Father Paisios the Athonite: Guidance about the Jesus Prayer

Father Paisios the Athonite: Guidance about the Jesus PrayerAn Excerpt from With Elder Porphyrios: A Spiritual Child Remembers

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We also think that it would be good to add a relevant text by the blessed and very well-known monk Paisios, the Athonite, who recently slept in the Lord (12/7/1994). He wrote this text c. 1975, as a letter to someone, who had asked him about it. He gave it to a visitor to post in an open envelope and gave him permission to read it and to keep a copy. This visitor gave it to us and we hope that Elder Paisios will no longer have an objection to us publishing it for the spiritual benefit of many and as proof that experienced Elders agree that the prayer of the heart is not subject to measurement and subjugation.
We present the text as given:

"Guidance about the Jesus Prayer,

A simple way for ceaseless prayer, if you want to you can use it too, which probably helps simple people who cannot get the true meaning of the neptic Holy Fathers, and run the risk of delusion.

Begin with Humility
Some (unfortunately) do not set the goal of putting off the old man (repentance, humility, and asceticism as a way of helping the sanctification of the soul) with a deep sense of their sinfulness. Then, they would naturally feel the need for Gods mercy, saying "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me," often. This with pain in their heart and then the feeling of the sweetness of divine comfort of the most Sweet Christ within their heart.

But unfortunately some people (as I mentioned) start off with a dry ascetic practice and seek after divine pleasure and lights and continually multiply their prayer-ropes and are sanctified by their calculation, reaching that conclusion (about their sanctity) from the mathematical reckoning of the greater amount of prayer-ropes they say.

They also (naturally) make footstools to the exact inch and all the other things, the bending of the head towards the heart. They regulate their breath and whatever else the watchful Saint Kallistuses and Gregorys of the Philokalia say. Then they create the false sensation that they are somewhere near the measure of those Saints.

From the moment they believe that thought, the tangalaki (the demon) immediately appears and sets up a television for them (with their fantasies) and devilish prophecies etc. of delusion follow.

For this reason, only certainty is repentance and let every spiritual edifice be built upon it and let us continually seek repentance from God and nothing else except that.
We should not ask for lights or miracles, or prophecies, or gifts of the Spirit, only for repentance. Repentance brings humility; humility will bring grace from God, because grace always goes to the humble, of necessity. Therefore, repentance is necessary for our salvation and when we have it, the grace of God will come and it will teach us what we need to do for salvation even of our fellows too, if it is necessary.

Say it Sincerely from the Heart many times.
In this way, which I mentioned (feeling the great need for Gods mercy), we will say the Jesus Prayer many times with our whole heart and we will feel, as I mentioned, the sweetness of divine comfort of the most sweet Jesus within our heart. The heart will (then) have our nous in tight embrace, as well as our whole being.

Then, and only then, will prayer not be tiring, but rather it will give rest, because we have grasped the true meaning of it. Only then do we pray without putting pressure on ourselves, but we are pressurized by our sense of honor and dignity (philotimo), which gives rise to all our spiritual upstanding generosity (leventia). This produces the fluttering of the heart. Then the heart (however stony it may be) breaks and tears burst forth from their ducts (without an effort being made to weep during the time of prayer).

You feel the need for this prayer like a hungry baby who opens its little mouth and runs into the arms of its mother to be suckled and at the same time feels very secure in its mothers loving care.

Precede with Patristic Study
Nobody doubts that the enemy will try to war against us and to disperse our thoughts. However, when preceded by a little bit of Patristic study (e.g. The Sayings of the Fathers) a lid is put on all our cares, great and small, and on the days temptations. So, it is transformed into another atmosphere, a spiritual one and you pray with concentration.

If the enemy wages war with blasphemous thoughts (from his usual wickedness and envy) do not get upset. Instead, use the demon as your worker in the following way, by not getting upset, but by saying to the enemy: "Its a good thing that you brought me those thoughts so that I can say the Jesus Prayer, because otherwise I forget to pray without ceasing." The enemy will then depart immediately, because he is only used to doing evil. I mentioned that because the enemy brings blasphemous thoughts to sensitive people (usually) to make them even more sensitive, to upset them and to cut them down.

The same applies to some that struggle in vigil over and above their strength, and with pride. When they slacken, and they do not have the strength to banish the thoughts of the enemy. They think that those blasphemous thoughts are their own, and so they suffer without reason, while the thoughts are not their own, but those of the enemy.
That is why young people should struggle in the matter of prayer with humility and discernment. They should prepare for the night. This, by not being distracted, by study and through moderate and simple food, which helps. As far as possible it should not be savory, to avoid drinking plenty of water, because that, too, is an obstacle, with the bloating that it causes. In this way, the person is helped with prayer.

It helps a great deal if the light evening meal, however light it may be, takes place at around 4 o'clock (European time), after study, fathers and so on, or else 3 hours after the main meal. Small and great prostrations beforehand, and in between each prayer-rope, help a great deal, unfreezing the machines oil. Later, after getting quite tired, he should sit down and say the Jesus Prayer, since he brings to mind his wretchedness and the great favors of God that our good God has done for him.

Then the nous is collected (as I mentioned, in the heart, on its own) and seeks Gods mercy with all his heart, with all his soul and with all his mind, without making a great effort.

The three hours after sunset help a lot (having read patristic books before sunset), as well as after midnight until sunrise. For young people it is good for them to sleep one hour after sunset, with less prayer, and to get up after midnight, in order to avoid scandalous sleep of the morning.

Naturally, discernment is required and guidance from their spiritual father, who is a requirement.

From With Elder Porphyrios: A Spiritual Child Remembers, by Constantine Yiannitsiotis, pp. 70-74. Published by the Holy Convent of the Transfiguration of the Savior (Athens, 2001). Posted with permission by the Convent on Great and Holy Monday, 4/2/2007.
Source: http://orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/blessed-father-paisios-guidance-about-the-jesus-prayer.aspx

Read also Paisios On Prayer
http://www.orthodoxprayer.org/Articles_files/Paisios_Jesus%20Prayer.html

Repeating the Name of Jesus

Elder Paisios is another holy person among many who place an emphasis on the practice of what is called the “Jesus Prayer.”

He says,

We should constantly and unceasingly repeat the Jesus prayer. Only the name of Christ must remain inside our communication with God, then the devil finds the chance to confuse us with negative thoughts. Thus, we end up not knowing what we want, do, or say.

Source: Elder Paisios on the Holy Mountain, p 79

Seeking Security by Prayer

Many ask why is this Jesus prayer so important. It is not as many eastern meditation practices teach to gain a state of bliss or some psychic experience. The purpose is to keep our soul connected with God so we can live according to His will.

Elder Paisos puts it this way,

The soul must be constantly ready and alert and always in contact with the spiritual headquarters, that is, God. Only then, it will feel secure, full of hope and joy.

When we learn to pray continually, we gain an sense of security because God is always with us to guide and help us no matter what situation we encounter. We are never left to rely solely our own thoughts and reason, but always have God at our side.

The Elder says,

The more we pray, the more secure we feel, on a spiritual basis, of course.

More on Prayer

Source: Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain, p 79

Should We Pray While Working?

Is it possible to pray while we are working? On the surface it seems that this will distract us from our work. The reality is that it will enhance our concentration and our ability to do quality work unhindered by distractions and anxiety.

