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Lord Jesus Christ our God, accept from me, Your unworthy servant, this prayer for my enemies and our enemies. Forgive us all our sins. Have mercy on all our enemies who hate us, or insult us, or persecute us, or torture us, and do not judge them as they deserve, but according to Your great mercy turn them all: turn the nonbelievers to true faith and godliness, and may the believers step away from evil and do good — so that none of them die because of us, Your unworthy servants.

Merciful Lord, I beseech You particularly for those who have offended me in any way at all, or grieved me, or have done me harm in any way: Do not punish them for me, a sinner, but pour out Your rich kindness upon them.

I pray you also, Lord, for those whom I have sinfully provoked or incited to the sin of animosity, and forgive both them and me. Remember, Lord, that we are all human, and as humans we sin against You and against each other; but You, O God, as our Creator and Father, mercifully forgive us and have mercy.

Lord, Lover of humankind, God our Savior, forgive us our sins and our hostility toward one another; tear out from our hearts, O Lord, every mutual displeasure, prideful malice and remembrance of evil, and all that can obstruct love and weaken brotherly affection.

For You are the God of mercy and love for mankind, and You commanded us to forgive even our enemies, and to pray to You for those who hate us and persecute us. Glory and thanks be to You, the only Lover of mankind, for everything and everyone unto all ages.

[Prayer of St. Bishop Nicholai Velimirovich. And thanks to God for Justice Kavanaugh’s 10-year-old daughter, whom You inspired to pray for our enemies as Christ taught us!]