April 1, 2013

"Lord Have Mercy" by St. Justin Popovich


Lord Have Mercy

By St. Justin Popovich

Little grass, have mercy!

Little bird, have mercy!

Everything within me and around me, both the small and the great, things past and things infinite, the simple and the puzzling, the dark and the bright, the visible and the invisible, the mortal and the immortal, the good and the evil, all things and everything in all worlds that I know and feel, they motivate me to blatantly pray: Lord have mercy!

Our pain summarizes all human words in one prayer and cry: Lord have mercy!

Turned toward You we are found to overflow within our whole being only one sigh: Lord have mercy!

We would like to speak of ourselves, but our tears are pouring and we tell You of our entire soul within these two words: Lord have mercy!

Every creation has its heart, and the heart is with this heart because it sighs and tends towards You: Lord have mercy!

In this sad world man has no greater need than to be granted mercy primarily from You: Lord have mercy!

And together with You and behind You that all things and all creation grant him mercy: Lord have mercy!

Mother, have mercy!

Friend, have mercy!

Little grass, have mercy!

Little bird, have mercy!

All that is within the entire cosmos:

Have Mercy! Have Mercy! Have Mercy!

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos