Poem by Deacon Andre Rudenko - REPENTANCE

Lord! Thou art here, Invisible, And everywhere. Thou givest love to us, Forgiveness of our sins, and peace. Thou hearest us, such wretched sinners, Inviting us to Thine divine feast. Feeble are we, And naked, And besmirched, Full of forgetfulness, Ingratitude and filth. And yet with hope we pray to Thee: Cleanse us, our Lord God, and redeem. O, hear the prayers of Thy saints, Who pray for us, lost deep in sin. For the sake of their meek and saintly lives, Wash clean with tears our blackened souls. O, let our contrite cry reach Thee! Hear us and keep us in Thy sight! We pray, we beg despairingly: Hear us, our Lord God, and redeem. Our deeds show up our words’ futility, But the Prodigal Son’s footsteps we trace, To return to Thee in all humility, And fall on our knees before Thy face.
- Deacon Andre Rudenko Translated by Kosara Gavrilovic