A short morning prayer rule
Morning prayers
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Initial prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother and all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of truth, Who is everywhere and fulfills everything, Treasure of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Good One, our souls.Trisagion
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.(Read three times, with the sign of the cross and bow from the waist.) Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse our sins; Master, forgive our iniquities; Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name's sake. Lord have mercy (Three times ) Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be it your name, may your kingdom come, Thy will be done as it is in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, just as we also leave our debtors; and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.Hymn to the Most Holy Theotokos
Rejoice, Virgin Mary, Blessed Mary, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of Your womb, For you gave birth to the Savior of our souls.
Prayer to the Most Holy Trinity
Having risen from sleep, I thank Thee, Holy Trinity, for for the sake of Thy goodness and long-suffering, Thou hast not been angry with me, lazy and sinful, nor hast Thou destroyed me with my iniquities; but you usually loved mankind and in the despair of the one who lay down, you raised me up to practice and glorify Your power. And now enlighten my mental eyes, open my lips to learn Thy words, and to understand Thy commandments, and to do Thy will, and to sing to Thee in heartfelt confession, and to sing Thy all-holy name, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages. centuries. Amen.Come, let us worship our King God.(Bow)Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King God.(Bow)
Come, let us bow and fall down to Christ Himself, the King and our God.(Bow)
Psalm 50
Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy, and according to the multitude of Your mercies, cleanse my iniquity. Above all, wash me from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin; for I know my iniquity, and I will take away my sin before me. I have sinned against You alone and have done evil before You, so that You may be justified in Your words and triumph over the judgment of You. Behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and my mother gave birth to me in sins. Behold, you have loved the truth; unknown and secret wisdom You showed me yours. Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed; Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. My hearing brings joy and joy; humble bones will rejoice. Repel your face Cleanse me from my sins and all my iniquities. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb. Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit away from me. Reward me with the joy of Your salvation and strengthen me with the Lord’s Spirit. I will teach the wicked Your way, and the wicked will turn to You. Deliver me from bloodshed, O God, God of my salvation; My tongue will rejoice in Your righteousness. Lord, open my mouth, and my mouth will declare Your praise. As if you had desired sacrifices, you would have given them: you do not favor burnt offerings. The sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; God will not despise a broken and humble heart. Bless Zion, O Lord, with Your favor, and may the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then favor the sacrifice of righteousness, the offering and the burnt offering; Then they will place the bullock on Your altar.Symbol of faith
I believe in one God the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, Who was born of the Father before all ages; Light from Light, true God from true God, born, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, to Whom all things were. For our sake, man and our salvation came down from heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became human. She was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried. And he rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father. And again the coming one will be judged with glory by the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who spoke the prophets. Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. I hope for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the next century. Amen.First prayer of Saint Macarius the Great
God, cleanse me, a sinner, for I have done no more good things before You; but deliver me from the evil one, and may Your will be done in me, Yes, I will open my unworthy lips without condemnation and I will praise the name Your sacred, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever and ever, Amen.Prayer of the same saint
To You, Lord, Lover of Mankind, having risen from sleep, I come running, and I strive for Your works with Your mercy, and I pray to You: help me at all times, in every thing, and deliver me from all worldly evil things and the devil’s haste, and save me and bring me into Your eternal Kingdom. For You are my Creator and the Provider and Giver of every good thing, and all my hope is in You, and I send glory to You, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.Prayer to the Guardian Angel
Holy Angel, standing before my accursed soul and my passionate life, do not leave me, a sinner, nor depart from me for my intemperance. Do not give room to the evil demon to possess me through the violence of this mortal body; strengthen my poor and thin hand and guide me on the path of salvation. To her, holy Angel of God, guardian and patron of my damned soul and body, Forgive me all, I have offended you so much all the days of my life, and if we have sinned this night, cover me this day, and keep me from every nasty temptation, Yes, in no sin will I anger God, and pray to the Lord for me, may He strengthen me in His passion, and she is worthy to show me the servant of His goodness. Amen.Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary
Holy Lady my Mother of God, With Your saints and all-powerful prayers, take away from me, the humble and the damned Your servant, despondency, oblivion, foolishness, negligence, and all the nasty, evil and blasphemous thoughts from my damned heart and from my darkened mind; and extinguish the flame of my passions, for I am poor and damned. And deliver me from many and fierce memories and enterprises, and free me from all evil actions. For you are blessed from all generations, and glorified is Your most honorable name forever and ever. Amen.Prayerful invocation of the saint whose name you bear
Pray to God for me, holy servant of God(Name) , because I diligently run to you, a quick helper and prayer book for my soul.Prayer for the living
Save, Lord, and have mercy my spiritual father(Name), my parents (names) , relatives (names), bosses, mentors, benefactors(their names) and all Orthodox Christians.Prayer for the departed
Give rest, O Lord, to the souls of your departed servants: my parents, relatives, benefactors (their names) , and all Orthodox Christians, and forgive them all sins, voluntary and involuntary, and grant them the Kingdom of Heaven.End of prayers
It is worthy to eat as truly to bless Thee, Theotokos, Ever-Blessed and Most Immaculate and Mother of our God. We magnify You, the most honorable Cherub and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim, who gave birth to God the Word without corruption.Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Thy Most Pure Mother, our reverend and God-bearing fathers and all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.In the morning, getting up from sleep, still in bed, cross yourself with prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Getting out of bed and washing your face, and in the evening, going to bed, stand with reverence before the holy icons and, looking at them, directing your thoughts to the invisible God and his saints, earnestly, slowly, protecting yourself with the sign of the cross and bowing, say with tenderness the prayer of the publican:
(bow) (bow). Without number of sinners, Lord, have mercy and forgive me, a sinner. (bow).
(bow always to the ground).
(bow) (bow).
Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy, Lord bless (bow).
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Thy Most Pure Mother, by the power of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross, and my holy Guardian Angel, and all for the sake of the saints, have mercy and save me, a sinner, for I am Good and Lover of Mankind. Amen. (bow to the ground, without the sign of the cross).