Elder Paisios says,

When someone is doing work that needs concentration, i.e. he is driving a car, or he is operating on a patient, he should also say the Jesus prayer so God can help him and enlighten him; however, he should pray with his heart, and use his mind to concentrate on his work and thus avoid doing any mistakes.

Prayer can help us concentrate and gain greater insight into our work.

The Elder says,

The more the mind concentrates on praying, and is being humbled, the more it is enlightened by the grace of God. However, the more it gets dispersed and confused due to its haughtiness, the more it becomes troubled; therefore the our mind, which is clean by nature, fills up with dirty thoughts.

It is through prayer that we act with a “clean” mind. Without prayer we are left with our own often confused thoughts. We play over and over in our minds negative thoughts about this or that person. We play over again and again scenarios about what might befall us in the future. With continuous prayer our mind become still, clean from distracting thoughts, only filled with God and the work that is in front of us as this moment. We are held in the vision of His will for us.

Source: Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain, p 80

Aids in Practice of Jesus Prayer - Fr. Nikodim (1)

In the recent issue of The Orthodox Word there is an excellent article on the Jesus Prayer that is filled with practical advice. It is "A Conversation with Elder Nikodim on the Jesus Prayer" by Archbishop Mark of Berlin and Germany. In this article I found 20 useful pieces of advice that surely can help those who practice the Jesus Prayer. I will in a series of posts share them.

Elder Nikodim was a Russian monk on Mount Athos in the Kellia of Karoulia. He was a student of the Philokalia which he read regularly. In his early life he was a noncommissioned officer in the Tsar's Army during World War I. When the Tsar was overthrown, inspired by The Way of a Pilgrim, he decided to leave the army and take up a life serving, not an earthly king, but a heavenly king. He went to Mount Athos and lived in the St. Panteleimon Monastery, as well as in its skeets, Chromitsa and New Thebaid. He took on Fr. Theodosius as his spiritual father who was known to be very strict. He taught him the essential virtue of humility. "Obedience and humility are the essential preparatory conditions for the work of mental prayer" he copied from the work of Saint Theophan the Recluse. This he learned does not come from the outward order of monastic life but from one's inner state. He asked his spiritual father how he should engage in mental prayer after he died and he replied, "engage in mental prayer in a repentant spirit, and don't seek sweet feelings of the heart or visions of th emend....Well, now by your obedience you deserve outward stillness; for inward stillness, take care to acquire zealous repentance."

Fr. Nikodim was known as a good ascetic who was kind, merciful, always helped the poor and showed hospitality to everyone. He conducted extensive correspondence with various Russian people out side of Russia and instructed them in prayer.

During World War II he was joined by Hiershemamonk Seraphim and they would keep vigil all night. One would take the first half of the night and the other the other half. They were strict in their fasting.

In the late 50's he made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to venerate the holy places there.

He had a stoke which kept him from writing. He died on February 15, 1984.

The article that contains his advice was written by Archbishop Mark who was a convert to Orthodoxy, tonsured into monasticism in 1975 and made several visits to Mount Athos where he became acquainted with Elder Nikodim. The interview he recorded was made in 1982 which was near the end of Fr. Nikodim's life.

Here are the beginning instructions as taught to Elder Nikodim by His spiritual Father Fr. Theodosius

1. Do you pull the rope quickly?

They would say the Jesus Prayer in stead of reading the daily services. Elder Theodosius instructed him on the use of the prayer rope. He said, "No, not quickly. With the breath. So that it fits with one's inhalations and exhalations––"Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me."

2. You do the prayer sitting down?

Elder Theodosius responded, "Sitting down.... At the beginning we stand when we say, "O Heavenly King Comforter..."Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal..., Have mercy on me, O God [Psalm 50]...". and the Creed. Then you sit down––or pray with bows.

References: Article on Fr Nikodim's life, More on Jesus Prayer

 

What Causes Coldness in Prayer?

Many will blame the prayer or their prayer rule when they experience coldness in prayer. Saint Theophan says, "If prayer is going poorly is not the fault of the prayer but the fault of the one who is praying." He points out that it is our haphazardness in our approach to prayer that is the most common problem. For me, this occurs when I am in a hurry. I want to rush through my prayers so I can get on with a busy day. When this happens my prayer become routine and my heart is cold in relation to the words of the prayer and it is no longer prayer. It becomes simply another task for the day.


What do we do when we experience this coldness in prayer? Saint Theophan says simply, "reprimand yourself and threaten yourself with Divine judgment."


When we are in a hurry we are making God secondary in our life. Most of us spend very little time in prayer in relationship to all the other activities of our life. We really do not have any excuse for trying to rush through our daily prayers. We need to shame ourselves for this. No one else can do this for us. Our haste only leads to a compete waste of time. Prayer without feeling is not prayer.


Saint Theophan outlines what some people do in regards to prayer.

They set aside a quarter of an hour for prayer, or half an hour, whatever is more convent for them, and thus adjust their prayer time so that when the clock strikes, whether on the half hour or hour, they will know when it is time to end. While they are at prayer, they do not worry about reading a certain number of prayers, but only that they rise up to the Lord in a worthy manner for the entire set time. Others do this: Once they have established a prayer time for themselves, they find out how many times they can go around the prayer rope during that period... There are others who get so accustomed to praying that the times they spend at prayer are moments of delight for them. It rarely happens that they stand at prayer for a set time only. Instead, they double and triple it. Select whichever method pleases you best. Maintain it without fail...

A large part of my daily prayer rule is reciting the Jesus Prayer. For a while I would set a set number of prayers to accomplish my rule. I found myself rushing to complete them in a shorter and shorter time. I even came up with innovative ways to say them faster. I finally realized that I was not praying when I did this. Prayer was not about numbers but about a arm feeling in the heart in an intimate relationship with God. So I changed my practice to one based on a set time. Now I concentrate only on the words of the prayer, my Lord and Creator, and not on how many times I am repeating the prayer. This allows for a varied pace depending on your current state and allows for some spontaneity in your prayers as well.


More: Daily Prayer & Jesus Prayer


Reference: The Spiritual Life, pp 287-289

http://orthodoxwayoflife.blogspot.com/search/label/Jesus%20Prayer

Lay People and the Prayer of the Heart

Lay People and the Prayer of the Heart

To a layman who asked about Noetic Prayer (Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me), Elder Ephraim of Katounakia had this to say:

Set aside half an hour out of the twenty-four to say the Prayer. Whenever you are able; but the evening is best. Say it without using the prayer rope - in supplication, pleading, and with tears. 'Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.' Cultivate this, and you'll see what fruit it brings. From half an hour, it will become an hour. And guard this hour. Whether the phone is ringing, or you have this task you need to do now, or you're sleepy, or some blasphemy is confronting you. Nothing. Turn off the phone. Finish your tasks. Do this half hour and you'll see. You've planted a little tree, and tomorrow or the day after it will bear fruit. St. John Chrysostom and St. Basil both began like this and became luminaries for the whole world. St. Symeon the New Theologian had experiences of the Uncreated Light while still a layman. He was a layman. How many laymen appear as such exteriorly, but deep down are monastics!

Elder Ephraim of Katounakia:

From Obedience Is Life: Elder Ephraim of Katounakia, by Elder Joseph of Vatopaidi, p. 196.

Source

"Prayer without Ceasing" Is Necessary For All Christians

St. Gregory Palamas
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Let no one think, my brother Christians, that it is the duty only of priests and monks to pray without ceasing, and not of laymen.

