As the great Shakespeare said in one of his works, “when we lend, we lose both money and friends, and loans dull thrift.” This is a surprisingly accurate description for a situation in which people who borrowed their own funds often find themselves.
Often, creditors, driven to despair by the non-return of money, begin to look for all kinds of options for getting them at least partially. Someone is trying to shame the debtor, another goes to sorcerers, sorcerers, or other mystics. Meanwhile, there are prayers in the Orthodox tradition that help people return their funds.
Do all such prayers help everyone?
Not every person will be helped by a prayer for a return of debt. The debtor must be a good friend, relative, buddy or friend. The loan itself should not imply a return with the agreed interest. The lender was not supposed to give money for gaining profit, the benefits of the loan. The debtor should be able to return the funds taken for a while.
This means that moneylenders or bankers do not make sense to pray for the return of debts to them. The Lord does not heed such a plea. Not at all because of a prejudice to usury, but because lending money to these people is a job. Accordingly, non-repayment of debts is a working trouble. That is, bankers and money-lenders need other prayers, for example, to protect them from losses.
A prayer for repaying a debt helps a creditor who, not seeking benefits, helps another person out of spiritual goodness, but the debtor, being able to pay off, funds taken on time, does not return.
Who to pray for?
Such prayers are offered to all the saints, to the Mother of God and the Lord himself. This means that a person should pray for the help of someone who comes to mind. Of course, desperate people are the first to remember the Lord. Prayer to Jesus is considered one of the most effective in the matter of restoring justice, whatever it may be. And the non-return of funds is an injustice towards the creditor. Accordingly, a prayer for repayment of debt can be addressed to Jesus.
In Russia, Nikolai the Wonderworker has always enjoyed special folk love and reverence. From time immemorial, they have come to him with all everyday troubles and tribulations, requests for help and complaints. Of course, the Holy Pleaser also helps in the return of funds.
Another revered Miracle Worker who helps restore justice and recover his funds is Spyridon of Trimyphus. In Russia, it is customary to pray to him for release from debt obligations. And in Greece, Serbia, Croatia and Bulgaria, people go to St. Spyridon with any financial difficulties.
Our Lady is usually prayed for help by women who are worried about the family budget or, for other reasons, upset by the failure to return the money.
A strong prayer for the return of debt is pronounced before the image of John the Warrior. This saint never leaves without help those who have endured for their kindness. Accordingly, it helps in the return of funds.
Where to pray
A prayer for repayment of a debt, like any other, can be read anywhere. The place does not matter much. For example, in past centuries it was often embarrassing to pray publicly in the church for the return of debts, especially if the funds were taken by relatives. They prayed for help at home, in the corner under the images with a lighted lamp or a candle. And it helped no worse than prayer in the church with the people.
However, there is a very important nuance that must not be forgotten. The power of prayer is based on the faith of the one who utters it, on the purity of his heart and the sincerity of thoughts. And these qualities are very rare these days. In the temple, it’s easier to distract from all the bustle, forget about doubts, stop worrying and really pray from a pure heart with full trust in the Lord and faith in his help. Therefore, it is more advisable to attend church for prayer. It is not necessary to come to the service, it is quite possible to go to the temple and stand before the image and at any other time.
What should be a prayer?
Prayer for the return of monetary debt, strong and sincere, is always born by itself. That is, a person pronounces what has boiled in the soul, and does not use ready-made texts. It’s not so rare that the desperate creditors, just walking down the street from the debtor’s house, uttered only two words in their hearts - “Lord, help me,” and it worked. God heard and admonished the ungrateful man who took the money and did not want to return it.
This example suggests that the power of faith and sincerity are the only conditions necessary for prayer. And what words a person will use does not play a special role.
The only thing that is important in the texts is that they should be clear and close to the one who prays. For example, ornate prayer texts with “Old Russian” word endings probably sound beautiful and look attractive in writing. But people do not understand the meaning of most of the words in them, since they have long gone out of use. That is, reading such a prayer, a person seems to sing a song in a foreign language - he falls into the notes and sounds great, but does not feel what he is performing. Such a prayer for repayment of debt will not have power.
Is there a universal prayer?
You can pray to a specific saint or to the Lord himself, turning directly to them. But you can also pray without speaking to anyone. Such prayers are similar to the autotraining used in psychology. However, a faith-spoken word can change the world, as many early Christian saints believed.
As such a prayer, you need to read excerpts from spiritual books - the Bible, Testaments, Gospels. In your own words, it is also possible to express a sore soul, but this will not be a prayer, but introspection. However, some theologians believe that, not addressing any of the saints, a man still speaks not with himself, but with the Lord.
As a universal remedy, you can simply come to the service of the temple and stand silently, listen, letting go of your own anxieties and clearing your thoughts.
How to pray to Jesus?
Prayer for the return of debt, money, both large and very small, addressed to Jesus, has no framework or limitations. The Lord will hear any request filled with faith and said from a pure heart, without anger in the soul or resentment against the debtor. If angry emotions overwhelm the soul, then for a prayer you need to choose a different time.
Prayer example:
“Lord God, almighty and all-merciful! I beg you to admonish your servant (name of the debtor). I ask you, Lord, to direct him on the true path, do not let it get bogged down in greed, destroy your soul in sin. I pray you Lord. Grant to me, your slave (proper name), patience and humility, do not let malice poison your soul, and lead the evil one into temptation. Do not let evil penetrate my thoughts and avert the demonic. Help, Lord, in my fair indignation, bring your slave (name of the debtor) to return the money. Amen".
How to pray to Our Lady?
A prayer for the return of a monetary debt addressed to the Mother of God is read, as a rule, by wives and mothers who are worried about the affairs of their spouses. Women usually begin to worry about the non-return of funds much earlier than men. Our Lady is the patroness of all wives and mothers, helping them in family matters. Of course, it also helps in returning money to the lender's house.
Prayer example:
“Theotokos is the Queen of God all-good! Our Lady of the Blessed! I give you the servant of God (proper name), trusting in your help in my cares. Existing in my troubles, mother of God, do not leave at the right time. I am afraid of troubles and sums, I am afraid that the house will remain without money. I beseech you, understand, the sinner, our debtor (the name of the one who took the means). Do not give him the temptation to give in and spend money. Amen".
How to pray to John the Warrior?
John the Warrior is not as popular among the Russian people as Nikolai the Miracle Worker, but Muscovites, with a non-repayment of their debt, go to pray for this saint on Yakimanka near the Oktyabrskaya metro station for more than a century.
Prayer example:
“The Holy of Christ, John the Warrior, the intercessor of the weak and the expulsion of oppressors, the fighter with injustice and our intercessor before the throne of heaven! Hear my request, servant of God (proper name), but judge with the debtor. No strength to watch walking and drinking. Does not return my money, servant of God (name of the debtor). I beg you, step in, reason the ungrateful. Amen".
How to pray to the Miracle Worker?
One of the most effective is considered to be a prayer addressed to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker for repayment of debt. The debtor can take any amount of money - both a lot and a little. The Holy Pleasure will help them return.
Prayer example:
“Nikolai Ugodnik, father. Nikolai the Miracle Worker, father. Please help me. Misfortune came, the demons of the servant of God (the name of the debtor) confused to collect the money of strangers. Teach him sinful, teach how to repay debts. Shame him, a sinner. Yes, do not let shame go off your face until you pay. Amen".
Simple prayers used to be used by such prayers addressed to Nicholas the Wonderworker: peasants, urban inhabitants, small shopkeepers, artisans and others.