These prayers are called “beginning” or “coming and starting bows” because they are performed at the beginning and after any prayer rule.
After this, repeat the publican’s prayer with bows:
God, be merciful to me, a sinner (bow). Create me, O Lord, and have mercy on me (bow). Without number of sinners, Lord, have mercy and forgive me, a sinner. (bow).
And begin your morning prayers with reverence.
For the prayers of the saints, our father, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us. Amen (bow always from the waist). Cross yourself and say three times:
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee for everyone's sake.
Further: God, cleanse me, a sinner, for I have done no good before You. (bow), but deliver me from the evil one, and Thy will be done in me (bow) May I open my unworthy lips without condemnation and praise Your holy name: the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen (bow).
Circled prayers are not read in the evening.
Heavenly King, Comforter, True Soul, Who is everywhere and fulfills everything, Treasure of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Blessed One, our soul.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us (three times with bows). Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen. Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse our sins. Master, forgive our iniquities. Saints, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy Name's sake. Lord have mercy (three times). Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as it is in heaven and on earth. Give us our daily bread this day. And forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us. Amen. Lord have mercy (12 times).
If it’s morning, it reads:
Having risen from sleep, I thank Thee, All-Holy Trinity, for for the sake of many, for the sake of kindness and long-suffering, Thou hast not been angry with me, Thy sinful and lazy servant, and Thou hast not destroyed me with my iniquities, but love of mankind. And lying in despair, raise me up to practice and glorify Your invincible power. And now, Master, Most Holy God, enlighten the eyes of my heart and open my lips to learn Your words, and understand Your commandments, and do Your will, and sing to You in confession of the heart. Sing and glorify Your most honorable and magnificent name: the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
If evening:
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And now, and ever, and forever and ever. Amen.
Come, let us worship our King God (bow). Come, let us worship Christ, the King and our God (bow). Come, let us worship and fall before the Lord Jesus Christ himself, the King and our God (bow).
PSALM 50 (repentance)/>
Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy. And according to the multitude of Your mercies, cleanse my iniquity. Above all, wash me from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my iniquity and bear away my sin before me. I have sinned against You alone and have done evil before You. For you may be justified in Your words and overcome without ever being judged. Behold, I was conceived in iniquity, and my mother gave birth to me in sins. Behold, you have loved the truth; You have revealed to me the unknown and secret wisdom of Yours. Sprinkle me with hyssop and I will be cleansed. Wash me and I will be whiter than snow. Give joy and gladness to my hearing: humble bones will rejoice. Turn Your face away from my sins and cleanse all my iniquities. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb. Do not turn me away from Your Face, and do not take Your Holy Spirit away from me. Reward me with the joy of Your salvation and strengthen me with the Lord’s Spirit. I will teach the wicked your way, and they will turn to you in wickedness. Deliver me from bloodshed, O God, God of my salvation; My tongue will rejoice in Your righteousness. Lord, open my mouth, and my mouth will declare Your praise. As if he had wanted a sacrifice, he would have given it; You do not favor burnt offerings. A sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit: God will not despise a contrite and humble heart. Bless Zion, O Lord, with Your favor; and let the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then favor the sacrifice of righteousness, the offering and the burnt offering. Then they will place the calf on Your altar.
Protecting ourselves reverently with the sign of the cross, we pronounce the SYMBOL OF FAITH - the words of the holy fathers of the First and Second Ecumenical Councils (sign of the cross without bowing):
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible. And in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only Begotten, Who was born of the Father before all ages. Light from Light, true God from true God, born, not created, consubstantial with the Father, by Him all things were. For our sake, man, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary became human. Crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, suffering and buried. And he rose again on the third day according to the scriptures. And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father. And again the coming one will be judged with glory by the living and the dead, but His kingdom has no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the true and life-giving Lord, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who spoke the prophets. And into one holy cathedral and Apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the remission of sins. I hope for the resurrection of the dead. And the life of the next century. Amen.
Virgin Mother of God, rejoice, joyful Mary, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, for you gave birth to Christ the Savior, the Redeemer of our souls (with bows three times).
ABOUT! All-sung Mother, who gave birth to all the saints, the most holy Word, having accepted the present offering, deliver everyone from every misfortune, and the torment that is to come, crying out to You: Alleluia (three times, with bows to the ground).
Invincible and divine power honorable and life-giving Cross of the Lord, do not forsake me, a sinner who trusts in You (bow). My Most Holy Lady Theotokos, have mercy on me, and save me, and help me now, in this life, and at the end of my soul, and in the future (bow). All heavenly powers, holy angels and archangels, cherubs and seraphim, have mercy on me, and pray for me, a sinner, to the Lord God, and help me now, in this life, and at the end of my soul, and in the future (bow). Angel of Christ, my holy guardian, have mercy on me and pray for me, a sinner, to the Lord God, and help me now, in this life, and at the end of my soul, and in the future (bow). Great Saints John, Prophet and Forerunner of the Lord, have mercy on me, and pray for me, a sinner, to the Lord God, and help me now, in this life, and at the end of my soul, and in the future (bow). Glorious holy apostles, prophets and martyrs, saints, reverends and righteous ones and all saints, have mercy on me, and pray for me, a sinner, to the Lord God, and help me now, in this life, and at the end of my soul, and in the future (bow).
After this, pray three times with bows following prayers.
