We thank You, our Creator, that You did not deprive us of Your gracious help, and gave us the strength and disposition to willingly listen to the teaching. Reward our leaders with Your mercy, your protection, supervision and care for us, who replace our parents here; Reward with Thy grace our parents, who constantly care for us and do not spare themselves for our good; reward with Your blessing our mentors who strive to pass on their knowledge to us, develop our minds and prepare us to be useful public figures! May we always remember the words of the Apostle who spoke by Your Spirit: Remember your teachers who preached the word of God to you, obey them and be submissive, for they watch over your souls vigilantly, for they will have to give an account (Heb. 13:7-17). Grant us, O Merciful Lord, strength of mind and strength of health, so that we can undistractedly and continuously continue this teaching.
Prayer before eating
Slavic text
Russian translation
The eyes of all trust in You, Lord, and You give them food in good season, You open Your generous hand, and You fulfill every animal’s good will.
The eyes of all are turned to You, Lord, with hope in Your mercy, for You give them food in a timely manner; You open Your hand, full of generous giving, and enrich all living things with blessings, in accordance with Your wise will.
Explanation
Inscrutable Lord! You once fed 5 thousand with five loaves (Mark 6:44) and you constantly feed the birds of the air and everything that lives on earth; He said to people: The worker is worthy of his food (Matthew 10:10): - the eyes of all of them, Lord, are turned with faith to Your providence for them, and with trust in Your readiness to help them in the means of their livelihood! Your creative hand is filled with all kinds of generosity and good gifts for those created by You, and You, who created everything, contain everything and bless everything to life! Bless now this food, necessary for our life, and accept our gratitude for Your inexhaustible favor towards us!
Prayer after eating
Slavic text
Russian translation
We thank Thee, Christ our God, for Thou hast filled us with Thy earthly blessings; do not deprive us of Your heavenly Kingdom.
We thank You, Christ our God, that You have nourished us with Your earthly blessings: do not deprive us of Your heavenly Kingdom.
Explanation
God! through the mouth of Your Holy Apostle, You said: for everything give thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God and the Father. (Eph.5:20) We thank You, Christ our God! For You gave us food and filled us with it, for the sake of Your love for mankind, not wanting us to become exhausted and weakened in the labors of life’s journey, just as You, compassionate for the fatigue of four thousand people, fed them with seven loaves of bread (Matthew 15:34-39)! But this food given to us by You nourishes only our flesh, strengthens our bodily strength and satisfies our earthly needs. But we, Lord, have been gifted by You, in addition to the flesh, with an immortal soul - and remembering Your teachings: Strive not for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you! (John 6:27) and that the Spirit gives life, but the flesh does not benefit the least (John 6:63), the soul hungers for this other food, in hope of better blessings: peace of bliss, love and truth, which are rarely found on this sinful earth, but which dwell forever in Your heavenly Kingdom.
And therefore, as sinners and unworthy of this food, we pray for your infinite mercy; do not deprive us of it, as a guarantee of Your heavenly Kingdom!