A collection of prayers by St. Nikolai of Zicha and South Canaan, written while he was serving as Bishop of Ohrid in Macedonia (in the Balkans). St. Nikolai later served as dean of St. Tikhon's Seminary, where he reposed on March 18th, 1955.
An excerpt from the 17th prayer:
They fly through the air and arrogantly say: "By ourselves we have created wings for ourselves, where is your God?" But I ask them: "Who gave you the idea of wings and flying if not the birds, which you did not create?"
Yet see what happens when You open their eyes to their own frailty! When irrational creatures show them their monstrous power; when their mind becomes filled with wonder at the starry towers, that stand in space without pillars or foundations; when their heart becomes filled with fear of their own frailty and insanity--then, in shame and humility, they stretch out their arms toward You and cry: "Holy Mighty!"
It's a beautiful and powerful collection. One that I'll be returning to, I am sure. The prayers here are full of great teaching on how we should orient ourselves in relation to God and the world around us.
