The Service of Prayers Before Communion includes a prayer by Saint Symeon the New Theologian that is in the form of a long poem. At one point, the Saint makes a reference to the Burning Bush.
Ταῦτα τολμηρὸν ποιεῖ με,
ταῦτά με πτεροῖ, Χριστέ μου·
καὶ θαῤῥῶν ταῖς σαῖς πλουσίαις
πρὸς ἡμᾶς εὐεργεσίαις,
χαίρων τε καὶ τρέμων ἅμα,
τοῦ πυρὸς μεταλαμβάνω,
χόρτος ὢν καὶ ξένον θαῦμα!
δροσιζόμενος ἀφράστως
ὡσπεροῦν ἡ βάτος πάλαι,
ἡ ἀφλέκτως καιομένη.
These things make me bold,
These things give me wings, my Christ;
And taking courage in Thy rich
Benefactions towards us,
Rejoicing and trembling at the same time,
I partake of the Fire
Who am grass, and strange wonder!
I am inexpressibly bedewed
Like the Bush of old,
Which burned without being consumed.
Receiving the Holy Mysteries, we become each of us a Burning Bush, burning with fire but unconsumed.


Recent Comments