Most Holy Trinity our God, glory to Thee. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Glory, Lord, to Your Honest Cross. Most Holy Lady Theotokos, save me, Thy sinful servant. Angel of Christ, my holy guardian, save me, Thy sinful servant. Holy archangels and angels, pray to God for me, a sinner. Great Saints John, Prophet and Forerunner, Baptist of the Lord, pray to God for me, a sinner. Saints and glorious prophet Elijah, pray to God for me, a sinner. Holy forefathers, pray to God for me, a sinner. Holy prophets, pray to God for me, a sinner. Holy apostles, pray to God for me, a sinner. Holy Glorious Apostles and Evangelists: Matthew, Marco, Luke and John the Theologian, pray to God for me, a sinner. Holy Glorious Supreme Apostles Peter and Paul, pray to God for me, a sinner. Holy three great saints: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom, pray to God for me, a sinner. Saint Nicholas of Christ, pray to God for me, a sinner. Reverend Father Sergius, pray to God for me, a sinner. Holy Hieromartyr and Confessor Habakkuk, pray to God for me, a sinner. Saint of Christ and confessor Ambrose, pray to God for me, a sinner. Our reverend and God-bearing fathers, shepherds and teachers of the universe, pray to God for me, a sinner. All saints, pray to God for me, a sinner.
After this, pray to the saint whose name you bear, and to the saint celebrated on this date, and also to other saints whom you wish. Don’t forget to pray and do penance, whatever bows you receive from your spiritual father.
Then pray for the health of the ruling bishop, spiritual father, parents, relatives and loved ones, saying with bows three times about health and salvation:
Merciful Lord, save and have mercy on Your servants (bow) (name the names of those you pray for). Deliver them from all sorrow, anger and need. (bow). From all illnesses of mind and body (bow). And forgive them every sin, voluntary and involuntary. (bow). And do something useful for our souls (bow).
Then pray for the repose of your spiritual fathers, parents and loved ones, and for whom you have zeal, saying three times with bows:
Rest, O Lord, the soul of your departed servants (bow) (name the names of those you pray for). And in this life, as humans have sinned, You, as the Lover of Mankind, forgive them and have mercy. (bow). Deliver us from eternal torment (bow). Make partakers of the kingdom of heaven (bow). And do something useful for our souls (bow).
When finishing your prayers, say:
Lord, whether in word, or in deed, or in thought, I have sinned throughout my life, have mercy on me and forgive me, for Thy mercy’s sake. (bow to the ground). I place all my hope in You, Mother of God, keep me in Your blood (bow to the ground). My hope is God, and my refuge is Christ, and my patron is the Holy Spirit. (bow to the ground).
It is worthy to eat, for truly you are blessed, the Mother of God, ever blessed and immaculate, and the Mother of our God. The most honorable cherub and the most glorious truly seraphim, who without corruption gave birth to God the Word, the real Mother of God, we magnify You (bow always to the ground).
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit (bow). And now and ever and unto ages of ages, amen (bow). Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy, Lord bless (bow).
And release:/>
Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Thy Most Pure Mother and our reverend and God-bearing fathers and all saints, have mercy and save me, a sinner, for I am Good and Lover of Mankind. Amen.
And, bending down to the ground, without making the sign of the cross, read forgiveness:
Weaken, forsake, let go, O God, of my sins, voluntary and involuntary, both in word and in deed, both in knowledge and in ignorance, in mind and in thought, in days and in nights, forgive me all, as Good and Lover of Humanity. Amen.
Having risen, read this prayer with bows:
Forgive those who hate and offend us, Lord Lover of Mankind. Do good to those who do good, to the brethren and to all our relatives, even those who are alone, grant them everything, even petitions for salvation and eternal life (bow). In the present illnesses, visit and heal, in the prisons of the present freedom, on the floating waters, awaken the Ruler and those who are on their way, correct and hasten (bow). Remember, Lord, our captive brethren, fellow believers of the Orthodox faith, and deliver them from every evil situation (bow). Have mercy, Lord, on those who gave us alms and commanded us, unworthy, to pray for them, forgive them and have mercy (bow). Have mercy, O Lord, on those who labor and serve us, who have mercy and nourishment on us, and grant them all petitions and eternal life that lead to salvation. (bow). Remember, O Lord, our fathers and brethren who departed before, and bring them home, where the light of Thy face shines (bow). Remember, Lord, our thinness and wretchedness, and enlighten our minds with the light of reason of Thy Holy Gospel, and guide us on the path of Thy commandments, through the prayers of Thy Most Pure Mother and all Thy saints, amen (bow).
These prayers end with the usual seven bows (see “incoming and outgoing bows” at the beginning).
At the end of your prayers, both in the morning and in the evening, protecting yourself with your pectoral cross, say: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, bless and sanctify and preserve me by the power of Your Life-Giving Cross.
After that, kiss the cross.
And read the prayer to the Cross, crossing yourself:
May God rise again, and may His enemies be scattered, and may those who hate Him flee from His face, like smoke disappearing, may they disappear. As wax melts in the face of fire, so may demons perish in the face lovers of God, and those who are marked by the sign of the cross, and let us rejoice and say: Rejoice, O Cross of the Lord, driving away demons by the power of You, our Lord Jesus Christ, who was cast down into hell, and who trampled upon the power of the devil, and who gave us His Honest Cross to drive away every adversary.
ABOUT! Most honorable and life-giving Cross of the Lord, help me, with the Most Holy Lady Theotokos, and with all the holy heavenly powers, always and now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
A detailed description from several sources: “at what time is the prayer read” - in our non-profit weekly religious magazine.
In everything that concerns prayer and godly life, the Lord Jesus Christ, the apostles and saints can serve as an example for us. The Gospel says that Christ prayed in solitude for several hours and even throughout the whole night. The Apostle Paul called for prayer without ceasing, that is, all the time. Are there any restrictions on the duration of prayer?
Where can you pray to God?
You can pray to God almost everywhere:
At home they read home prayers (morning, evening, before or after eating food). With the blessing of the priest, morning prayers can be read on the way to work. In the office, you can pray before and after the work day.
During services in the temple, believers together perform public (otherwise known as church) prayer.
To pray in church alone, you need to come outside the service, purchase and light candles. It is not necessary to light them: the ministers will light them before the start of the service. Then you need to venerate the icon of the day or holiday - it lies on the lectern (a special inclined table) in the middle of the temple - as well as to the shrines that may be in the temple: revered icons, relics of saints. After this, you can find a place to read silently (whisper) any prayer that you know by heart, or pray in your own words.
