Father John's Prayers

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(176) The human soul is a free power, for it can become either a power for good or evil, according to the direction which you yourself give it. Lord, Almighty Power! strengthen mine infirm soul in every virtue! Stablish my heart, weak for everything good, upon the immovable rock of Thy commandments! Lord, I daily recognize, through experience, that without Thee I myself am nothing; that without Thee I can do no good; without Thee evil in its various forms is alone within me; without Thee I am the son of perdition. O unspeakably Good One, fill my heart with Thy goodness! But above all, I pray Thee, grant that I may love Thee with all my heart and my neighbor as myself. Grant that I may be neither malicious, proud, presumptuous, nor disobedient, but grant that I may be gentle, humble, tenderly res­pectful, and obedient. Amen.

(177) O Lord! let not Thy gifts, both spiritual and material, lie idle in us and for us; grant that they may be exercised salutarily and usefully. Fulfill this in all. May the number of Thy talents be increased by the personal activity of each one of us.

(178) Do not suffer, Lord, that even for an instant I may do the will of Thine and mine enemy - the Devil, but grant that. I may continually do Thy Will, solely the will of my God and my King by Whom all kings reign, grant that I may ever obey Thee, reverence Thee truly and firmly. °'O come let us worship, and fall down and kneel before the Lord our Maker; serve the Lord in fear and rejoice unto Him with reverence" (cf. Psalm 95, 6; 2, 11). Lord! Grant that I may see my transgressions, that I may not despise sinners, like unto myself, and may not nourish any ill-feeling in my heart against them for their sins, that I may des­pise myself as I deserve, as the greatest of sinners, and that I may ever feel an implacable hatred of myself - mine own carnal man: "If any man ... hate not ... his own life, he cannot be My disciple" (St. Luke 14, 26), says the Lord.

(179) O infinitely great Benefactor, my Saviour! When I repre­sent to myself the infinite corruption of my nature by manifold sins and passions, my spirit is despondent and downcast, but as soon as I remember Thee, that Thou camest to renew my nature,, corrupted by sin, and to bestow upon my dishonor, upon my shame, the nobility of the angles, and even a still higher nobility than that of the angels, the nobility of the Son of God Himself, through faith in Thee, through regeneration by water and the Spirit, and through the communion of Thy Holy Sacrament, then my spirit instantaneously rises up from its despondency, shakes off the infamy of the passions, and is wholly filled with gratitude to Thee. Glory to Thee, O infinite Mercy and Power, Son of God!

(180) Glory to Thee, all-holy, life-giving "Spirit, proceeding from the Father and ever resting in the Son" (Stichera on Trinity Sun­day), undivided from the Father and the Son! Glory to Thee, Son of God, Who castest out Devils by the Spirit of God (St. Matthew XII. 28; St. Luke XI. 20) and orderest our salvation, sanctify­ing, teaching and strengthening us by the same Spirit! Glory to Thee, Father, ever condescending to us in the Son by the Holy Ghost! Trinity in undivided unity, have mercy upon us!

(181) Holy Spirit, living, personal, ruling, living bond of the Father and the Son, have mercy upon me!

(182) Holy Spirit, giving life to and uniting all creation, and, above all, to reasonable. creatures - power of all creation, have mercy upon me!  

(183) Take me captive, Lord, in the sweet captivity of Thy Holy Ghost, so that my words may flow "as the rivers in the south" (Psalm CXXVI. 4) to Thy glory and to the salvation of Thy people! Grant me this sweet and powerful inward impulse to set down upon parchment the fulness of spiritual visions and feel­ings! Let "my tongue (be) the pen of a ready writer" (Psalm XLV. 1) .. of the All-Holy Spirit!

(184) Lord! Grant me a simple, kind, open, believing, loving, and generous heart, worthy of being Thy dwelling-place, O Most Gracious!

(185) I look to Thee alone, Lord, with my spiritual vision. I believe in Thee undoubtingly, Thou Thyself knowest how and what to give me. Thou art - the treasury of every blessing, Thou art - mercy, wisdom, and omnipotence abundantly flowing upon all creatures. Thus I also look to Thee, O Holy Virgin. "Intercede for and have mercy upon me Thyself!"

