IMPORIANCE OF PRAYER The great importance of prtyer can be seen in the life of Jesus. Every major decision in His life was preceded by prayer. It preceded His Baptism: "...when Jesus...was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form, as a dove, and a voice came from heaven, 'Thou art my beloved Son; with Thee I am well pleased"' (Luke 3:2I-22). He prayed all night before choosing His Apostles: "In these days He went our inro the hills to pray; and all night He continued in prayer to God. And when it was day, He called His disciples, and chose from them welve...." (Luke 6:12,13). He prayed before His transfiguration: ". .. He took with Him Peter and John and James, and went up on rhe mounrain to pray. And as he was praying the appearance of His countenance was altered, and His raiment became dazzling white" (Luke 9 :28-29). He prayed in the early morning: 'A great while before day, He rose and went out ro a lonely place, and there He prayed" (Mark 1:35). Jesus prayed while others were sleeping. Jesus healed when others were helpless' Can the wo be unrelated?

to withhold.

THE PENDULUM OF GREAINESS funold Toynbee said once, "There is a pendulum of greatness. Its 'SV'e see the pendulum in movemenrs are rwo: withdrawal and return." action in the life of Jesus. He withdraws into Godk Presence through prayer, then returns strengthened and renewed to do Godt will' 248

Prayer can be an escape from life but so.

It

it

was never intended to be

is meant to be a powerhouse and a guidance center as

it was for

Jesus.

In the words of Staretz Silouan: Sometimes the Holy Spirit draws A

mtn so cornpleteb to Himself that all *eated things and giues hirnself entirely to contemplation forgets of God. But when the soul remembers the world again, filled uith the loue of God, she feels compassion for all and prays for the uhole ,torld. In thus praying the soul may again forg* tlte utorld, only to return once more to her prayer for all mankind.* he

T$TO GREAI MO\IEMENTS OF THE SOUL The wo great movements of the soul have always been withdrawal and return: uithdrawal into God's presence through prayer for strength and vision and return to the world ro serve God and His people. \Tithout prayer the quality of our service deteriorates. \Tithout prayer we forget the world; with prayer we remember. Prayer is the dynamic for involvement. Let me share with you these words of Henri Nouwen:

In

the morning, long before datan, he got up and brt the house, and utent offn a lonely place and prayed there." rn the middle of sentences

loadrd

uith

action-healing sffiring people, casting out d.euirs, responding to impatient disciples, traueling from ton)n to town and preachingfom slnagogue to slnagogue-wefnd these quiet,,ords: ,,In the morning long before datan, he got up and lefi the house, and taent off to a lonely place and prayed there." In the center of breathless actiuities ue ltear a restful breathing. sunounded by hours of mouing we fnd A mouement of quiet stillness. In the heart of muJ inaoluement there are utords of u.,ithdrawal. In the midst of action there is conternplation. And after much togetherness there is-solitude. Tbe more I read this nearly silent sentence locked in between the loud uords of action, the more I haue the sense that the secret of Jesui ministry is hidden in that lonely place ultere he went to pra!, early in the morning, long before dautn.**

Undistorted lmage. By Archimandrite Sofrony, translated by Rosemary Edmonds. The Faith press. 1on.1958. I of Solitude. Henri Nouwen, Ave Maria press. Notre Dame, lN.

-- 249

-_

GOD'S PROMISES Some favorite Scriptural promises concerning prayer are:

"Call to me, and I will answer you and will show you great and hidden things which you have not knowri' (Jer.33:3). "Before they call, I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear" (Is. 65:24).

"In nothing be anxious, but in

everything through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God which passes all understanding will keep your mind, and your hearts in Christ Jesus."

that God always heard Him in prayer. After he resurrected Lazarus from the dead, He prayed: "Father, I thank You that you have heard Me. I know that You always hear Me..." (John ll:41-42). "Ask and it will be given you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks, it will be opened. or what man of you, if his son asks him for bread will give him a stone? or if he asks for a fish will give him a serpent? If you, then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" (Matt. 7:7-ll). If you ask Him for bread, will He give you a stone? Ifyou ask Him for fish, will He give you a serPent? Never! As someone so well said, "Man finds it hard to get what he wants because he does not want the best; God finds it hard to give because He would give the best, and man will not take it." Jesus was convinced

A PERSONAL TESTIMONY share with you a personal testimony on Prayer written by A' Levitin who spent many years suffering for the Christian faith in Soviet prisons. He wiites under his pen-name, A. Krasnov. These are his words:

