Akathist: Glory to God for All Things

Kontakion 1

Immortal King of the ages, who hold in Your right hand every path of human life through the power of Your saving providence, we thank You for all Your benefits, known and hidden, for earthly life and for the heavenly joys of Your coming Kingdom. Continue to extend Your mercies to us who sing:

Glory to You, O God, for ever!

Ikos 1

I was born into the world a weak and helpless child, but Your angel spread his bright wings to guard my cradle. Since then Your love has shone upon all my paths, wondrously guiding me toward the light of eternity. I glorify the generous gifts of Your providence, revealed from my first day until now. I give thanks and cry with all who have come to know You:

Glory to You, who called me to life.

Glory to You, who showed me the beauty of the universe.

Glory to You, who opened heaven and earth before me like a great book of wisdom.

Glory to Your eternity amid this passing world.

Glory to You for Your hidden and manifest mercies.

Glory to You for every breath I take.

Glory to You for every step of life, for every moment of joy.

Glory to You, O God, for ever!

Kontakion 2

Lord, how good it is to be Your guest: the fragrant air, the mountains reaching into heaven, the waters like boundless mirrors reflecting the gold of sunbeams and the lightness of clouds. All nature whispers mysteriously, all is full of tenderness. Birds and beasts alike bear the seal of Your love. Blessed is mother earth with her fleeting beauty, awakening longing for our eternal homeland, where amid imperishable beauty there resounds: Alleluia!

Ikos 2

You brought me into this life as into an enchanting paradise. We saw the sky like a deep blue cup, in whose azure the birds sing; we heard the peaceful rustle of the forest and the sweet music of the waters; we ate fragrant sweet fruits and aromatic honey. It is good to be on Your earth, joyful to be Your guests.

Glory to You for the celebration of life.

Glory to You for the cool freshness of water.

Glory to You for the fragrance of lilies of the valley and roses.

Glory to You for the sweet variety of berries and fruits.

Glory to You for the diamond brilliance of morning dew.

Glory to You for the bright smile of awakening.

Glory to You for earthly life, the herald of heavenly life.

Glory to You, O God, for ever!

Kontakion 3

The power of the Holy Spirit embraces every flower, the gentle breath of fragrance, the tenderness of color, the beauty of greatness in small things. Praise and honor to the life-giving God, who spreads meadows like a flowering carpet, crowns fields with golden ears of grain and blue cornflowers, and crowns souls with the joy of contemplation. Rejoice and sing to Him: Alleluia!

Ikos 3

How beautiful You are in the triumph of spring, when all creation rises to life and joyfully cries to You in a thousand ways: You are the source of life, You are the conqueror of death. In the moonlight and the nightingale’s song, valleys and forests stand in their snow-white bridal attire. All the earth is Your bride; she awaits You, the immortal Bridegroom. If You clothe the grass in this way, how will You transform us in the coming age of resurrection? How radiant our bodies will become, how our souls will shine!

Glory to You, who brought forth from the darkness of the earth a variety of colors, tastes, and fragrances.

Glory to You for the warmth and tenderness of all Your creation.

Glory to You for surrounding us with thousands of Your creatures.

Glory to You for the depth of Your wisdom imprinted throughout the world.

Glory to You; reverently I kiss the traces of Your unseen footsteps.

Glory to You, who kindled before us the bright light of eternal life.

Glory to You for the hope of immortal, perfect, imperishable beauty.

Glory to You, O God, for ever!

Kontakion 4

How You delight those who think of You; how life-giving is Your holy word! Conversation with You is softer than oil and sweeter than honeycomb. Prayer to You gives wings and life. With what trembling the heart is then filled, and how majestic and full of meaning nature and all life become! Where You are absent there is emptiness. Where You are, there is richness of soul, and there the song pours forth like a living stream: Alleluia!

Ikos 4

When sunset descends upon the earth and the peace of evening sleep comes to reign, in the stillness of the fading day I see Your dwelling pictured in the radiant halls and cloudy canopies of the sunset. Fire and purple, gold and azure prophetically speak of the ineffable beauty of Your habitations and solemnly call: Let us go to the Father!

Glory to You in the quiet hour of evening.

Glory to You, who poured great peace upon the world.

Glory to You for the farewell ray of the setting sun.

Glory to You for the rest of blessed sleep.

Glory to You for Your goodness in the darkness, when the whole world is far away.

Glory to You for the tender prayers of a deeply moved soul.

Glory to You for the promised awakening to the joy of the eternal day that knows no evening.

Glory to You, O God, for ever!

Kontakion 5

The storms of life hold no terror for one whose heart is lit by the lamp of Your fire. All around are foul weather and darkness, terror and the howling wind. But in the soul are stillness and light. Christ is there! And the heart sings: Alleluia!

