As I am still overwhelmed by the baby shower yesterday (one lady alone contributed over $100 in gifts, etc.!) I forgot to post one of my favorite parts of it: a beautiful Orthodox prayer that all the women prayed out loud for me.
Some of you might be thrown off by the 2 mentions of Mary (not me, Mary, but the Theotokos, Mary). All I can say is that it’s way more complex than I have time to get into, but we don’t believe that anyone else but Jesus can “save us from our sins” (I put it into quotations because we don’t use that terminology, but I remember it as being the Protestant equivalent of what we mean). There are different kinds of saving, and we believe that Mary, Mother of God has a specific intercessory role with child-bearing women.
Anyways, it’s a beautiful prayer, and I had to fight tears the entire time. Read it if you want! Pray it for us if you want!
O Sovereign Lord Jesus Christ our God, the Source of life and immortality, bless Mary and the fruit of her body that was given by Thee; favor them and animate this child by Thy Holy Spirit, and let it grow a healthy and pure body, with well formed limbs.
Sanctify this child’s body, mind, heart, and vitals, and grant this infant that is to be born an intelligent soul; establish him in the fear of Thee.
A faithful angel, a guardian of soul and body, do thou vouchsafe him. Protect, keep, strengthen, and shelter the child in her womb until the hour of his birth.
O Lord Jesus Christ, place this infant upon the right hand of Thy grace, and through Thy Holy Spirit sanctify him and renew him unto life everlasting, that he may be a communicant of Thy Heavenly Kingdom. Amen.
O All-Merciful Christ our God, look down and protect Thy handmaiden Mary from fear and from evil spirits that seek to destroy the work of Thy hands. And when her hour and time is come, deliver her by Thy grace.
Look with compassionate eye and deliver Thy handmaiden from pain. Lighten her infirmity in the time of travail and grant her fortitude and strength for birth giving, and hasten it by Thine almighty help.
For this is Thy glorious work, the power of Thine Omnipotence, the work of Thy grace and tender-heartedness. Amen.
My most gracious Queen, my hope, O Mother of God, the joy of those in sorrow, help us, for we are helpless.
Intercede thou and pray thy Son, Christ our God, that He lighten for his handmaiden Mary this season while she is with child, and that He ease the burden of heaviness of her, and bestow His blessings upon the child to which she is giving birth.
For we know no other help save thee, no other hope save thee, O Mother of God, that will guard and protect her and her child. For by thine intercession and help we send up glory and thanksgiving for all things unto the One God in Trinity, the Creator of all, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
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Mama Esther says
I love how it mentions the grace and tender-heartedness of our Lord! What a beautiful thing to have a special prayer for your child and your childbirth! I just giggled a little though when they prayed for his vitals, although vitals are important.
Does that make me bad?