I

pra\er. I haue only to turn m! thoughx to Cod and I suddenly feel a strength tuhich bursts into me fom somewhere, bursts into m7 soul, into m! entire being. IVhat is it? Psychotherapy? No, it is not psychotherapy. For u''here would I, an iisignif.cani old *a, who is tired of ltfe, get this strength uthich The greatest rniracle of

all

is

― - 250 -‐

ltfiing rne aboue the earth? It comes from utithout, and tbere is no force on earth that can euen understand it. I arn not a rnystic by nature, nor Am I characterized by susceptibility to supernatural phenomenA 0r special experiences. I am susceptible only to that which is accessible to euer! man: praler. Since I gretu up in the Orthodox Church and utas raised by it, my prayer pours forth ' in Orthodoxforms (I d.o not, of course, drny nny-oihtiftr-|. reneras me and sat)es me,

The basis ofmy uthole spiritual ffi is the Orthodox liturgt Therefore, while in prison I attended the liturg euery day in my imagination. At 8 a.m. I would begin utalking around my cell, rEeating to myself the words of the liturgy. At that moment I felt myself inseparably linked with the uhole Christian world. Therefore during my Great Litany I aluays prayedfor the Pope, for tlte Ecumenical Patriarch and for our own Patriarch Alexi. Reaching the central point of the liturgy, I tuould say to myself the Eucharistic canon-and then the words of the transubstantiation, standing before theface ofthe Lord, sensing almost physically His utound.ed and bleeding body. I u.,ould begin praying in m! zwn words, and I would remernber all those neur to me, those in prison and tltose talto uere fee, those ,tho were aliue and those who had died. And my mernor! would heep suggesting more and more nAmes...tlte numerous priestly seraants whom I had hnown from chiUhood, and my oun numerous teachers.

prison walls rnoued apart and the whole uniuerse became my resid.ence, uisible and inuisible, tlte uniuerse for which that taounded, pierced body ffired itself as a sacrifice. Then the Lord's Prayer sounded in my heart especially insistently, as did the prayer before the communion: "I belieue Lord and confess." All day afier the liturgy I feh an unusual ikn of spirit, a clari4t and spiritual puri4t Not only m! praler but much more, tlte pralers of rnany faithful Christians helped me. I feh it continually, it utorhed fom a distance, lifiing me up as though on utirugs, giuing me liuing water and the bread of tifr, The

peace of soul, rest and loue.

― - 251 -―

IUTHAI IS PRAYER? Prayer is "to stand

with the mind in the heart before God, and to go on standing before Him unceasingly day and night, until the end of life" (Theophan). Prayer is the test of everything...the source of everything...the driving force of everything...the director of everything (Theophan). Prayer is the raising of the mind and heart to God in praise and thanksgiving to Him and in supplication for the good things that we need, both spiritual and physical (Theophan). Prayer is to stand before God with the mind, mentally to gaze unswervingly at Him, and to converse with Him in reverent fear and hope (St. Dimitri of Rostov). Prayer...uplifts and unites human beings with God (St. Gregory Palamas).

Prayer is our personal communication system

with our home

base.

Prayer is a booster cable from our depleted lives to the ever dependable power of God which never fails to start us up again. Prayer is the response of the soul to the love of God. Prayer is taking our burdens to God, knowing He will help us carry them and renew us for the journey. Prayer is the prelude to peace, the prologue to Power, the preface to purpose, and the pathway to perfection (\fl.A.'Ward). Prayer is listening to God. Prayer is opening the door of the heart to receive the

Holy Spirit.

Prayer is a gift from God to us. Prayer is the treasure buried within. Prayer is tuning in to God's eternal, unchanging love. Prayer is heaven in the heart...the kingdom of God within you. Prayer is creating an openness where God can give Himself to us.

Prayer is Jacobt ladder by which we ascend descends

to

to God and God

us.

Prayer is placing the human predicament, however confused it may be, in the hands and care of God, with confidence He knows how best to untangle the complication and bring calm. Prayer is best felt in the heart when I trust God enough to bring Him into the depths of my life and into the deeply personal hurts of my

life.

― - 252 -―

Prayer is not bargaining with God, trying ro convince Him to It is, rather, our asking Him to change us so we can see His ways and His plans more clearly. Prayer is the heart's moment to bathe itself in the beaury of God's love and the cleansing of God's care. change.

