Call upon God continually. According to the works of St. Isaac the Syrian

Contents Abstract Preface St. Isaac the Syrian on prayer Do not give up prayer Cleanse yourself before the Lord Prayer needs exercise Literature This work is a collection of sayings of St. Isaac the Syrian about prayer, taken from his ascetic words. In his works, Saint Isaac clearly shows that the essence of the feat and support of the life of a Christian is prayer - the aspiration of the soul towards God, and ideally - communion with God. Prayer ignites love and reaches immensity in the perfect Christian, filling him with the fullness of joy in Christ. The publication is intended for a wide circle of Orthodox readers. The center of the life of every Christian is the Lord Jesus Christ and the Gospel given by Him - the good news of the salvation of mankind from slavery to sin and death. In His earthly ministry, the Son of God gave a number of important guidelines for the spiritual life of every person. One of them was an indication of the need for constant prayerful communication between the believer and his Creator. Prayer is a state of a person when he, in a visible form of turning to God, conducts a personal spiritual dialogue with Him. In this dialogue, the believer turns to the Creator with his troubles, experiences, aspirations, and hopes. In response to this appeal, if it is sincere, the Lord God shows mercy to the person, accepts his prayers, and helps him in life. Sometimes it seems to people that the Creator does not hear their prayers and does not answer them with his help. However, this is not true. According to the teachings of the Church, God will definitely answer the requests that a person makes with all his heart and soul - it just may not happen right away. This is due to the fact that the Lord can test a person’s faith, and this test is manifested in the fact that a person sometimes has to intensively and for a long time turn to the Creator. However, it is precisely in such long-term conversion that the believer’s intentions, his trust and faith in his good Creator are tested. The Lord Jesus Christ called on all people to pray to God, but this must be done unfeignedly, sincerely, and piously. Thus, in the Gospel of Matthew we read the following words of the Savior about the importance of prayer: And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to pray standing in the synagogues and on street corners, so that they may appear before people. Truly I tell you that they are already receiving their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room and, having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not say too much, like the pagans, for they think that in their many words they will be heard; Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him (Matthew 6:5-8). The most striking evidence that prayer is one of the cornerstones of a person’s spiritual life is the fact that the Savior Himself gave people a model known as the “Our Father” prayer: Pray then: Our Father who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen (Matthew 6:9–13). Following the Lord, His disciples, the apostles, and later the holy fathers of the Christian Church repeatedly spoke about the need for prayer. One of these ascetics is St. Isaac the Syrian, Bishop of Nineveh. Saint Isaac the Syrian lived in Syria in the 7th century, when the monasticism to which he belonged had already existed for several centuries. Little information about the life of the monk has reached us. For example, it is known that together with his brother he entered the monastery of Mar Matthew. At the monastery, the brothers were distinguished by their love of learning and great efforts in their ascetic life. For such merits they were offered to become leaders in the monastery. However, striving for a solitary lifestyle, silence and the opportunity to perform full-fledged monastic service, the Monk Isaac the Syrian left the monastery and went into seclusion. No matter how many times they tried to persuade the saint to return to the monastery, including his own brother, the ascetic did not agree to the offer. Nevertheless, the Lord judged His righteous man to serve not only Himself, but also ordinary people - he was elevated to the episcopal see of the city of Nineveh. The Monk Isaac, of course, tried to do everything to lead his flock to Christ, but not everything was so simple. The morals of the city's inhabitants were quite rude. Feeling that he was unable to change anything, and also longing for the hermit’s life, the saint left his episcopal ministry and again withdrew into the desert. Here the monk lived until his death, reaching a high spiritual state. After the righteous death of St. Isaac the Syrian, from the beginning of the 8th century until the 18th century, nothing was known about him in Europe except his name and writings. It was not until 1719 that the first biography of the saint was published, compiled by an unknown author and published in Rome. At the end of the 19th century - in 1896 - new information appeared about the monk. The work of one Syrian historian of the 8th century, Bishop of Basra Jezudena, was published, which, among other things, contained information about the life of St. Isaac the Syrian. The writings of Saint Isaac include 91 ascetic words, which touch on various aspects of human spiritual life. Being a monk and hermit, the monk primarily wrote for his fellow monks, giving useful advice on their ascetic path. Nevertheless, many of his words and teachings, including those on prayer, are important for every Christian in general, because all together - monks, priests, and laity - we make up the Church - the one and mystical Body of Christ. This work is a collection of sayings of St. Isaac the Syrian about prayer. We hope that this work will be of interest to all those who are interested in the life of Christian ascetics, as well as those who want to discover for themselves a deeper Christian teaching on prayer. Venerable Isaac the Syrian on prayer Prayer, when he gives you his hand, replaces God’s service. (p. 167) Prayer is supplication and care for something and desire for something, such as: deliverance from present or future temptations, or desire for the inheritance of the fathers; moreover, prayer by which a person acquires help from God. (p. 62) Continuous study of Scripture is light for the soul, because it shows the soul useful reminders to beware of passions, to remain in the love of God and in purity of prayer, and also outlines before us a peaceful path in the footsteps of the saints. (p. 133) It is impossible to subordinate feelings to the power of the soul without silence and alienation from people, because the rational soul, being essentially united and associated with these feelings, is involuntarily carried away by its thoughts if a person is not awake in secret prayer. (p. 180) Pray not to fall into spiritual temptations, but prepare for bodily temptations with all your strength. For outside of them you cannot approach God, because divine peace is prepared among them. (pp. 28–29) When [the righteous man – S.M.] gives himself up to death, he cries and prays hourly so as not to be deprived of God’s pure life; then he receives help from God. (p. 109) The meaning... of the word repentance, as we learned from the actual properties of things, is this: it is, with prayer filled with contrition, an unremitting petition approaching God to leave the past and pain to preserve the future. (p. 201) Constantly bother yourself with prayers before God in your heart, bearing a pure thought, filled with tenderness, and God will preserve your mind from unclean and nasty thoughts, so that God’s path does not reproach you. (p. 11) Do not indulge in negligence under any circumstances, but be sober from the soaring of your mind. For psalmody is the root of life. (p. 168) It often happens that a person kneels in prayer and his hands are raised to heaven, his face is fixed on the cross of Christ, and he gathers all his thoughts together in prayer to God; and while a person is praying to God with tears and tenderness, at that very hour a source suddenly boils up in his heart, pouring out joy, his limbs relax, his eyes close, his face droops to the ground and his thoughts change, so that he cannot bow from the joy that is aroused in his whole body. Pay attention, man, to what you read. For if you do not strive, you will not gain, and if you do not strike the doors with ardor and constantly remain vigilant at them, then you will not be heard. (pp. 289–290) Pray to God to make you feel the desire of the Spirit and His lust. For when this contemplation and desire of the Spirit come to you, then you will withdraw from the world and the world will retreat from you. (p. 368) Prayer is the mortification of thoughts of lust of carnal life. For he who prays diligently is to the world what he who dies; and to remain patiently in prayer means for a person to deny himself. Therefore, in the selflessness of the soul, the love of God is found. (p. 183) Do not rebuke those who demand your prayer and do not deprive them of softened words of consolation, so that they do not perish and their souls are not collected from you. On the contrary, remember that doctors heal inflammatory diseases with cool medicines, and the opposite ones with intoxicating medicines. (p. 306) Without unceasing prayer it is impossible to get closer to God. After the labor of prayer, placing new care on the mind produces a waste of thoughts. (p. 355) They say about many martyrs that on the day on which they expected to receive the crown of martyrdom, if they knew about it either by revelation or by notification from one of their friends, they ate nothing all night, but from evening until morning they stood watchfully in prayer, glorifying God in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, with joy and joy they awaited that hour, like others who had prepared for marriage. (p. 91) The sinner will not stumble in his sin on the day on which he turns to the Lord. (p. 302) He who spends one hour sighing for his soul is superior to the one who benefits the whole world with his vision. (p. 175) You must place yourself before the face of God and always immutably raise your eye to God if you truly want to protect your mind, recognize, stop and reject small movements creeping into it and, in the silence of thoughts, distinguish between what is incoming and outgoing. (p. 354) Do not approach the words of the sacraments contained in the Divine Scripture without prayer and asking for help from God, but say: “Grant me, Lord, to receive the feeling of the power contained in them.” Consider prayer as the key to the true meaning of what is said in the Divine Scriptures. (p. 408) If we say that God is abundantly merciful, then why, when we constantly ask in full and in temptation, are we not heard, but does He despise our petition? This, of course, is what the prophet teaches us, saying: The hand of the Lord is not small to show mercy, and the Lord is not hard of hearing to hear. But our sins separated us from Him, and our iniquities turned away His face so as not to hear (see Is. 59: 1-2). Remember God at all times, and He will remember you when you fall into trouble. (p. 299) In grief we must ask for God's help. It is dangerous to tempt God unnecessarily. (p. 154) Prayer is preceded by hermitage, and hermitage itself is necessary for the sake of prayer, and prayer itself is necessary in order to acquire the love of God for us, because as a result of prayer, reasons are found for us to love God. (p. 166) Physical labor and teaching in the Divine Scriptures protect purity, and labor is supported by hope and fear. Hope and fear are confirmed in the mind by distance from people and unceasing prayer. (p. 314) Pray that the terrible temptation of the devil will not come to you for your arrogance; but for your love for God, may the power of God help you - and through you he will defeat his enemies. Pray that these temptations will not implicate you for the depravity of your thoughts and deeds; but let your love for God be tested and His power glorified in your patience. (p. 30) The gifts of God come to man through a heart stirred up to unceasing thanksgiving... The lips, always giving thanks, receive blessings from God; if the heart remains in gratitude, grace descends into it. (p. 403) Before you start fighting, seek help for yourself and seek a doctor before you fall ill. Before sorrow comes upon you, pray to