How many times a day should Orthodox Christians pray?
Prayer is time dedicated to God. There should be such a time every day.
- in the morning,
- In the evening,
- before and after meals,
- before starting and after completing something (for example, work or study)
- in order to first ask God for blessings, and in the end to thank Him.
In addition, it is important to attend the Liturgy in church weekly to perform church prayer and receiving Holy Communion. If necessary, in case of special needs or life circumstances you can pray privately (at home in front of icons or in church between services) to saints or heavenly powers so that they intercede for the one praying before the Lord.
Time for reading Orthodox prayers in church and at home
In ancient monasteries, nine long services were performed per day, and between them the monks alone read psalms or said the Jesus Prayer. Night was considered a particularly fertile time for solitary prayer.
Modern laity perform the morning prayer rule at home in the morning, and the evening rule in the evening upon returning home. If a person is weak or has little time, then instead of the morning and evening rules, he can read during the day short rule St. Seraphim Sarovsky.
Duration of morning and evening prayers It is advisable to discuss it with the priest to whom the parishioner regularly confesses.
Saturday evening and the day before church holidays one should attend the all-night vigil in the church, and the Liturgy in the morning on Sundays and holidays.
During Lent They go to church to pray more often: in the first four days they try not to miss evening services - Great Compline with the Canon of St. Andrew of Crete is celebrated on them. You should also try to attend as many services as possible on Holy Week preceding Easter. On Bright Week Liturgy is celebrated daily, and believers strive to visit it in order to receive communion of the Light Ones Mysteries of Christ not only on Sunday, but also on weekdays.
Morning prayer time
Morning prayers are read at home, immediately upon waking. Having woken up, you need to stand in front of the icons and begin to read prayers by heart or according to the prayer book.
Evening prayer time
Evening prayers are read at home at the end of the day or before bed. The evening rule is not recommended to be postponed until later, because the later, the stronger the fatigue and the more difficult it is to concentrate.
Just before going to sleep, already lying in bed, they say: “In Your hands, Lord my God, I commend my spirit, You save me, You have mercy on me and grant me eternal life.”
Prayer all day long
The Orthodox Church does not set strict times for prayers. We must strive to pray constantly. This, first of all, means constantly remembering God and from time to time, if possible, turning to Him throughout the day with short prayers(for example, the Jesus Prayer “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner” or a short thanksgiving prayer“Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee!”).
Continuous Prayer
You can read short prayers continuously throughout the day, repeating the same prayer many times in a row and counting the number of repetitions using the rosary. This is how the Jesus Prayer is usually read. However, for such a prayer you must take the priest's blessing, And the number of repetitions is strictly regulated.
There are many restrictions on continuous prayer; it cannot be read uncontrolled.
The Monk Ambrose of Optina ordered his spiritual children to read the Jesus Prayer only out loud, because reading to oneself can cause strong emotional sensations and lead to falling into delusion. Prelest means self-deception, even to the point of mental insanity.
How long should prayer be?
Duration prayers are not regulated by rules.
- What is most important is the focus on prayer, not the duration or number of prayers.
- You need to pray slowly, thinking about every word.
- The number of prayers should correspond to the time we can devote to them.
The Lord said, “I want mercy, not sacrifice” (Matthew 9:13), therefore, if you lack time or are very tired, it is permissible to shorten the prayer rule in order to read it with concentration.
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Prayer rule.
What is a prayer rule? These are prayers that a person reads regularly, daily. Everyone's prayer rules are different. For some, the morning or evening rule takes several hours, for others - a few minutes. Everything depends on a person’s spiritual make-up, the degree to which he is rooted in prayer and the time he has at his disposal.
It is very important that a person follows the prayer rule, even the shortest one, so that there is regularity and constancy in prayer. But the rule should not turn into a formality. The experience of many believers shows that when constantly reading the same prayers, their words become discolored, lose their freshness, and a person, getting used to them, stops focusing on them. This danger must be avoided at all costs.
I remember when I took monastic vows (I was twenty years old at the time), I turned to an experienced confessor for advice and asked him what prayer rule I should have. He said: “You must read morning and evening prayers, three canons and one akathist every day. No matter what happens, even if you are very tired, you must read them. And even if you read them hastily and inattentively, it doesn’t matter, the main thing is that the rule is read.” I tried. Things didn't work out. Daily Reading the same prayers led to the fact that these texts quickly became boring. In addition, every day I spent many hours in church at services that spiritually nourished me, nourished me, and inspired me. And reading the three canons and the akathist turned into some kind of unnecessary “appendage”. I started looking for other advice that was more suitable for me. And I found it in the works of St. Theophan the Recluse, a remarkable ascetic of the 19th century. He advised the prayer rule to be calculated not by the number of prayers, but by the time that we are ready to devote to God. For example, we can make it a rule to pray for half an hour in the morning and evening, but this half hour must be completely given to God. And it is not so important whether during these minutes we read all the prayers or just one, or perhaps we devote one evening entirely to reading the Psalter, the Gospel or prayer in our own words. The main thing is that we are focused on God, so that our attention does not slip away and that every word reaches our heart. This advice worked for me. However, I do not rule out that the advice I received from my confessor would be more suitable for others. Here a lot depends on the individual person.
It seems to me that for a person living in the world, not only fifteen, but even five minutes of morning and evening prayer, if, of course, it is said with attention and feeling, is enough to be a real Christian. It is only important that the thought always corresponds to the words, the heart responds to the words of prayer, and the whole life corresponds to the prayer.
Try, following the advice of St. Theophan the Recluse, to set aside some time for prayer during the day and for daily fulfillment of the prayer rule. And you will see that it will bear fruit very soon.
The basis of life Orthodox Christian is fasting and prayer. Prayer “is a conversation between the soul and God.” And just as in a conversation it is impossible to listen to one side all the time, so in prayer it is useful to sometimes stop and listen to the Lord’s answer to our prayer.