Prayer is sorting our

lifet oprions and choosing the best with

God's help and counsel. Prayer is the destruction of fear (Fr. John of Kronstadt). Prayer is holding all people in our hearts through love (Fr. John

Kronstadt). Prayer

is the

descent

of

heaven

of

into the soul (Fr. John of

FGonstadt).

Prayer is the abiding of the Most Holy Tiiniry in the soul in with the words ofJesus, ''We will come ro him, and make our home in him" (Fr. John Kronstadt). Prayer is to be with God (Origen). Prayer is an ascenr of the spirit to God (Evagrios Ponticus). Prayer is a continual intercourse of the spirit with God (Evagrios Ponticus). The soul came forth from God and to God it may ever ascend through prayer (Fr. John of Kronstadt). Prayer is remembering to call home because you are a child of God. The pulse of prayer is praise. The heart of prayer is gratitude. The voice of prayer is obedience. The arm of prayer is service (\m.vard). Prayer is a matter of love. The more one loves, the more one prays. Prayer is remembering why we serve. If we forget ro pray in order have to more time for service, we shall soon forget the meaning of service. Prayer is helplessness that asks Jesus to come in and take over (O. Hallesby). Prayer is giving my worries ro God and receiving His peace in return (Phrl. 4:6-7). \(hat an exchange! Prayer is learning to love orhers as unselfishly as christ loves me, which includes bearing their burdens and prayrng for them as persistently and fervently as I pray for myself. Prayer is coming to know God as I open myself to Him. Prayer is standing at artention before God. Prayer is a dialogue between rwo persons who love each other. accordance

_- 253 --

Prayer is heart-to-heart talk with Jesus. Prayer is spiritual breathing. Prayer is slipping

into God's

presence.

The man who has learned to pray is no longer alone in the universe; he is living in his Father's house. Prayer is a means of grace, a sacrament. Prayer is the "hot line" between God and us-a line always open for

communication. Prayer is light in darkness and hope in despair. A former American P.O.\f. from North Vietnam said, 'Apart from prayer there was

nothing-absolutely nothing-that gave me hope.'W'ithout my contact with God through prayer all was darkness-absolute darkness." Prayer is a state of continual gratitude (Fr. John of Kronstadt). Prayer is the slender nerve that moves the mighry hand of God'

Prayer changes others, changes our circumstances because it changes us.

"The

of the state of Prayer is simply'to be there', to hear the presence of another person, Christ, and also our fellow man in whom Christ challenges me.... The perfect prayer seeks the Presence of Christ and recognizes Him in every human being" (Evdokimov). Prayer is raising my eyes to God lest I begin to think that I am the highest point in the universe. Prayer is friendly conversation with God-sharing our thoughts, feelings, needs and appreciation. It is making earnest, sincere requests to God, for yourself and others. Prayer is hemming the day in with God, thus making it less likely to unravel. Prayer is what Abraham said, "May I presume to speak to the Lord, dust and ashes that I am?" (Gen.18:27). Yes!You may! Prayer is coming to God with great faith and great expectations: essence

Thou art coming to a King, Great petitions utith thee bring; For His grace and pou.,er are such None can euer ash too muclt.

God does not exist to answer our Prayers, but by our Prayers we come to discern the mind of God.

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--

Prayer is the blank canvas before the Painter (Dr. Alexis Carrel). Prayer is the empry cup standing before God asking to be filled. Prayer is Godt action in us through the Holy Spirit.

Prayer at its best is a grateful day opener, a beautiful day brightener, and a joyful day closer. Prayer is not saying to God, "Please do with me what I want," but "Please do with me what You want." Prayer is to bring to light the Divine Presence within us, to remove the obstacles of sin so that the grace of Baptism may become fully active in the heart. Thus prayer is to become what we abeady are, ro gain whar we already possess, to come face to face with the One Vho dwells even now within our innermost self There are four answers to prayer: "No." "Yes." "'W'ait." "I never thought you'd ask." Prayer is asking that we may receive. Even the royal and divine Son of God had to ask in prayer. A person said to a politician once, "I voted for you even though you did not ask me." The politician replied, "But you're such a close friend I didn't think I had to ask." \(hereupon rhe voter replied, "Yes, but it's nice to be asked." "Ask and you shall receive," said Jesus.