God; and in times of trouble you will find Him and He will hear you. Before you crawl, call and beg; and before you begin to pray, prepare vows, that is, provisions for the journey from here. (pp. 302–303) In a feeling of weakness and simplicity, pray that you may live well before God and be without care. For as the shadow follows the body, so mercy follows humility. Therefore, if you want to live by this, then do not give your hand to weak thoughts. If all harm, all malice and all dangers surround and frighten you, do not worry about it and do not care about it. (p. 217) What boldness those have acquired, whom their constant presence in prayer has made interlocutors and mysteries of Him [Christ – S.M.], what wealth they are awarded, both heavenly and earthly, and to what extent they reveal their power over every creature, more than those who serve God with their property and worldly blessings. (p. 57) If someone does not contradict the thoughts planted in us by the enemy, but interrupts the conversation with them through prayer to God, then this serves as a sign that his mind has acquired wisdom by grace, that his true knowledge has freed him from many matters, and that by finding the short path that he has achieved, he has stopped long-term soaring on a long path. (p. 137) I dare to say with Saint Paul that we are the church of God (1 Cor. 3:16). Therefore, as God Himself is pure, let us cleanse His church, so that He will desire to dwell in it. And just as He Himself is holy, let us also sanctify the church; let us adorn it with all sorts of good and honest deeds, we will perfume it with the fragrance of the peace of God’s will, with pure and heartfelt prayer, which cannot be acquired by communication in frequent worldly unrest. And thus, the cloud of His glory will overshadow the soul and the light of His greatness will shine inside the heart, and all the inhabitants of the village of God will be filled with joy and gladness, and the arrogant and shameless will disappear from the flame of the Holy Spirit. (p. 352) Oh, how much pleasure it brings, how it cheers, pleases and cleanses the soul to be awake - by waking up together with prayer and reading! (p. 180) The offering of the righteous is the tears of their eyes and the sacrifice pleasing to God is their sighs during vigils. The righteous and those oppressed by the heaviness of their bodies will call to the Lord and with pain will send prayers to God, and in response to the cry of their voices the holy Orders will come to their aid - to encourage and console them with hope, because the holy Angels, approaching the holy men, are accomplices of their sufferings and sorrows. (p. 317) It is said: pray so as not to fall into temptation regarding faith. Pray that, together with the demon of blasphemy and pride, you will not fall into the temptations of self-conceit of your mind. Pray that, by God’s permission, you will not fall into obvious temptation from the devil because of the evil thoughts that you have thought in your mind and for which temptation is allowed to befall you. (pp. 29–30) The Lord leaves the saints reasons for humility and contrition of heart in fervent prayer, so that those who love Him will draw closer to Him through humility. (p. 336) A sailor, when sailing in the middle of the sea, looks at the stars and guides his ship according to the stars until he reaches the pier. And... [the righteous man - S.M.] looks at prayer, because it corrects him and directs his procession to the pier to which his life is directed in hourly prayer. (p. 406) While you have fingers, crucify yourself in prayer before death comes. While you have eyes, fill them with tears before they are covered with dust. (p. 174) If [the righteous - S.M.] do not reject from themselves the reasons for help, that is, prayers, labors and humility, then the Intercessor and Helper never moves away from them. (p. 326) Just as another person, having brought a great gift to the king, is rewarded by him with a tender gaze, so to the one who has tears in his prayer, the great King of the ages, God, forgives every measure of sin and rewards him with a benevolent gaze. (p. 229) This is the custom of those who desire good things - according to the prudence of the mind, to use prayer as an aid to action and to the acquisition of wisdom, to distinguish truth from falsehood. (p. 147) Patience is the mother of consolation and a certain strength, usually generated by the breadth of the heart. It is difficult for a person to find such strength in his sorrows without the Divine gift, acquired by the persistence of prayer and the outpouring of tears. (p. 391) Since the Lord knows that before death He will not take away from us the opportunity to deviate, that this change is very close to us, namely the transition from virtue to vice, that man and his nature conveniently accept the opposite, he commanded us to be careful and strive in constant prayer. (p. 202) He who knows that he needs God's help makes many prayers. And to the extent that he multiplies them, the heart is humbled. For everyone who prays and asks cannot help but humble himself. But God will not despise a contrite and humble heart (see Ps. 50:19). Therefore, the heart, until it humbles itself, cannot stop soaring; humility brings it together. (pp. 333–334) If you do good before God and He gives you a gift, beg Him to give you knowledge of how much it is appropriate for you to humble yourself, or to assign a guard to you over the gift, or to take it from you, so that it will not be the cause of your destruction. For it is not harmless for everyone to keep wealth. (p. 149) Pray that the Angel of your chastity will not depart from you, that sin will not raise a fiery battle against you and separate you from him. (p. 30) Call upon God unceasingly, weep before His grace, shed tears and work until He sends you a helper. For if one day you see near you the One who saves [Christ – S.M.] you, you will no longer be defeated by your enemy [the demon – S.M.] who resists you. (pp. 327–328) Communicate with those who are saddened in your hearts, through prayerful work and heartfelt condolences - and a source of mercy will be opened to your petitions. (p. 11) He who walks the path of God must thank God for everything that happens to him, reproach and shower his soul with reproaches, and know that the Provider allowed this to happen only because of his own negligence, or in order to awaken his mind, or because he became proud. And therefore, let him not be embarrassed, let him not give up the field and feat, and let him not stop reproaching himself, so that no greater evil befalls him; because there is no unrighteousness with God, who exudes righteousness. (p. 337) Grace... is given to those worthy during prayer and has its beginning in prayer, since, according to the testimony of the fathers, except for such a time there is no place to visit this glorious grace. (p. 65) Our Lord indicated the support of our weakness in prayer, saying: wake up, watch and pray, so that you do not fall into misfortune (Matthew 26:41). Pray and be not lazy, being watchful and praying at all times (see Col. 4:2-3). Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; push, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives it, and everyone who seeks finds it, and it will be opened to the one who asks (Matthew 7:7-8). He especially confirmed His word and moved us to greater diligence with the parable of a friend who came to his friend at midnight and asked him for bread. The Lord says: Amen, I say to you, even if he does not give it to him... he is a friend, but because of his recklessness he will give it to him, he demands (Luke 11:8). And you pray and do not be careless. What an unspeakable encouragement to boldness! (p. 201) Just as the eyelids are close to each other, so temptations are close to people; and God wisely arranged this for your benefit, so that you would constantly knock on His door, so that the fear of sorrow would instill the remembrance of Him in your mind, so that you would draw closer to Him in prayer and your heart would be sanctified by unceasing remembrance of Him. And when you beg, he will hear you; and you will know that the one who delivers you is God, and you will recognize the One who created you, who provides for you, who preserves you, and who created the world for you: one as a temporary teacher and mentor, the other as a fatherly home and an eternal inheritance. (p. 299) When lovers of idleness come to you, as soon as they sit for a while, give them the appearance that you want to stand for prayer, and say to the person who comes with a bow: let’s pray, brother, because the time has already come for me to rule and I cannot break it, it becomes difficult for me when I want to fulfill it at another hour, and this is a cause of embarrassment for me, and without some extreme need I cannot leave the rules. And now there is no need for my prayer to be canceled. And don’t let him go without praying with you. If he says: Pray, and I will go, bow to him and say: for the sake of love, do at least this one prayer with me, so that I may benefit from your prayer. And when you do, extend your prayer even beyond what you are accustomed to do. (pp. 52–53) If... [a person - S.M.] guards his soul with love and asks God with patience in tireless prayer, then God Himself will fulfill his request and open His door to him, especially for his humility, because the revelation of the mysteries happens to the humble. (pp. 345–346) If we stop shedding sweat on the earth, then of necessity we will reap thorns. For by the same necessity, abandoning prayer is doing the hardening of the earth [hardening the heart – S.M.], which naturally grows thorns [in the heart and soul – S.M.]. (p. 78) Diligently reveal your weakness and ignorance in reasoning, subtlety... self-conceit to the Lord in prayer, so as not to be abandoned to you and not to be tempted in anything shameful; because pride follows fornication, and conceit follows deception. (p. 169) To prefer a good will is the business of the wisher; to complete the choice of good will is God’s work. For this, man needs God's help. Therefore, let us make sure that the good desire that appears in us is followed by frequent prayers, and we will ask not only to help us, but also to show whether this desire is pleasing to the will of God or not. (p. 146) If there is something for prayer, internalize it for yourself; and when your mind is established in this, then confusion will give way and go away. (p. 136) [King and prophet - S.M.] David brought repentance with many tears, so that he wet his bed with tears, and God spoke to him through the prophet: ... The Lord has taken away your sin (2 Samuel 12:10). (p. 339) I don’t argue that with the first [giving of shelter – S.M.] many also pleased God, but they pleased those less pleasing through prayer and the abandonment of everything. For from those who live in silence and are skilled in it, there is clearly some kind of help for their brethren. I understand that in times of need they help us with words or bring prayers for us. (pp. 57–58) Love for God can most of all be increased in your soul by this very thing, that is, by understanding His gifts and remembering the abundance of His providences. All these blessings are generated for you by sorrows, so that you learn to give thanks. Finally, remember God so that He will always remember you. And when He remembers you and saves you, then you will receive all bliss from Him. Do not forget Him, hovering in thought in vanity, so that He does not forget you during your battles. Be obedient to Him in your abundance, so that in sorrows you may have boldness before Him, in heartfelt and constant prayer to Him. (pp. 300–301) The meal of one who is always in prayer is sweeter than any fragrance from musk or fragrance from the world; the lover of God desires it as a priceless treasure. (p. 43) The beginning of darkening of the mind (when a sign of it begins to reveal itself in the soul) is first of all seen in laziness towards God’s service and prayer. For if the soul does not first fall away from this, there is no other way to spiritual deception; when it is deprived of God's help, it conveniently falls into the hands of its opponents. (p. 12) Our Lord, providing in accordance with His mercy and according to the measure of His grace, if you understand meaningfully, commanded to pray for bodily temptations. For, knowing that our nature is because of the earthy