From foul lips, from a vile heart, from an unclean tongue, from a defiled soul, accept this prayer, my Christ, and without rejecting my words, my character, or my shamelessness, let me freely say what I want, my Christ, but better yet, teach me what I should do and say.
I have sinned more than the harlot, who, having learned where You are, having bought peace, dared to come to anoint Your feet, my Christ, my Lord and my God. Just as You did not reject her, who came from a pure heart, do not disdain me, Word! Allow me to hold and kiss Your feet, and boldly anoint them with a stream of tears like precious myrrh. Wash me with your tears, cleanse me with them, Word! Forgive my sins and grant me forgiveness.
You know many vices, you know my wounds, and you see my ulcers, but you also know my faith, and you see my zeal, and you hear my groans. Not a drop of tears, not a drop of a certain part is hidden from You, my God, my Creator, my Redeemer. Your eyes have noticed what I have not completed, but in Your book there is also what has not yet been written down by You.
Look at my humility, look at my suffering, and forgive me all my sins, O God of the universe, so that with a pure heart, a trembling thought and a contrite soul, I may partake of Your most pure and all-holy Mysteries, by which everyone who eats You and drinks with a sincere heart is revived and deified. After all, You, my Lord, said: “Whoever eats My Flesh, as well as drinks My Blood, abides in Me, and I am in him.”
In everything, the word of my Master and God is true: after all, partaking of the divine and deifying Gifts, I am truly not alone, but with You, my Christ, the Light, bright as three suns, enlightening the world. Therefore, so that I would not be left alone, without You, the Giver of my life, my breath, my life, my joy, the salvation of the world, I came to You, as You see, with tears and a contrite soul, begging that I might receive deliverance from my sins and receive Your life-giving and immaculate Sacraments, not in condemnation; so that You may remain, as You said, with me, who am thrice unhappy; so that the deceiver, finding me deprived of Your grace, does not steal me insidiously and, having deceived me, does not lead me away from Your deifying words. Therefore, I fall at Your feet and fervently cry out to You: just as You accepted the prodigal son and the harlot who came to You, so, O Merciful One, accept me, the prodigal and the vile, who now comes to You with a contrite soul.
I know, Savior, that no one else has sinned before You like I have, or done the deeds that I have done. But I also know that neither the severity of sins, nor the multitude of sins, does not exceed my God’s great patience and great love for mankind, but with merciful compassion You both cleanse and enlighten those who ardently repent, and introduce them to the light, generously making them partakers of Your Divinity; and - what is marvelous both to Angels and to human thoughts - You converse with them many times, as with Your true friends.
It gives me courage, it inspires me, my Christ! And, boldly trusting in Your rich benefits to us, rejoicing and trembling together, I, the grass, partake of the fire, and am - a wondrous miracle - inexplicably watered, like in ancient times a thorn bush that burned without being consumed. So, with a grateful thought and a grateful heart, with all my grateful feelings, my soul and body, I worship, and magnify, and glorify You, my God, as blessed both now and forever.