Most modern industries now schedule morning and afternoon coffee breaks when a worker can pause for a moment and refresh himself. Efficiency experts have determined that a person will be more productive if he is given a break from his work. Our spiritual life is similar to this in many ways. 'W'e need 'prayer breaks" throughout the day-special and scheduled times to spend with God in prayer. Such "prayer breaks" become in realiry "power breaks" for us, making us more poised and productive Christians in the world.

WE CAN PRAY We cannot ahuays be near

Our /iiends to help, To share uith them in time of need And sueet communion fnd

In their blest fellowsh ipBut we

can

pra!.

-- )s

Way of a Pilgrim. Translated by R.M. French. London. SpCK.

d

,id.

--

269

__

THREE BOOKS TO READ \Vhere does one go to learn how to master the Jesus Prayer? First, to the book, TheWay of a Pilgrirn Then, TheWay of a Pilgrim itself sends us to another book, The Philohalia: "You will learn how to master it (the Jesus Prayer) by reading this book, which is called The Philohalia: k comprises the complete and minute knowledge of incessant inner prayer, as stated by menry-five Holy Fathers. It is full of great wisdom and is so useful that it is regarded as the first and best guide by all those who seek the contemplative, spiritual life." The Philohalia has been called by Fr. George Florovsky, "That famous encyclopedia of Eastern piety and asceticism which...is increasingly becoming the manual of guidance for all those who are eager to practice Orthodoxy in our time."* Besides The lVay of a Pilgrim and The Philokalia, another book I wish to commend to your reading is The Art of Prayer, an Orthodox anthology on the prayer of the heart. Compiled by Chariton of Valamo, it contains gems from the spiritual writings of 19d century Russian spiritual writers, especially of Theophan the Recluse. Let me share with you rwo brief gems from The Art of Pra\er on the Jesus Prayea both by Theophan the Recluse: utitt remind \ou of only one thing: one must descend u.,ith the mind into the heart, and there stand before theface ofthe Lord, euer Present, all seeing within you. The (Jesul Prayer tahes a firm and steadfast hold, tahen a small fire begins to burn in the heart. Ti\ not to quench this f.re, and it utill become established in such a ua! that the prayer repeats ixelf and then you uill haue within yu a small rnurmuring

I

.**

sffeam.

Again by Theophan: One of the early Fathers said, "When thieues approach a ltouse in order to reep up to it and steal, and hear someone inside talking, they do not dare to climb in; in the same wa!, when our enemies try to steal into our soul and take possession of it, they creep all around but fear to enter when they hear that. '.Praler utelling out."*** 彙 Asρ ecrs or cヵ υrc力 月rsrOγ Nordland Publishing Company Belmont,MA ★ ★ 五he A″ ο′Prayer Compiled by Chariton Faber and Faber Ltd London ''・

lbid

‐ -

270 ´―

The Jesus Prayer became the center of Orthodox spiritualiry because of its utmost

simpliciry and its emphasis on the Invocation of the

Divine Name.

ITS SIMPLICITY John Climacus writes on the simpliciry of the Jesus Prayer: Let there be no studied eloquence in the words ofyourprdler.... Do not launch into long discourses that fitter au)ay lour mind in ffirts for eloquence. One utord alone spoken by the Publican touched God's mercy; a single word full saued the Good Thief Many words "ffnith in prayr the rnind with images and disnact it, uthile ofien "rt* fil one single uord drauts it into recollection (Step 2S).

ITS GREATNESS The greatness of the Jesus Prayer is to be found not only in its simplicity but also in its constanr invocation of the all-powerful Name of Jesus, our Lord and Saviour. See for a momenr what the Holy Scriptures say about the Name ofJesus. There is no otlter name under heauen giuen among men, uhereblt we must be saued (Acx 4:12). IVherefore God also hath highb exalted

Him, and giuen Him a Name which is aboue euer! name, tltat at the Name of Jesus euery knee should bow of things in Heauen, and things on eartl.t, and things undrr the earth (Phil. 2:9-10). No man can sa!, LordJesus, except by the Holy Ghost

(I

Cor. I2:3).

Based also on the prayer of the blind man, 'Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me" and that of the Publican, "God, be merciful to me a sinner", we can see that in addition to its utter simplicity and

invocation of the Name of Jesus, the Jesus Prayer is entirely scriptural. If the Jesus Prayer is srronger than other prayers, it is so only by virtue of the all-powerful Name of Jesus.