and mortal body, weak and, when in temptations, unable to resist them and therefore falls away from the truth, turns the backbone and is overcome by sorrows, he commanded us to pray so that we do not fall into temptations suddenly, if even without them it is possible to please God. (p. 31) If [a person – S.M.] does not talk with God, does not remain in these thoughts combined with prayer and in all types of... prayer order, then he will not feel love. (pp. 166–167) If there were a land of authentication in this world, then as soon as a person reached it, his nature would then become higher than need and his action higher than fear, and God would not have commanded us to strive in prayer, doing this by His providence, because in the next century they do not bring prayers to God with requests for anything. In this homeland of freedom, our nature does not accept change and deviation on pain of resistance, because it is absolutely perfect. (p. 202) Pray not to fall into the temptation of irritating one against another or into the temptation of double-mindedness and doubt, by which the soul is led into a great struggle. And prepare to accept bodily temptations with all your soul and overcome them with all your members, and fill your eyes with tears, so that your Guardian does not depart from you. For outside temptations the Providence of God is not seen, it is impossible to acquire boldness before God, it is impossible to learn the wisdom of the Spirit, and there is also no possibility for Divine love to be established in your soul. (p. 30) What other time is so holy and in its holiness so fitting for the reception of gifts, as the time of prayer, during which a person converses with God? (p. 66) If... a thought is darkened and you doubt it, and cannot clearly comprehend whether it is your own or a thief, a helper or a slanderer hiding under a good guise, then let us arm ourselves against it with the strongest and quickest prayer with much vigil, day and night. Don't push him away from you, and do not agree with him, but with diligence and fervor make a prayer for him and do not be silent, calling on the Lord. He will show you where this thought comes from. (p. 170) It happens many times that a person, unfit for anything due to his lack of skill, is constantly defeated and deposed, and at all times remains powerless, when suddenly he steals the banner from the hands of the army of the sons of giants, his name is exalted and he is praised much more than those who labored and became famous in victories, and receives a crown and expensive gifts more than his comrades. Therefore, let no one remain in despair! Let’s just not neglect prayer and don’t be too lazy to ask for help from the Lord. (p. 204–205) One of the saints said: “The order of your life is not to satisfy the hungry and for your cell to become a host for strangers. This is the work of the laity: it is more appropriate for them, as a wonderful thing, and not for hermits, free from visible worries and keeping their minds in prayer.” (p. 139) The Giver encourages us to ask Him to give us His Divine gifts. And if He Himself, as He knows, organizes everything that is beneficial for us, then... His words are filled with great power to arouse boldness and hope in us. (pp. 201–202) At this time [time of prayer - S.M.], more than at any other time, a person is collected into himself and is prepared to listen to God, desires and expects mercy from Him. In short, this is the time of standing at the royal gates to beg the king; and it is fitting that the request of the one who begs and calls at this time be fulfilled. (p. 65) If... for the sake of alms you want to do more work, then know that prayer in your rank is higher than alms, and if for the sake of bodily needs, then if you are insatiable, what God gives you is enough to satisfy your needs. (pp. 138–139) [The Lord - S.M.] commanded us to strive in prayer not only for the sake of prayer and preserving ourselves, but also because of the subtlety and incomprehensibility of what always meets us and is not comprehended by the knowledge of our mind in those states in which we often find ourselves involuntarily at all times. For although our thoughts are very firm and attached to good, yet His Providence has repeatedly left us at the limit of temptations and plunged us into them, as Blessed Paul said, for the abundance of revelations, let me not be exalted, since I have seen the dirty trick of the flesh, the angel of Satan, play dirty tricks on me... And for this I prayed to the Lord three times, that he would depart from me. And I said: My grace is sufficient for you: for My power is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor. 12:7-9). (p. 202) The good is given preference with many prayers, doing, storing, unceasing devotion, with frequent tears, humility and heavenly help, especially when a person has resistant thoughts of pride. For they do not allow God’s help to reach us, but we bring them into inaction through prayer. (p. 147) Cleanse yourself before the Lord Any prayer of any kind performed is performed through movements; but as soon as the mind enters into spiritual movements, there is no prayer there. (p. 61) Saints, although they do not have idle time, because they are busy with spiritual things every hour, nevertheless, there are times with them when they are not ready for prayer. For they often engage in either thinking about something encountered in life, or looking at creatures, or something else. (p. 65) He who prays with faith never uses or resorts to methods of self-preservation. (p. 120) Whoever says that his soul does not yet have boldness in prayer because it has not overcome passions, dares to say that his soul has fallen in love with the love of God? There is no way to be aroused in the soul by Divine love, following which you mysteriously flow... if it has not overcome the passions. (pp. 257–258) When the seal of fasting is placed on a person’s lips, then his thoughts are taught in tenderness, his heart exudes prayer, there is sadness on his face and shameful thoughts are far from him, joy is not visible in his eyes, he is an enemy of lusts and vain conversations. (p. 89) If you intend to devote your soul to the work of prayer, which purifies the mind, and to stay awake at night in order to acquire a bright mind, then move away from the sight of the world, stop meeting with people, do not accept... as is customary, friends, even under the guise of benefit, except those of like mind, like-minded people with you and your companions; Beware of the embarrassment of spiritual conversation, which usually occurs involuntarily - by cutting off, detachment and complete cessation of external conversation. (p. 285) I strive in silence so that verses may be enjoyed by me when I read and pray. (p. 178) The prayer of the vindictive is sowing on a stone. (p. 423) Unrighteous lips are stopped with prayer, because the condemnation of conscience makes a person lacking boldness. (p. 303) Do not think that a person attached to the physical will have boldness before God in prayer. A selfish soul will be deprived of wisdom, but a merciful soul will be made wise by the Spirit. (p. 409) For a person, during his prayerful request, to be confirmed in his trust in God is the best part of the grace of faith. The affirmation of faith in God is not something that is healthy [Orthodox - S.M. ] confession, although it is the mother of faith; on the contrary, the soul sees the truth of God through the power of life. (p. 133) Your prayer should also be consistent with your life. For it is impossible for one who is attached to the earthly to covet the heavenly, and for one who is occupied with the worldly there is no opportunity to ask for the divine, because the desire of each person is shown by his deeds: what he shows his zeal for, he strives for in prayer. He who desires great things is not busy with unimportant things. (p. 28) Without insults, the mind cannot remain in humility, and without humility, it cannot purely engage in prayer to God. (p. 149) Faith requires works and hope in God is revealed in suffering for the sake of virtue. Do you believe that God provides for His creatures and is omnipotent? Let decent work accompany your faith, and then God will hear you. (p. 349) I implore those who wish to acquire a sober mind before God and the knowledge of a new life - throughout your entire life not to be negligent in staying in vigil [prayer - S.M.]. For through them your eyes will be opened to see all the glory of this life and the power of the path of righteousness. (p. 359) If you have anything extra for your daily needs, give it to the poor and go boldly to offer your prayers, that is, talk with God like a son with his father. Nothing can bring the heart closer to God like almsgiving; and nothing produces such silence in the soul as arbitrary poverty. (p. 286) Without liberation from worries, do not look for light in your soul, nor for silence and silence when relaxing your feelings. If you have time to spare from business, do not multiply your leisure time - and you will not find soaring in your mind or in your prayer. (pp. 354–355) It is impossible for those who spend their entire lives in this activity [in prayer, vigil - S.M. ], were left by God without great gifts for their sobriety, alertness of heart and caring aspiration of their thoughts towards Him. The soul that labors to remain in this vigil and is distinguished by it will have cherubic eyes in order to constantly lift up its gaze and contemplate the heavenly spectacle. (p. 357) Free will guides and sets in motion through the senses every virtue performed and every order of prayer, whether in the body or in thought, and even the mind itself - this king of passions. When the control and supervision of the Spirit dominates the mind - this steward of feelings and thoughts - then freedom is taken away from nature and it guides, but does not guide. (p. 64) Humility is followed by abstinence and limitation in everything; and vanity is the servant of fornication and the work of pride. Humility, due to constant self-restraint, comes into contemplation and adorns the soul with chastity; and vanity, due to constant rebellion and confusion of its thoughts, collects unclean treasures from everything it encounters and defiles the heart. It still looks at the nature of things with an obscene gaze and occupies the mind with shameful ideas; but humility spiritually limits itself to contemplation and excites those who have acquired it to praise. (p. 280) To the extent that a person tries to live a good life, to preserve himself, to spend time in reading and prayer, to the same extent their strength is confirmed and strengthened in him. (p. 415) He who loves conversation with Christ loves to be alone. (p. 174) When a person, having left the first degree, is occupied with spiritual thoughts and desires, then, in the light of the nature of the soul, both with bodily feelings and spiritual mental ideas, he performs the following excellent deeds, namely: fasting, prayer, almsgiving, reading the Divine Scriptures, a virtuous life, struggle with passions, etc. (p. 127) A kind heart joyfully sheds tears in prayer. (p. 303) Purify yourself before the Lord, having the remembrance of Him in your heart, so that, having spent a long time without remembering Him, you will not be found to lack boldness when you come to Him. For boldness before God comes from frequent conversation with Him and much prayer. Communication with people and its continuation occurs through the body, and communication with God occurs through spiritual remembrance, attentiveness in prayers and burnt offerings. (p. 301) Do you want to enjoy poetry during your service [prayer – S.M.] and comprehend the meaning of the words of the Spirit that you pronounce? Put completely aside the number of verses, do not take into account the knowledge of the measure in verses, say them as a prayer, leave the usual thunder and understand what I am saying to you and what is said narratively, as written by one of the men guided by God. Let your mind deepen in the study of the words of the Spirit until your soul, with wonder at the economy, is aroused to their lofty understandings and through this is moved to praise or useful sorrow. (p. 136) Pair alms with your prayer - and your soul will see the light of truth. For to the extent that the heart ceases to be disturbed by external objects, to the same extent the mind can go from understanding the thoughts