How to read the prayer rule correctly. Prayer to the Holy Trinity
“Do not impose any vows or rules on yourself without the approval of your spiritual father, with whose advice one bow will bring you more benefit than a thousand self-made bows.”
The Monk Anthony also wrote:
“The Pharisee prayed and fasted more than ours, but without humility all his work was nothing, and therefore be most jealous of the publican’s humility, which is usually born from obedience, and is sufficient for you.”
Elder Joseph (Litovkin) warned that following a rule with a blessing is more difficult than one taken without permission. You can perform a huge number of bows out of vanity, but when we do something with blessing, with humility, it is much more difficult. But it’s also good for the soul:
“A rule imposed is always difficult, but doing with humility is even more difficult. What is acquired through labor is useful.”
Failure to follow a rule
Various circumstances beyond our control happen in the world: business trips, protracted meetings, emergency situations at work, as well as illnesses of ourselves and loved ones. In general, it may happen that even the most pious layman will somehow be unable to fulfill the daily rule. Elder Nikon advised not to be embarrassed under any circumstances, but simply to humbly reproach yourself for your weakness:
“Try not to miss the prayer rule either in the morning or in the evening, but if for some reason you miss it, especially due to circumstances beyond your control, then do not be embarrassed, but humbly reproach yourself for your weakness, for self-reproach is an invisible ascent, and embarrassment, according to Father Ambrose, it is not listed anywhere among the virtues.”
Constant prayer memory
The elders reminded us that, in addition to the rules, we need to have a constant prayer memory, constantly remember God and throughout the day repeat more often: “Lord, have mercy!”, “Lord, bless,” “Lord, protect!” These short prayers will sanctify our daily life.
“Every task must begin by invoking the name of God for help,” taught Elder Hilarion (Ponomarev).
Reverend Nikon reminded:
“At all times, no matter what you do: whether you sit, walk, or work, read with your heart: “Lord, have mercy!”;
“When you are sorrowful and despondent and a grave temptation comes upon you, repeat only one thing: “Lord, have mercy, save and have mercy on Your servant!” And the grief will be eased."
When asked about short prayer, which can be repeated often, the Monk Nikon answered:
“Pray simply: “Lord, grant me Your grace!” And the Lord will carry the thunderstorm past you.”
Request for Prayer for Others
So that people do not remain careless and do not place their hope only on outside prayer help, Reverend Ambrose instructed:
“Remember, the twelve apostles asked the Savior for their Canaanite wife, but He did not hear them; and she began to ask - she begged.”
And sometimes he repeated a popular saying:
“God, help me - and the man himself, don’t lie down.”
Prayerful attitude
The Optina elders advised leaving verbosity and idle talk when praying, as this disrupts the prayerful mood and drives away grace. Reverend Nikon wrote:
“Especially during prayer, leave all thoughts about worldly things. After prayer, at home or in church, in order to maintain a prayerful, tender mood, silence is necessary. Sometimes even a simple insignificant word can disrupt and frighten away tenderness from our soul.
Silence prepares the soul for prayer. Silence, how beneficial it is for the soul!”
We are, of course, not talking about necessary business conversations or communication with relatives, raising children - we are talking about idle talk into which we so often fall.
Elder Ambrose advised:
“Intelligent silence is the most valuable thing. If you put all the rules of prudence on one scale, and put prudent silence on the other scale, then silence alone will outweigh”;
“When you feel that you want to say something out of passion, be silent. Hold back, don't speak. After all, this is a fight, we need to win, then we’ll only fall behind.”
You need to pray even to learn how to pray correctly. Reverend Nikon wrote:
“We are on our own, without Divine help, and we are not able to pray: we cannot pray properly and we do not know how and what to pray for.”
About prayer gifts
The feat of prayer is accompanied by gifts to zealous prayer workers. The Optina elders warned that one should not arbitrarily seek these gifts, such as tears in prayer or purity and dispassion. This can be dangerous for an inexperienced prayer worker.
He wrote about tears during prayer:
“Not everyone can cry, but to whom God will give tears. And God rarely gives tears to beginners. Otherwise they will become proud and worse than those who do not cry.”