-- 27r

--

NOT SUFFICIENT UNTO ITSELF The Jesus Prayer is not sufficient unto itself. It hangs on the Church and the Sacraments. As Fr. John Meyendorffhas stated, For the Christ Whom this prayer seeks in a man's outn heart, tlte Diuine Name that it inuokes can be found uithin his heart only in tlte measure in which he is ingrafied into the Body of the Church by baptism and the eucharist. The Prayer of Jaus, as the Fathers understood it, neuer rElaces the redemptiue grace of the sacraments but rather is its fullest realization."

"The surest way to union with God," writes Bishop Justin, "next to Communion of His flesh and blood, is the innerJesus Prayer." Ptayer is anchored in the Eucharist and nourished by it. It is not a substitute for the Eucharist but an added enrichment.

THE JESUS PRAYER AND OUR SALVATION St. Nicodemos the Hagiorite writes on the function of the Jesus Prayer in our salvation: BecAuse, brethren, we haue fallen into sins arter baptism and consequentb haue buried tbe grace of the Holy Spirit uthich was giuen to us at our Baptism, it is necessar! that we make euery ffirt to recnuer that original grace whicb is found deeply buried underneatlt our passions, lihe an ernber in the ashes. This ernber of grace ue must

fan into A neta fh*, in our hearts. In

order to dn that, u)e must

our hearts as ashes from a firephce, and replace them tuith the f.rewood of obedience in the life-giuing cornmandments of the Lord. We can blow upon the spark taith heartfelt repentance of the mind and uith the repetition of this prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son andWord of God, haue mercy on me". When this prayer remains permanently in our heart, it cleanses us fom the ashes of the pAssions, andf.nding the ember of grace within, it strikes up a wondrous and snange fire. This f.re, on tlte one hand, burns aua! the temptation of euil thoughts, and on the other, it su.teetens tlte remoue the passions

fom

trhole inner Person and enlightens the mind. * st. Gregory Palamas and orthodox spirituatity. st. Vladimir's seminary Press. Crestwood, NY

-- 272

--

The division of prayer into three parts-of the body (lips), of the mind, and of the heart-applies also to the Jesus Prayer. It begins as a prayer of the lips and the tongue that is prayed orally. Gradually it becomes more inward and is prayed silendy with the mind. Ir becomes "a small murmuring stream" within. Finally it enters the heart and dominates the entire personaliry. Then we have received the gift of unceasing prayen The Jesus Prayer continues uninterrupted within us even when we are engaged in other activities. To use the expression of Theophan, "The hands at work, the mind and heart with God." "Some Godly thoughts come nearer the heart than others," says Theophan. "Should this be so, after you have finished your prayers, continue to dwell on such a thought and remain feeding on it. This is the way to unceasing prayer."* ". . . fE]very Christian should be united with the Lord in his heart, and the best way to achieve such a union is precisely the Jesus Prayer," said Bishop Justins.** And so we pray:

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me."

SUMMARY

1.

2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

The importance of prayer is to be seen in the life of Jesus where almost every great event was preceded by prayer, i.e., the Baptism, the tansfiguration, the call of the Disciples, etc. The two great movements in the life ofJesus were: The withdrataal into God's presence for prayer and the retarn into the world strengthened to do God's will. Our whole life can become a prayer, a hymn of adoration to God. Prayer is the abiding of the Most Holy Thiniry in the soul in accordance with the words of Jesus, "\7e will come ro him and make our home in him." Prayer is not merely speaking to God with the mind (knowing about God). It is descending with the mind into the heart where we can love God, feel His presence and yield our will to Him. The fruit of prayer is inner peace, healing power, the Holy Spirit, union with God and love. AII the sacraments and all the theology of the Church flow from prayer. In the words of St. Isaac the

t Art of Prayer. Compiled by Chariton. Faber and Faber Ltd. London. o.

-- 273

--

7.

8.

Syrian, "Capture the mother (prayer) and you will have the daughters." The daughters are many. The whole purpose of the spiritual life is to descend with the mind into the heart through inner prayer and to discover there the Kingdom of God (the grace of Baptism and the Holy Spirit). The heart is the Lord's reception room. Meet Him there. "The Kingdom of God is within you," said Jesus. One of the most famous prayers of the Orthodox Church is the Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me." As this prayer takes hold in the heart, one begins to pray without ceasing. A small fire begins to burn in the heart for the Lord.

- 274 -― ―