and deeds of the Divine to comprehension and amazement. (p. 285) What you said that the soul does not have boldness at the hour of prayer is said fairly. For boldness is higher not only than passions, but also purity. And I’ll tell you what the order of this succession is: patience, forcing itself, fights passions for purity. Therefore, if the soul overcomes passions, it acquires purity; and true purity causes the mind to acquire boldness in the hour of prayer. (p. 254) When the body becomes weak in fasting and humility, then the soul is strengthened by prayer. (p. 110) When you give, have fun and say: “Glory to You, God, that you have made me worthy to find someone to put to rest!” If there is nothing to give you, rejoice and, thanking God, say: “I thank You, my God, that you have given me this grace and honor to become poor for the sake of Your name, and have made me worthy to taste the sorrow laid on the path of Your commandments, in sickness and poverty, as Your saints who walked this path tasted!” (p. 298) Because of the love that the saints showed for God, because they suffer for His name, when he keeps them in close quarters and does not depart from those whom He loves, the heart of the saints acquires the boldness to look at God with an uncovered face and ask Him with hope. Great is the power of bold prayer. (pp. 156–157) When the priest gets ready and stands in prayer, propitiating God, praying and gathering his mind together, then the Holy Spirit descends on the bread and wine offered on the altar. (p. 66) Do not burden your belly, so that your mind does not become clouded and you do not be in confusion from the soaring of thoughts when you get up at night, and your limbs do not relax and you yourself do not find yourself filled with feminine relaxation, and on top of this, so that your soul does not become darkened and your concepts do not become darkened, and so that, due to the darkening, you do not become completely powerless to collect them together for poetry and so that your taste for poetry does not spoil. everything, and the verse of psalmody has not ceased to delight you. (p. 168) The vigil is not entirely either standing or the poetry of psalms alone. On the contrary, some spend the whole night in psalms, others in repentance, tender prayers and prostrations to the ground, and others in tears and sobs over their sins. They say about one of our fathers that for forty years his prayer consisted of one speech: “I have sinned as a man; Forgive like God." And the fathers heard him repeat this verse with sadness, and yet he cried and did not stop; and this one prayer replaced his service day and night. And yet, some people speak poetry for a small part of the evening, but spend the rest of the night in singing troparions, and others - in doxology and reading. Someone made it a rule not to bend the knee, like the one who was attacked by a lustful thought. (pp. 231–232) In trusting in God, endure deprivation of what is necessary for the body and soon turns into pus. Desire to accept all this in hope of God, without expecting deliverance or anyone else’s consolation from anywhere else. Cast your sorrow upon the Lord (Ps. 54:23) and in all your temptations condemn yourself as guilty of all this. (p. 80) Love chastity, so as not to be ashamed during your prayer before God. Acquire purity in your deeds, so that your soul is illuminated in prayer and the remembrance of death kindles joy in your mind. (p. 279) When someone sees various faces and hears various voices that disagree with his spiritual occupation, and enters into conversation and communication with them, then he cannot find free time for the mind to see himself in secret, to bring to mind his sins, to purify his thoughts, to be attentive to what appears to him, and to converse intimately in prayer. (pp. 179–180) Whoever is negligent about this [about moving away from worldly worries and amusements - S.M.], I will boldly say that he does not know why he is working, abstains from sleep, torments himself with prolonged poetry, straining his tongue and all-night standing, while his mind does not participate in psalmody and his prayer, but, as if driven by habit, works without reasoning. And if this is not so, as I said, then why is he deprived of the opportunity, with his constant sowing, on which he works, to reap great benefits and fruit? For if, instead of these worries, he had practiced reading the Divine Scriptures, which strengthens the mind, especially serves to irrigate prayer and helps vigil, which is closely united with prayer and at the same time gives light to the mind, then in this reading he would have found a leader on the right path, he would have found that in which the seed of everything that nourishes prayerful contemplation and that keeps thoughts from soaring, does not allow them to spin and to feed on vain things, constantly sows in the soul the remembrance of God, points out the paths of the saints who have pleased God, and makes the mind acquire subtlety and wisdom - in a word, it would gain the ripe fruit of such deeds. (pp. 357–358) Do not be foolish in your petitions, lest you offend God by the smallness of your knowledge. Be wise in your prayers so that you may receive glory. Ask the worthy one from the Giver without envy, so that you may receive honor from Him for your wise desire. Solomon asked himself for wisdom, and since he asked wisely from the great King, he accepted the kingdom of the earth with wisdom. Elisha asked in full measure for the grace of the Spirit that the teacher had, and his request did not remain unfulfilled. For whoever covets something unimportant from the king humiliates his honor. Israel asked for unimportant things and suffered the wrath of God. He left aside to marvel at the terrible miracles of God in the works of God, and sought to satisfy the lusts of his belly. (P.26–27) Beware lest your body become too weak and therefore negligence grows stronger against you, and your soul is not cooled by the taste for its [prayer – S.M.] work. (p. 169) If you ask God for something and He is slow to hear you quickly, do not be sad, because you are no wiser than God. This happens to you either because you are not worthy to receive what you ask, or because the ways of your heart are not consistent, but contrary to your requests, or because you have not yet come to the extent to accept the gift that you ask. For we should not touch upon great measures ahead of time, so that the gift of God, from the speed of its acceptance, does not become useless, because what is easily received is soon lost; However, acquired with heart disease, it is stored with caution. (p. 28) The Lord does not, at every time when He is close to His saints, clearly show His power in some deed or sensory sign to help them without need, so that the help provided to them does not become useless and does not lead to any harm. And he does this, providing for the saints and wanting to show them that he does not stop His secret care for them even for an hour, but in every matter he allows them, to the best of their ability, to show their feat and work in prayer. (p. 153) Prayer is sowing, and contemplation is the gathering of handles, during which the reaper is amazed by the unspeakable vision of how such beautiful grains suddenly grew from the small and bare grains he had sown. And he remains in his own doing without any movement, because every prayer performed is a supplication that contains either a request, or thanksgiving, or praise. (pp. 61–62) Someone told me from his own experience: “On the days I have a conversation with someone, on those days I eat three or four crackers a day; and if I begin to force myself to pray, then my mind does not have boldness towards God and I cannot direct my thoughts to Him. When I am separated from my interlocutors for silence, on the first day I force myself to eat one and a half crackers, on the second - one, and as soon as my mind is established in silence, I try to eat one whole cracker - and I cannot; my mind constantly converses with God with boldness, although I do not force it to do so, and the luminosity of the Divine, without diminishing, illuminates me and draws me to see the beauty of the Divine light and to be amused by it. If, during the silence, someone happens to come and talk to me for even one hour, then it is impossible for me not to add more food, not to leave something from the rule, not to relax my mind to contemplate this light.” (p. 44) If you say... that the soul does not have boldness in prayer, since it has not yet overcome the passions, then it seems to me that there is a contradiction in both, although I am ignorant. For if the soul has not overcome passions, then how can it care about purity? (p. 254) How sweet is the conversation with our spiritual brothers, if only we can also maintain a conversation with God! Finally, it is good to take care of this as long as proportionality is observed in this, that is, as long as under this pretext one can not lose one’s secret work and life and unceasing conversation with God. The latter may find it insanity to strictly adhere to the former; the mind is not sufficient to carry on two conversations. (p. 410) If someone does not harden his own heart and does not forcefully hold back his mercy so as to become far from caring for everything that is earthly, both for the sake of God and for the sake of anything in life, and does not remain in prayer alone at certain times, then he cannot be free from confusion and care and remain in silence. (p. 58) Why..., man, do you dispose of yourself so unreasonably? At night you perform all-night vigil and tire yourself with psalmody, hymns and prayers, but it seems difficult and considerable to you, with short-term diligence during the day, to be worthy of God’s grace for your suffering with a friend. Why do you bother yourself, sowing at night, and destroying your labor during the day, turning out to be fruitless, wasting the vigilance, sobriety and ardor that you acquired, wasting your labor in vain in anxious conversations with people and things, without any valid excuse? For if your nighttime exercise were consistent with your daytime activities and the fervor of your heartfelt conversation, and there was no gap between one and the other, then in a short time you could fall to the breasts of Jesus. (p. 358) If you notice in your soul that with every thought that arises in it, with every remembrance and during contemplations that happen in your silence, your eyes fill with tears and tears flow freely down your cheeks, then know that an opening has begun to appear before you as a barrier to the destruction of those who resist. (p. 187) When, during your time in silence [prayer - S.M.], you turn to handicrafts, do not turn the fatherly commandment into a veil for your love of money. To avoid despondency, let you have a small task that does not disturb your mind. (p. 138) Let bodily chastity and purity of conscience precede you in all your deeds. For without them, every work is vanity before God. (p. 423) Is there any other time at which a person would be so prepared and watch himself so much, except for the time when he begins to pray? (p. 65) To the extent that a person withdraws from conversing with people, to the same extent he is rewarded with a bold mind to converse with God, and to the extent that he cuts off the consolation of this world from himself, to the extent that he is rewarded with the joy of God in the Holy Spirit. (p. 38) What is prayer?.. Freedom and the abolition of the mind from everything here - a heart that has completely turned its gaze to the lust of what is hoped for in the future. But whoever is far from this sows mixed seed in his field and is like one yoking an ox and a donkey together (see Deut. 22:10). (p. 206) To the extent that someone has entered into a feat for the sake of God, to such extent does his heart accept boldness in his prayer. (p. 412) Do not say that God, even without doing the commandments, can, by grace, grant us spiritual cleansing. These are the Lord's judgments and the Church does not command us to ask for anything like that. (p. 243) A just and true rule...was given to us by St. Paul. Let us finally preserve it and be jealous of it. Let us renounce seeking high things from God when He does not send or grant it, because God knows the vessels chosen to serve Him. For blessed Paul, even after that, did not ask for the kingdom of his soul, but said: I prayed that I would