(186) Save us, Thy race, Our Lady! Save us! we who are of one blood with Thee! Save us, Mother of Life and Mother of us all, although we are not worthy to call Thee our Mother! Cleanse, sanctify, strengthen and save us through Thy prayers!

(187) Merciful Lady, ever manifest and show Thy power upon me, and upon Thy people who are God-fearing and virtuous, by delivering us, in accordance with our prayer, from impure, crafty and blasphemous thoughts, from all our sins and passions, and from the snares of the Devil, for Thou art the merciful Mother of God.

(188) The Virgin Mary is the most merciful sovereign of all the sons and daughters of men, as the Daughter of God the Father, Who is love; the Mother of God the Word, of our love; the chosen bride of the Holy Ghost, Who is love consubstantial with the Fa­ther and the Word. How can we do otherwise than have re­course to such a sovereign and expect to receive all spiritual blessing from Her?

(189) I thank Thee, my Lord, my Master, and my Judge, for teaching me how to pray simply to Thee, for hearing my calling upon Thee, for saving me from my sins and sorrows, and for rightly directing my ways. I called upon Thee (in the sin of my wickedness) in the words of the church prayer, "O, Lord, our God, Who grantest forgiveness unto men through repentance.. ." And as soon as I finished this prayer, peace and lightness estab­lished themself in my soul (29th June, 1864).

(190) Lover of men, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, I thank Thee from all my heart, for having heard my prayer to love my neigh­bour and despise earthly things, and for having poured into my heart peaceful, reasonable and sweet love. Strengthen these in me, O God, through the prayers of Our Most Pure Lady, Thy Mother, and may I be Thy child, O Lord, and Her truest child. 26 July, 1864. 11 o'clock, evening.

(191) Lord! Thou camest to save us through faith in Thee; be­hold, I truly believe that Thou art my Saviour - save me! Thou camest to renew my nature, corrupted by sin - renew me, I who have corrupted myself by passions and carnal desires, renew me both spiritually and bodily, so that I may be pure in heart and strong in body to the glory of Thy Name. Thou camest to deliver us from the works of the enemy - deliver me from the works of the most evil, impure, and abominable enemy, warring in my members and inclining me, drawing me forcibly to sin. Thou camest to enlighten us - enlighten my heart, darkened by pass­ions. Thou camest to gather together that which was scattered - gather together my thoughts, scattered by the enemy. Thou camest to strengthen us in our weakness, and said: "For My strength is made perfect in weakness"; and Thine apostle says: "Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me" (2 Corinthians 12, 9); be­hold I am most infirm, and without Thee can do no good thing; without Thee I cannot think or feel anything good, cannot wish or speak, or do anything good. I am positively powerless for any good without Thee; bestow Thy grace upon me, give me light and strength to think and feel good that which is, and to easily speak and do that which shall please Thee. Behold, I commit all my life unto Thee, Christ my God, my Saviour, my Regenerator, cleanse, sanctify, and save me. "Make me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me" (Psalm 41, 10). Help me: for without Thee my destruction is near and speedy at every hour.

(192) A morning prayer. O, God! Creator and Master of the World! Mercifully protect Thy creature, adorned with Thy Godly image, in these morning hours: Let Thine eyes, millions and mil­lions of times brighter than the rays of the sun, vivify and enlight­en my soul, darkened and slain by sin. Deliver me from desponden­cy and slothfulness, grant me joy and vigour of soul, so that with a glad heart I may praise Thy mercy, Thy holiness, Thy boundless greatness, and Thy infinite perfections, at every hour and in every place. For Thou, Lord, art my Creator and the Master of my life, and to Thee Thy reasonable creatures every hour ascribe glory and praise, both now and for ever and to ages of ages. Amen.

(193) When you are granted recovery from any illness, render thanks to God in the following short form of praise: - Glory to Thee, Lord, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the ever­lasting Father, Who alone art able to heal all manner of sick­ness and disease in men, that Thou hast had mercy upon me, a sinner, and hast delivered me from my sickness, not allow­ing it to develop and slay me according to my sins. Grant to me, from this time forth, Master, strength to firmly fulfil Thy will, to the salvation of my accursed soul, and to Thy glory, and that of Thy everlasting Father, and of Thy consubstantial Spirit, both now and for ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

(194) Glory to Thee, Saviour, Almighty Power! Glory to Thee, Saviour, Omnipresent Power! Glory to Thee, Fount of mercies! Glory to Thee, ever-open Hearing, ever-ready to hear my pray­ers, accursed as I am, in order to have mercy upon me, and to save me from my sins! Glory to Thee, to Thy brightest Eyes, looking lovingly upon me and penetrating into all my secrets! Glory to Thee, Glory to Thee, Glory to Thee, sweetest Jesus, my Saviour!