No, no; it is the duty of all of us Christians to remain always in prayer.

For look what the most holy Patriarch of Constantinople, Philotheus, writes in his life of St. Gregory of Thessalonica. This saint had a beloved friend by the name of Job, a very simple but most virtuous man. Once, while conversing with him, His Eminence said of prayer that every Christian in general should strive to pray always, and to pray without ceasing, as Apostle Paul commands all Christians, "Pray without ceasing" (I Thessalonians 5:17), and as the prophet David says of himself, although he was a king and had to concern himself with his whole kingdom: "I foresaw the Lord always before my face" (Psalms 15:8), that is, in my prayer I always mentally see the Lord before me.

Gregory the Theologian also teaches all Christians to say God’s name in prayer more often than to breathe.

So, my Christian brethren, I too implore you, together also with St. Chrysostom, for the sake of saving your souls, do not neglect the practice of this prayer. Imitate those I have mentioned and follow in their footsteps as far as you can.

It Only Appears to Be Diffficult at First
At first it may appear very difficult to you, but be assured, as it were from Almighty God, that this very name of our Lord Jesus Christ, constantly invoked by you, will help you to overcome all difficulties, and in the course of time you will become used to this practice and will taste how sweet is the name of the Lord. Then you will learn by experience that this practice is not impossible and not difficult, but both possible and easy. This is why St. Paul, who knew better than we the great good which such prayer would bring, commanded us to pray without ceasing. He would not have imposed this obligation upon us if it were extremely difficult and impossible, for he knew beforehand that in such case, having no possibility of fulfilling it, we would inevitably prove to be disobedient and would transgress his commandment, thus incurring blame and condemnation. The Apostle could have had no such intention.

Moreover, bear in mind the method of prayer – how it is possible to pray without ceasing, namely by praying in the mind. And this we can always do if we so wish. For when we sit down to work with our hands, when we walk, when we eat, when we drink we can always pray mentally and practice this mental prayer – the true prayer pleasing to God. Let us work with the body and pray with the soul. Let our outer man perform his bodily tasks, and let the inner man be entirely dedicated to the service of God, never abandoning this spiritual practice of mental prayer, as Jesus, God and Man, commanded us, saying: "But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret" (Matthew 6:6).

The closet of the soul is the body; our doors are the five bodily senses. The soul enters its closet when the mind does not wander hither and thither, roaming among things and affairs of the world, but stays within, in our heart. Our senses become closed and remain closed when we do not let them be attached to external sensory things, and in this way our mind remains free from every worldly attachment, and by secret mental prayer unites with God its Father. "And thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly," adds the Lord. God who knows all secret things sees mental prayer and rewards it openly with great gifts. For that prayer is true and perfect which fills the soul with Divine grace and spiritual gifts. As chrism perfumes the jar the more strongly the tighter it is closed, so prayer, the more fast it is imprisoned in the heart, abounds the more in Divine grace.

Blessed are those who acquire the habit of this heavenly practice, for by it they overcome every temptation of the evil demons, as David overcame the proud Goliath. It extinguishes the unruly lusts of the flesh, as the three men extinguished the flames of the furnace. This practice of inner prayer tames passions as Daniel tamed the wild beasts. By it the dew of the Holy Spirit is brought down upon the heart, as Elijah brought down rain on Mount Carmel. This mental prayer reaches to the very throne of God and is preserved in golden vials, sending forth their odors before the Lord, as John the Divine saw in the Revelation, "Four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of the saints" (Revelation 5:8).

This mental prayer is the light which illumines man’s soul and inflames his heart with the fire of love of God. It is the chain linking God with man and man with God. Oh the incomparable blessing of mental prayer! It allows a man constantly to converse with God. Oh truly wonderful and more than wonderful – to be with one’s body among men while in one’s mind conversing with God. Angels have no physical voice, but mentally never cease to sing glory to God. This is their sole occupation and all their life is dedicated to this.

So, brother, when you enter your closet and close your door, that is, when your mind is not darting hither and thither but enters within your heart, and your senses are confined and barred against things of this world, and when you pray thus always, you too are then like the holy angels, and your Father, Who sees your prayer in secret, which you bring Him in the hidden depths of your heart, will reward you openly by great spiritual gifts.

But what other and greater rewards can you wish from this when, as I said, you are mentally always before the face of God and are constantly conversing with Him – conversing with God, without Whom no man can ever be blessed either here or in another life?

Finally, my brother, whoever you may be, when you take up this book and, having read it, wish to test in practice the profit which mental prayer brings to the soul, I beg you, when you begin to pray thus, pray God with one invocation, "Lord have mercy," for the soul of him who has worked on compiling this book and of him who helped to give it to the public. For they have great need of your prayer to receive God’s mercy for their soul, as you for yours. May it be so! May it be so!

St Gregory Palamas, from "Early Fathers From the Philokalia," translated from the Russian text, "Dobrotolubiye," by E. Kadloubovsky and G.E.H. Palmer, eighth edition, (London: Faber and Faber, Ltd., 1981), pp. 412 - 415

...more on the Jesus Prayer

Can Prayer Help relieve Headaches.

While there is no research on the use of the Jesus Prayer and relief from headaches there is some research from those who meditate.

Meditation has been shown to help offset the symptoms of chronic pain, including headaches. One study showed that 72 percent of patients with chronic pain who underwent meditation training, reported significant reductions in their level of pain. In another study, patients who practiced meditation experienced fewer migraine headaches, enhanced their pain tolerance, and reported a greater sense of well-being.

The Jesus Prayer is quite different than meditation as it is an prayer in communication with God. But there are many similarities to the regular practice of this prayer that are similar to meditation. The Jesus prayer should be much more effective than meditation as it does call on God for His mercy.


The regular practice of the Jesus prayer requires at least 15 minutes per day where you can set aside all daily cares and quietly in your mind repeat the prayer, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have mercy on me." One will find that this is not an easy task as our minds are very active and we will observe many distracting thoughts while we try to pray in this way. Gradually as we keep up a daily practice we will gain in our ability to concentrate on the words of the prayer. As we gain in this way, our mind becomes quiet, our body relaxes, and our heart opens to God. This opening then allow His grace to flow through us bringing any healing power as God wills for us.


With the practice, when we feel a headache coming on, we can stop for a few minutes and repeat this prayer until the pain subsides. We don't have to wait for the actual headache to intervene with a prayer. Here are some symptoms that are known to be precursors to and headache: Fatigue, mood changes, food cravings, loss of appetite, yawning, increased urination, and muscle stiffness. We can observe our own situation and learn to recognize these warning signs. There are also some common triggers that can be avoided. They are: Caffeine, chocolate, aged cheese, red wine, hormonal changes, stress, and too much or to little sleep.


To learn more about the practice of the Jesus Prayer in your daily life, you can go the the OrthodoxPrayer.org website and enter the section labeled Jesus Prayer.


The power in this prayer comes from the name, "Jesus". Its practice requires humility realizing that we cannot control everything in this world, including our aches and pains. Its practice is both a worship of God and a discipline with similarities to many meditation techniques. It is not an easy practice and takes patience and endurance. Research has shown that it actually causes a change in neurological networks of our brain. One must first have faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

Can seven words—Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me—change lives?