The Church, praying daily “for everyone and everything,” established a personal, individual prayer rule for everyone. The composition of this rule depends on the spiritual age, living conditions, and capabilities of the person. The prayer book offers us morning and evening prayers that are accessible to everyone. They turn to the Lord Mother of God, Guardian Angel. With the blessing of the confessor, prayers to selected saints can be included in the cell rule. If it is not possible to read the morning prayers in front of the icons in a calm environment, then it is better to read them on the way rather than skip them altogether. In any case, you should not have breakfast before the Lord’s Prayer is read.
If a person is sick or very tired, then the evening rule can be done not before bedtime, but shortly before. And before going to bed, you should only read a prayer St. John Damascus “Vladyka, O Lover of Mankind, will this coffin really be my bed?” " and those following her.
A very important component morning prayers is the reading of the remembrance. Be sure to pray for peace and health His Holiness Patriarch, the ruling bishop, spiritual father, parents, relatives, godparents and godchildren, and all the people who are connected with us in one way or another. If someone cannot make peace with others, even if it is not his fault, he is obliged to remember the “hater” and sincerely wish him well.
The personal (“cell”) rule of many Orthodox Christians includes reading the Gospel and Psalms. Thus, the Optina monks blessed many to read one chapter from the Gospel during the day, in order, and two chapters from the Apostolic Epistles. Moreover, the last seven chapters of the Apocalypse were read one per day. Then the reading of the Gospel and the Apostle ended simultaneously, and began new circle readings.
The prayer rule for a person is established by his spiritual father, and it is up to him to change it - to reduce or increase it. One day established rule should become the law of life, and each violation should be considered as an exceptional case, tell the confessor about it and accept admonition from him.
When and for how long should you pray? The Apostle Paul says: “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). Saint Gregory the Theologian writes: “You need to remember God more often than you breathe.” Ideally, the entire life of a Christian should be permeated with prayer.
Many troubles, sorrows and misfortunes occur precisely because people forget about God. After all, there are believers among criminals, but at the moment of committing a crime they do not think about God. It is difficult to imagine a person who would commit murder or theft with the thought of an all-seeing God, from whom no evil can be hidden. And every sin is committed by a person precisely when he does not remember God.
Most people are unable to pray throughout the day, so we need to find some time, even if it is short, to remember God.
In the morning you wake up thinking about what you have to do that day. Before you start working and plunge into the inevitable hustle and bustle, devote at least a few minutes to God. Stand before God and say: “Lord, You gave me this day, help me spend an era without sin, without vice, save me from all evil and misfortune.” And call on God’s blessing for the beginning of the day.
Throughout the day, try to remember God more often. If you feel bad, turn to Him with a prayer: “Lord, I feel bad, help me.” If you feel good, tell God: “Lord, glory to You, I thank You for this joy.” If you are worried about someone, tell God: “Lord, I am worried about him, I hurt for him, help him.” And so throughout the day - no matter what happens to you, turn it into prayer.
When the day comes to an end and you are getting ready for bed, remember the past day, thank God for all the good things that happened, and repent for all the unworthy acts and sins that you committed that day. Ask God for help and blessings for the coming night. If you learn to pray like this every day, you will soon notice how much more fulfilling your whole life will be.
People often justify their reluctance to pray by saying that they are too busy and overloaded with things to do. Yes, many of us live in a rhythm that ancient people did not live in. Sometimes we have to do many things during the day. But there are always some pauses in life. For example, we stand at a stop and wait for a tram - three to five minutes. We go on the subway - twenty to thirty minutes, dial phone number and we hear busy beeps for a few more minutes. Let us at least use these pauses for prayer, let them not be wasted time.
How to pray when you don't have time
Many of the elder’s visitors accused him of not praying enough and not even reading the prescribed morning and evening prayers. St. Seraphim established the following easily followed rule for such people:
“Rising from sleep, every Christian, standing before the holy icons, let him read the prayer “Our Father” three times, in honor Holy Trinity. Then the hymn to the Mother of God “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice” also three times. In conclusion, the Creed “I believe in one God” - once. Having completed this rule, every Orthodox Christian goes about his business, to which he has been assigned or called. While working at home or on the way somewhere, he quietly reads “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner (or sinner),” and if others surround him, then, going about his business, let him say with his mind only “Lord, have mercy” - and so until lunch. Just before lunch, let him do it again morning rule.
After dinner, while doing his work, let every Christian read just as quietly: “ Holy Mother of God"Save me, a sinner." When going to bed, let every Christian read the morning rule again, that is, the “Our Father” three times, the “Virgin Mary” three times and the “Creed” once.
St. Seraphim explained that by adhering to that small “rule,” one can achieve a measure of Christian perfection, for these three prayers are the foundation of Christianity. The first, as a prayer given by the Lord Himself, is a model for all prayers. The second was brought from heaven by the Archangel in greeting to the Mother of God. The Symbol of Faith contains all the saving dogmas of the Christian faith.
1. The Lord’s Prayer “Our Father” (Matthew 6:9–13; Luke 11:2–4).
2. Basic commandments Old Testament(Deut. 6:5; Lev. 19:18).
3. Basic gospel commandments(Matt. 5, 3–12; Matt. 5, 21–48; Matt. 6, 1; Matt. 6, 3; Matt. 6, 6; Matt. 6, 14–21; Matt. 6, 24–25 ; Matthew 7:1–5; Matthew 23:8–12; John 13:34).
5. Morning and evening prayers according to a short prayer book.
6. The number and meaning of the sacraments.
The fear of our time has not escaped the Orthodox. How to protect yourself and your loved ones? - believers often ask. Our main defense is the Lord Himself, without His Holy Will, as the Scripture says, not a hair will fall from our head (Luke 21:18). This does not mean that we, in our reckless trust in God, can behave defiantly towards the criminal world. We need to remember firmly the words “do not tempt the Lord your God” (Matthew 4:7).
God gave us greatest shrines for protection from visible enemies. This is, first of all, a Christian shield - pectoral cross, which must not be removed under any circumstances. Secondly, holy water and artos, eaten every morning.