Ikos 5

I see Your heaven shining with stars. O how rich You are, how much light You have! Through the rays of distant stars eternity looks upon me; I am so small and insignificant, yet the Lord is with me. His loving right hand guards me everywhere.

Glory to You for Your unceasing care for me.

Glory to You for providential encounters with people.

Glory to You for the love of relatives and the faithfulness of friends.

Glory to You for the gentleness of the animals that serve me.

Glory to You for the bright moments of my life.

Glory to You for the clear joys of the heart.

Glory to You for the happiness of living, moving, and contemplating.

Glory to You, O God, for ever!

Kontakion 6

How great and near You are in the mighty movement of a thunderstorm; how visible is Your powerful hand in the curves of dazzling lightning! Wondrous is Your majesty. The voice of the Lord is over the fields and in the rustling forests; the voice of the Lord is in the birth of thunder and rain; the voice of the Lord is over many waters. Praise to You in the roar of fire-breathing mountains. You shake the earth like a garment. You raise the waves of the sea to heaven. Praise to You, who humble human pride and draw forth the cry of repentance: Alleluia!

Ikos 6

As lightning illumines the halls of a feast and afterward the lamps seem feeble, so You suddenly shone in my soul amid life’s greatest joys. And after the lightning of Your light, how colorless, dark, and unreal they seemed. My soul pursued You.

Glory to You, the goal and fulfillment of humanity’s highest dream!

Glory to You for our tireless thirst for communion with God.

Glory to You, who breathed into us dissatisfaction with earthly things.

Glory to You, who placed in us an eternal longing for heaven.

Glory to You, who clothed us in Your most delicate rays.

Glory to You, who crushed the power of the spirits of darkness and condemned every evil to destruction.

Glory to You for Your revelations, for the happiness of sensing You and living with You.

Glory to You, O God, for ever!

Kontakion 7

Your call is heard in the wondrous blending of sounds. You open to us the threshold of the coming paradise and the melody of its song in harmonious tones, in the heights of musical beauty, in the brilliance of artistic creation. Everything truly beautiful bears the soul toward You with a powerful summons and makes it sing in rapture: Alleluia!

Ikos 7

Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit You enlighten the thoughts of artists, poets, and scientific geniuses. By a power beyond conscious understanding they prophetically grasp Your laws, revealing to us the depths of Your creative wisdom. Their works speak of You unbidden: O how great You are in Your creations, O how great You are in the human person!

Glory to You, who revealed unfathomable power in the laws of the universe.

Glory to You; all nature is full of signs of Your existence.

Glory to You for everything revealed to us through Your goodness.

Glory to You for what You have hidden in Your wisdom.

Glory to You for the genius of the human mind.

Glory to You for the life-giving power of work.

Glory to You for the fiery tongues of inspiration.

Glory to You, O God, for ever!

Kontakion 8

How near You are in times of illness. You Yourself visit the sick, You Yourself bend over the bed of suffering, and the heart converses with You. You shelter the soul with peace amid grievous sorrows and sufferings; You send unexpected help. You are the Comforter, You are Love that tests and saves; to You we sing the hymn: Alleluia!

Ikos 8

When as a child I first consciously called upon You, You fulfilled my prayer and a reverent peace sheltered my soul. Then I understood that You are good, and blessed are those who come to You. I began to call upon You again and again, and now I cry:

Glory to You, who fulfill my desires for good.

Glory to You, who watch over me day and night.

Glory to You, who send abundant blessings before I ask.

Glory to You, who heal sorrows and losses through the healing passage of time.

Glory to You; with You no loss is hopeless, for You grant eternal life to all.

Glory to You; You have endowed everything good and noble with immortality.

Glory to You; You have promised us the longed-for meeting with the departed.

Glory to You, O God, for ever!

Kontakion 9

Why does all nature mysteriously smile on the days of Your feasts? Why does a wondrous lightness then fill the heart, incomparable with anything earthly, and why does the very air of the sanctuary and church become radiant? This is the breath of Your grace, the reflection of the light of Tabor, when heaven and earth sing in praise: Alleluia!

Ikos 9

When You inspired me to serve my neighbors and illumined my soul with humility, one of Your countless rays fell upon my heart, and it became radiant like iron in the fire. I saw Your mysterious, elusive face.

Glory to You, who transformed our life through deeds of goodness.

Glory to You, who placed ineffable sweetness in each of Your commandments.

Glory to You, who are manifestly present wherever mercy gives forth its fragrance.

Glory to You, who send us failures and sorrows so that we may be sensitive to the sufferings of others.

Glory to You, who placed a great reward in the inherent worth of goodness.

Glory to You, who accept every noble impulse.