It may seem a lot of effort over just seven words: Finding 110 Eastern Orthodox Christians, giving them a battery of tests ranging from psychology to theology to behavioral medicine, and then repeating the tests 30 days later. But the seven words—"Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me" (a.k.a. the Jesus Prayer)—are among the most enduring in history. What Boston University psychologist George Stavros, Ph.D., wanted to find out was whether repeating the Jesus Prayer for ten minutes each day over the 30 days would affect these people's relationship with God, their relationships with others, their faith maturity, and their "self-cohesion" (levels of depression, anxiety, hostility, and interpersonal sensitivity). In short, Stavros was asking whether the Jesus Prayer can play a special role in a person's "journey to the heart."

The answer—at least on all the scales that showed any significant effect compared to the control group—turned out to be a resounding yes. Repeating the contemplative prayer deepened the commitment of these Christians to a relationship with a transcendent reality. Not only that, it reduced depression, anxiety, hostility, and feelings of inferiority to others. So powerful were the psychological effects of the prayer that Stavros urges his colleagues to keep it in mind as a healing intervention for clients. He recommends that the prayer be used along with communal practices so that one's relationship with God and others is "subtly and continuously tutored." In other words, going inside to find God does not mean going it alone.

From Spirituality & Health—The Soul/Body Connection. Publication date unknown. Posted 8/21/2005.

 THE OMNIPOTENT PRAYER Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me ...
By Elder Joseph, the quieter and Spilaiotou (1897-1959)

Always try to make sure that the prayer of Jesus Christ is included in your daily cycle, your work, your every breath and your every sense. Oh, then how will your heart rejoice! How delighted you will be because your mind will rise towards the heavens. Wherefore do not forget to always say: Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.

When you chant you will understand the chants; you will have the desire and you will likely have the voice and humility to give back, accordingly, the words of God. Therefore do not do injustice to your soul anymore, but say inwardly the prayer, Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me...

When you work, do not let all your thoughts and strength be absorbed in your work, but say the prayer in a whisper. Then your works will be correct, error-free, your thoughts will be clean, and your work performance will be greater. Go ahead, then, say the prayer of Jesus Christ, so your works will be blessed, Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.

The Holy Spirit protects the soul that prays. It enters the depths of the soul, has control over the inner world of the soul and it directs it towards God's Holy Will. Only then the soul has the power to say, along with the Prophet: Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! (Ps. 103, 1). Go ahead and pray: Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, so you will have the protection of the Holy Spirit.

When the Holy Spirit protects your soul, you feel fulfilled and humble. You are not affected by injustice, irony or praise. You live in a spiritual atmosphere, which the virus of sin cannot penetrate. Only the Holy Spirit can judge our souls, no else has that right. The Holy Spirit gives us new eyes and new reasoning. Say the prayer frequently so you can live comfortably in any environment; Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.

More on Jesus Prayer

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Jesus Prayer with Attention is the Key

The true path to union with God is one that involves the continual remembrance and God and always acting on the guidance of our conscience. It is only in this way that we can do as we pray in the Lord's Prayer, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven." One of the most fundamental practices to make this a reality in ones life is prayer. Saint Theophan says prayer is "a spiritual barometer for self-observation." In prayer we find out how "high or low our spirit has gone." A sound prayer life involves regular morning and evening prayers. This is supplemented with the ongoing repetition in our minds of the Jesus Prayer so that we attain continual remembrance of God through unceasing prayer.


Saint Theophan offers us some advice about prayer.
He says,

The essence of prayer is the raising of the heart and mind to God...You must train yourself in remembrance of God, and the means for doing this... is short prayer, in which you continually repeat the thought, "Lord have mercy!" "Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner!"

In addition we need to train ourselves to focus on pray and not to let our minds wander. Saint Theophan address this as follows:

Make this your rule: always be with the Lord in mind and heart; never allow the thoughts to wander, but when they do, call them back again and force them to stay at home in the house of the heart and speak with the most sweet Lord. Once you have made this rule, you must force yourself to carry it out faithfully.

My own spiritual father gave me this simple advice when I discussed this common problem with him, "Just decide to reject them! When you do, they will stop." Prayer involves giving your full attention to God alone.


From my personal experience, the practice of the Jesus Prayer in conjunction with controlling the thoughts is the essence of a fundamental spiritual practice that will lead you continually closer to God. Everything will follow with ease once you have engaged in a regular practice of the Jesus Prayer. Once the mind has been conditioned to remember the prayer in all situation, then God will be in your presence and there is time for you to listen to your conscience and to act with wisdom instead of passion.


More on the Jesus Prayer


Reference: The Spiritual Life, pp 198-200

Secret to a Spiritual Life Amidst Busyness

Most of us have lives that are filled with busyness. We are constantly on the go, busy with work, caring for our family, involved in self-help activities, engaged in entertainment, following our kid's sports, caring for elderly parents and so forth. Life in today's interconnected world is very demanding. We are never out of touch and continually responding to shifting demands and needs. We are often so busy that we do not even think about God the entire day. Many of us do not even have time for daily prayer. All this leads us to a stressful life, one that is separated from God.


To transform such a life of busyness, the secret is "unceasing remembrance of God." This is our most important spiritual task, to learn how to remember God at all times no matter how busy we are. By fortifying ourselves with such remembrance, God never leaves our mind. with God in our mind at all times He is always with us and is everywhere. This is the only way to transform our lives into one that is forever spiritual. All our activities become made up of actions dedicated to the will of God. We become more able to choose those activities which are truly important and to give up those that are not so important. We even learn, though God's grace, how to make increasing time for daily prayer, regular worship and participation in the sacraments.


Saint Theophan instructs us as follows:

Nothing special is required for this, just the intention of accepting it and exerting yourself, and remembering that the Lord is in you and close by you, and looks in you and inside of you just as intently as if someone were looking right at you. So that you do not do something, just remember that the Lord is close by and watching. Work at making this a habit and you will get used to it, and as soon as it is a habit, or is almost a habit, you will see the read gaming action that comes from it in the soul. Just do not forget that remembrance of God is not like remembrance of other things, that it must be combined with the fear of God and reverence of Him.

To make it easier to acquire the habit of remembrance of God, there is a special method for fervent Christians; that is, the unceasing repetition of a short prayer... most common is “Lord, have mercy!” “Lord, Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner!” If you have never heard this, then listen, and if you have never done it, then begin doing it from this moment on. Whether you are walking, sitting, working, eating, going to bed, repeat over and over the words, “Lord, have mercy!” “Lord, Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner!” From long practice of this, the words will fasten themselves to the tongue so that they will repeat themselves. This has a very settling effect on the soaring and wandering of the thoughts. Again, do not forget to combine this prayer with reverence.

More on the Jesus Prayer

Reference: The Spiritual Life, pp 187–188

Adding Spiritual Value To Our Work

It is through prayer that we sanctify our work as well as ourselves. Therefore, it is important to teach our employees to be renewed spiritually and to work prayerfully. When work is sanctified, it gains a spiritual value above the material value of the service or product. When workers are cursing while they work their work is also cursed and its value is diminished.

Elder Paisios says,

In our days, people prefer to purchase their icons and other items from monasteries. They do so because they know that monks and nuns say the Jesus prayer while working, and every thing they do is blessed. When people visit a monastery and eat food coked without oil they find it tasty and say, “I haven’t eaten such a tasty dish even in the best restaurant. How can it be so tasty when it is cooked without oil?