(195) Holy Virgin, our Lady! Thou, Whose love to Christians surpasses the love of every earthly mother, of every wife, hear our prayers and save us! May we constantly remember Thee! May we always pray fervently to Thee! May we ever undoubt­ingly and unfailingly take refuge beneath Thy holy protection!

(196) Thou alone knowest the cares, labours, and sweat of Thy saints, in order to purify themselves to please Thee, the Father of all. Thou alone knowest Thy saints. Teach us to imitate them in our lives, so that we too may be in union with all through love.

(197) The Lord is so holy, so simple in His holiness, that one single evil or impure thought deprives us of Him, of the sweet and most sweet, of the pure and most pure peace and light of our souls. Hence it follows that the saints are all light; they are all one frangrance, like the light of the sun, like the purest air. Lord, grant this simple holiness to me also!

(198) Lord! I am - a miracle of Thy goodness, wisdom, and omni- potence, inasmuch as I was brought by Thee from non-existence into existence; inasmuch as I am preserved until now by Thee in this existence; inasmuch as by the mercy, bounties, and love to mankind of Thine Only begotten Son, I shall inherit eternal life, provided I am faithful unto Thee; inasmuch as by the myste­rious act of Thine, offering Thyself through Thy Son as a sacri­fice, I am restored from the terrible fall, I am redeemed from eternal destruction, I glorify Thy goodness, Thine infinite power, Thy wisdom! But complete the miracle of Thy goodness, omni­potence, and wisdom upon me, a miserable sinner, and by ways known to Thee, save me, Thine unworthy servant, and lead me into Thine eternal kingdom, make me worthy of the life that never grows old, of the day that has no evening.

(199) Lord I confess to Thee that neither in the country nor in the forest are to be found life, and health, and vigour of the spiritual and material powers, but with Thee in the temple, and, above all, during the Liturgy and in Thy Holy Life-giving Mysteries! O, greatest blessedness of the Holy Mysteries! O, Life-giving Mysteries! O, Divine Mysteries, that are love un­speakable! O, Divine Mysteries, that are the Lord God's constant and wonderful Providence for saving and sanctifying us! O, Divine Mysteries, that are the prefiguration of eternal life!

(200) Our Lady, Most-holy Mother of God! I prayed to Thee, before the Liturgy, that Thou wouldst grant me grace to celebrate it with much power, to the glory of God, for the salvation of the world and mine own! Thou hast ordered all things well. I thank Thee, all-gracious Helper, Thou Who hearest us speedily, Thou Who dost not let our trust in Thee be shamed!

(201) Lord I thank Thee from all my heart for the blessed moving of Thy Holy Ghost during Divine service, both public and private, for the cleansing from sins, for peace, for devotion and tears, for fatherly consolation, for boldness, for power.

(202) O Lord! ever give me a meek heart, a bright, straight­forward and kind look. Grant it, Lord! Glory to Thee for the change accomplished in me by Thy right hand. I thank Thee for having taken away from me the burning thorns of my passions, my straitness, my shame, and mine infirmities, and for having be­stowed upon me a peace, tranquility, freedom, power, and bold­ness. Strengthen, then, in me that which Thou hast accomplished in me. Glory to the power of faith, to the power of prayer; for everything that I ask of Thee believing in prayer I recieve in accordance with Thy word (St. Mark XI, 24). 1 thank Thee for raising me from the dead so many times (2 Corinthians I, 9), and for destroying the kingdom of death and sin within me.

(203) Lord teach us to live in mutual love, and strengthen this love in us by Thy Holy Spirit; subdue the outbursts of the passions, which hinder heavenly, evangelical love, and make our hearts Thy grace, Thy peace, Thy righteousness and holi- ness to all earthly blessings, and that I may abide in it all the days of my life, into my last breath.

