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Walking with Mary of Egypt

Reading about Mary of Egypt this morning gave new insight into the Desert Mothers. I had long heard of the Desert Fathers, but was really not aware of those women of faith who felt the need to go into the wilderness and live their faith where they could commune with God without distraction. Mary of Egypt is such an interesting story. I read online about her story from the perspective of Zosimas. She wandered about in the desert confessing her sin because she felt so unworthy, and staying in the desert because she felt the love of Jesus and Mary the Theotokos to sustain her.
Our book encourages us today to pray a prayer of confession while walking. I like this idea a lot, because unlike Mary of Egypt, we will not be walking for years. The time of confession would be limited. I don’t know about you, but I find it hard to sometimes get myself out of wallowing in my thoughts of what I have done and what I have failed to do. I appreciate in worship each week our prayers of corporate confession so that we are cleansed before approaching God in  worship, so we can actually hear the Word.
Today, let us offer a prayer of confession, while walking, so we can hear God’s voice afresh. And let us really understand we are forgiven. And, let us forgive ourselves. After all, God already has.
In the Greek Orthodox tradition, there is a prayer attributed to her.
St. Mary of Egypt: Prayer of Repentance

“O Lady, Mother of God, who gave birth in the flesh to God the Word, I know, O how well I know, that it is no honour or praise to thee when one so impure and depraved as I look up to thy icon, O ever-virgin, who didst keep thy body and soul in purity. Rightly do I inspire hatred and disgust before thy virginal purity. But I have heard that God Who was born of thee became man on purpose to call sinners to repentance. Then help me, for I have no other help. Order the entrance of the church to be opened to me. Allow me to see the venerable Tree on which He Who was born of thee suffered in the flesh and on which He shed His holy Blood for the redemption of sinners an for me, unworthy as I am. Be my faithful witness before thy son that I will never again defile my body by the impurity of fornication, but as soon as I have seen the Tree of the Cross I will renounce the world and its temptations and will go wherever thou wilt lead me.”
+ Prayer of St. Mary of Egypt while standing in front of the icon of the Theotokos at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem[1]




[1] http://www.orthodoxchurchquotes.com/2014/03/31/st-mary-of-egypt-prayer-of-repentance/

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