When the cook of a restaurant curses while he is cooking and never goes to church, how can the food be blessed? On the contrary, the monk is praying while cooking and his hart is filled with positive thoughts; he thinks that he is preparing food for earthly angels to eat. Moreover, when monks sit at the table to eat, they say a prayer to bless the food. How is it possible then for the food not to taste good?

Therefore when someone comes to your business to start work, first see that he is spiritually revived and then show him the work, so your business will have God’s blessing and be prosperous.

With this advice, try to create a spiritual attitude in your workplace and observe the difference it makes on yourself, your employees and your customers.

Source: Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain, p 82

When to Pray the Jesus Prayer

The aim of prayer is to do as Saint Paul instructs us, “To pray unceasingly” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). This simple prayer can easily be said anywhere. Often we think of prayer as something we do in the morning and then in the evening or in church. But this is not right. We must think of prayer as something that we do continuously.

Elder Paisios says,

We should always say the Jesus prayer wherever we are; not just in the morning or at night. When we walk, we should not waste our free time, but instead take advantage of it and repeat the prayer. When we are working in a busy place and it is difficult for us to concentrate on praying, we can quietly chant without disturbing others.

There are many moments during the day when we are idle. How often do you find yourself waiting in line for something. This is the ideal time to pray, saying “Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me.” Then as you begin to do this during these idle times you will gradually find yourself repeating the prayer at other times throughout the day. To help etch the prayer in our minds, it is also helpful to repeat it numerous times as part of our morning and evening prayers as well. With God’s help, eventually it will become continuous without any effort. What you need to begin is the intention to pray unceasingly as Paul instructs.

More on the Jesus Prayer

Source: Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain, p 81

http://orthodoxwayoflife.blogspot.com/search/label/Jesus%20Prayer

Articles about the Jesus Prayer

Review: "Mysteries of the Jesus Prayer"

The Jesus Prayer, otherwise known as "Noetic Prayer" or the "Prayer of the Heart", is Orthodox Christianity's best kept secret. It is the universal language of the saints by which the Holy Spirit prays unceasingly in the purified heart of the Christian and is the source of authentic joy, love, and other divine gifts. It unites the believer with God and makes one a participant in His divine glory.

In the West many may have first heard of the Jesus Prayer through the American novelist J.D. Salinger, whose book Franny and Zooey is often creidted by spiritual seekers of the West as first introducing them to both the Jesus Prayer and the Russian tale The Way of a Pilgrim, which is essentially an introduction to The Philokalia. These latter two manuals are essential guides to the art of noetic prayer.

The documentary "Mysteries of the Jesus Prayer" is a visual guide and contemporary teaching tool to this powerful prayer as it is practiced today in some of Orthodoxy's most famous monasteries. Norris J. Chumley and Rev. Prof. John McGuckin lead us on a pilgrimage to shrines that have never been filmed before in places such as Egypt, Mt. Sinai, Mt. Athos in Greece, Romania, Ukraine and Russia. In each place they speak with contemporary elders, church leaders, and simple monks and nuns, who speak of their daily experience with the Jesus Prayer and the relevant role it plays in transforming the inner man which in turn helps to transform the world. In the ancient setting of their monasteries the viewer sees that this prayer, "Lord Jesus Christ Have Mercy On Me", is a tradition from the beginnings of Christianity and still remains the primary focus of monastics and for all devout Orthodox Christians in general.

I highly recommend this film which took eight years in the making and is filled with stunning locations, informative narration, and invaluable spiritual insights.

The Official Website can be viewed at this link: http://www.mysteriesofthejesusprayer.com/

 

The Power of Prayer and Fasting

By St. Nikolai Velimirovich

"This kind can come out by nothing, but prayer and fasting" (St. Mark 9:29).

This is the saving prescription of the greatest Physician of human souls. This is the remedy tried and proved. Another remedy for lunacy, there is not. What kind of sickness is that? That is the presence and dominance of an evil spirit in a man, a dangerous evil spirit who labors to eventually destroy the body and soul of man. The boy whom our Lord freed from an evil spirit; this evil spirit that had hurled him at times in the fire, at times in the water just in order to destroy him.

As long as a man only philosophizes about God he is weak and completely helpless against the evil spirit. The evil spirit ridicules the feeble sophistry of the world. But, as soon as a man begins to fast and to pray to God, the evil spirit becomes filled with indescribable fear. In no way can the evil spirit tolerate the aroma of prayer and fasting. The sweet-smelling aroma chokes him and weakens him to utter exhaustion. In a man who only philosophizes about faith, there is spacious room in him for the demons. But in a man who sincerely begins to pray to God and to fast with patience and hope, for the demon it becomes narrow and constricted and he must flee from such a man. Against certain bodily ills there exists only one remedy. Against the greatest ill of the soul, demonism, there exists two remedies, which must be utilized at one and the same time: fasting and prayer. The apostles and saints fasted and prayed to God. That is why they were so powerful against evil spirits.

O gracious Jesus, our Physician and Helper in all miseries, strengthen us by the power of Your Holy Spirit that we may be able to adhere to Your saving precepts concerning fasting and prayer for the sake of our salvation and the salvation of our fellow men. Amen.

The Miracles of Childlike Faith

"Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." - Luke 18:17

The blessed Elder Paisios (+ 1994) talked about a simple monk with a heart of a small child. This monk, believing that the "Holy Ascension" (Αγία Ανάληψη) was a holy woman, such as Saint Paraskevi (literally translated as Saint Friday), said the following in prayer: "Saint Ascension, if only we had fish today!" His prayer was answered by "Saint Ascension" and a fish was brought to him.

One illiterate nun from a village in Corinth would say: "Holy God, Holy Weather, Holy Death, have mercy upon us" (Άγιος ο Θεός, άγιος ο καιρός, άγιος ο θάνατος, ιλέησον ημάς), confusing the words of the prayer. Yet when she would pray this, her face sparkled!

A simple mother said to the priest of a village: "My Father, I brought my child for you to read a prayer, because it has no appetite!" And he recited the prayer for the "opening of a well"! And the child's appetite was "opened"!

True simple faith!

G. Meneopoulou: Mother, what could you tell us on fasting?

Gerondissa Gavrilia: Fasting is one of our greatest weapons against the Evil One. I will repeat what Father Lazarus [Moore] told me once. In 1962, I went to the USA. I stayed there a long time and travelled to many states. The letters of Father Lazarus were a great help. He was my Spiritual Guide and I am most grateful to him for the valuable letters he wrote to me at times, wherever I went. He used to say: "Go anywhere you like, do whatever you like, as long as you observe Fasting."

Why that, Mother?

Because not a single arrow of the Evil One can reach you when you fast. Never.

You mean Wednesdays and Fridays?

Not only that; all Fast days and periods.

What were you eating then?

It was the Fast of the first two weeks in August [the Dormition Fast] and, there, they keep a good table with all sorts of delicacies. But for me, a tomato juice and some stewed fruit were more than enough - every day of the Fast. I was then witnessing God's many miracles! When they asked me for a Confession on the Orthodox Faith or for my experiences with the Lord, and I listened afterwards to what I had said on the tapes, I marveled as if the words had not been my own. I am deeply grateful to Father Lazarus, for this advice of his.

Mother, as you have just said, by fasting we are safe from the arrows of the Evil One. Does this happen because the soul is left free for spiritual nourishment?