Glory to You, who exalted love above all things earthly and heavenly.

Glory to You, O God, for ever!

Kontakion 10

What has been shattered to dust cannot be restored, yet You restore those whose conscience has decayed; You return their former beauty to souls that have hopelessly lost it. With You nothing is beyond repair. You are wholly love! You are the Creator and Restorer. We praise You with the hymn: Alleluia!

Ikos 10

My God, who know the fall of the proud morning-star angel, save me by the power of Your grace! Do not let me fall away from You, doubt You, or forget all Your benefits and gifts. Sharpen my hearing, that at every moment of life I may hear Your mysterious voice and cry to You, who are everywhere:

Glory to You for the providential meeting of circumstances.

Glory to You for intuitions born of grace.

Glory to You for the guidance of the hidden voice.

Glory to You for revelations in sleep and wakefulness.

Glory to You, who undo our unprofitable plans.

Glory to You, who through suffering sober us from the intoxication of passions.

Glory to You, who humble the pride of our hearts for our salvation.

Glory to You, O God, for ever!

Kontakion 11

Through the icy chain of centuries I feel the warmth of Your divine breath and hear the flowing blood. You are already near; the chain of time has fallen apart. I see Your Cross—it is for me. My spirit is dust before the Cross: here is the triumph of love and salvation; here praise never falls silent: Alleluia!

Ikos 11

Blessed is whoever will taste the supper in Your Kingdom, but already on earth You have let me share in this blessedness. How many times You have offered me Your Body and Blood with Your divine right hand, and I, full of sins, have received this holy gift and felt Your ineffable, supernatural love.

Glory to You for the unfathomable, life-giving power of grace.

Glory to You, who raised up Your Church as a quiet refuge for the tormented world.

Glory to You, who give us new birth through the life-giving waters of Baptism.

Glory to You; You restore to the repentant the purity of spotless lilies.

Glory to You, inexhaustible depth of forgiveness.

Glory to You for the cup of life, for the bread of eternal joy.

Glory to You, who raised us to heaven.

Glory to You, O God, for ever!

Kontakion 12

Many times I have seen the reflection of Your glory on the faces of the departed. With what unearthly beauty and joy they shone, how ethereal and immaterial their features were: it was the triumph of happiness and peace attained. In silence they called to You. At the hour of my death, enlighten my soul also as it cries: Alleluia!

Ikos 12

What is my praise before You! I have not heard the singing of the Cherubim; that is the portion of exalted souls. But I know how nature praises You. In winter I have contemplated how, in the moonlit stillness, all the earth quietly prayed to You, clothed in a white robe and shining with diamonds of snow. I have seen how the rising sun rejoiced in You and choirs of birds resounded with Your praise. I have heard how the forest mysteriously rustles of You, how the winds sing and the waters murmur, how the choirs of stars proclaim You by their ordered movement in boundless space. What is my praise! Nature obeys You, but I do not; yet while I live, I see Your love and wish to give thanks, to pray, and to cry:

Glory to You, who showed us the light.

Glory to You, who loved us with a deep, immeasurable, divine love.

Glory to You, who shelter us with the radiant hosts of angels and saints.

Glory to You, all-holy Father, who appointed Your Kingdom for us.

Glory to You, Redeemer Son, who opened to us the path of salvation.

Glory to You, Holy Spirit, life-giving sun of the age to come.

Glory to You for all things, O divine and all-good Trinity.

Glory to You, O God, for ever!

Kontakion 13

O all-good and life-giving Trinity, accept our thanksgiving for all Your mercies and make us worthy of Your benefits, that, having multiplied the talents entrusted to us, we may enter the eternal joy of our Lord with triumphant praise: Alleluia!

Read Kontakion 13 three times, then read Ikos 1 and Kontakion 1.

Ikos 1

I was born into the world a weak and helpless child, but Your angel spread his bright wings to guard my cradle. Since then Your love has shone upon all my paths, wondrously guiding me toward the light of eternity. I glorify the generous gifts of Your providence, revealed from my first day until now. I give thanks and cry with all who have come to know You:

Glory to You, who called me to life.

Glory to You, who showed me the beauty of the universe.

Glory to You, who opened heaven and earth before me like a great book of wisdom.

Glory to Your eternity amid this passing world.

Glory to You for Your hidden and manifest mercies.

Glory to You for every breath I take.

Glory to You for every step of life, for every moment of joy.

Glory to You, O God, for ever!

Kontakion 1

Immortal King of the ages, who hold in Your right hand every path of human life through the power of Your saving providence, we thank You for all Your benefits, known and hidden, for earthly life and for the heavenly joys of Your coming Kingdom. Continue to extend Your mercies to us who sing:

Glory to You, O God, for ever!