He also instructed those who wanted to achieve purity and dispassion:
“Let us humble ourselves, and the Lord will cover us, and we will be holy. Until we humble ourselves and appease God, even if we break our foreheads on the floor with bows, our passions will not diminish.”
How do we know if we are praying correctly?
Prayer is a spiritual activity that brings spiritual fruits. Fruits of the Spirit: love, meekness, patience, peace of mind. Of course, it takes time for the fruits to ripen. But one should strive for them, spiritual growth must occur. A person must fight his passions, weaknesses, and bad habits.
“Trust yourself every day... If the present day was poorly spent, so that you did not offer a decent prayer to God, did not contrite your heart even once, did not humble yourself in thought, did not show mercy or give alms to anyone, did not forgive the guilty, did not tolerate an insult , on the contrary, he did not abstain from anger, did not abstain from words, food, drink, or immersed his mind in unclean thoughts, having considered all this according to your conscience, judge yourself and decide the next day to be more attentive to good and more careful to evil.”
The Monk Macarius warned:
“But prayer rules alone cannot bring us any benefit... I advise you to try, as much as possible, to pay your attention to deeds of love for your neighbors; in relation to your mother, wife and children, take care to educate them in the Orthodox faith and good morality towards the people subordinate to you and towards all your neighbors.”
The one who strives correctly follows the middle, “royal” path. Irritability decreases and, conversely, complacency increases, thoughts of anger, condemnation, and grumbling come less often. A peaceful dispensation, a patient attitude towards the infirmities and shortcomings of others is experienced more and more often and gradually becomes permanent.
"Every Christian should have a rule." (St. John Chrysostom)
“If you create a rule without laziness, then you will receive a great reward from God and remission of sins.” (St. Innocent of Irkutsk)
I. Initial bows
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Stay a little, silently and then pray slowly with the fear of God, if possible, then with tears, firmly believing that “the Holy Spirit strengthens us in our weaknesses: for we do not know what to pray for, and how we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings that cannot be expressed" (Rom. 8:26).
God, be merciful to me, a sinner (bow).
God, cleanse my sins and have mercy on me (bow).
Having created me, Lord, have mercy on me (bow).
Without the number of sinners. Lord, forgive me (bow).
My Lady, Most Holy Theotokos, save me, a sinner (bow).
Angel, my holy guardian, save me from all evil (bow).
Saint (name of your Saint), pray to God for me (bow).
II. Initial prayers
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
Heavenly King, Comforter, Soul of Truth, Who is everywhere and fulfills everything. Treasure of good things and life to the Giver, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Blessed One, our souls. Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal; have mercy on us (thrice).
Note. During the period from Holy Easter to Pentecost, the prayer to the Holy Spirit - “Heavenly King” is not read. On the week of St. On Easter the entire trisagion is not read, but is replaced by the troparion “Christ is Risen...” three times. Also, before the celebration of Easter, instead of “It is worthy to eat, as in truth,” the following is read or sung: “Shine, shine, new Jerusalem: for the glory of the Lord has risen upon You; rejoice now and rejoice in Zion, you are the Pure One, adorn yourself to the Mother of God, about the rise of Your Nativity.”
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 throughout the age of ages. Amen.
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 forgive our debtors; and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Come, let us worship our God the King (bow).
Come, let us bow down and bow down to Christ, our King God (bow).
Come, let us bow and fall down to Christ Himself, the King and our God (bow).
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 I have done evil before You; for you may be justified in all of Your words, and be victorious, and never judge You.
Behold, I was conceived in iniquity, and my mother gave birth to me in sins. 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. God, create in me a pure heart, 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 Master’s Spirit. I will teach the wicked Your way, and the wicked will turn to You. Deliver me from bloodshed. O God, the God of my salvation, my tongue will rejoice in Your righteousness, O Lord, You have opened my mouth, and my mouth will declare Your praise. As if you had wanted sacrifices, you would have given burnt offerings, but you would not have been pleased. The sacrifice to God is a broken spirit, a contrite and humble heart, God will not despise. Bless Zion, O Lord, with Your favor, and may the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then you will be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, the wave offering and the burnt offering: then they will lay the bullock on Your altar. (Psalm 50.)