To begin with, fasting makes you forget your body - the "What are we going to eat? What are we going to drink?" So, when you pay no attention to the body, you turn your attention to the spirit. And the spirit is blessed by God. It receives and accepts the Grace of God. Then you can lead a life according to Christ, as we all wish our life to be, as we all wish to live our life. Fasting helps in that. St. Basil the Great said that the basis for spiritual progress is the practice of temperance in everything. Our ancestors, too, had that famous saying: "A fat belly cannot breed a fine mind."

This rule is for Monastics. What about people who live in the world?

No, the rule is not only for Monks and Nuns. I was living in the world before, with my professional activities, my Physiotherapy practice, etc.

Yes, but what if someone is married and has a family? As far as fasting is concerned, some solution may be found. What about continence though? What is the right measure?

Temperance in food, fun and marital relations can be practiced. Provided both spouses agree that their way of living will not be totally "according to the world", but that they also will share a life according to God. I know many couples who have raised a family and lead a proper life. A young man or woman who loves God, should ask first: "Is the future wife or husband a true Christian?"

What if he or she is not?

In that case, there is no reason to start a family. Even so, I know of some instances in which the pious wife, after long years of prayer, saw her husband go to church and receive Holy Communion - for the first time in thirty or forty years perhaps. Imagine how long...

What great patience!

A prayer is always answered, when it is about spiritual change and progress.

From The Ascetic of Love, pp. 200-202.

What Activates True Love?

When grace is operative in the soul of someone who is praying, then he is flooded with the love of God, so that he can no longer bear what he experiences.

Afterwards, this love turns towards the world and man, whom he comes to love so much that he seeks to take upon himself the whole of human pain and misfortune so that everyone else might be freed from it. In general he suffers with every grief and misery, and even for animals, so that he weeps when he thinks they are suffering.

These are the properties of love, but it is prayer that activates them and calls them forth.

This is why those who are advanced in prayer do not cease to pray for the world. To them belongs even the continuation of life, however audacious and strange this may seem. And you should know that, if such people disappear, then the end of this world will come.
- Elder Joseph the Hesychast

Convert From Protestantism Embraces the Theotokos

The following inspirational testimonial was written by a friend of mine who recently converted to Orthodoxy from Protestantism, and is featured here exclusively in the hopes of inspiring all to embrace the Theotokos, with or without hesitation.

I was raised Southern Baptist and even graduated from one of their seminaries. I had been taught to view Christianity, well specifically the elements that were not mentioned in the Bible, as examples of the paganization of Christianity. I viewed everything through the von Harnackian prism whereby Christianity becoming Hellenized was a contemptible thing. I read eloquent portrayals of Byzantine life, where they viewed the prayers of the Saints in heaven as a mirror of the Byzantine emperor's court. Because a person needed a person on the "inside" to make things happen with the emperor. Little did I understand that those who died in Christ are alive. These greatest in the kingdom are servants to all.

I was chrismated into the Orthodox Church a year and two months ago after a year long catechumenate. Devotion to the Theotokos and prayer to the saints were the two hurdles I struggled with the longest. But after two years of saying my daily prayers in front of my icon corner, each day invoking the prayers of the Theotokos and all the saints, I have never found myself worshiping anything or anyone other than the Holy Trinity.

I have noticed over the last month, devotion to the Theotokos has become part of my Orthodox experience. My parish priest gave me a Christmas card that had an icon of the Theotokos on it. I taped it on the wall by my front door, and often kiss it as I am leaving or coming, as I hang my keys by it. When I kiss the Theotokos' hand, I feel grateful for the Incarnate Word that destroyed death and corruption. With that kiss I feel connected to all the Saints, past, present and future who live because of Jesus Christ's victory over death.

Also, I have been agonizing about a certain decision in my life. After praying to the Theotokos I have seen some things developing. I have noticed when a certain prayer request is dear to my heart, I find myself turning to the Theotokos with it, knowing the love she has for people.

Sometimes I still feel my former Protestantism creeping up in my mind saying "you are no different than a pagan praying to Aphrodite". But ultimately, it is a great comfort that the Theotokos and the Saints intercede for sinful me.

- Anonymous

All Christians Should Pray In the Name of Jesus Christ

That All Christians - Clergy, Monastics and Laity - Should Pray in the Name of Jesus Christ

By St. Symeon, Archbishop of Thessaloniki

This Name of Jesus as a prayer should be said always by all the faithful with the mind and with the tongue. When standing or walking or sitting or reclining, always say it; forcing yourself to it. He will find great calm and joy in it, as has been the experience of all who occupy themselves with the prayer. Since this work is above all others in our life, the monks who find themselves in the midst of noise must concern themselves at least some time with this highest work.

And generally, we all should have as a pattern of prayer this prayer which is active and works with power in all - whether they be clergy or monastics or laity.

And particularly monastics, who have undertaken this work of prayer, have especially need of this prayer even if they happen to find themselves in noisy ministries. Therefore let us always hurry to this active prayer and pray to the Lord without ceasing. Never mind that there be wandering thoughts and confusion in the mind; and let us not be careless because the enemy attacks and for a moment overcomes us. Let us return immediately to the prayer, and indeed return with joy!

Let the ordained be diligent in this apostolic work and consider it equal to divine preaching or other divine assistance and perform it with love and fear in the sight of God.

Those found in the world should have the Prayer of Christ as a seal and as a sign of faith, as a protection and sanctification. And by the power which they receive from this prayer let them overcome every temptation.

Let all of us, ordained and monastics and laity, unite ourselves with Christ in our hearts as soon as we wake from sleep, let us remember Christ! And that will be the start of every good idea and suitable sacrifice through our Christ. For certainly we must always think of Christ Who saved us and loved us. Through this we are Christians and are named as such. We have put Him on in divine Baptism and been sealed with the Holy Myron and received His Holy Flesh and Blood. And further we are members of Him. His Temple! We have put Him on and He has dwelt in us!

For this it behooves us to continually love Him, and remember Him.

Let each of us have a time according to his ability and let him dedicate to the Prayer as is due.

We have spoken enough on this theme and whoever desires more will certainly find it.

Why Jesus Fasted After His Baptism

By Elder Daniel Katounakiotis

Without fasting will neither pure prayer be attained nor chaste virginity achieved, nor will the Christian not subjugating his body through the suitable means of fasting be able to bear the cross of our Savior Jesus and follow Him.

He, our Savior Jesus, fasted forty days and nights as an example for us. And when? After His baptism. This shows us that all baptized Christians are obliged to fast according to their strength.

From Contemporary Ascetics of Mount Athos (vol. 1) by Archimandrite Cherubim, p. 313.

Elder Dobri: The Greatest Donor of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia

 

Abba Irenaeus: "Let Us Imitate the Three Children"

Abba Irenaeus said to the brethren:

"Let us fight diligently and be patient in our warfare, for we are soldiers of the Heavenly King. And as the soldiers of an earthly king wear helmets, so we have heavenly graces - the beautiful virtues. They have breast-plates of chain-mail and we have the spiritual breast-plate forged with the bronze of faith. They have a spear; we have a cross. They have a shield; we have our hope in God. They have the oblong shield; we have God. In war they shed blood whereas we surrender our wills. That is why the Heavenly King conceded that the demons should do battle with us - that we not forget His benefits.

Many men, in their slackness, do not pray at all; or, if they pray, do not pray continuously but wander in their thoughts. They will be found to be no better than those who do not pray at all. For how shall they be heard who speak to God with their lips while they are reckoned to be of the world in their hearts? When we are afflicted, then we soberly give ourselves to prayer (for we often sing with our lips but not with our attention), sending up the eye our heart as we pray to God, speaking to Him with sighs.

