Luister naar muziek van Arvo Pärt op tekst van Johannes Chrysostomus

In 1994 ging van Arvo Pärt Litany in première, een compositie die nog niet de aandacht krijgt die ze verdient. Litany was een opdracht van het Oregon Bach Festival in het Amerikaanse Eugene. Pärt koos daarom voor een Engelse vertaling van een tekst van de heilige Johannes Chrysostomus, 4de-eeuwse aartsbisschop van Constantinopel die later werd verheven tot kerkvader en kerkleraar. In de tekst zijn 24 gebeden opgenomen, verdeeld in 12 voor de dag en 12 voor de avond/nacht.

Ontdek hieronder de tekst.

Prayers of St John Chrysostom for each hour of the day and night

O Lord, of Thy heavenly bounties, deprive me not.
O Lord, deliver me from the eternal torments.
O Lord, forgive me if I have sinned in my mind or my thought, whether in word or in deed.
O Lord, free me from all ignorance and forgetfulness, from despondency and stony insensibility.
O Lord, deliver me from every temptation.
O Lord, enlighten my heart which evil desires have darkened.
O Lord, as a man have I sinned, have Thou mercy on me, as the God full of compassion, seeing the feebleness of my soul.
O Lord, send down Thy grace to help me, that I may glorify Thy name.
O Lord Jesus Christ, write me down in the book of life and grant unto me a good end.
O Lord my God, even if I had not done anything good before Thee, do Thou help me, in Thy grace, to make a good beginning.
O Lord, sprinkle into my heart the dew of Thy grace.
O Lord of heaven and earth, remember me, Thy sinful servant, full of shame and impurity, in Thy kingdom. Amen.

O Lord, receive me in penitence.
O Lord, forsake me not.
O Lord, lead me not into misfortune.
O Lord, quicken in me a good thought.
O Lord, give me tears and remembrance of death, and contrition.
O Lord, make me solicitous of confessing my sins.
O Lord, give me humility, chastity, and obedience.
O Lord, give me patience, magnanimity, and meekness.
O Lord, implant in my the root of all good--Thy fear in my heart.
O Lord, vouchsafe that I may love thee from all my soul and mind and in everything do Thy will.
O Lord, shelter me from certain men, from demons and passions, and from any other unbecoming thing.
O Lord, Thou knowest that Thou dost as Thou wilt, let then Thy will be done in me, a sinner, for blessed art Thou unto the ages. Amen.