Saturday, June 9, 2007

Feastday of St. Ephrem of Syria




Virtues are formed by prayer. Prayer preserves temperance. Prayer suppresses anger. Prayer prevents emotions of pride and envy. Prayer draws into the soul the Holy Spirit, and raises man to Heaven. -Saint Ephrem










Prayer by St. Ephrem


Lord Jesus Christ, King of Kings, You have power over life and death. You know what is secret and hidden, and neither our thoughts nor our feelings are concealed from You. Cure me of duplicity; I have done evil before You. Now my life declines from day to day and my sins increase. O Lord, God of souls and bodies, You know the extreme frailty of my soul and my flesh. Grant me strength in my weakness, O Lord, and sustain me in my misery. Give me a grateful soul that I may never cease to recall Your benefits, O Lord most bountiful. Be not mindful of my many sins, but forgive me all my misdeeds. O Lord, disdain not my prayer - the prayer of a wretched sinner; sustain me with Your grace until the end, that it may protect me as in the Saint It is Your grace which has taught me wisdom; blessed are they who follow her ways, for they shall receive the crown of glory. In spite of my unworthiness, I praise You and I glorify You, O Lord, for Your mercy to me is without limit. You have been my help and my protection. May the name of Your majesty be praised forever. To you, our God, be glory. Amen.



Baptized at 18, St. Ephrem of Syria, a deacon, helped to evangelize Nisibis, Mesopotamia. He had a great devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and fought Gnosticism and Arianism by his poems, hymns and homilies. He helped introduce the use of hymns in public worship and he founded a theological school in Edessa. Proclaimed a doctor of the Church in 1920. Patron of spiritual directors and spiritual leaders. 306-363

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