(204) I thank Thee, Lord, for bestowing new life upon me each time, when, with tears of repentance and gratitude, I celebrate the Divine Liturgy and partake of Thy most pure and life-giving Mysteries. To Thy Holy Mysteries I owe: the prolongation of my existence until now, the purity of my ways, and my good report amoungst Thy people. May Thy great Name be glorified more and more in me and in all Thy people. May they be called by Thy great Name, throughout the whole world; Thy kingdom come, the kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, in all our hearts, as Thou hast said: "I will dwell in them and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people," (2 Corinth. 6:16,18: Levit. 34:12; Jerem. 3:19) and may Thy will, Thy holy, most wise, all good, most perfect, and most blessed will 'be done in earth, in all Thy people, and in me, a sinner, as it is in heaven, for our own will is erring, short-sighted, sinful, destructive, unloving, evil, envious, proud, slothful, luxury-loving, money­loving, and avaricious.

(205) Lord! grant that I may ever pour forth my supplica­tions to Thee for the whole world and for the fulfilment of the requests of the whole Church, with all comprehensive, un­feigned love, for by Thy grace I have to pray for the sins of all and for mine own. Grant, O Lord, God the Father, that I may contemplate Thine unspeakable love unto the world, manifested in giving unto us Thy beloved, Only-begotten Son. Grant, O God, Son of God, that I may contemplate Thine exhaustion in the world and on the cross for the sake of our salvation; grant, O God, the Holy Ghost, that I may contemplate Thy grace, abundantly outpoured and still being outpoured upon the world, for the sake of the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ, and se often filling even my sinful heart; O Holy Trinity, grant that I may continually glorifyThee with my heart and mouth, and above all by my deeds!

(206) O, my invisible Benefactor, by Whom I unceasingly live! Thou Who hearest me, Thou Who fulfillest for my good all my heart's desires, Thou Who savest me from my sins, from the malice of my invisible enemies, Thou Who mercifully orderest my destiny, my enlightenment, my succour, my glory, my power, my strengthening, when shall I see Thee? When shall I see my Benefactor and Creator face to face? And thou, mine enemy, thou devil, who continually fillest my soul with sin, thou who art crafty, flattering, evil, who continually slayest me, darkening, weakening me, covering my face with shame and dishonour, when shall I entirely free myself from thee, through the grace, bounties, and love to mankind of my Lord Jesus Christ? When will every possibility of pouring the poison of thy malice into my heart be taken from thee?

(207) O how bitter were my sins to Thee, Christ, my God and my Saviour, when Thou wast buffeted, scourged, spit upon; when Thy head was pierced with thorns and Thou wast nailed to the cross for my sake; when Thou didst hang on the cross, in unspeakable torments, to save me from the most bitter, unspeak­able torments of hell! But I ought to call to mind more fre­quently this, Thy self-exhaustion, Thy sufferings, in order not to commit sin, and to zealously fulfil all virtue in order to love Thee with all my heart, to fulfil Thy saving commandments. Meanwhile, I often forget this awful sacrifice, offered for me by the Only Begotten, unoriginate, co-eternal Son of the Heavenly Father. Grant unto me then, Lord, a pure heart and unchange­able repentance, leading to salvation; grant that I may find favour in Thy sight during the remainder of my life!

(208) Lord! I thank Thee with my whole heart for having saved me an innumerable multitude of times from the shamefulness, violence, and cruelty of the passions, and for having quenched in me the fiery arrows of the evil one, and for having guarded my soul with peace, refreshing it with the dew of Thy grace. Glory to Thee, most merciful and Almighty, that by Thy grace I still remain whole and unharmed, in spite of the innumerable wiles of the invisible and most evil enemies endeavouring to devour me! I believe and know that Thou, Lord, wilt deliver and save me from all their snares and calumnies, 'by ways known unto Thee, and wilt grant Thy heavenly kingdom to me, and not to me only, but to all those who live piously and are subjected to the calumnies of the spirits of evil; for to Thee it appertains to be merciful and to save those who desire to be saved, and even those who do not desire to be saved. "Save me", it is said, "whether I wish or do not wish to be saved" (Evening prayer of St. John Damascene).

