Dedication Prayer

“O Jesus Christ! My Good Shepherd! Thou who hast appointed me, unworthy, to be the shepherd of this Thy small flock! I pray Thee, teach me to do Thy will! Grant me Thy voice, to proclaim Thy truth and righteousness, and to them grant hearing, that they may hear and recognize in my voice Thy voice! Give me strength and understanding to preach repentance in Thy name; open their minds and hearts to receive Thy word! And bring it to pass that this my word—or rather Thy word—may fall upon the very heart of them and bring forth Thy fruit! O Lord, hear my prayer. Amen.” (Works of Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow, vol. 1, p. 37)