We also protect Christians with prayer. Many churches sell belts on which the text of Psalm 90 is written: “He lives in the help of the Most High. "and prayer To the Honest Cross"May God rise again." It is worn on the body, under clothes.
The ninetieth psalm has great power. Spiritually experienced people recommend reading it before every time we go outside, no matter how many times we leave the house. Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov gives advice when leaving the house to make the sign of the cross and read the prayer: “I renounce to you, Satan, your pride and service to you, and I unite with you, Christ, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen".
Orthodox parents must certainly cross their child if he goes out alone.
Once in dangerous situation, one must pray: “May God rise again,” or “To the chosen victorious Voivode” (the first kontakion from the akathist to the Mother of God), or simply “Lord, have mercy,” repeatedly. We must resort to prayer even when another person is being threatened before our eyes, but we lack the strength and courage to rush to his aid.
A very strong prayer to the saints of God, who became famous for their military skills during their lifetime: Saints George the Victorious, Theodore Stratelates, Demetrius Donskoy. Let us not forget about Archangel Michael, our Guardian Angel. All of them have God’s special power to give the weak strength to overcome their enemies.
“Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman watches in vain” (Ps. 126:1). A Christian's home must certainly be consecrated. Grace will preserve the home from all evil. If it is not possible to invite a priest to the house, you need to sprinkle all the walls, windows and doors with holy water yourself, reading “May God rise again” or “Save, O Lord, Thy people” (troparion to the Cross). To avoid the danger of arson or fire, it is customary to pray to the Mother of God in front of Her “Burning Bush” icon.
Of course, no means will help if we lead a sinful life, for a long time do not repent. Often the Lord allows extraordinary circumstances to admonish unrepentant sinners.
You can pray in different ways, for example, in your own words. Such prayer should constantly accompany a person. Morning and evening, day and night, a person can turn to God with the simplest words coming from the depths of his heart.
But there are also prayer books that were compiled by saints in ancient times; they need to be read in order to learn prayer. These prayers are contained in the “Orthodox Prayer Book”. There you will find morning, evening, repentance, thanksgiving prayers, you will find various canons, akathists and much more. Having purchased “ Orthodox prayer book”, don’t be alarmed that there are so many prayers in it. You don't have to read them all.
If you read the morning prayers quickly, it will take about twenty minutes. But if you read them thoughtfully, carefully, responding with your heart to every word, then reading can take a whole hour. Therefore, if you do not have time, do not try to read all the morning prayers, it is better to read one or two, but so that every word of them reaches your heart.
Before the section “Morning Prayers” it says: “Before you begin to pray, stand a little until your feelings subside, and then say with attention and reverence; “In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen". Wait a little longer and only then start praying.” This pause, the “minute of silence” before beginning the prayer, is very important. Prayer must grow from the silence of our heart. People who “read” morning and evening prayers every day are constantly tempted to read the “rule” as soon as possible in order to begin their daily activities. Often, such reading eludes the main thing - the content of the prayer.
The prayer book contains many petitions addressed to God, which are repeated several times. For example, you may come across a recommendation to read “Lord, have mercy” twelve or forty times. Some perceive this as some kind of formality and read this prayer at high speed. By the way, in Greek “Lord, have mercy” sounds like “Kyrie, eleison.” In the Russian language there is a verb “playing tricks”, which came precisely from the fact that the psalm-readers on the choir very quickly repeated many times: “Kyrie, eleison”, that is, they did not pray, but “played tricks”. So, in prayer there is no need to fool around. No matter how many times you read this prayer, it must be said with attention, reverence and love, with complete dedication.
There is no need to try to read out all the prayers. It’s better to devote twenty minutes to one prayer, “Our Father,” repeating it several times, thinking about every word. It is not so easy for a person who is not accustomed to praying for a long time to immediately read a large number of prayers, but there is no need to strive for this. It is important to be imbued with the spirit that breathes the prayers of the Fathers of the Church. This is the main benefit that can be derived from the prayers contained in the Orthodox Prayer Book.
HOW TO READ MORNING AND EVENING PRAYERS CORRECTLY
Prayer there is a conversation or conversation between us and God. It is necessary for us just like air and food. We have everything from God and have nothing of our own: life, abilities, health, food and everything is given to us by God. Therefore, in joy and in sorrow, and when we need something, we must turn to God in prayer.
The main thing in prayer is faith, attention, reverence, contrition of heart and a promise to God not to sin. The reading technique should not obscure the meaning of what is being read. Prayers are usually read evenly and calmly, without any exaggerated intonation.
Saint Theophan the Recluse wrote in the article “How to Pray”: The work of prayer is the first task in Christian life. If in relation to the usual order of affairs the proverb is true: “Live forever, learn forever,” then all the more does it apply to prayer, the action of which should not have an interruption and the extent of which has no limit.
The ancient holy fathers, greeting each other on a date, usually asked not about health or anything else, but about prayer: how, they say, prayer goes or how it works. The action of prayer was a sign of spiritual life for them, and they called it the breath of the spirit.
There is breath in the body - and the body lives; When breathing stops, life stops. So it is in the spirit: there is prayer - the spirit lives; no prayer - no life in the spirit.
But not every performance of prayer, or prayer, is prayer. Standing in front of an icon in a church or at home and bowing down is not yet prayer, but only an accessory to prayer.
Prayer itself is the emergence in our hearts of one after another reverent feelings towards God: self-abasement, devotion, thanksgiving, glorification, forgiveness, diligent prostration, contrition, submission to the will of God and others.
All our concern should be that during our prayers these and similar feelings fill our soul so that when the tongue reads prayers or the ear listens and the body bows, the heart does not remain empty, but that there is some kind of feeling directed towards God.
When these feelings are present, our prayer is prayer, and when they are not there, then it is not yet prayer.