be excommunicated from Christ (Rom. 9:3). How can we dare, even before the time known to God, to ask the soul for the kingdom, without keeping the commandments, without overcoming passions and without paying off debt? Therefore, I beg you, saint, do not let this even enter into your thoughts, but most of all, acquire patience for everything that happens to you. And in great humility and contrition of heart for what is in us and for our thoughts, we will ask for forgiveness of our sins and spiritual humility. (pp. 256–257) When versifying your psalmody, do not seem to be borrowing words from another, so as not to give the idea that you are constantly multiplying the work of teaching, and not to become completely distant from the tenderness and joy gleaned from the verses; but pronounce the words of your petition on your own behalf with tenderness and reasonable understanding, as one who truly understands his matter. (p. 137) If, humbly asking with unceasing desire, we submit to God with patience, then we will receive everything in Christ Jesus our Lord. (pp. 158–159) Just as healthy eyes are characterized by a desire for light, so a fast observed with prudence is characterized by a desire for prayer. (p. 89) Let no one speak blasphemy and let no one dare to assert that one can pray spiritual prayer. Those who pray with arrogance, are ignorant of knowledge, and falsely talk about themselves, as if they pray spiritual prayer whenever they want, indulge in such insolence. But those who are humble and understand the matter agree to learn from the fathers and know the limits of nature, but do not allow themselves to indulge in such daring thoughts. (p. 64) One of the saints wrote: “Whoever does not consider himself a sinner, his prayer is not accepted by the Lord.” (p. 257) So that the mind does not suffer harm from everything: from sight, from hearing, from caring about things, from their destruction, from their multiplication, from man, and in order to bind it with one hope in God, the Lord rejected from us all other care, so that as a result we would desire an interview with the one God. (p. 165) Any prayer in which the body did not tire and the heart did not grieve is counted along with the premature fruit of the womb, because such prayer does not have a soul in it. (pp. 51–52) As soon as someone begins to fast, from that time on his mind desires to come to a desire for conversation with God. (p. 89) In order to establish their thoughts in solitary prayer, in mortification to everything that passes, to the sight of worldly things and to the remembrance of them, it is fitting for such not to serve Christ by doing anything bodily. (pp. 54–55) When nighttime orderliness is disturbed, then even in daytime activities the mind is confused and walks around in a darkened state, and does not enjoy reading, as usual, because whether the mind turns to prayer or to some activity, a storm appears on the thoughts. (p. 168) Let us pray frequently when a good desire appears in us, and let each of us say within himself: “Thy will be done, until I have accomplished this good deed which I have desired to do, if it pleases Thy will. For in this matter, to desire is convenient for me, but I cannot do this without the gift sent by You; although both are from You, both what I want and what I do (Phil. 2:13), because without Your grace I would not have decided to accept this desire that arose in me, or I would have been afraid of it.” (p. 147) Prayer needs practice Just as all the power of the laws and commandments that God has given to people, according to the word of the fathers, has its limit in purity of heart, so all kinds and types of prayer that people pray to God have their limit in pure prayer. (p. 61) We know that many saints, as is narrated in their lives, stood in prayer and were admired for their intelligence. (p. 65) Just as out of many thousands there is hardly one who has fulfilled the commandments and everything legal with a small deficiency and has achieved spiritual purity, so out of a thousand is there only one who, with great care, is found worthy of achieving pure prayer, breaking this limit and receiving this sacrament, because many could not be worthy of pure prayer; very rare ones were honored; and the one who has achieved that sacrament, which is already behind this prayer, barely, by the grace of God, remains from generation to generation. (p. 62) Sighings and kneeling, and heartfelt petitions, and the sweetest cries, and all types of prayer, as I said, have a limit of pure prayer and only have the opportunity to reach out to it. (p. 61) The mind has the ability to differentiate its movements only to the extent of pure prayer. How quickly he reaches there and does not return back or does not leave prayer - prayer then becomes, as it were, a mediator between mental and spiritual prayer. And when the mind is in motion, then it is in the soul realm; but as soon as one enters this area, prayer also ceases. (pp. 63–64) During prayer, the contemplation of the mind is directed towards the one God and directs all its movements towards Him; it brings prayers to Him from the heart, with zeal and unceasing fervor. And therefore, at this time, when the soul has only one care, it is fitting for Divine favor to flow. (pp. 65–66) One of the Christ-bearing men calls the silence of the pure prayer, because their thoughts are Divine movements, and the movements of a pure heart and mind are meek voices with which they secretly chant the Hidden One. (p. 104) Do not call the duration of prayer idle, low-flown, collected and long, because you left the psalms. But more than exercises in poetry, love bowing in prayer. (p. 167) The purity and impurity of prayer depend on the following: as soon as the mind is preparing to bring one of its movements, some extraneous thought or worry about something is mixed in with it, then this prayer is not called pure, because the mind was not brought from clean animals to the altar of the Lord, that is, to the heart. (p. 62) When is anyone worthy of... grace? It is said: during prayer. When the mind puts off the old man and puts on the new, grace-filled man, then it will see its purity, like the flower of heaven, which the elders of the children of Israel called the place of God (see Ex. 24:10), when God appeared to them on the mountain. Therefore, as I said, this gift and this grace should not be called spiritual prayer, but the product of pure prayer, sent down by the Holy Spirit. Then the mind is there - above prayer, and with the acquisition of something better, prayer is abandoned. And then the mind does not pray with prayer, but is in admiration, at the contemplation of the incomprehensible - that which is beyond the boundaries of the mortal world, and falls silent in the ignorance of everything here. This ignorance is called the highest knowledge. About this ignorance it is said: blessed is he who comprehends ignorance, inseparable from prayer, which may we also be worthy of by the grace of the Only Begotten Son of God. (pp. 67–68) Another thing is prayerful pleasure, and another thing is prayerful contemplation. The latter is superior to the former to the same extent that a perfect man is superior to an imperfect youth. (p. 60) As soon as a person rejects all visible help and human hope and follows God with faith and a pure heart, grace will immediately follow him and reveal its power to him in various help. First, he opens it - in this obvious way, touching the body, and helps him with providence for him, so that in this he can most of all feel the power of God's Providence for him. And by understanding the obvious, he is also assured of the hidden, as is characteristic of the infancy of his thoughts and his life. For how is the needful prepared for him when he did not care about it? Many blows approaching him, often full of danger, pass by when the person did not even think about them; Meanwhile, grace imperceptibly and very miraculously reflects this from him and protects him, like a bird feeding its children, which spreads its wings over them so that no harm comes close to them. Grace allows him to see with his own eyes how close his death was to him and how he remained unharmed. Thus he teaches him to reason about the hidden, and reveals to him the intricacies of thoughts and thoughts that are difficult and incomprehensible. And a person can easily find out their meaning, the mutual connection between them, and their charm, and to which of these thoughts a person is attached, how they are born from one another and destroy the soul. And grace puts to shame before his eyes all the malice of the demons and the refuge of their thoughts, and puts into him the meaning of understanding the future; in its simplicity, a hidden light shines in order to fully feel the power of concepts in subtle thoughts, and, as if with a finger, it shows him what he would have suffered if he had not known this. And then the thought is born in him that every thing, small and great, he should ask for himself in prayer from his Creator. (pp. 218–219) The saints in the age to come, when their minds are absorbed in the Spirit, do not pray in prayer, but are raised with amazement in the glory that delights them. This happens to us too. As soon as the mind is worthy of feeling the future bliss, it will forget both itself and everything here, and will no longer have any movement in itself towards anything. (p. 64) When... you stretch forward, you will find the following clear signs close to your soul: you will be strengthened in everything by hope and enriched by prayer, the things that serve for good in your mind will never become scarce every time you meet people and feel the weakness of human nature, and each such case will protect you from pride. (p. 188) Bring your petitions to God in accordance with His glory, so that your dignity will be magnified before Him and He will rejoice over you. If someone asks the king for some pus, he will not only dishonor himself by the unimportance of his request, as he has shown great ignorance, but he will also insult the king with his request. This is what the one who asks God for earthly blessings does in his prayers. For behold, the Angels and Archangels, these nobles of the King, during your prayer direct their attention to you, with what petition you will turn to their Lord; and they are amazed and rejoice when they see that you, earthly, have left your flesh and are asking for heavenly things; and, on the contrary, they are upset, looking at the one who has left heavenly things and asks for his own pus. (p. 27) Sometimes... from prayer a certain contemplation is born and it interrupts oral prayer, and the one praying in contemplation is amazed, his body numb. We call this state prayerful contemplation, and not a vision or image, or a dreamy ghost of something, as the foolish say. And again, in this prayerful contemplation there is a measure and difference of gifts; and this is still prayer: because the mind has not crossed over into a state where there is no longer prayer, into a state that is higher than prayer. (p. 60) Let us always pray to the Lord like this: “May Thy truth, O Christ, the fullness of truth, shine in our hearts, and may we learn how to walk in Thy way according to Thy will!” (p. 170) When prayerful and even internal purity has been achieved, then the mind, as soon as it crosses this limit, will no longer have the boldness to pray and the prayer movement, no crying, no power, no freedom, no petition, no lust, no pleasure in anything hoped for in this life or in the next century. And therefore, after pure prayer there is no other prayer. (p. 61) What is the main thing in all works... silence, so that a person who has reached this point can know that he has already achieved perfection in life? – When a person is worthy of unceasing prayer. For as soon as he achieved this, he ascended to the height of all virtues and became the abode of the Holy Spirit. And if someone has not undoubtedly accepted this grace of the Comforter, then he cannot freely continue in this prayer, because, as it is said, when the Spirit dwells in one of the people, then he will not stop praying, but the Spirit Himself always prays (see Rom. 8:26). Then, both in the sleepy and in the waking state of a person, prayer is not stopped in his soul, but whether he eats, drinks, sleeps, or does anything, even in deep sleep, the fragrance and evaporation of prayer are easily emitted by his heart. Then prayer does not leave