The Church of Christ teaches
us prayers composed by righteous and holy men. The Holy Fathers and Ascetics of
the Church, enlightened by the grace of God, have composed many beautiful
prayers, filled with holy thoughts and deep feeling for the guidance and
admonition of Christians. We hear these prayers in Church during the Divine
Services, but for private prayer at home, each Christian must recite the
prayers contained in the Prayerbook.
When we begin to pray, we do not
immediately break off from our daily tasks and just start praying, but we must
prepare ourselves. As the Prayerbook says: “Stand in silence for a few moments
until all your senses are calmed.” Furthermore, as Holy Scripture tells us:
Before offering a prayer, prepare yourself; and do not be like a man who tempts
the Lord (Sirach 18:23). In addition to this, before entering into prayer, one must
prepare himself not only inwardly, but also outwardly.
During prayer one should stand
straight with ones eyes fixed on the icon or lowered to the ground, while, at
the same time, the eyes of the soul, together with one's soulful aspirations,
should be lifted up to God. This outward attitude of piety in prayer is both
necessary and beneficial, for the disposition of the soul is in conformity with
the disposition of the body.
One must also prepare himself for
prayer in the soul, the essence of which consists of purging all vengeful
thoughts from one's heart (Mark 11:25-26), in an awareness of
one's own sinfulness and with the contrition and humility of soul that such
awareness brings. For the only sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit: a
broken and contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise (Ps. 50:17). As the
Holy Fathers teach us, “whosoever does not avow himself a sinner, his prayer
shall not be pleasing to the Lord.”
In his daily devotions, the
Christian must adhere to a strict home rule of prayer. All the great ascetics
had such a rule and kept to it diligently. The extent of our home rule of
prayer is determined for each of us in accordance with our manner of life and
the state of our spiritual and physical strength. It is better that we offer up
a few prayers, made, however, in proper devotion, than that we say many prayers
in haste, a danger difficult to avoid if we take upon ourselves too heavy a
burden.
In the Prayerbook the Church
provides all Christians with a rule of morning and evening prayers. This is a
moderate rule and is of special help to those who are just learning to pray. As
one fulfills his devotional obligations, one must not be thinking only of
reciting all of the prescribed prayers, but must strive to arouse and
strengthen in the soul the proper prayerful feelings and devotional attitude.
One must strengthen himself against the temptations of sloth and must seek not
to excuse himself from prayers on the grounds of lack of time. One must not let
off reading the prayers even when fatigued after a day of hard work, since such
prayer, done with such great effort, is especially pleasing to God. One must be
prepared to sacrifice some moments of bodily repose for the Lord, for by
rushing through one's prayers in the anxiety for bodily rest, one will only
deprive himself of both physical and spiritual repose.
An unhurried and devout recitation
of the words will greatly help in keeping attention on the prayers. If one only
has a little time for prayer, it would be far better to say fewer prayers, but
with careful thought and attention, than to rush through many prayers without
proper attention. But, one must also not allow the omitted prayers to go
unheeded; these can be completed later when there is time. While saying a
prayer, especially if reading it from a book, one must not hasten from one word
to the next, lest there be a failure to grasp the truth of the text and to
receive it into the heart.
The Holy Fathers recommend for
greater spirituality of mind and heart the rule of executing bows,
prostrations, and making the Sign of the Cross, during prayer, as an expression
of heartfelt feelings of penitence, humility, deep piety, fear of God and
devotion to Him, for when one's body is prostrate, the soul ascends heavenwards
— to God!