It seems, what would be simpler and more natural for us, like prayer, or the aspiration of the heart to God? And yet it does not happen to everyone and does not always happen. It must be aroused and then strengthened, or, what is the same, cultivate a prayerful spirit in oneself.
The first way for this is reading or listening prayer. Do it properly, and you will certainly awaken and strengthen the ascent in your heart to God, and you will enter into the spirit of prayer.
Our prayer books contain the prayers of the holy fathers Ephraim the Syrian, Macarius of Egypt, Basil the Great, John Chrysostom and other great prayer books. Being filled with a spirit of prayer, they expressed what was inspired by this spirit in word and conveyed it to us.
A great prayer power moves in their prayers, and whoever looks into them with all his zeal and attention, by virtue of the law of interaction, will certainly taste the power of prayer as his mood approaches the content of the prayer.
In order for our prayer to become a valid means for us to cultivate prayer in ourselves, we must perform it in such a way that both the thought and the heart perceive the content of the prayers that make it up. Here are the three simplest techniques for this:
- do not start praying without preliminary, albeit brief, preparation;
- do not do it haphazardly, but with attention and feeling;
- do not immediately after finishing your prayers go on to your usual activities.
Prayer rule - daily morning and evening prayers that Christians do. Their texts can be found in the prayer book.
The rule can be general - mandatory for everyone, or individual, selected for the believer by the confessor, taking into account his spiritual state, strength and employment.
Consists of morning and evening prayers, which are performed daily. This vital rhythm is necessary, because otherwise the soul easily falls out of the prayer life, as if waking up only from time to time. In prayer, as in any big and difficult matter, “inspiration”, “mood” and improvisation are not enough.
Reading prayers connects a person with their creators: the psalmists and ascetics. This helps to gain a spiritual mood akin to their heartfelt burning. Our example in praying in other people’s words is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. His prayerful exclamations during the suffering of the cross are lines from the psalms (Ps. 21:2; 30:6).
There are three basic prayer rules:
1) a complete prayer rule, designed for spiritually experienced laity, which is published in the “Orthodox Prayer Book”;
2) a short prayer rule; in the morning: “Heavenly King”, Trisagion, “Our Father”, “Virgin Mother of God”, “Rising from sleep”, “God have mercy on me”, “I Believe”, “God, cleanse”, “To You, Master”, “Holy Angela", "Holy Lady", invocation of saints, prayer for the living and the dead; in the evening: “Heavenly King”, Trisagion, “Our Father”, “Have mercy on us, Lord”, “Eternal God”, “Good King”, “Angel of Christ”, from “The Chosen Governor” to “It is worthy to eat”;
3) a short prayer rule of St. Seraphim of Sarov: “Our Father” three times, “Virgin Mother of God” three times and “I Believe” once - for those days and circumstances when a person is extremely tired or very limited in time.
It is not advisable to completely omit the prayer rule. Even if the prayer rule is read without due attention, the words of the prayers, penetrating the soul, have a cleansing effect.
The main prayers should be known by heart (with regular reading, they are gradually memorized by a person even with a very poor memory), so that they penetrate deeper into the heart and so that they can be repeated in any circumstances.
It is advisable to study the text of the translation of prayers from Church Slavonic into Russian (see “ Explanatory prayer book") in order to understand the meaning of each word and not pronounce a single word meaninglessly or without precise comprehension.
It is very important that those who begin to pray should expel resentment, irritation, and bitterness from their hearts. Without efforts aimed at serving people, fighting sin, and establishing control over the body and spiritual sphere, prayer cannot become internal rod life.
In the conditions of modern life, taking into account the workload and accelerated pace, it is not easy for the laity to set aside specific times for prayer. The enemy of morning prayer is haste, and the enemy of evening prayer is fatigue.
Morning prayers It is best to read before starting anything (and before breakfast). IN as a last resort, they are pronounced on the way from home. Late in the evening it is often difficult to concentrate due to fatigue, so we can recommend reading the evening prayer rule in the free minutes before dinner or even earlier.
During prayer, it is recommended to retire, light a lamp or candle and stand in front of the icon. Depending on the nature of family relationships, we can recommend reading the prayer rule together, with the whole family, or with each family member separately.
General prayer is recommended before eating food, in special days, before a festive meal and in other similar cases. Family Prayer- this is a type of church, social (the family is a kind of “home Church”) and therefore does not replace individual prayer, but only complements it.
Before starting prayer, you should sign yourself with the sign of the cross and make several bows, either from the waist or to the ground, and try to tune in to an internal conversation with God. The difficulty of prayer is often a sign of its true effectiveness.
Prayer for other people (see memorial) is an integral part of prayer. Standing before God does not alienate a person from his neighbors, but binds him to them with even closer ties. We should not limit ourselves to just praying for people close and dear to us. Praying for those who have caused us grief brings peace to the soul, has an impact on these people and makes our prayer sacrificial.
It is good to end the prayer with thanksgiving to God for the gift of communication and contrition for one’s inattention. When getting down to business, you must first think about what you have to say, do, see during the day and ask God for blessings and strength to follow His will. In the thick of it working day we need to create a short prayer(see Jesus prayer), which will help you find the Lord in everyday affairs.
Morning and evening rules – this is just necessary spiritual hygiene. We are commanded to pray unceasingly (see the prayer of Jesus). The Holy Fathers said: if you churn milk, you will get butter, and so in prayer, quantity turns into quality. God bless you!
Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov) in his “Teaching on the Prayer Rule” wrote: “Rule! What an accurate name, borrowed from the very effect produced on a person by prayers called the rule! The prayer rule guides the soul correctly and holy, teaches it to worship God in Spirit and Truth (John 4:23), while the soul, left to itself, could not follow the correct path of prayer. Due to her damage and darkening by sin, she would constantly be seduced to the sides, often into the abyss, now into absent-mindedness, now into daydreaming, now into various empty and deceptive ghosts of high prayerful states, created by her vanity and voluptuousness.