him, but every hour, although it is silent in his outward appearance, at the same time it performs God’s service in him in secret. (pp. 103–104) To the extent, beloved, the mind abandons the care of this visible and is preoccupied with the hope of the future, in accordance with its elevation above the care of the body and above the thought of this care, to the same extent it becomes refined and enlightened in prayer. (p. 164) A truly humble person does not dare to pray to God when he begins to pray, or to consider himself worthy of prayer, or to ask for anything else, and does not know what to pray for; but he is only silent with all his thoughts, awaiting one mercy and the will that will come for him from the face of the venerable Majesty, when he bows his face to the ground and the inner vision of his heart is raised to the exalted gates of the Holy of Holies, where He, whose habitation is darkness, before whom the eyes of the Seraphim are drawn together, whose virtue prompts the legions to stand in all their ranks pouring out silence. And he only dares to speak and pray like this: “According to Your will, O Lord, be it with me.” (pp. 213–214) The movements of the tongue and heart in prayer are the keys; and what comes after this is already the entrance to the hidden chambers. Here let every mouth, every tongue be silent; May the heart, this ruler of thoughts, and the mind, this ruler of feelings, and thought, this fast-flying and shameless bird, be silent, and may all their tricks cease. Let those who seek stop here, because the Lord of the House has come. (p. 60) Do not ask God for what He Himself gives us without asking according to His providence and gives not only to His own and beloved, but also to those who are strangers to the knowledge of Him. For it is said: do not be like the pagans, saying too much in your prayers (see Matt. 6:7). This is bodily, and this is what the pagans are looking for,” said the Lord. You don’t worry about what you eat, or what you drink... or what you put on. ...For your Father knows that you need this (see Matt. 6:25, 32). (p. 27) Tears during prayer are a sign of God’s mercy, which the soul has received in its repentance, a sign that the prayer has been accepted and has begun to enter the field of purity with tears. (p. 138) To this very limit [of pure prayer – S.M.], every prayerful movement and all types of prayer bring the mind to the power of freedom. That is why there is a feat in this prayer. And beyond this limit there will be amazement, and not prayer, because all prayer stops, and a certain contemplation begins; and the mind does not pray through prayer. (p. 61) The Great Anthony, standing one day in prayer, saw someone’s soul being lifted up with great honor, and blessed the one worthy of such glory; This blessed one was Ammun from Nitria, and the mountain on which Saint Anthony lived was thirteen days' journey from Nitria. (pp. 69–70) Let every prayer that we perform at night be more honorable in your eyes than all the deeds of the day. (p. 168) What is spiritual prayer? And how... to be worthy of it? – Spiritual movements for strict integrity and purity become involved in the activity of the Holy Spirit. And one out of many thousands of people is granted it, because this is the secret of the future state and life. Nature ascends and remains inactive, without any movement or remembrance of what is here. The soul does not pray through prayer, but through feeling it senses the spiritual things of this age, surpassing human understanding, the understanding of which is possible only by the power of the Holy Spirit. And this is mental contemplation, but not movement and not the seeking of prayer, although it borrowed its origin from prayer. For through this, some of these people have already achieved the perfection of purity. And there is no hour in which their inner movement is not in prayer, as we said above. And when the Holy Spirit comes, he always finds them in prayer; and from this prayer lifts them to contemplation, which is called spiritual vision. For they do not need the form of prolonged prayer, nor the standing and rite of prolonged service. For them, it is enough to remember God - and they are immediately captivated by His love. However, they do not completely neglect standing in prayer, when they give honor to prayer, and, in addition to unceasing prayer, stand on their feet at the appointed hours. (pp. 104–105) When... a person feels that Divine help will really help him, then his heart is instantly filled with faith. From this he understands that prayer is a refuge for those seeking help, a source of salvation, a treasure of hope, a pier that saves from anxiety, a light for those in darkness, a support for the weak, a cover during temptations, an aid in a decisive moment of illness, a shield of deliverance in battle, an arrow sharpened against enemies, and simply say: it is revealed to him that all the multitude of these blessings is made available to him by prayer; and from now on he delights in the prayer of faith. His heart becomes bright from hope and does not remain in its former blindness with the simple broadcast of his lips. But when he understands this in this way, then he will acquire in his soul prayer like a treasure, and out of great joy the form of his prayer will change into voices of gratitude. (p. 334) When during... the service you are given the gift of tears, do not call the enjoyment of them idleness in prayer, because the grace of tears is the fullness of prayer. (p. 167) Souls, when they achieve purity, see not physically, but spiritually; because bodily vision occurs openly and sees what is before the eyes; the distant requires a different vision. (p. 70) Prayer is another thing, and contemplation in prayer is another, although prayer and contemplation borrow their origin from each other. (p. 61) At this time, during which prayers and prayers are performed before God and conversation with Him, a person with effort from everywhere gathers together all his movements and thoughts and is immersed in thought in one God, and his heart is filled with God; and therefore he understands the incomprehensible. For the Holy Spirit, according to each person’s strength, acts in him and acts, borrowing the reason for action from the very thing for which one prays; so that by attentiveness the prayer is deprived of movement, and the mind is amazed and absorbed in amazement, and forgets about the desire of its own petition, and its movements are immersed in deep ecstasy, and it is not in this world. (pp. 66–67) Here is the word spoken by Him [Christ – S.M.] Who determined each thing to have its own image: “Prayer is joy that sends thanksgiving.” He understood this prayer to be performed in the knowledge of God, that is, sent from God, because then a person does not pray with difficulty and fatigue, like any other prayer, which a person prays before feeling this grace, but with heartfelt joy and surprise, he constantly exudes grateful movements, with innumerable kneelings - and from many excitements to knowledge, surprise and amazement before by the grace of God, he suddenly raises his voice, singing songs and glorifying God, sends thanks to Him and in extreme amazement sets his tongue in motion. (p. 334) While your mind is distracted, do more reading than prayer. But, as has been said, not all writing is useful. Love silence much more than action. If possible, prefer reading to standing. For reading is the source of pure prayer. (pp. 167–168) He who is chaste, humble, disdains freedom in words and has driven irritability from his heart, he (I am sure of this), as soon as he begins to pray, sees in his soul the light of the Holy Spirit and jumps in the brilliance of illumination with His light, and rejoices in the vision of the glory of this illumination and its change until it becomes like himself. (pp. 39–40) Prayer needs... exercise so that the mind can stay in it for a long time. After non-acquisitiveness, which frees our thoughts from bonds, prayer requires staying in it, because with the passage of time the mind acquires the habit of exercise, learns how to reflect thoughts from itself, and through long experience learns what it cannot borrow from another source. (pp. 165–166) Sometimes verses become sweet in the mouth and the verse of one verse in prayer continues countless times, not allowing one to move on to another verse - and the one praying does not know satiety. (p. 60) In whom the light of faith shines, they no longer reach such shamelessness as to again ask God in prayers: “Give us this,” or: “Take this from us,” and they do not care at all about themselves, because with the spiritual eyes of faith they hourly see the Fatherly Providence, with which that true Father overshadows them, Who with His immeasurably great love surpasses all fatherly love, more than all others can and has the power to help us to an abundance, more than what we ask, think and imagine. (p. 118) The activity of the godmother is twofold; According to the duality of nature, it is divided into two parts. One, consisting in the endurance of carnal sorrows produced by the action of the irritable part of the soul, is what is called activity. And the other consists in the subtle work of the mind and in Divine meditation, as well as in staying in prayer, and so on; it is accomplished by the concupiscible part of the soul and is called contemplation. (p. 12) Ask God to give you the measure of faith. And if you feel this pleasure in your soul, then it is not difficult to tell me that there is nothing to turn you away from Christ. And it is not difficult for you every hour to be taken into captivity far from earthly things and to hide from this weak world and from the memories of what is in the world. Pray for this without laziness, ask for this with fervor, beg for this with great zeal until you receive it. And also pray so as not to become exhausted. You will be worthy of this if you first, with faith, force yourself to cast your care on God and replace your care with His providence. (p. 215) Let us often pray in our minds to the Lord to grant us weeping. For if we acquire this grace, which is better and more excellent than other gifts, then, with its help, we will achieve purity. And as soon as we achieve it, purity will not be taken away from us until our very departure from this life. (p. 98) [Prayer - S.M.] comes from a pure heart, the mountain rises above the angelic powers and is not hindered by anything until it receives what it asks for and returns with joy to the lips that sent it. (p. 36) If..., when you are in vigil, prolonged standing overcomes you with its long duration and you become exhausted from powerlessness, and a thought tells you, or rather, a malicious one says in your thought, as in a serpent: “Finish, because you cannot stand,” then answer him: “No, but I will sit for one kathisma [i.e. I’ll read it while sitting – S.M.], and it’s better than sleep. And if my tongue is silent and does not pronounce a psalm, but my mind learns with God in prayer and in conversation with Him, then wakefulness is more useful than any sleep.” (p. 231) The wonderful thing is that it is not allowed to ask in prayer for the purity given to us by grace, and to renounce the life that is carried out in doing the commandments. (p. 243) We see Saint Anthony standing at the ninth hour of prayer and feeling the elevation of his mind. And another of the fathers, standing in prayer with his hands raised, went into rapture for four days. And many others during such prayer were captivated by a strong remembrance of God and great love for Him and came into admiration. A person is worthy of it when, by keeping the commandments of the Lord, which resist sin, he is freed from sin both internally and externally. (p. 105) Blessed are the pure in heart, because there is no time when they do not enjoy this sweetness of tears, and in it they always see the Lord. While there are still tears in their eyes, they are granted the vision of His revelations at the height of their prayer; and they have no prayer without tears. This is what the Lord said: Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted (Matthew 5:4). For from crying a person comes to spiritual purity. (pp. 98–99) When you perform a service [you stand in prayer - S.M.], if, during various services, you are, as far as possible, from soaring your mind and suddenly the verse on your tongue is stopped, and the shackles of silence are imposed on your