A Prayer of St. John of Damascus

I stand before the doors of thy temple, yet refrain not from wicked thoughts. But O Christ-God, who didst justify the publican, and didst show mercy upon the woman of Cana, and didst open the doors of Paradise to the thief, — open thou unto me also thy loving-kindness, and accept thou me, who am come and who touch thee, as thou didst accept also the woman who was a sinner, and the woman who had an issue of blood. One of them, through touching the hem of thy garment, received perfect healing; and the other, clasping thine all-pure feet, carried away the forgiveness of her sins. And let me not be consumed, accursed though I be, through daring to receive thy Body. But accept thou me, as thou didst accept them, and illumine my spiritual senses, consuming my sinful offences: through the prayers of Her who bore thee without seed, and of the heavenly Powers: For blessed art thou, unto ages of ages. Amen.