So now, brothers, let us imitate the soldiers of the mortal king and fight with zeal, or rather the Three Children [Dan. 13] and tread down the furnace of passions by purity. Let us quench the coals of temptation by prayer. Let us put the imaginary Nebuchadnezzar (the devil) to shame, setting forth our bodies as a living sacrifice to God and offering a religious mind as a burnt sacrifice."

From The Spiritual Meadow of John Moschas, translated by John Wortley, Mioni 9.

Saint Theodoulos the Stylite

St. Theodoulos the Eparch (Feast Day - December 3)

Saint Theodoulos was an eparch of Constantinople during the reign of Theodosius the Great (379-395).

After his wife's death, St Theodoulos gave his wealth of 550 litres of gold away to the poor and became a monk. He resigned his position because he did not want to be distracted by vain worldly cares. He traveled to Edessa and lived on top of a pillar for thirty years, eating nothing except once a week the Body and Blood of Christ together with the antidron.

At one point the thought came to him to wonder who lived a life of virtue equal to him. He received a divine answer when he heard a voice say that he was equal with Cornelius the Mime, who worked in a theatre in Damascus and bore the name Pandouros. Troubled by this he went to Damascus to search out Cornelius the Mime.

Finding him, Theodoulos fell at his feet and asked about his way of life. Cornelius responded that he was a sinner without any virtue. Insisting that he tell him, Theodoulos pleaded with him once again. Cornelius then responded that he was once a mime who travelled around with actors and dancers until he came to realize he was a great sinner. Being convicted by the Final Judgement he left everything to live a pure life and gave everything to the poor.

Not being satisfied with this, Theodoulos inquired of Cornelius to tell him more. Cornelius then told him how there was once a wealthy woman who married a certain man. Because the husband was a prodigal he spent his entire fortune as well as that of the woman. His debts eventually lead him into prison, and his wife did not have the money to have him fed. She would beg for money, but because she was beautiful there was great danger for her. It was then that Cornelius met her and found out her story. When he asked of her debt, she said it was 400 gold coins. Having only 230 gold coins, he went and sold what he could, even his best clothes, in order to raise the 400. Giving her the money, she was able to free her husband. Hearing this story Theodoulos glorified God and returned to mount his pillar satisfied.

St. Theodoulos the Stylite departed to the Lord around 440.

On the Words of the Lord's Prayer: "Lead Us Not Into Temptation"

One of the Saints said:

"When we pray to the Lord and say: 'Lead us not into temptation', we are not saying this so that we shall not be tried; that would be impossible. We are praying not to be overcome by temptation to the extent of doing something displeasing to God. That is what it means to not enter temptation. The holy martyrs were tried by their torments but, as they were not overcome by them, they did not enter into temptation, any more than someone who fights with a beast and is not devoured by it. When he is devoured, then he has entered into temptation. So it is with every passion, so long as one is not overcome by that passion."

From The Spiritual Meadow by St. John Moschos (No. 209).

All Christians Are Called To Pray Without Ceasing

By St. Nikolai Velimirovich

"Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart" (Luke 18:1).

Does the Lord's command about ceaseless prayer that men ought always to pray (Luke 18:1), apply only to monks or to all Christians in general?

If it applied only to monks, the Apostle Paul would not have written to the Christians in Thessalonica to pray without ceasing (I Thessalonians 5:17). The Apostle repeats the Lord's command, word for word, and issues it to all Christians without distinction, whether monks or laymen.

St. Gregory Palamas lived a life of asceticism for some time as a young hieromonk in a monastery in Beroea. The elder Job, a well-known ascetic whom everyone respected, lived in that monastery. It happened that, in Elder Job's presence, St. Gregory quoted the Apostle's words, asserting that ceaseless prayer is the obligation of every Christian and not just for monks. However, Elder Job replied that ceaseless prayer is the obligation of the monk only, and not for every Christian. Gregory, as the younger of the two, yielded and withdrew in silence. When Job returned to his cell and stood at prayer, an angel in great heavenly glory appeared to him and said: "O Elder, do not doubt the truthfulness of Gregory's words; he spoke correctly and you should think likewise and pass it on to others." Thus, both the Apostle and the angel confirmed the commandment that all Christians must pray to God without ceasing.

Not only without ceasing in church, but also without ceasing in every place and at all times, and especially in your heart. For if God does not for a moment tire of giving us good things, how can we tire of thanking Him for these good things? When He thinks of us without ceasing, why do we not think of Him without ceasing?


"… that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye [may be] rooted and grounded in love" (Ephesians 3:17).

With faith, Christ comes into the heart, and with Christ comes love. Thus man is rooted and grounded in love. First then, there is faith; then with faith comes Christ's presence in the heart; then with Christ's presence, the presence of love; and with love, all ineffable goodness.

In a few words, the Apostle delineates the whole ladder of perfection. The beginning is faith and the end is love; and faith and love are joined in a living, undivided unity by the Living Lord Jesus Christ's presence in the heart. By strengthening faith, we further abolish the distance between ourselves and the Lord Jesus Christ. The stronger one's faith, the closer one is to Christ.

Ultimately, one's heart is filled with Christ and cannot be separated from Christ, just as one's lung cannot be separated from the air. Then a man may, with tears of joy, communicate with Christ by the prayer of the heart - "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner" - and the heart is imperceptibly filled with light and ardent love.

In this way, love is united with faith and hope; and when they are united, the boundaries between them are lost, so that man cannot even think of determining of how far faith goes, and where hope and love begin.

When the living Christ dwells in a man, then he no longer perceives faith, hope or love in himself, nor does he name them. Instead, he sees only Christ and names only Him. This is just like a fruit-grower in autumn who considers the ripe fruit on the tree, and speaks no more of blossoms and leaves but of fruit, ripe fruit.

O Lord Jesus Christ, supreme height of all our endeavors and the destination of all our travels, draw near to us and save us. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.

Elder Paisios Responds to Protestant Inquiries On Saints and Icons

Question: The Lord taught us to pray to God the Father. The Orthodox Church prays to the Theotokos and the Saints who were people. Is this correct?

Answer: Listen, all prayers go to God. We pray to the Panagia and the Saints, that is, we request that they pray also to the Lord for us; their prayer has great power.

Question: Yes, but the Panagia and the Saints were people and they died. They do not hear us, nor are they present everywhere. Perhaps God is angry that we pray to them.

Answer: My child, to God no one dies. When someone dies, they died to us who still live on earth. They do not die to God. And if that person has boldness before God, they learn from Christ that we are requesting their prayers, though Christ listens and rejoices. The prayer of the righteous has great power.

Question: The Lord says: 'I am the Lord your God. Do not make idols or images. Do not venerate these, nor worship them, for I am the Lord your God and I am a jealous God.' The Orthodox Church venerates icons. Is this correct?

Answer: Listen, the mother who has her child in a war fears for him day and night. She has much to worry about. Suddenly she receives a letter from her child with a photo inside. When she sees it, what does she do? She takes it into her hands and kisses it, she puts it to her chest to touch her heart. So what do you think? Such a mother with such passionate desire that she has for her child, do you believe she is kissing a photograph? She believes she is kissing her child. The same is believed by those who have a passionate desire for the Panagia and the Saint they are venerating. We do not venerate icons because they are icons, but because of the Saints. And these not because they are people who exist, but because they suffered for Christ. It is true that God is jealous. Not however for His own, but for the devil. The Father is not jealous of His children. Do not worry, the Lord rejoices when He sees you honoring and loving His Mother and His Saints.