soul, without the participation of your freedom, and this follows a long stay in silence, then know that you are stretching forward in your silence and that meekness has begun to deepen in you. (p. 186) We must... know, beloved, that every conversation carried out in secret, every concern of a good mind about God, every reflection on the spiritual is established by prayer and is called the name of prayer, and under this name is brought together, whether you mean various readings or the voice of the mouth in praise to God, or caring sorrow for the Lord, or bodily bowing, or psalmody in poetry, or everything else that makes up the entire order of genuine prayer, from which the love of God is born; because love comes from prayer, and prayer comes from being a hermit. (p. 166) Before temptations, a person prays to God like a stranger. When he enters into temptations out of love for God and does not allow himself to change, then he is considered to God as if he were his debtor and as a sincere friend, because, in fulfillment of the will of God, he fought with the enemy of God and defeated him. This is what is said: pray, but do not fall into misfortune. (p. 30) What is a merciful heart?.. the kindling of a person’s heart for all creation, for people, for birds, for animals, for demons and for every creature. When remembering them and looking at them, a person’s eyes shed tears. From great and strong pity that envelops the heart. And because of his great patience, his heart is diminished and it cannot bear or hear or see any harm or small sorrow suffered by the creature. And therefore, for the dumb and for the enemies of the truth, and for those who harm him, every hour he offers a prayer with tears, so that they will be preserved and have mercy; and also for the nature of reptiles he prays with great pity, which is immeasurably aroused in his heart until he becomes like God in this. (pp. 205–206) There is a higher degree of knowledge. And if anyone succeeds [in spiritual work - S.M.], he will find the opportunity, with the help of Christ, to be elevated to this, when he lays the foundation of his work in silent distance from people, in reading the Scriptures, in prayer and in other good deeds. (p. 127) If... the mind penetrates with its gaze into the inner man, where there is nothing that could serve as a change in species, and where the complex is not separated from another complex by the alterity of the image, but everything is one Christ, then it is clear that the mind then accepts simple contemplation, without which nothing else will sweeten the soul's throat and will not cause the soul to acquire boldness during prayer: because this is the food of the nature of the soul. (p. 261) Love for God comes from conversation with Him, and prayerful reflection and teaching are achieved through silence. (p. 167) While God inwardly brings your heart to tenderness, constantly bow and genuflect. Don't let your heart worry about anything when the demons start convincing you to do other things; and then look and wonder what will happen to you from this. Nothing else... is so important and difficult and does not arouse such envy in demons as if someone casts himself before the cross of Christ, praying day and night, and it happens as if with his hands tied behind him. If you want not to cool down in your ardor and not become impoverished with tears, do this; and blessed are you, O man, if you take care of what is said to you day and night and do not covet anything else. Then the light will shine within you and your truth will soon shine, and you will be like a blooming garden and like a spring that never runs out of water. (p. 289) That monk who is outside the world and always prays to God to grant him future benefits. The wealth of a monk is the consolation found in crying, and the joy of faith shining in the mysteries of the mind. (p. 309) Just as a child is amazed by terrible sights and, having run away (from them), holds on to the edges of his parents’ clothes, calling on them for help, so the soul, to the extent that it is oppressed and crushed by the fear of temptation, hastens to cleave to God, calling on Him in unceasing prayer. And while temptations continue to attack her one after another, prayer increases. (p. 227) Many tears are born in our lives and in wonderful contemplation the heart separately feels something in them, at other times with difficulty, and at others with surprise; because the heart diminishes and becomes like a child; and as soon as the prayer begins, tears flow. (p. 171) When... you ask God with your prayers to make your request come true, then, without a doubt, what you asked for in prayer will be given from God to you as His sincere servant. (p. 241) When your soul comes close to emerging from the darkness, then this will be a sign for you: your heart is burning and, like fire, it flares up day and night, and therefore you regard the whole world as scraps and ashes, you do not even desire food from the sweetness of new, flaming thoughts that are constantly aroused in your soul. Suddenly a source of tears is given to you, like a stream, flowing without compulsion and mingling with everything you do, that is, during your reading, your prayer and your meditation, when you take food and drink; and in everything you do, it turns out that you have tears mixed with it. And when you see this in your soul, be trustworthy, because you have crossed the sea; and be so diligent in your deeds, so carefully maintain your guard, so that grace multiplies in you from day to day. (p. 316) Let us look, beloved, into our souls during prayer; do we have attentive prayerful contemplation when reading poetry? It is a consequence of true silence. (p. 416) Blessed is the one whose thoughts are always about God, who has refrained from everything worldly and has remained in conversation with Him alone in his knowledge. And if he has enough patience, he will not be long delayed in seeing the fruit. (p. 160) He who abides in the love of God never lacks tears, because he never lacks that which nourishes in him the remembrance of God; why even in his sleep he talks with God. (p. 106) The actions of those who live according to God are the following: one strikes his head into the ground all day long - and does this instead of performing a service, that is, hours. Others combine the number of prayers with constant and prolonged kneeling. Another replaces God's services for himself with many tears - and is content with that. Another tries to understand the meaning of what he is reading - and combines with it the rule determined for him... And another, zealously studying the psalms, makes this service continuous. Another spends time reading - and his heart warms. Another is given into captivity, contemplating the Divine meaning in the Divine Scriptures. Another, amazed by the miracles that amaze him in poetry, is refrained from ordinary reading - and is mastered by silence... Therefore, always make the beginning of God’s work with joy and zeal; and if you are pure from passions and hesitations of the heart, then God Himself will take you to the top and help you, and make you wise in accordance with His will; and in surprise you will accept perfection. (pp. 319–320) Give thanks and silently confess to God that you have received a nature so weak and capable of evasion - and, with the assistance of grace, to what extent you sometimes rise, what gifts you are honored with and in what ways you are above nature. (p. 199) When you wish to attend the service of vigil, then, with the assistance of God, do as I tell you. Bow your knees according to custom and rise up; and do not immediately begin your service, but when you have prayed first and have completed the prayer, and have sealed your heart and members with the life-giving sign of the cross, stand silently for a while until your feelings calm down and your thoughts subside. After this, lift your inner gaze to the Lord and with sadness beg Him to strengthen your weakness, so that your poetry and the thoughts of your heart may become pleasing to His holy will. And silently pray in your heart, saying this: “Lord Jesus, my God, who looks upon His creation, You, to Whom my passions and the weakness of our nature, and the strength of our adversary are obvious, You Yourself protect me from his malice, because his power is powerful, but our nature is poor, and our strength is weak. Therefore, You, Good One, Who know our weakness and have borne the difficulties of our powerlessness, save me from the rebellion of thoughts and from the flood of passions and make me worthy of this holy service, so that I do not corrupt its sweetness with my passions and do not appear shameless and impudent before You.” (p. 230) Tears... during prayer and fiery zeal to continue prayer awaken in the heart the fervor of the sweetness of tears, and the heart with laudable enthusiasm soars to God and cries out: My soul thirsts for You, for the mighty, living God: when will I come and appear before Your face, O Lord (Ps. 41:3)? Whoever drank this wine and then lost it, only knows in what pitiful state he was left and what was taken away from him due to his relaxation. (p. 355) Engage in reading the Scriptures, which open the way for you to the subtlety of contemplation, and the lives of the saints, although at first you will not feel the sweetness, due to the darkening proximity of things. And when you begin to pray and practice your rules, then instead of thinking about what you have seen and heard in the world, you will find in yourself thinking about the Divine Scriptures that you have read, and by this reflection you will be brought into oblivion, which was mindful of worldly things, and thus the mind comes to purity. And this means that it is written that reading helps the soul when it begins to pray; and also: the soul is enlightened by prayer in reading. And reading again, instead of an external admixture, provides food for different types of prayer, and therefore by reading the soul is enlightened in order to always pray without laziness and without embarrassment. (pp. 285–286) Love is the fruit of prayer and from its contemplation it raises the mind to its insatiable lust, when the mind remains in prayer without despondency and a person prays with the mind only in silent thoughts ardently and with ardor. (p. 183) Through this [temptation - S.M.] true lovers of God, firm in the love of God, are tested to see whether they neglect all this and whether it is considered nothing in their eyes in comparison with the love of God, whether they always humble themselves, give glory to the One who assists them in everything and the Author of their victory, and surrender themselves into His hands during the feat, saying to God: “You are strong, Lord; This is your feat, you fight and win in it for us.” (p. 331) Are we really going to be subjected to reproach, asking in prayer... for spiritual purity... and our petition becomes a matter of pride and conceit if we ask God for what the Divine Scripture and our fathers prescribe to us and why a monk goes into hermitage? But I think, saint, that just as a son does not doubt his father and does not ask him in such words: “Teach me art” or: “Give me something,” so it is indecent for a monk to reason and ask God: “Give me this and that.” For he knows that God’s providence for us is higher than that which a father has for his son. And therefore, it is fitting for us to finally resign ourselves, to cry over those causes of sins that are beyond our will, whether they were done by thought or by deed itself, and with a contrite heart speak in the words of the publican: God, be merciful to me a sinner (Luke 18:13); secretly and openly to do what the Lord taught, saying: ... when you have done all that is commanded to you, say, for we are unbreakable servants; as if you must make a man, a man (Luke 17:10), so that your conscience can testify to you that you are incapable and have a need for mercy. (pp. 254–255) Don't hate the sinner because we are all responsible. And if you rebel against him for the sake of God, then cry for him. And why do you hate him? Hate his sins and pray for him in order to become like Christ, Who was not angry with sinners, but prayed for them. Don't you see how He wept for Jerusalem (see Luke 19:41)? (p. 430) Whoever has reached here [the true knowledge of God - S.M.] really, and not dreamily, has actually put many signs in himself and through long self-examination has recognized many features, he