(209) I thank Thee, my joy, Lord of glory, for having taken my image, through the incarnation of the Most Pure Virgin, and for having thus honored, raised, and made mankind godly. I thank Thee for raising me from corruption unto incorruption; for cleansing my impurities; for healing my infirmities and sick­nesses; for turning my sorrow into joy, the straitness of sin into the wideness of Thy justification: for through faith and heartfelt penitence Thou drivest away the darkness of the passions, and bestowest Thy spiritual light. Thou takest away disturbance and sendest down peace from above. Thou takest away faint­heartedness, and bestowest courage and daring. Glory to Thy mercy!

(210) Grant unto me, Most Holy Virgin, purity of heart, simple heartfelt, and son-like trust, devotion and love to Thee, both now and for ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

(211) Lord teach me to bestow charity willingly, kindly, joy­fully, and to believe that 'by bestowing it I do not lose, but gain infinitely more than that which I give. Turn my eyes away from hard-heared people who do not sympathise with the poor, who meet poverty with indifference, who judge, reproach, brand it with shameful names, and weaken my heart, so that I may not do good, so that I, too, may harden my heart against poverty. O, my Lord, how many such people we meet with! Lord, amend works of charity! Lord, grant that every charity I bestow may be profitable, and may not do harm! Lord, accept Thyself charity in the person of Thy poor. Lord, deign to help me to build a house for the poor in this town, concerning which I have already many times prayed to Thee, the All-Merciful, Almighty, Most Wise, Wonderful! (The house was since built.)

(212) Lord! grant that Thy temple may communicate to all who enter into it with faith, piety, and fear of God, the enlighten­ment of their souls, the cleansing from their sins, sanctification, peace, health, tranquility of soul - that it may strengthen their faith, hope, and love; that it may further the amendment of their lives, success in all their good beginnings and works, mutual love, pure Christian life, the softening of their hearts, and the cessation of self-love, hard-heartedness, covetousness, greediness, envy, malice, gluttony, drunkenness, dissoluteness - of these vices, which are so prejudicial to social life, sapping its very foundation. Grant this, grant it, Lord, to all those who love to frequent Thy temple, and incline those also who do not love it, to love it, and to amend their lives and works: for the time is near and the judgment is at the door for all, of every calling and position, of either sex and every age, and a work of infinite importance stands before all - to give an answer at the terrible Judgment of Christ.

(213) My Master, Lord Jesus Christ! my swift, most speedy Intercessor, Who never lettest me be ashamed! I thank Thee from my whole heart for having mercifully heard me when I called unto Thee in my darkness, straitness, and when I was in the flames of the enemy; for having delivered me most speedily, mightily, and graciously from mine enemies, and for having given unto my heart graciousness, ease, light! O, my Lord, in what distress I was from the snares of the enemy! how oppor­tunely hast Thou shown me Thy help, and how manifestly and almightily hast Thou succoured me! I glorify Thy mercy, Master, speedy to hear us; Hope of despairing, I glorify Thee that Thou hast not let my face be ashamed, but hast mercifully delivered me from the darkness and ignominy of hell. How after this can I ever at any time despair of Thy hearing me and having mercy upon me a sinner? I shall always, always call upon Thy sweetest name, my Saviour; Thou, O incalculable Bountifulness, save me as Thou hast ever done before in Thy immeasurable com­passion, for Thy name is Lover of men and Saviour.

(214) How good Thou art, Lord, and how near art Thou to us - so near that we may always converse with Thee, be comforted by Thee, breathe through Thee, be enlightened by Thee, find peace in Thee, obtain spiritual breadth in Thee. Lord! teach me simplicity of love for Thee and my neighbour, so that I may ever be with Thee, that I may ever find peace in Thee. Lord! grant that I may not for a single moment have fellowship with the most abominable, most evil enemy the Devil, neither by malice, nor pride, nor envy, nor avarice, nor by love of gain, nor gluttony, nor impure thoughts, nor blasphemy, nor des­pondency, nor falsehood, nor by anything sinful. Grant that I may ever be wholly Thine.

