Just as I am

An Englishwoman found herself poised to reject both prayer and God because, burdened as she was by so much torment in asking the question “How can I discover prayer?”, she had received formulaic answers from others. Hearing that Fr. Sophrony had come to France, she sought him out and asked him the same question.

Fr. Sophrony replied to her, “With God there’s no need to play the politician. Turn to the Lord, who is in your heart, just as you are.” And she found such potent prayer, that as Fr Sophrony said of her, she would pray for hours together with her head touching the floor. That is no small thing for a Westerner. That lady was baptised Orthodox many years ago now.

- Told by Fr. Rafail Noica. Translation from Greek. Source.

Prayer is absolutely essential

It is absolutely scandalous to say “I don’t feel like praying.” Such a thing is an offense to God, a true blasphemy. That we pray must be absolute, unchanging rule inour lives. We must pray no matter what the cost because it really is a matter of life and death. We don’t decide to breath because of our good will, we don’t think about whether it’s  really necessary to breath, we never ask why. We know that is we stop breathing we will die. We must treat prayer with the same attitude, that it is absolutely essential to even staying alive and that there is no question that we need to do it at all times. We should say to ourselves “That’s how it is, period!”. We must stick to a rule of prayer and keep it at all costs.

- Elder Sergei of Vanves

It is vital to continue in prayer

It is vital to continue in prayer for as long as we can, so that his invincible strength may penetrate and enable us to resist every destructive influence. And with the increase of this strength in us comes the joy of hope in final victory.

- Archimandrite Sophrony

Memory Eternal!

My dear friend rpeeze informed me that Fr. Michael Rosco passed into eternal life this morning. Please continue to keep Pani Susan, Vlad, and the rest of the family in your prayers to give them strength during this trying time.

Thank you all for praying for Fr. Michael Rosco. Please continue keep him in your prayers, that God will rest his soul where there is no pain, nor sorrow, nor suffering, but life everlasting.

Memory Eternal Father Michael!

This is my God, Whom I will glorify

A Helper and a Protector has become salvation to me. This is my God, Whom I will glorify. God of my fathers I will exalt Him for in glory was He glorified. Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

- Canon of St. Andrew of Crete, excerpt

Prayer is grace

Prayer is grace. God gives it when there exists zeal and humility… Let Christ not be missing from your heart.

- Elder Amphilochios of Patmos

Talk to your Guardian Angel

You should have continual conversation with your guardian angel. About everything. Especially in difficulties and when you cannot get across to someone. He always helps.

-Eldress Gavrilia of Greece

Prayer to Christ’s Resurrection

Having seen the Resurrection of Christ, let us worship the Holy Lord Jesus, the only sinless one. Your Cross do we worship, O Christ, and Your holy Resurrection do we hymn and glorify. For You are our God, we know no other but You, we call upon Your name. Come all the faithful, let us worship the holy Resurrection of Christ; for behold through the Cross, joy has come in all the world. Ever blessing the Lord, we extol His Resurrection. For enduring the Cross for us, He destroyed death by death.

- A well-known and beloved prayer, recited in the Orthros service on Sundays and after Pascha

Prayer request

Some days ago, I had asked for your prayers during Holy Week, as I am waiting an aswer from God at a very important issue for my life.

Please, wherever you are, stop and say a little prayer for me, that God will hear my prayers and He’ll reply…

God bless you all!

The chief thing in prayer

Sometimes during a lengthy prayer only a few minutes are really pleasing to God, and constitute true prayer, true service to Him. The chief thing in prayer is the nearness of the heart to God.”

- St. John of Kronstadt

Prayer request

“Could you please pray for two friends of mine who are kind of going through some rough times? Their names are Brett and Chris.”

Submitted by jedimasterkirito

To You alone I bow down and pray…

O my illustrious King and my God, to You alone I bow down and pray.
Flood into me, as a raging stream into thirsty sand.
Just flood me with Yourself, life-giving Water;
then grass will easily grow in the sand
and white lambs will graze in the grass.

Just flood into my parched soul,
my Life and my Salvation.

- St. Nikolas Velimirovich, “Prayers by the Lake”

Urgent prayer request

Please, everyone, keep in your holy prayers Olive, that has an important prayer request:

“Hi there, I wanted to ask for a prayer request if that’s okay. My mother has my children and she is refusing to let me take them back or even see them. This is the most difficult thing I’ve ever been through in my whole life. Could you please mention me in your prayers and perhaps ask your followers to do the same? Thanks in advance, your friend Olive.”