Prayer rules keep the person praying in a saving disposition, humility and repentance, teaching him constant self-condemnation, feeding him with tenderness, strengthening him with hope in the All-Good and All-Merciful God, delighting him with the peace of Christ, love for God and for his neighbors.”
From these words of the saint it is clear that it is very saving to read the morning and evening prayer rules. It spiritually takes a person out of the confusion of night dreams or daytime worries and puts him before God. And the human soul enters into communication with its Creator. The grace of the Holy Spirit descends on a person, brings him into the necessary repentant mood, gives him inner world and harmony, drives away demons from him (“This generation is driven out only by prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17:21), sends down to him God's blessing and strength to live. Moreover, the prayers were written by holy people: Saints Basil the Great and John Chrysostom, Venerable Macarius Great and others. That is, the very structure of the rules is very useful for the human soul.
Therefore, of course, reading the morning and evening prayer rule every day, so to speak, - minimum required for an Orthodox Christian. Moreover, it does not take much time. For someone who has gotten into the habit of reading, it takes about twenty minutes in the morning and the same in the evening.
If you don’t have time to read the morning rule all at once, then break it into several parts. “Little Cap” from the beginning to “Lord have mercy” (12 times), inclusive, can, for example, be read at home; The following prayers are during pauses in work or during your daily activities. This, of course, needs to be confessed, but it’s better than not reading it at all. We are all human, and it is clear that we are very sinful and busy. You also regulate the end of your morning prayers yourself. This concerns the commemoration. You can read the extended commemoration or the shortened one. At your discretion, depending on the time available.
A fairly common mistake of new Orthodox Christians is reading the evening prayer rule immediately before going to bed. You sway, stagger, mutter words of prayer, and you yourself think about how to lie down in bed under a warm blanket and fall asleep. So it turns out – not prayer, but torment. Mandatory hard labor before bed.
In fact, the evening prayer rule is read somewhat differently. Hegumen Nikon (Vorobiev) wrote that after evening prayers you can leave time to talk and drink tea.
That is, in fact, you can read the evening prayer rule from the beginning to the prayer of St. John of Damascus “O Lord, Lover of Mankind...” If you, dear brothers and sisters, have noticed, then before this prayer there is a prayer of dismissal: “Lord Jesus Christ, the Son God... have mercy on us. Amen". It really is a vacation. You can read the evening prayers up to and including it long before bedtime: at six, seven, eight o’clock in the evening. Then go about your daily evening routine. You can still eat and drink tea, as Father Nikon said, and communicate with loved ones.
And starting with the prayer “Lord, Lover of Mankind...” and until the end, the rule is read immediately before going to bed. During the prayer “May God rise again,” you need to cross yourself and you can cross your bed and house to the four cardinal directions (starting from Orthodox tradition from the east), protecting yourself, your loved ones and your home with the sign of the cross from all evil.
After reading the second half of the evening prayers, nothing is eaten or drunk. In the prayer “In Thy hands, O Lord...” you ask God for blessings on good dream and surrender your soul to Him. After this you should go to bed.
I would also like to draw your attention, dear brothers and sisters, to the rule of St. Seraphim of Sarov. Many understand it as reading three times a day (morning, lunch, evening) certain prayers “Our Father” (three times), “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice...” (three times) and the Creed (once). But it is not so. In addition to reading the rule three times, the Monk Seraphim said that in the first half of the day a person should read the Jesus Prayer almost all the time, or, if people are around, in his mind “Lord, have mercy,” and after lunch, instead of the Jesus Prayer, “Most Holy Theotokos, save me, a sinner."
That is, Saint Seraphim offers man spiritual exercise in continuous prayer, and not just a relief of the evening and morning prayer rules. You can, of course, read the prayer according to the rule of St. Seraphim of Sarov, but only then you need to follow all the instructions of the great elder.
Therefore, I repeat once again, the morning and evening prayer rule is the necessary minimum for an Orthodox Christian.
I would also like to draw your attention, dear brothers and sisters, to a fairly common mistake that we often make.
Saint Ignatius warns us about it in the above-mentioned work: “When performing the rule and bows, one must not rush; It is necessary to perform both the rules and bows with as much leisure and attention as possible. It is better to say fewer prayers and bow down less, but with attention, than a lot and without attention.
Choose for yourself a rule that corresponds to your strengths. What the Lord said about the Sabbath, that it is for man, and not man for it (Mark 2:27), can and should be applied to all pious deeds, as well as to prayer rule. A prayer rule is for a person, and not a person for a rule: it should contribute to a person’s achievement of spiritual success, and not serve as an inconvenient burden (onerous duty), crushing bodily strength and confusing the soul. Moreover, it should not serve as a reason for proud and harmful conceit, for harmful condemnation of loved ones and humiliation of others.”
The Monk Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain wrote in his book “Invisible Warfare”: “...There are many clergy who deprive themselves of the saving fruit of the world from their spiritual works by procrastinating on them, believing that they will suffer damage if they do not complete them, in false confidence , of course, that this is what spiritual perfection consists of. Following their will in this way, they work hard and torment themselves, but do not receive true peace and inner peace, in which God truly finds and rests.”
That is, we need to count our strength in prayer. You should sit down and think about the time that everyone has. If you, for example, are a freight forwarder in trading company and you are on the road from morning to night, or you are married, work and you also need to devote time to your husband, children, organize family life, then perhaps the morning and evening prayer rules and reading two chapters of the “Apostle”, a chapter of the Gospel, are enough for you in a day. Because if you also take upon yourself to read various akathists, several kathismas, then you will have no time left to live. And if you are a pensioner or work somewhere as a security guard or at another job, having free time, then why not read akathists and kathismas.
Explore yourself, your time, your capabilities, your strengths. Balance your prayer rule with your life so that it is not a burden, but a joy. Because it is better to read fewer prayers, but with heartfelt attention, than to read a lot, but thoughtlessly, mechanically. Prayer has power when you listen and read it with your whole being. Then a life-giving spring of communication with God will flow into our hearts.
Priest Andrey Chizhenko
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