship, forever and ever. Amen.

[eschator83]

I've kept a copy of these prayers in the front of my prayer-book ever since I first saw them, and have been fascinated by them for several reasons, not the least of which is trying to imagine reading one at each hour (if I am awake and not under some obligation).  I have not yet succeeded in trying this, but I am hopeful.  Something holds me back from trying and failing.  St Nerses seems truly among the great saints.  He followed his brother as Katholikos of the Armenian Church and maintained union with Rome informally, even though this was not formalized until Leo II became King in 1198.
Also of interest is that Nerses has addressed his prayers as follows: 4 to the Divine Trinity; 6 to Jesus; 2 to God as Benevolent; 1 to God as Father; 1 to the Holy Spirit; and the remaining 8 to Lord or God with a separate attribute cited in each.  Somewhere recently I wrote a post asking about how to address prayers-would you comment?

[Benedict]

St Nerses seems truly among the great saints.
Also of interest is that Nerses has addressed his prayers as follows: 4 to the Divine Trinity; 6 to Jesus; 2 to God as Benevolent; 1 to God as Father; 1 to the Holy Spirit; and the remaining 8 to Lord or God with a separate attribute cited in each.  Somewhere recently I wrote a post asking about how to address prayers-would you comment?

Saint Nerses the Gracefilled or Saint Nerses the Graceful is indeed a master of prayer, compiling the entire Bible into a single prayer in the book Jesus, Son Only-begotten of the Father. Saint Nerses hourly prayers present a constant devotion to prayer to God. I suggest using these prayers in three ways. The first is to use them as a prayer for every hour, saying the prayer that corresponds with the hour, this is Saint Nerses the Gracefilled original intent. The second is to say the prayers hourly, starting with the first prayer and continuing to say a consecutive prayer each hour you are awake, this way you do not miss the cycle of prayers which actually flow together very well. The third way is to say as many prayers as you have missed up until the current hour and continue this process of hourly prayer but to make up lost hours in subsequent prayer sessions.
Regarding Saint Nerses the Gracefilled and his process of addressing his prayers, he begins each prayer with confidence in God saying "I confess with faith." This signifies his firm belief in the prayers he is about to offer or "confess" to confess is another word for praise. He then says "and worship you" because the prayer is a prayer of lateria or divine worship only offered to God. The first prayer considers the Trinity of divine persons and the Supreme Unity of Undivided Essence. Then the creation of marvelous creatures is recounted and finally mercy is beseeched. Mercy is the end of all the prayers in the hourly cycle, as a rule, all of Saint Nerses the Gracefilled's prayers are penitential in nature. Saint Nerses identifies himself as being worst than all the people in the bible, or as Saint Paul would say "I am the chief sinner." But this mercy is not only for himself but for all of God's creatures, which Saint Nerses the Gracefilled desires us to all call down God's mercy upon the whole world.
Then begins the second prayer addressing the Indivisible Trinity under the aspect of Light, the Supreme Unity and singular divinity or Godhead. God is addressed as Creator of light and Destroyer of darkness. This action of God's presence to radiate Light and destroy darkness is beseeched to effect in the soul of the Saint a great Illumination and Enlightenment to better pray to God and have his prayers be answered. Then the individual persons of the Holy Trinity are addressed in the next three prayers. The first acknowledging the Father who sent the Son, the Saint identifying with the prodigal who has lost his baptismal robe and begs God the Father to clothe him in grace once more. The second acknowledging the Son sent by the Father, who became Incarnate for our salvation, was Crucified, died and was buried and rose again from the dead and ascended to the right hand of the Father. The Saint then identifies with the penitent thief and asks Jesus to remember him. The third acknowledging the Holy Spirit as true God, recalling the baptism of Christ and Pentecost and the baptism of the Saint, before acknowledging that he has sinned since baptism. Then beseeching the Holy Spirit as Divine Fire to purify him, he recalls the fiery tongues of Pentecost upon the Apostles.  Then addressing the Supreme Reality of God's Uncreated Essence, the Saint acknowledged his sin against the Most High and asks God not to remember his former sins for the sake of God's Holy Name. This concludes the first 6. I will comment more on the remaining prayers when I get time.

