Church of Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk
By Lodo27 from Moscow, Russia (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons
How shall I repay your generosity, my lover?
How shall I repay my God for all he has given me?
Had I died a thousand times for your sake,
it would be nothing.
That is because you are my Lord, my Creator and my God,
and I am just clay and ashes, a sinner and a worthless servant
who deserves all sorts of deaths,
not just in this realm but in eternity.
How shall I thank you, my Lord, my Lover,
my Intercessor, my Liberator, my Redeemer?
How shall I reward you, who did not spare yourself,
but for my sake gave yourself up to dishonor, insult,
mockery, infamy, to be spat upon, condemned,
whipped, wounded, crucified, and put to death
that I, a poor wretch, should be filled with joy?
How shall I reward you?
I have nothing I can call my own
but my corruption, my helplessness, my sin.
But regrettably, I have corrupted and spoiled it myself.
The temptations of the devil and my own desires have corrupted me.
I shall offer you a grateful heart, and that alone you desire of me.
But even this thing I cannot do without you.
Tychon of Zadonsk, 1724–1783, Russian Orthodox bishop
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Christian Prayers & Devotions
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So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.