1. I believe in one God, the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. She was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried.
5. And he rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures.
6. And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father;
7. And again the coming one will be judged with glory by the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end.
8. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, who proceeds from the Father, who is with the Father and the Son, is worshiped and glorified, who spoke the prophets.
9. Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
10. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins.
11. Tea of the resurrection of the dead;
12. And the life of the next century. Amen.
Morning prayer (read only in the morning)
To You, Lord, Lover of Mankind, having risen from sleep, I come running and 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, in You are all my hope, and I send up glory to You, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Evening prayer (read only in the evening)
Lord our God, who have sinned in these days in word, deed and thought, as He is Good and Lover of Mankind, forgive me. Grant me a peaceful and serene sleep; Send Your guardian angel, covering and keeping me from all evil; for You are the guardian of our souls and bodies, and we send glory to You. To the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the age of ages. Amen.
Virgin Mary, rejoice. Blessed Mary, the Lord is with You: blessed are You among women, and blessed is the fruit of Your womb, for You have given birth to the Savior of our souls.
Weaken, forgive, forgive, O God, our sins, voluntary and involuntary, even in word and in deed, even in knowledge and in ignorance, even in days and in nights, even in mind and in thought: forgive us everything, for it is Good and Lover of Humanity.
Forgive those who hate and offend us, Lord Lover of Mankind. Do good to those who do good. Grant to our brothers and relatives the same petitions for salvation and eternal life: visit those who are infirm and grant healing. Manage the sea as well. For travelers, travel. Contribute to the Emperor. Grant forgiveness of sins to those who serve and forgive us. Have mercy on those who have commanded us unworthy to pray for them according to the greatness of Your mercy. Remember, Lord, our fathers and brothers who have fallen before us, and give them rest, where the light of Your face shines. Remember, Lord, our captive brothers, and deliver me from every situation. Remember, Lord, those who bear fruit and do good in Your holy churches, and give them petitions for salvation and eternal life. Remember, Lord, us humble and sinful and unworthy Thy servants, and enlighten our minds with the light of Thy mind, and guide us on the path of Thy commandments through the prayers of our Most Pure Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, and all Thy Saints, for blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages. Amen (bow).
Memorial for the living
Save, Lord, and have mercy on my spiritual father (his name), and with his holy prayers forgive my sins (bow). Save, O Lord, and have mercy on my parents (their names), brothers and sisters, and my relatives in the flesh and all my neighbors and friends, and grant them Your peace and the most peaceful goodness (bow).
Save, Lord, and have mercy on those who hate and offend me and create misfortunes against me, and do not leave them to perish for me for the sake of a sinner (bow).
Hasten, Lord, to enlighten the ignorant of You (the pagans) with the light of Your Gospel, and blinded by destructive heresies and schism, and unite them to Your Holy Apostolic and Catholic Church (bow).
About the departed
Remember, Lord, the souls of Your servants who have fallen asleep, my parents (their names) and all relatives in the flesh; and forgive them all sins, voluntary and involuntary, grant them the Kingdom and the communion of Thy eternal good things and Thy endless and blissful life of pleasure (bow).
Grant, Lord, remission of sins to all who have previously departed in the faith and hope of the resurrection to our fathers, brothers and sisters, and create for them eternal memory (three times).
End of prayers
Glorious Ever-Virgin, Mother of Christ God, bring our prayer to Your Son and our God, may You save our souls.
My hope is the Father, my refuge is the Son, my protection is the Holy Spirit! Holy Trinity, glory to Thee.
It is worthy to eat as you truly bless Thee, the Mother of God, the Ever-Blessed and Most Immaculate and the Mother of our God. We magnify Thee, the most honorable Cherub and the most glorious without comparison, the Seraphim, who gave birth to God the Word without corruption.
Glory to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Lord have mercy (three times). Bless.