[Benedict]

God bless Saint Nerses the Gracefilled.
Continuing the analysis of Saint's prayers,
The seventh prayer is an act of contrition through the admission of the three-fold sin of thoughts, words and deeds made before the God the Beholder of all.
The Saint then requests that the record of sins be erased and that his name be written in the book of life.
The eight prayer is an act of contrition through the admission of willing and inadvertent, knowing and unknowing sins addressed to God as Searcher of secrets.
The Saint then requests forgiveness while acknowledging that he is a sinner even after holy baptism until this very day.
The Saint then acknowledges his sins before the Lord that he has committed with all his senses and members of his body.
The ninth prayer is a meditation on the holy fear or awe of God addressing as All-provident Lord. The Saint then requests that God not look upon him with dissatisfaction and that God would bless the senses and members of his body that he may avoid sin.
The Saint then asks God to bless his ears that he would not enjoy hearing evil speech and his mouth that it would not enjoy speaking lies and his heart that it would not enjoy meditating on sin and his hands that they would not commit injustice and his feet the it would not walk on the path of sin.
The Saint then asks the God would guide him that he may keep all His commandments.
The tenth prayer then addresses Christ, as the quickening fire and beseeches Jesus to enkindle the flame of love within his soul.
The Saint is referring to the Holy Spirit which has spread throughout the world, that the Holy Spirit would consume the sins of his soul, cleanse his will and intellect,  purify his body and enlighten his heart.
The eleventh prayer then addresses Jesus as wisdom of the Father, and requests wisdom in order to overcome the three-fold sin and to perform the three-fold virtue.
The twelfth prayer then addresses God as Benevolent Lord, whose will encompasses all that is good and as the director of the will and requests that the Holy Spirit would not let him follow his own heart but to walk according to God's will.

[eschator83]

Your latest comments are wonderful, inspiring me to do more and better, yet have some puzzling aspects.  I've been advised not to fret about difficult aspects of Scripture, but instead to focus on what I understand and wait for another day in hope of understanding more.  Something tells me I might do well to apply this strategy to you as well, but my curiosity compels me sometimes.  Please don't be offended.
What can it mean that St Nerses combined the entire Bible into a single prayer? 
"- the book Jesus...?
The use of the word confession usually seems to denote expression of contrition for specific acts or thoughts.  Would it be best to include contrition for a specific sin, mortal or venial, if there is anything at the moment of prayer that has not previously been confessed?
Or is it possible that the term confession connotes another topic or issue?

[Benedict]

What can it mean that St Nerses combined the entire Bible into a single prayer?  
"- the book Jesus...?

It is a rare book, ( titled "Jesus, Only-begotten Son") I own a copy . It contains the Bible in prayer form written by Saint Nerses the Gracefilled where he admits his faults and asks the Saints and Patriarchs and Prophets to pray for him and God to forgive Him while praising the Persons of the Holy Trinity. The book is about 100 pages of prayer walking through the whole of salvation history through prayer.

The use of the word confession usually seems to denote expression of contrition for specific acts or thoughts.  Would it be best to include contrition for a specific sin, mortal or venial, if there is anything at the moment of prayer that has not previously been confessed?
Or is it possible that the term confession connotes another topic or issue?

To confess God's power and ability to save or to confess Jesus before men, both are concerned with the honest public acknowledgement of God's praise, His name and His Son.
Matthew 10:32
Every one therefore that shall confess me before men, I will also confess him before my Father who is in heaven.

