A PRAYER FOR MIDMORNING (Third Hour)

By Saint Basil the Great

O Lord our God, who hast given peace unto men and hast sent down the gift of thine All-holy Spirit upon thy disciples and apostles, and didst by thy power open their lips with the tongues of fire: open also the lips of us sinners and teach us how and for what we must pray. Be thou the helmsman of our life, O thou calm haven of the storm-tossed, and make known unto us the way wherein we should walk. Renew an upright spirit in our inmost parts and by thy ruling Spirit make steadfast our fickle mind, so that each day being led by thy good Spirit toward whatever is profitable, we may be counted worthy to accomplish thy commandments and to keep always in remembrance of thy glorious coming, which searches out the deeds of men. Lend us thy power, lest we be deceived by the ruinous delights of this world: give us instead to yearn for the enjoyment of the treasures laid up for the age to come: for blessed and praised art thou in all thy saints, unto ages of ages. Amen.