knows what I am saying, because this is not contrary to the truth. And from now on, let him stop thinking about vain things, let him remain relentlessly before God in unceasing prayer with fear and fear, so as not to lose God’s great help. (pp. 334–335) Out of great desire for God’s help, he [the person – S.M.] approaches God, being in prayer. And to the extent that he approaches God with his intention, to the same extent God approaches him with His gifts and does not take away grace from him for his great humility, because he, like a widow before the judge, relentlessly cries out to protect him from his rival. (p. 335) Others, during the time of peace, are struck by the arrows of the enemy - and these are those who, by the boldness of their will, collect substance for their souls and in the holy land, that is, in prayer, see themselves dressed in unclean clothes. And this is the very thing that is awakened in their souls at the hour of thinking about God and praying. What we acquired during our negligence brings us to shame during our prayer. (pp. 427–428) If you do not have the strength to control yourself and fall on your face in prayer, then... sleep until this hour of darkness passes for you [state of doubts, fears during prayer - S.M.], but do not leave your church. Those who wish to lead a mental life and in their journey seek the consolation of faith are especially exposed to this temptation. (p. 417) When... the mind is renewed and the heart is sanctified, then all the concepts that arise in it are aroused in accordance with the nature of the world into which it enters. First, love for the Divine is aroused in him, and he desires communication with Angels and the revelation of the secrets of spiritual knowledge; his mind senses the spiritual knowledge of creatures and the contemplation of the mysteries of the Holy Trinity, as well as the mysteries of the economy worshiped for our sake, shines in him; and then completely enters into unity with the knowledge of the hope of the future. (pp. 259–260) The eyes of the Lord are on the humble in heart and His ears are attentive to their prayer (Ps. 33:16). The prayer of the humble man seems to be straight from mouth to ear. During your silence, cry out through good deeds of humility: Lord my God! You enlighten my darkness (Ps. 17:29). (pp. 315–316) When you stand before God in prayer, in your thoughts become like an ant, like a reptile on the ground, like a leech and like a silent child. Do not speak before God anything out of knowledge, but draw closer to Him with your childish thoughts and walk before Him, so that you may be worthy of that paternal providence that fathers have for their children and infants. It is said: The Lord protect the infants (Ps. 114:5). (p. 214) Undistracted prayer produces a clear thought about God in the soul. And our instilling in ourselves the remembrance of God is the instillation of God in us. Thus we become the church of God. Here is concern and a heart broken by the preparation of rest in God! (p. 427) Test yourself, soul, and consider in what land your inheritance is, and whether you have passed through the field, which brings sorrow to the fruitful workers; with groaning and anxiety, cry out and cry out, - in what way will your God rest more than sacrifices and burnt offerings. Let your lips exude painful voices, with which the holy Angels delight; wet your cheeks with the tears of your eyes, so that the Holy Spirit may rest in you and wash you from the filth of vice; Appease your Lord with tears to help you. (pp. 352–353) If you love chastity, drive away shameful thoughts by reading and prolonged prayer; and then you will have a weapon against natural impulses, and without this it is impossible to see purity in the soul. (p. 309) To be vindictive and to pray is the same as to sow on the sea and wait for the harvest. Just as it is impossible to make a barrier to the lordship of fire so that it does not ascend upward, so nothing prevents the prayers of the merciful from ascending to heaven. (p. 420) If... you want your heart to become the abode of the mysteries of the new world, then first enrich yourself with bodily deeds, fasting, vigil, service, asceticism, patience, laying down your thoughts and so on. Bound your mind by reading the Scriptures and delving into them, write the commandments before your eyes and pay off the debt of passions when you are defeated and when you win. And through constant prayerful conversation and self-absorption in prayer, eradicate in your heart every image and every likeness that you have previously perceived. Accustom your mind to always delve into the secrets of the Savior’s economy; and leave asking for knowledge and contemplation, which in their place and time are above verbal description, continue doing the commandments and working in acquiring purity; and ask the Lord in prayer for the sorrow kindled by fire for everything (which He put into the hearts of the apostles, martyrs and fathers), may it sink into your heart and may you be worthy of intelligent living. (p. 262) When it happens that your soul is internally confused by darkness..., and just as the rays of the sun are obscured on earth by the darkness of clouds, your soul is deprived of spiritual consolation for some time and the light of grace within dims, due to the cloud of passions overshadowing the soul and because the somewhat joyful power in you has been diminished and an unusual darkness has clouded your mind - do not be embarrassed by the thought and do not give your hand to spiritual ignorance, but be patient, read the books of teachers, force yourself to pray and wait for help. She will come soon, and you won’t know it. For, just as the face of the earth is revealed by the rays of the sun from the airy darkness that envelops the earth, so prayer can destroy and dispel the clouds of passions in the soul and illuminate the mind with the light of joy and consolation, which prayer usually generates in our thoughts, especially when it borrows food from the Divine Scriptures and has wakefulness that illuminates the mind. (p. 342) If, when you perform a service [home prayer - S.M.], a thought speaks in you and begins to whisper to you: “Hurry a little, for your work is multiplying; You’ll soon be free,” don’t join in with this thought. And if this bothers you more, then immediately go back one glory or as much as you want, and repeat each verse containing a type of prayer many times with meditation. And if the thought again confuses and oppresses you, leave the verse and say: “I do not want to calculate words, but to reach abodes, for whatever path you lead me, I will go quickly.” (p. 231) Three degrees by which the soul approaches God. The beginning of all this is a good intention before God. And the types of deeds of silence are immutable; they are generated by much cutting off and removing oneself from the affairs of life... This is the essence: hunger, reading, all-night and sober vigil, according to each person’s strength, and many bows, which are useful to do during the daytime, and often at night. Let the smallest measure be for you - to make thirty bows, then bow to the honorable cross and finish with that. But there are also those who, to the best of their ability, increase this number of bows. Others spend three hours in a single prayer, having a sober mind and throwing their face to the ground without compulsion and soaring thoughts. And these two types reveal and show the abundance of goodness, or grace, which is given to each person according to his own dignity. (pp. 321–322) Mental living is a matter of the heart, relentlessly continued with a caring thought about the Judgment, or the truth of God and the judgments of God, also unceasing prayer of the heart, thinking about the Providence and care of God, both private and general, seen in the whole world, and protecting oneself from secret passions, so that nothing passionate is encountered in the hidden and spiritual realm. All this is a matter of the heart; This is what is called intelligent living. (p. 393) Clouds cover the sun, and a lot of talking darkens the soul, which has begun to be enlightened by prayerful contemplation. (p. 407) Blessed is he who... remains in silence and does not disturb himself with many things, but devotes all bodily activity to the work of prayer and is convinced that as long as he works with God and cares about Him day and night, he will not lack anything extremely necessary, because for God he withdraws from distraction and from work. (pp. 288–289) Always learn by reading troparia and kathismas, remembering death and hoping for the future. All this brings the mind together and does not allow it to spin until true contemplation comes, because the power of the spirit is more powerful than passions. In the hope of the future, occupy yourself with remembrance of God, try to understand well the meaning of the troparia and beware of everything external that prompts you to lust. And at the same time, keep the little things that happen to you... Always test your thoughts and pray so that throughout your life I may gain your eyes: from this joy will begin to flow out to you. (pp. 367–368) Call on Mary and Martha, let them teach you lamentable voices; cry to the Lord: “Lord Jesus Christ, our God, who wept over Lazarus and shed tears of sorrow and compassion over him, accept the tears of my sorrow, heal my passions with Your sufferings, cleanse my blood with Your blood and dissolve the stench of Your life-giving body with my body. May the bile that your enemies gave you to drink sweeten my soul from the sorrow that my opponent gave me to drink. Thy body, stretched out on the tree of the cross, may my mind, carried away by the demons, stretch out to Thee. May Thy head, bowed on the cross, exalt my head, strangled by adversaries. May Your all-holy hands, nailed by the infidels to the cross, lead me to You from the abyss of destruction, as Your all-holy lips promised. May Your face, which has received the blows and spitting from the damned, illuminate my face, darkened by iniquities. Let Thy soul, which Thou gavet unto Thy Father on the cross, guide me to Thee by Thy grace. I do not have a sick heart to seek You; I have neither repentance nor contrition, by which children are introduced into their own inheritance. I have no consoling tears, Vladyka. My mind has been darkened by the affairs of this life and with illness I do not have the strength to raise my gaze to You. My heart has grown cold from many temptations and cannot be warmed by tears of love for You. But You, Lord Jesus Christ God, treasure of good things, grant me complete repentance and an untiring heart, so that with all my soul I may begin to seek You. For without You I will be alien to all good. Therefore, O Good One, grant me Your grace. May the Father, childless and eternal, who brings You out from His bosom, renew in me the features of Your image. I left you - don’t leave me. I have departed from You - You come to seek me and lead me into Your pasture, number me among the sheep of Your chosen flock, nourish me with the grain of Your Divine mysteries along with those whose pure heart is Your abode, and in it the leafing of Your revelations is visible - this is consolation and this joy for those who have labored for You in sorrows and in bitterness all kinds. May we also be worthy of this oblation by Your grace and Your love for mankind, our Savior Jesus Christ, forever and ever!” (pp. 353–354) When you pray, say this prayer: “Grant me, O Lord, to truly be dead to converse with this age.” And know that you have combined all the petitions in this; try to fulfill this task in yourself. For if prayer is followed by action, then you truly stand in the freedom of Christ. (pp. 162–163) You, Lord, turn our faces away from the world to lust after You, until we see what the world is and stop believing the shadow as reality. Having created again, renew, O Lord, in our minds the zeal before death, so that at the hour of our exodus we may know what was our entrance and outcome in this world, until we complete the work to which by Thy will we were originally called in this life, and so that after this we may have hope in a thought filled with hope - to receive, according to the promise of the Scriptures, the great blessings that Thy love has prepared in the second restoration, of which remembrance is preserved by faith in the sacraments. (p. 395) St. Isaac the Syrian. Ascetic words. M.: Rule of Faith, 1998. – 435 p.