Why Go To Church When I Can Pray At Home?

By St. John Chrysostom

They say: "We can pray at home". Thou art deceiving thyself, O man!

Of course, one can pray at home. But it is impossible to pray there as in church, where such a multitude of hearts are uplifted to God, merging into one unanimous cry.

Thou wilt not be so quickly heard while praying to the Master by thyself, as when praying together with thy brethren, for here in church there is something greater than in thy room: agreement, unanimity, the bond of love, and finally here are the prayers of the priests. The priests stand before us, then, so that the prayers of the people, being weak, would be united to their more powerful prayers and together with them ascend to heaven.

The Apostle Peter was freed from prison, thanks to the common prayers offered for him.... If the Church's prayer was so beneficial for the Apostle Peter and delivered such a pillar of the faith from prison, why, tell me, dost thou disdain its power and what kind of justification canst thou have for this.

Hearken unto God Himself, Who says that the multitude of people who pray to him with fervor moves Him to have mercy. He says to the Prophet Jonah: "Shall I not spare Nineveh, that great city, in which dwell more than 120 thousand people." He did not simply mention the multitude of people, but that thou mightest know that prayer together has great power.

On Boredom In Church and In Prayer

Abba Moses asked Abba Sylvanus: "Can a person lay a new foundation every day?" The old man replied: "If you work hard, you can lay a new foundation every moment."

- Sayings of the Desert Fathers

The pathological love of self and of others is an obstacle to our relationship with God.

- Abba Isaiah, Sayings of the Desert Fathers

When the holy Abba Anthony lived in the desert he was beset by boredom, and attacked by many sinful thoughts. He said to God, 'Lord, I want to be saved but these thoughts do not leave me alone; what shall I do in my affliction? How can I be saved?'

A short while afterwards, when he got up to go out, Anthony saw a man like himself sitting at his work, getting up from his work to pray, then sitting down and plaiting a rope, then getting up again to pray. It was an angel of the Lord sent to correct and reassure him: 'Do this and you will be saved.' At these words, Anthony was filled with joy and courage. He did this, and he was saved.

- Sayings of the Desert Fathers

The necessary services which we are obliged to carry out, we must of course accept and carry out, but we must let go of those other purposeless activities and prefer rather to spend our time in prayer, particularly when these activities would lead us into the greed and luxury of money and wealth. For the more one can limit, with the help of God, these worldly activities and remove the material which feeds them, the more will one be able to gather his mind from such anxious wanderings. If again someone, out of weak faith or some other weakness, cannot do this, then, at least, let him understand well the truth and let him try, as much as he can, to censure himself for this weakness and for still remaining in this immature condition. For it is far better to have to give an account to God for omissions rather than for error and pride.

- Abba Mark, Sayings of the Desert Fathers
Unless a man can bring himself to say to his heart that he alone and God are present in this place, he will never find peace and rest of soul.

- Abba Alonios, Sayings of the Desert Fathers

God and the angels grieve over those who are not satisfied with heavenly nourishment.

- St. Makarios of Egypt

No matter where you are, you can set up your sanctuary. Just have pure intentions and neither the place, nor the time will be an obstacle, even without kneeling down, striking your chest or raising your arms to heaven. As long as your mind is fervently concentrated you are totally composed for prayer. God is not troubled by any place. He only requires a clear and fervent mind and a soul desiring prudence.

- St. John Chrysostom

Boredom is the breakdown of the soul, the disorientation of the mind, negligence of ascetic practice, hatred of monasticism, love of worldliness, irreverence toward God, forgetfulness of prayer.

- St. John Klimakos, Ladder of Divine Ascent
This condition brings you anxiety, dislike for the place where you are living, but also for your brothers and for every activity. There is even a dislike for Sacred Scripture, with constant yawning and sleepiness. Moreover, this condition keeps you in a state of hunger and nervousness, wondering when the next meal will come. And when you decide to pick up a book to read a little, you immediately put it down. You begin to scratch yourself and to look out of the windows. Again you begin to read a little, and then you count the number of pages and look at the titles of the chapters. Finally, you give up on the book and go to sleep, and as soon as you have slept a little you find it necessary to get up again. And all of these things you are doing just to pass the time.

- St. Antiochos of Palestine

Loneliness is abolished in God. We are all ‘members of each other’ according to St. Paul. Thus, our sins and our virtues have a bearing upon the others, since, as we have said, we are all members of one body. Accidia [boredom] provides a reason for more fervent prayer, and the difficulties are an opportunity for spiritual maturity and progress.

- Fyodor Dostoyevski, The Brothers Karamazov

They say that church is boring. It is boring because they do not understand the services! You need to study! It is boring because they do not care for it. So they do not see it as their own, but as something foreign to them. They could at least bring flowers or greenery to decorate it, they could take part in caring for the church; then it would not be boring.

- St. Anthony (Potapov) of Optina

We Christians of today do not feel the power of the redemption wrought by our Lord Jesus Christ, and it is as a result that we are so bad, unfeeling, that we look so perfunctorily at sin, and do not understand the Church Services, especially the Divine Liturgy, and find it boring.

- Hieromartyr Arseny (Zhadanovsky)

Forget for at least this space of time the bustle and concerns of everyday life. Be like an angel, filled only with thoughts of God and of serving Him. After all, He is present now, and is blessing you.

- Hieromartyr Seraphim (Zvezdinsky)

Generally speaking, I am bored by the Canons, and especially by the Akathists, and I read them only out of a sense of duty. I make an exception only for the penitential Canons of the Octoechos and the Lenten Triodion. But there are times when my heart is very heavy and sad, and then I recite certain canons — to the Mother of God and to the most Sweet Jesus — as if the words were my own. This means that our “lack of feeling” for the Canons is an accusation against us—it points to an absence in the given person of the religious mood in which these Canons were written.

- Fr. Alexander Elchaninov, Diary of a Russian Priest

In this loneliness, in this desolation of the cities, in this apparent absence of God, man is called to gather his thoughts, to come to his senses, to put aside his many worldly preoccupations and to retire to his place of prayer speechless, naked, a child so that God may speak to him, clothe him, and endow him with spiritual maturity. Then his loneliness will become the divine loneliness of liberation and he will achieve a sense of fullness. Only such radical loneliness leads to a fundamental understanding and experience of God, destroying every hesitation, doubt and torment.

In this sacred loneliness man finds himself face-to-face with his existential poverty and the fear of death which it provokes. Yet, even here, there is the danger that he may choose procrastination as a solution and, for a time, set his panic-stricken self at ease. He may resume running back and forth endlessly, expanding social activities, and seeking a variety of entertainments a program of extreme busyness. Other people, other things, work and extensive involvements may serve as a cover for his spiritual impoverishment for a time. And he may continue wandering aimlessly, driven by circumstances, tormented, flirting with one thing and another, fighting, being torn and finally annihilated.

A life of work without the liberation of communion with God is slavery. The struggle for excessive wealth is an incurable, tormenting disease. Fear of the future can stimulate greed, miserliness, hoarding. And God can be easily forgotten.

- Monk Moses the Athonite, The Community of the Desert and the Loneliness of the City

 

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