The Offertory
The Prayer of Thanksgiving
The Prayer of Thanksgiving
Priest
Let us give thanks unto the beneficent and merciful God, the Father of our Lord, God and Saviour, Jesus Christ; For He has covered us, helped us, guarded us, accepted us to Him, spared us, supported us, and has brought us to this hour. Let us also ask Him, the Lord our God, Almighty to guard us in all peace this holy day and all the days of our life.
Deacon
Pray.
Congregation
Lord have mercy.
Priest
Master, Lord, God Almighty, the Father of our Lord, God and Saviour, Jesus Christ; We thank You for every condition, concerning every condition and in every condition. For You have covered us, helped us, guarded us, accepted us to You, spared us, supported us and have brought us unto this hour.
Deacon
Pray that God have mercy and compassion upon us, hear us, help us, and accept the supplications and the prayers of His saints for that which is good on our behalf at all times; and make us worthy to partake of the communion of His holy and blessed mysteries for the remission of our sins.
Congregation
Lord have mercy.
Priest
Therefore we ask and entreat Your goodness, O Lover of mankind, grant us to complete this holy day, and all the days of our life, in all peace with Your fear. All envy, all temptation, all the work of Satan, the counsel of wicked men and the rising up of enemies, hidden and manifest; take them away from us, and from all Your people, and from this table, and from this holy place that is yours. But those things which are good and profitable do provide us, for it is You Who have given us the authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and upon all the power of the enemy. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Through the grace, compassion, and love of mankind of Your Only-Begotten Son, our Lord, God, and Saviour Jesus Christ. Through Whom the glory, the honour, the dominion, and the worship are due unto You, with Him and the Holy Spirit, the Giver of Life, who is of one essence with You, now and at all times and unto the age of all ages. Amen.
Commentary
Thanksgiving governs the whole rite of the Eucharist. The word Eucharist comes from the Greek word εὐχαριστία (efcharistía) meaning thanksgiving. All liturgical prayers of the Church begin with the Prayer of Thanksgiving.
“in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”— 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Gratitude is the gateway to a relationship with God. In giving thanks, we acknowledge God's grace as good and great. We confess that God is the beneficent — He turns even the evil plans of the enemy into good for His beloved children (Romans 8:28). We cannot live without the mercy and compassion of God, and without it we would have perished from the beginning.
The Priest bows his head toward the East and signs himself with the sign of the cross. He then turns toward the west, making the sign of the cross over the people. Satan does not cease to tempt the children of God, but God does not abandon us in our trials: He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to bear (1 Corinthians 10:13).