(215) My infinite Blessedness, Lord Jesus Christ, of what bless­ings hast Thou not made me a partaker during  my temporal existence! I thank Thee, my Mercy, my Blessedness. But if earthly 'blessings are so numerous, so various, so sweet - then what must heavenly, spiritual blessings be: they are more truly infinite, numberless, unimaginably sweet. Do not deprive me, then, most merciful and most gracious Lord, of these Thy heavenly blessings, too, which Thou hast prepared for those who love Thee. Do not deprive others of them either! Grant that they may all know Thee, Lord, our Blessedness! For Thou art our Blessedness everywhere, upon earth, too, for every bless­ing is Thy work! And besides this, grant, Lord, that I may also submissively bear the afflictions of this life: they are necessary for my passionate flesh, for my old man. Lover of men! teach the rest of Thy people also to bear them submissively, and grant that they may learn the need of them. "Patient in tribulation."       (St. John XII:33)

(216) Lord! I am Thy vessel: fill me with the gifts of Thy Holy Spirit. Without Thee I am void of every blessing - or, rather, full of every sin. Lord! I am Thy ship: fill me with the cargo of goodworks. Lord! I am Thine ark: fill me, not with the allure­ment of love of money and pleasures, but with love for Thee and Thy living image, man.

(217) O, sweetest name, holiest name, almighty name of our Lord Jesus Christ! My victory, Lord, glory to Thee! Lord, we are Thy members, we are one body, Thou art our Head! Lord, grant that all passions, all demons may flee from us! Lord, bestow upon us the grace of never failing love! Lord, grant that we may show respect and love to each other, as to Thyself, for we are made godly by Thee.

(218) Glory to the never failing power of Thy cross, O Lord! When the enemy oppresses me by sinful thoughts and feelings, and I, having no freedom in my heart, make the sign of the cross several times with faith, then my sin suddenly passes away from me, the straitness vanishes, and I obtain freedom. Glory to Thee, Lord!   Lord, let nothing, nothing carnal, material, turn me away from Thee!  Let me always be with Thee!  How good to be with Thee!

(219) O Holy Trinity, our God! incomplex Being, Who hath cre­ated our soul also after Thine image, grant that we may have life and peace in Thee! O Holy Trinity, our Nourisher and Hope! grant that we may ever put our trust in Thee alone, and ever find life and peace in Thee alone! Thou carriest us all, like a mother, in Thine arms, and feedest us all from Thy hands, like the most tender mother! Thou never forgettest us, and wilt never forget us, for Thou Thyself hast said: "Can a woman forget her sucking child? ...... yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee " (Isaiah XLIX: 15); that is, "I will not cease to feed, preserve, protect, deliver, and save thee." Also Thou Thy­self hast said: "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." (He­brews XIII: 5) Why, then, are we anxious about our food?          Why are we so greedy?     Why do we surfeit and delight ourselves with dainties?        Why do we grudge to share with our neighbor? O impiety! O blindness! O filthy self-love! O want of love for God and our neighbor! For God dwells in the person of our neighbour, and therefore we grudge His own gifts to God Himself. Re­member how generously the spirit-bearing Prophet Elisha rewarded the Shunamite woman who received him in her house and entertained him in the simplicity of her heart! He im­plored God to give her a son, and afterwards, when this son died, he raised him from the dead.

(220) How long will the Holy Mysteries, received by us, re­mind us that we, being many, are one body in Christ (Romans 12:5), and how long will there not be in us a mutual union of hearts among ourselves as members of the Body of Christ? How long will we make our own rules in life, be enemies one against another, hate one another, inflict pain and sorrow and gnaw at one another, condemn, and abuse one another? How long will there not be in us the Spirit of Christ, the spirit of meekness, of humility, innocence, unhypocritical love, self-denial, patience, chastity, temperance, simplicity, and sincerity, a vi­sion of the earthly, complete striving for the heavenly? Mas­ter, Lord Jesus Christ, enlighten our eyes; Thy Spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness (Psalm 143:10). Grant us Thy Spirit!

(221) On the fifteenth of August, on the Day of the Dormition of the Mother of God in 1898, in a dream, I had for the first time the happiness of seeing face to face, distinctly, the Queen of Heaven, and of hearing Her sweetest, blessed, enheartening voice, "You, the nicest children of the Heavenly Father," - then, as I, realizing my own accursedness, gazed on Her All­pure countenance with trembling and with the thought: will the Queen of Heaven not reject me from Herself in anger? - O, countenance most holy and good! O, eyes blue and azure, good, humble, peaceful, majestic, heavenly, divine. I shall not forget you, wonderful eyes! - This vision lasted a minute. Afterwards, unhurriedly, She went away from me and vanished. I saw from behind the departure of the heavenly Visitor....

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