Vacation
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Thy Most Pure Mother, our reverend and God-bearing fathers and the saint (remember the Saint of this day) and all saints, have mercy on us. Amen. (three bows).
Note 1st. In the morning, without praying, do not start eating, drinking, or doing anything. Before starting any task, pray like this: “Lord, bless! In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.” At the end of the task, say: “Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee! Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and in the age of ages. Amen.”
Before eating food, read: “Our Father”... to the end, then bless the food and drink with the cross. (In the family, the eldest in the house blesses.) At the end of the meal (food), read “It is worthy to eat, as in truth ...” to the end, for the Most Holy Virgin Mary, through the birth of the Son of God, gave to the whole world “true food and true drink” (John 6 , 55), i.e. Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Throughout the day, keep in your heart the shortest but most saving prayer: “Lord, have mercy!”...
Note 2. If you have an urgent task and you are very busy with work, or you are in weakness, then never quickly read the rules without due attention, do not anger God, and do not multiply your sins: it is better to read one prayer slowly, reverently, than several prayers hastily , hastily. Therefore, a very busy person should, with the blessing of the Venerable Martyr Macarius of Kanevsky, read one prayer - “Our Father...” But if you have a little more time, then, with the blessing of St. Seraphim of Sarov miracle. - read “Our Father” three times, “Rejoice to the Virgin Mary” three times and “I Believe” - once.
Note 3. If, on the contrary, you have quite a bit of free time, then do not spend it idle, because idleness is the mother of vices, but even if you were no longer capable of work due to illness or old age, fill your time with prayerful deeds, so that you will find great mercy from the Lord God.
(The text is based on the book: Bishop Pavel of Nikolsk-Ussuriysk; “From the Holy Font to the Tomb”, 1915)
This article contains: evening prayer, when to read - information taken from all over the world, the electronic network and spiritual people.
Every Orthodox Christian must adhere to a certain prayer rule, performed daily: morning prayers are read in the morning, and in the evening it is necessary to read prayers for the coming sleep.
Why do you need to read prayers before going to bed?
There is a certain rhythm of prayer intended for monastics and spiritually experienced lay people.
But for those who have recently come to the Church and are just beginning their prayer journey, it is quite difficult to read it in its entirety. And it happens that unforeseen situations arise for the laity when there is too little opportunity and time for prayer.
In this case, it is better to read the short rule than to mindlessly and without reverence jabber the full text.
Often, confessors bless beginners to read several prayers, and then, after 10 days, add one prayer to the rule every day.
Thus, the skill of prayer reading is formed gradually and naturally.
Important! Any prayer request will be supported by Heaven when a person directs his activities to serving God and people.
Evening prayers
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In the evening, the laity reads a short rule - a prayer for the night before going to bed:
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Thrice)
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 this day our daily bread; 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.
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us; Perplexed by any answer, we offer this prayer to You as the Master of sin: have mercy on us.
Glory: Lord, have mercy on us, for we trust in You; Do not be angry with us, do not remember our iniquities, but look upon us now as if you are gracious, and deliver us from our enemies; For Thou art our God, and we are Thy people; all works are done by Thy hand, and we call upon Thy name.
And now: Open the doors of mercy for us, blessed Mother of God, who trust in You, may we not perish, but may we be delivered from troubles by You: for You are the salvation of the Christian race.
Lord have mercy. (12 times)
Eternal God and King of every creature, who has made me worthy even at this hour, forgive me the sins I have committed this day in deed, word and thought, and cleanse, O Lord, my humble soul from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit. And grant me, Lord, to pass through this dream in peace at night, so that, rising from my humble bed, I will please Your most holy name all the days of my life, and will trample the enemies of the flesh and the incorporeal that fight me. And deliver me, Lord, from vain thoughts that defile me, and from evil lusts. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Good Mother of the King, Most Pure and Blessed Mother of God Mary, pour out the mercy of Thy Son and our God on my passionate soul and with Thy prayers instruct me in good deeds, so that I may pass through the rest of my life without blemish and through Thee I will find paradise, O Virgin Mother of God, the only Pure One and Blessed One.
Angel of Christ, my holy guardian and protector of my soul and body, forgive me all who have sinned this day, and deliver me from every wickedness of the enemy who opposes me, so that I may not anger my God in any sin; but pray for me, a sinful and unworthy servant, that you may show me worthy of the goodness and mercy of the All-Holy Trinity and the Mother of my Lord Jesus Christ and all the saints. Amen.
To the chosen Voivode, victorious, as having been delivered from the evil ones, let us write thanks to Thy servants, the Mother of God, but as having an invincible power, free us from all troubles, let us call Ti; Rejoice, Unbrided Bride.
Glorious Ever-Virgin, Mother of Christ God, bring our prayer to Your Son and our God, may You save our souls.
I place all my trust in You, Mother of God, keep me under Your roof.
Virgin Mary, do not despise me, a sinner, who requires Your help and Your intercession, for my soul trusts in You, and have mercy on me.
My hope is the Father, my refuge is the Son, my protection is the Holy Spirit: Holy Trinity, glory to Thee.
It is worthy to eat as you truly bless Thee, the Mother of God, the Ever-Blessed and Most Immaculate and the Mother of our God. We magnify Thee, the most honorable Cherub and the most glorious without comparison, the Seraphim, who gave birth to God the Word without corruption.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, prayers for the sake of Your Most Pure Mother, our reverend and God-bearing fathers and all saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
Interpretation of individual prayers
- Heavenly King.
In prayer, the Holy Spirit is called the King, because He, like God the Father and God the Son, rules the world and reigns in it. He is a comforter and still provides comfort to those who need it. He guides believers on the righteous path, which is why he is called the Spirit of Truth.
The petition is addressed to the three hypostases of the Holy Trinity. The heavenly angels sing a great song before the throne of God. God the Father is the Holy God, God the Son is the Holy Almighty. This conversion is due to the victory of the Son over the devil and the destruction of hell. Throughout the prayer, a person asks for permission from sins, healing of spiritual infirmities for the sake of glorifying the Most Holy Trinity.
This is an appeal directly to the Almighty as the Father; we stand before Him as children before their mother and father. We affirm the omnipotence of God and His power, we beg to control human spiritual forces and direct them to the true path, so that after death they will be awarded the honor of being in the Kingdom of Heaven.
He is the Good Spirit for every believer, determined by God Himself. Therefore, praying to Him in the evenings is simply necessary. It is he who will warn against committing sins, help to live holy and will protect the soul and body.
The prayer especially highlights the danger of attacks from bodily enemies (people pushing to commit sin) and incorporeal (spiritual passions).
Nuances of the evening rule
Most people have a question: is it possible to listen to Orthodox chants on audio recordings?
The Epistle of the Apostle Paul says that it does not matter what a person does, the main thing is that any of his work is done for the glory of God.
Prayer should begin before going to bed. Before starting to read the rule, it is recommended to thank God for everything that He has given throughout the day. You need to turn to Him with your mind and heart, realizing the meaning of every word spoken.
Advice! If the text is read in Church Slavonic language, then you need to study its Russian translation.
In modern practice, the rule is supplemented by reading prayers for:
- close and dear people
- living and deceased;
- about enemies;
- virtues and about the whole world.
In a dream, a person is especially vulnerable to the devil’s army; he is visited by sinful thoughts and bad desires. Night in the Christian understanding is considered a time of rampant demons. A person can receive information that can seduce his body and lead his soul into sin. Demons are very insidious; they can send nightmares in a dream.
This is why believers pray every day before going to bed.
Advice! Even when all life circumstances are going well, we must not forget about faith and the Heavenly Father, because human destinies are initially predetermined in Heaven. Therefore, it is necessary to turn to God before going to bed, and the next day will definitely turn out better than the previous one.
- It is useful to listen to the singing of the elders of Optina Hermitage. This men's monastic monastery is famous for its miracle workers who could and can foresee human destinies. The need to serve the Almighty is conveyed through their prayer songs and sets them on the righteous path.
- The Church has a positive attitude towards viewing Orthodox videos, but this material must be treated very carefully, and in the process of listening or watching it is recommended to put aside worldly activities.
- Church officials advise including the prayers of the Optina Elders as part of the evening rule. Their texts have evolved over centuries and each of their phrases carries the greatest wisdom that can clarify the basics Orthodox faith and know their full depth.
Prayer is the breath of the soul of an Orthodox person. He practically cannot control his sleep, and other life processes are difficult to control. Therefore, prayer before going to bed is aimed at ensuring that the Creator participates in human life, otherwise He will not have the opportunity to help us.
Important! Offering prayer before going to bed means that an Orthodox Christian gains protection and support. In addition to their own protection, mothers beg God to protect their children and send them mercy.
Prayer rule.
What is a prayer rule? These are prayers that a person reads regularly, daily. Everyone's prayer rules are different. For some, 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 of 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 in the morning and evening for half an hour, 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 sometimes useful to 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 are addressed to the Lord, the Mother of God, the 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 the prayer of St. John of Damascus: “Master, Lover of Mankind, will this grave 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 a new round of readings began.
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, no matter how 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 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.
Often people 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 of the Most 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 the morning rule again.
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. The main commandments of the Old Testament (Deut. 6:5; Lev. 19:18).
3. The main 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;
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 it is said in Scripture, 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 has given us the greatest shrines to protect us from visible enemies. This is, first of all, a Christian shield - a pectoral cross, which cannot 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 the 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 the art of war 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, 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 the 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 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.
Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov) in his “Teaching on the Rule of Prayer” 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 kind is driven out only by prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17:21), sends down God’s blessing and strength to live. Moreover, the prayers were written by holy people: Saints Basil the Great and St. John Chrysostom, Rev. Macarius the Great and others. That is, the very structure of the rule is very useful for the human soul.
Therefore, of course, reading the morning and evening prayer rule daily, 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 St. Seraphim Sarovsky. 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 a person spiritual exercise in continuous prayer, and not just a relief from 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.”
Venerable Nicodemus Svyatogorets in the book " Invisible abuse" wrote: "... There are many clergy who deprive themselves of the saving fruit of the world from their spiritual works by prolonging them, believing that they will suffer damage if they do not complete them, in a false confidence, of course, that this is what spiritual perfection. 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 a trading company and are on the road from morning to night, or you are married, work and still need to devote time to your husband, children, and organize family life, then perhaps the morning and evening prayer rule is enough for you and reading two chapters of "The Apostle", a chapter of the Gospel per 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, with 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.
An Orthodox believer is different from worldly people because in Everyday life keeps God's commandments and remains in prayer. The prayer rule for beginners is to read certain appeals to the Almighty and the saints to acquire a closer knowledge of the Creator.
Why are rules needed?
Experienced Christians know them by heart, but every Orthodox person should have a “Prayer Book” filled with texts of proclamations not only for morning and evening, but for all occasions.
A prayer rule is a list of prayers. For morning and evening there is general order sacred reading. In every individual case the spiritual mentor adjusts the prayer law, taking into account the degree of employment of the person, his place of residence and spiritual age.
Prayer Rule
Often, new believers rebel against reading texts written by saints in a language that is difficult to read. The prayer book was written on the basis of appeals to the Lord of people who accomplished the feat of faith, lived in purity and worship of Jesus Christ and were led by the Holy Spirit.
The first example, which became an integral part of the prayer rule for morning and evening prayers, was given to His followers by the Savior Himself. “Our Father” is the main proclamation with which Orthodox believers begin and end the day. Daily reading of the prayer book becomes a habit that fills the soul with God's wisdom.
About important church prayers:
The Church offers a prayer rule for beginners, so that the infant soul in Christianity grows in actions pleasing to the Creator.
Daily conversation with the Creator is live communication, not an empty phrase. The Boldness of Communion with Almighty God Involves Conversation in the right words, in which there is no emptiness.
Important! By turning to the Almighty, the Orthodox are then filled with God's knowledge and His protection, when they leave vanity and are completely immersed in prayer.
How to behave correctly during prayer communication
Prayerful communication of all Orthodox Christians is performed standing; only elderly and sick people can sit. While reading the prayer book, in recognition of their sinfulness and imperfection, showing humility, people bow, some to the waist, while others perform prostrations.
Prayerful communication with God
Some Orthodox believers perform prayer communion while kneeling. The holy apostles opposed such worship, explaining that only slaves kneel; children do not need to do this. (Gal. 4:7) However, having committed some sin, it is not forbidden to kneel in submission, begging for forgiveness.
About prayer rules:
- Schema nun Antonia's prayer rule about murdered babies
Beginning believers sometimes do not know how to correctly make the sign of the cross. Fingers right hand should be folded as follows:
- little finger and ring finger pressed to the palm, they mean that Jesus was God and man at the same time;
- put the thumb, index and middle fingers together, three-fingered, as a symbol of the unity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
How to be baptized correctly
Drawing a cross in the air, touch the middle of the forehead with folded fingers, then lower the hand just below the navel, move to the right and then the left shoulder, only after this they bow.
A careless attitude to the sign of the cross, according to John Chrysostom, causes joy only among demons. The sign of the cross, performed with faith and reverence, is filled with God's grace and is a terrifying force for demonic attacks.
Before reading spiritual texts, you should try to free yourself from vain thoughts; this is sometimes difficult, so try to imagine the great sacrifice of Christ and your presence before Him in this world.
Never perform your prayers “for show”; in the spiritual world they will be an empty phrase. Delve into every word of the appeal to the Savior, filling yourself with His grace and love.
Prayer Rule - Law or Grace
Many novice Orthodox Christians are interested in the question: if prayer is a free appeal to the Creator, then why make it conform to the law.
In response to such an appeal, the Saratov abbot Pachomius clarifies that freedom and permissiveness should not be confused. The freedom of believers consists in the boldness of being before the throne of the Most High, which sinners and the unbaptized cannot afford. Permissiveness returns the believer to his former life, and it is then much more difficult to return to the grace of appeals to the Savior.
In the spiritual world there is no consensus regarding the duration and order of prayer before the Almighty. Some people remain in reverent worship for hours, while others cannot stand even half an hour.
Regular, constant spending time reading prayers will help you develop the habit of daily communication with the Creator, even if it’s 15 minutes in the evening.
Prayer Rule
First, you should purchase a “Prayer Book” and read it. Sometimes Orthodox man understands that reading out of obligation turns into an empty habit; if this happens, then you can move on, as St. Theophan the Recluse did, to reading psalms and scriptures from the Bible.
The main thing is to be filled with worship of the Creator every day, to enter His presence, to feel His protection throughout the day. Evangelist Matthew wrote that to conquer the Kingdom of God you need to use force. (Matt. 11:12)
To help the beginning prayer book
There are three prayer lists for Orthodox believers.
- The complete prayer rule is designed for spiritually persistent believers, which include monks and clergy.
- The prayer rule for all laity consists of a list of prayers, read in the morning and in the evening, a list of them can be found in the “Prayer Book”:
- in the morning: “Heavenly King”, Trisagion, “Our Father”, “Virgin Mother of God”, “Rising from sleep”, “Have mercy on me, O God”, “I Believe”, “God, cleanse”, “To You, Master”, “ Holy Angel”, “Most Holy Lady”, invocation of saints, prayer for the living and the dead;
- in the evening: “To the 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”.
Seraphim of Sarov proposed another short prayer rule for those laity who, for some reason, are limited in time or are in unpredictable circumstances.
Icon of Seraphim of Sarov
It consists of reading each prayer three times:
- "Our Father";
- “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice”;
- "I believe."
Particular attention should be paid to reading spiritual appeals to the Almighty Creator and Savior during the period of fasting, before receiving the Sacrament of Communion and in the hour of difficult life trials.
Advice! God's mercy accompanies those who began communicating with God in the morning, before breakfast, and ended by reading spiritual texts before dinner.
Moral preparation for worship
For a beginning Orthodox believer, it is advisable to purchase a “Prayer Book” in modern Russian, so that while reading what is written, delve into every word, filling it with strength and grace, and receiving guidance and support.
This is the advice of Nicodemus the Holy Mountain, which points out the importance of understanding every word of the text being read. Over time, many texts are stored in memory and read by heart.
Before reading the Prayer Book, you should ask the Holy Spirit to show whether there are any remnants of resentment, bitterness or irritation in your heart. Mentally forgive all offenders and ask for forgiveness from those who were treated unfairly, this is how the Orthodox pray.
According to Tikhon of Zadonsk, all negativism should be abandoned, for, as Gregory of Nyssa wrote, the Creator is Kind, Righteous, Patient, Lover of Humanity, Kind-hearted, Merciful, the goal of the prayer rule is to be transformed into the image of the Creator, to acquire all the qualities for philanthropy.
Reading prayers at home
Jesus Christ taught to communicate with Him to go into your prayer room, closing the doors from the outside world. In each Orthodox family There is a corner with icons, although it is becoming increasingly rare to see an icon lamp there.
Red corner in the house
Before starting to worship God, you should light a candle; it is advisable to purchase it in the temple. In a family, and this is a prototype of the church, there are rules for who prays in solitude, and some prefer to do it together, because the intense prayer of a righteous person can do a lot. (James 5:16)
Theophan the Recluse, who spent a lot of time worshiping God, writes that there is no need to rush when starting to pray. Having completed the overlay sign of the cross Having bowed, you should be silent for a moment, entering a state of worship and reverence before God. Every word of prayer must come from the heart; it must not only be understood, but also felt.
Reading "Our Father";
- give praise to the Creator who is in Heaven;
- submit your life to His will;
- truly forgive debts, misdeeds of other people, for this is prerequisites for God's forgiveness of each of the Orthodox;
- ask Him for mercy in solving all material problems with the words “give us this day our daily bread”;
- Declare the power of God in your life and His covering over you and your family.
If, while reading the “Prayer Book,” a desire appears in your heart to ask God for some need, do not put it off until later, but immediately bring it before the prayer throne of the Almighty.
The Lord teaches His children to be constant and persistent in prayer through the example of a poor widow (Luke 18:2-6); no petition will remain unanswered by Him. It is very important when communicating with the Savior to put aside all haste; only through a meaningful appeal can one reach God.
On the advice of Bishop Anthony, in order not to be distracted by time limits, you should wind the clock so that the bell rings at the right moment. It doesn’t matter how long the prayer rule lasts and how many prayers are read, the main thing is that they are completely dedicated to God.
Saint Ignatius calls regular prayers hard work for sinners, while the righteous experience pleasure from communion with the saints and the Trinity.
If thoughts “run away”, there is no need to rush, you should return to where you began the absent-minded reading of the spiritual proclamation and start all over again. Helps you focus on readable text pronouncing all appeals out loud. It is not without reason that they say that prayers read silently are heard by God, but prayers spoken out loud are heard by demons.
Silouan of Athos noted that God does not hear words spoken in empty thoughts and worldly affairs.
Silouan of Athos
The spirit of prayer is strengthened by regularity, just as the body of an athlete is strengthened by training. Having finished your prayer, do not immediately “pounce” on worldly vain affairs, give yourself a few more minutes of being in God’s grace.
Is it necessary to read a prayer book during the day?
Once having dedicated their lives to the Lord, Orthodox people are under His protection all their lives.
Throughout your busy day, you should not forget to invoke the Father’s mercy with the words “Bless, God!” After going through a test, receiving a reward or blessing, having done a successful job, do not forget to give all the glory to the Creator with the words “Glory to you, my God!” When you get into trouble, when you are sick or in danger, cry out: “Save me, God!” and He will hear. We must not forget about thanking the Lord for everything that has been sent down from above.
Before eating, one should not forget to thank the Creator for the given food and ask for His blessing to accept it.
By constantly being in prayer, having acquired the habit of crying out at any second, thanking, asking, repenting before God with all your heart, and not with empty words, an Orthodox person becomes God-thinking. God-thinking helps to understand the goodness of the Creator, the existence of the Heavenly Kingdom and brings Orthodox Christians closer to God.
Video about fulfilling the prayer rule