THE LIFE OF THE ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN IS A LIFE OF PRAYER

My brothers and sisters in Christ God,

Christ is in our midst! He was, is, and ever shall be.

THE LIFE OF THE ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN IS
A LIFE OF PRAYER

"PRAY WITHOUT CEASING IN EVERYTHING GIVE
THANKS; FOR THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD IN
CHRIST JESUS FOR YOU" (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18).

The Holy Fathers of the Church teach us that UNCEASING PRAYER is a proper goal, for spiritual growth comes through such discipline. Orthodox Christians for centuries have used the "Jesus Prayer or the "Prayer of the heart" as a way to pray unceasingly from the heart: "O LORD JESUS CHRIST, SON OF GOD, HAVER MERCY ON ME A SINNER."

Orthodox Christianity is rich in spiritual ascesis and tradition. It is up to the individual Christian believer to discover the great spiritual wealth of our Holy Church and not simply to claim it but to implement it in his or her daily life. How else can anyone claim to be a follower of Christ? How can anyone claim to have a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior and not be willing to be in communion with Him? To have any type of relationship with anyone, one needs to communicate and speak to one another.

Our Holy Orthodox Christian Church has an abundance of resources which she offers to her faithful to assist and encourage in their quest to enrich one’s spiritual life. One such source is the God-inspired Holy Scripture, both the Old and New Testaments. Another spiritual source is the sacred writings of the Holy Fathers and Mothers of the Church. Also, is the study of the virtuous lives of the holy and righteous men, women, and children of God.

A good beginning to a life of prayer is the study and use of the Psalms in the Old Testament. The psalm serves as an introduction to the entire Psalter with its depictions of the "two ways": the way of the RIGHTEOUS and the way of the "UNGODLY." "For the Lord knows the way of the righteous. But the ay of the ungodly shall perish" (Psalm 1: 6-7).

Psalm 150

PRAISE the Lord!

Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty
firmament!
Praise Him for His mighty acts
Praise Him according to His
excellent greatness!
Praise Him with the sound of
the trumpets;
Praise Him with the lute and
harp!
Praise Him with the timbrel and
dance;
Praise Him with stringed
instruments and flutes!
Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing
cymbals!

Let everything that has breath
PRAISE THE Lord!

MORNING PRAYER TO THE HOLY TRINITY

Arising from sleep, I thank You, O Most Holy Trinity, that, for the sake of
Your great kindness and longsuffering, You have not had indignation against
me, for I am slothful and sinful. Neither have You destroyed me in my trans-
gressions. But You have shown Your customary love toward mankind, and
have raised me up as I lay in heedlessness, that I might sing my morning
hymn and glorify your sovereignty. Do now enlighten the eyes of my
understanding, open my ears to receive Your words, and teach me Your
Commandments. Help me to do Your will, to sing to You, to confess You
from my heart, AND TO PRAISE Your All-Holy Name: of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever; and unto ages of ages. Amen.

INTERCESSORY PRAYER

Remember, O Lord Jesus Christ, Our God, Your mercies and loving-kindnesses,
which have been from everlasting, and for the sake of which You did become man
and deign to endure crucifixion and death for the salvation of all who rightly believe
in You. You rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, and sit a the right hand
of God the Father, and regard the humble prayers of all who call upon You with
their whole heart. Incline Your ear and hear the humble entreaty of me. Your
unprofitable servant, who offers it for an odor of spiritual fragrance for all Your people.
And first of all, remember Your Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church which You
purchased with Your Precious Blood.

PRAYER FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY

O Lord, grant me to greet the coming day in peace, help me in all things to rely upon Your
Holy Will. In every hour of the day reveal Your will to me. Bless my dealings with all who
surround me. Teach me to treat all that comes to me throughout the day with peace of soul
and with a firm conviction that Your will governs all. In all my deeds and words, guide my
thoughts and feelings. In unforeseen events, let me not forget that all are sent by You.
Teach me to act firmly and wisely, without embittering and embarrassing others. Give me
the strength to bear the fatigue of the coming day with all that it shall bring. Direct my will,
teach me to pray. And, Yourself, pray in me. Amen.

PRAYER JUST BEFORE GOING TO SLEEP

Into Your hands, O Lord Jesus Christ, I commend my spirit and body;
bless me, save me, and grant me eternal life. Amen.

BENEDICTION

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God,
have mercy on us and saves us. Amen. [Orthodox Study Bible)

Saint John Chrysostom writes the following: "As Christians, we are obligated to honor and appreciate the Saints of God for two reasons. The first reason is because all the Saints had placed the hop of their spiritual salvation upon the sacred prayers. The second reason is because the prayers which they offered to God with joy and fear have been preserved in their writings. Thus their spiritual treasures, having been transmitted to us, may draw all subsequent believers toward the zeal of these Saints. The way of life of the teachers must be transmitted to their pupils. Thus the pupils of the Saints, that is, the Christians must prove ourselves to be IMITATORS OF THEIR RIGHTEOUSNESS. This we may do by always being preoccupied with prayers and the worship of God, considering thus as life and health and wealth and the end of all good things our prayer toward God with a pure heart and an incorruptible soul. For as the sun illumines the body so also does THE PRAYER ILLUMINES THE SOUL. If then the blind person is deprived because he cannot see the sun, how much more is the Christian diminished and harmed who does not pray constantly, and who, consequently, does not gather into his or her soul, through prayer, the Light of Christ." [ A Prayer Book. An Anthology of Orthodox Prayers)

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"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"