Have you forgotten, children, what I told you last time about prayer? Tell us how the Holy Church taught us to pray to God? Repeat with children separately. And when the children answer intelligently, then continue further.
Why do we children stand on our feet when we pray to God, do you think? And who do we sometimes talk to while standing? Is it good to talk to bosses and elders while sitting?.. It’s indecent, it’s not good. Well, if we had to talk to an important boss, or to a king, how would we talk to them and ask them for what we need? Of course, standing? “But God is by no means superior to the king.” This means that we must pray to God while standing to express our reverence for Him.
Why do we, children, stand before holy icons during prayer? What do we see on the icons? On the icons we see the image of the Savior, His Most Pure Mother or other saints... And if you were shown an image of your father or mother now, would you remember them? Probably, they would immediately introduce themselves to you as you know them at home, and you would begin to think about them. So, during prayer, we must look at the holy icons in order to more clearly, more vividly imagine our Savior or the saints of God and so that, while praying, we do not think about anything else but God. Repeat, children, why do you need to stand in front of holy icons during prayer?..
Why, children, should we pray to God? “After all, God knows which of us needs to be given what, just as fathers and mothers know what their children need, and without asking they give them everything they need.” And when something unpleasant happens to you: you get sick or someone offends you - after all, you ask your parents to help you in grief. We need to do the same in relation to God, our Heavenly Father: ask Him to help us in this or that misfortune that has befallen us. And when God helps, children, won’t we really thank Him for taking care of us, won’t we glorify His great mercy and love for us? And what kind of prayer would it be if we only stood before the holy icons, crossed ourselves and bowed, but did not say anything to God! This is why God awarded man the gift of speech, so that he could express his needs to Him and ask Heavenly Father for everything he needed. But you, children, know how many needs a person has in life, how often various troubles and misfortunes happen to us... we must talk about all this with God, ask for His help and intercession for us, the weak. Should be repeated with children.
Why do we children cross ourselves during prayer? Are all people in the world baptized? Do Jews and Tatars get baptized? No; they are not baptized because they do not believe in Jesus Christ. And we are baptized because we believe in Jesus Christ, Who died on the Cross for the sins of people. In the church you saw a cross to which the hands and feet of the dying Savior were nailed. It is for the sake of the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross that God will give us everything we ask of Him. Repetition.
Why do we children bow during prayer? To whom and when do we still bow? When we do something bad, when we are guilty, how do we ask for forgiveness from our parents or bosses, who can punish us for our guilt? We bow and ask them not to be angry with us, but to be kind to us. And we anger God every hour, every minute, because we do not live as He pleases. By bowing we express our guilt before God and ask the Merciful God to have mercy on us sinners and give us everything we need for a comfortable life on earth. Repeat the entire conversation with the children.