In terms of contrition, the graver the sin, the greater the contrition should be.
Contrition can be general or particular, general contrition laments the state of the soul and its loss of baptismal grace through all manner of sin. Particular contrition laments the exact nature of the sins committed and recognition of their associated vice. The general contrition felt for all sins is sufficient for most cases, particular contrition is important for making change in one's life but can be dangerous to recall details of sins as they can reintroduce temptations into the mind. Thus it is best to ask God's Holy Spirit to fill your heart with sorrow for sins and burning love for God, thus the flame of love and the stream of tears should, when combined, bring you back into a state of grace and, by God's grace, acquire perfect contrition. Perfect contrition, for the sake of love of God and neighbor, is an incredible grace that must be prayed for and desired. I cannot describe the greatness of God's grace but when your heart is filled with contrition and you taste in your mouth the sweetness of God's mercy, I could not help but sing and praise God.
Hope is what makes contrition sweet and not bitter, without hope, all sorrow is worldly but hope sanctifies the sorrow for sin and gives us a confidence in God whom is greater than all our sins.

[eschator83]

These confession prayer sheets were in third place today in my prayer book, and called for attention again as they often do.  Today I seemed particularly called to #20- Benevolent Lord.
Commit me to (my) good Angel,
who may deliver up my Soul in peace,
and convey it undisturbed (repentant and purified)
through the malice of evil, to Heavenly places.
Have mercy upon your creatures,
and on me, a manifold sinner.
(Amen)
The parentheses are mine, probably my motives or questions are obvious; I'll spare you distraction, Saint Nerses is one of four listed in Delaney, each amazingly praise-worthy:
1- Bishop of Sahgerd, Persia (b263-d343), arrested during persecution with a disciple, Joseph, offered freedom if they would worship the sun, both refused and were beheaded.
2-Katholikos of Armenia (bc333-dc373), banished to Edessa by king, but returned when king was killed in battle.  Nerses was poisoned after he refused to allow the new king into church until he repented and converted,
3-Armenian Katholikos Nerses Klaietski aka Shnorhali the Gracious, the Great, the Grace-filled (b1102-d1173), personally united with Rome after meeting with Crusading Bishops (c1166, supported formal reunion attained in 1198 when Leo II became king).
4-Archbishop of Tarsus, Nerses Lampronats (1153-1198) active in accomplishment of formal reunion.  Considered outstanding theologian and scholar.

[Benedict]

Saint Nerses the Great is actually Saint Nerses I, the paternal grandson of Saint Gregory the Illuminator, the Apostle to Armenia.
The Catholic Encyclopedia does not mention a Saint Nerses prior to Saint Nerses the Great who reposed in the Lord in 373.
The fourth Saint Nerses, Saint Nerses of Lambron is well known for his commentary on the book of Revelation and the Book of Wisdom among others.

What prayer book do you have that has Saint Nerses the Gracefilled's hourly prayers? Or did you make it yourself?

[eschator83]

What prayer book do you have that has Saint Nerses the Gracefilled's hourly prayers? Or did you make it yourself?

I copied your great post of 8/20/20 (Topic: I Confess with Faith), keep it in my prayer book for nearly daily reference.  Many thanks for inspiration.

[Benedict]

What prayer book do you have that has Saint Nerses the Gracefilled's hourly prayers? Or did you make it yourself?

I copied your great post of 8/20/20 (Topic: I Confess with Faith), keep it in my prayer book for nearly daily reference.  Many thanks for inspiration.

All glory be to God. I have a Vatican postcard with Saint Nerses the Grace filled holding a patriarchal cross. I wonder if Shin would accept it as a icon for Saint Nerses the Gracefilled.

[eschator83]

I'm writing to once again express my appreciation of this great post (and of course to encourage more).  I continue to hold the list of 24 prayers in my daily prayer book with my confession prayers, and I cite one in approximate sequence as a penance on most days, especially if I've confessed sin(s) for which no specific penance comes readily to mind.  I continue to wonder if there is a most appropriate addressee for particular prayers, and I find St Nerses has the following pattern, in which I wonder if you see a purpose:
addressee: Trinity  Father  Jesus  Spirit  Lord  Other God
Prayer #     1-2      3          4       5                6-8
                                                             9
                                       10-11            12    13
                                       14-15                           16
                                                                  17-19
                                                            20
                                        21                       22
                                                          23-24   
Total            2        1          6        1         5     8       1=24
I haven't noticed Shin use the St Nerses icon, but then I'm not sure where to look for it.  I hope your new year is starting well and will continue that way.