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Prayers to Theotokos...Some QuestionsI've

Dec 16, 2011
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I tend pray for important things, like my own salvation or that of someone I know who is in need of help, or for the healing of someone who is suffering greatly from illness. Once I asked the Theotokos to pray to her Son that I might be given help for my strong unbelief, doubtful whether or not she or any God is even there to hear the request. We can ask for a lot of things.
 
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All4Christ

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Since I've been dealing with some similar issues, I found a few prayers that I have no problem with (or at least feel more comfortable). Maybe they can help at some point?

O Theotokos, you are the true vine, that has put forth the fruit of life. We pray, O Lady, intercede together with the Apostles and all the saints, that mercy may be granted to our souls.

As there is no boldness in us because of the multitude of our sins, O Virgin Theotokos, intercede with the Son whom you have borne, for the entreaty of a mother has great power to win the favor of the Master. Despise not, O all venerable Lady, the prayers of sinners, for He who took upon Himself to suffer for our sake is merciful and strong to save.

Let Thy tender mercies, O Lord, speedily go before us, for we are become exceeding poor. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Thy name; O Lord, deliver us and purge away our sins, for Thy name's sake.

Beneath thy compassion,
 We take refuge, O Mother of God:
 do not despise our petitions in time of trouble,
but rescue us from dangers,
only pure one, only blessed one.

I included the last one due to it being the earliest known written prayer to the Theotokos (~250AD).
 
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All4Christ

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While I am fairly comfortable with the prayers above, perhaps the angelic greeting would be a better prayer to start with:

Rejoice! O Virgin Theotokos! Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, for you have borne the Savior of our souls! (Luke 1:28)

O Holy Mother of God, pray to your Son for us sinners!
 
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All4Christ

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Speaking of the prayers I just posted, do any of you who are more comfortable with the prayers know why these prayers would say "true vine" when scripture says that Jesus is the true vine? I'm assuming it is one of those play on words phrases, where the "fruit" she bore is the true vine, hence her role as the true vine?
 
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It isn't meant in exactly the same sense as when Christ says of Himself that He is the true vine. The prayerful reference to the Theotokos as a true vine is born of Orthodox Theology that speaks of Christ as the "fruit of the tree of Life" (from the father's commentaries on the Genesis account of Paradise). The language of prayer is often poetic (so metaphorical), not literal. Those of Protestant upbringings and superbly active left cerebral hemispheres which specialize in literal meanings (which tend to go along with one another) seem to really struggle with this.
 
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I must add that Christ's language was metaphorical also, when He called Himself the True Vine, yet He is also the Head of the Church, the Bridegroom, the Lamb, etc. He is called many things and has many metaphorical names that point to Who He is. Christ is the True Vine in a sense that all who bear good fruit do so because they are connected to and grow out from Him (as offshoots from the One Tree). Theotokos is the true vine in the sense that she brings forth the fruit of Life -- the body and blood of Christ, as All4Christ stated above.
 
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paul becke

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Yes, there is a wonderful blend of rigorous reasoning, and yet a concomitant acceptance of mystery, in the context you address, when we put more puzzling beliefs on the back-burner, pending enlightenment at some later time - and which, like you, I have found do tend to be duly clarified, one way or another.
 
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