In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Do you remember, children, what God told us to call Him? God told us to call Him Father, which means that we are all His children and must do everything that Heavenly Father commanded us. And if we are obedient children, then Heavenly Father will help us in everything, just as our own father helps obedient children in everything. If we do not obey God, if we do not do what pleases Him, then He may not give us those mercies that we ask for in prayer. How should you live to receive help from God? We need to live in such a way that it is clear that we are trying to do everything that pleases Heavenly Father. Therefore, in the first prayer to God, we express our desire to do everything in the name, that is, in honor, glory and with the help of the Triune God. This prayer goes like this: In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. And it is called the initial prayer, since the Holy Church has established that it should be said before all other prayers and before the beginning of every good deed.
When saying this prayer, children, we need to sign ourselves with the sign of the cross, thereby showing that we said it with firm faith in the Triune God and in the Savior’s suffering on the Cross and with a sincere desire to do everything that He commanded us. Amen means truly, truly. With this word we show that we say prayer with faith in the invisible God. The word amen is often found at the end of prayers so that the person praying remembers: his prayer will be heard by God only when he says it with faith in the Triune God, Whom we do not see, but Who sees us and knows whether we pray to Him from a pure heart. Only to a true believer does the Heavenly Father always provide everything necessary.
Children say a prayer first in chorus, and then individually; The teacher of the law monitors the correct pronunciation of each word and stops where necessary. This is what you need to do when studying the following prayers.
What did God tell us to call Him? How should we behave in relation to Heavenly Father? Does God always give people what they ask of Him in prayer? What should we ask God first of all? Why should the opening prayer be said with the sign of the cross? Why is the word amen added to prayer? What does it mean?