My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PRAYER LIFE OF THE ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN
"Rejoice always, PRAY WITHOUT CEASING, in
every thing give thanks; for this is the will of God
in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit.
Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold
fast what is good. ABSTAIN FROM EVERY FORM
OF EVIL" (Colossians 4:16-22).
There can be no spiritual life without prayer. The Holy Apostle Paul exhorts everyone with words such as "rejoice, always", without ceasing or "constantly", "and give thanks" refer PRIMARILY TO PRAYER. The Holy Fathers of the Church teach that UNCEASING PRAYER IS A PROPER GOAL, FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH COMES THROUGH SUCH DISCIPLINE. For centuries Orthodox Chistians have used the "JESUS PRAYER" or "prayer of the heart" as a way to pray unceasingly from the heart: "O LORD JESUS CHRIST, SON OF GOD, HAVE MERCY ON ME A SINNER."
It is evident that the Orthodox Holy Fathers of the Church teach that UNCEASING PRAYER IS ESSENTIAL FOR SPIRITUAL LIFE, viewing it as the "breath of the soul" that connects the faithful to the Almighty God at all times. They explain this not just as formal prayer times but as a state where one’s entire life becomes an offering to our Creator and All-Loving God. This is accomplished through broth structured prayer rules and constant inner prayer, represented by the JESUS PRAYER, which aims to make prayer a continuous, even subconscious, state of the heart.
There is absolutely no spiritual life without it. The Holy Fathers of the Church compare a Christian without prayer to a bird without wings or a soldier without arms, emphasizing that prayer is necessary for spiritual flight and defence against all forms of evil and wicked temptations. A prayer is a dialogue with the Almighty God. Furthermore, prayer is defined as the constant communion with God, and the goal of unceasing prayer is to enter into a constant, direct, and personal relationship with our Creator. Unceasing prayer transforms our whole life by bringing our every thought, word, and deed under the domain of prayer, one transforms their life into a constant offering to God, which leads to spiritual growth and deification (theosis). It also brings about a continuous presence of God the Holy Spirit. As prayer becomes unceasing, the Holy Spirit is said to abide in the heart, leading to prayer continuing even in sleep.
Saint John of the Ladder (Climacus) instructs that if the mind wants to praye united with the heart and is unable to achieve this, then the prayer should be said with the mouth, while the mind holds and attends to the words of the prayer. In time the Lord will bless us with the prayer of the heart when we will be able to pray without constraints and distracting imaginations. This charisma (gift) is given, "as are all charismatat (gifts), to the simple and humble soul," in accordance with the austere and precise "spiritual order." To the one who "is simple, humble, and temperate in all things," Christ Himself "will bestow the prayer of the heart."
Saint John Chrystostomos says that "the acquisition of the prayer of the heart is not a matter of one or two days,. but involves much time and effort, until the enemy (Satan), is banished and Christ comes to dwell in our heart." According to Saint Neilos the Ascetic, "the best defence against the enemies is the name of Jesus." And who are the enemies? "Burning desires (wicked passions), sinful thoughts, diabolical schemes and the like." As to how to offer the Jesus Prayer properly we have instructions in the book entitled Philokalia.
"Unceasing Prayer" comes from great agape (love). It is not of course when"one becomes inattentive, idle, and critical. Our agape (love)for God CANNOT BEIMPEDED BY THE WORKS WE DO." No one should be distracted by anything no matter the situation but "have a constant remembrance of God, a constant doxology (praise), a constant thanksgiving. God loves us all, but He loves even more those who love Him. Our prayer reveals the measure of our love for Him. The "infinite love of God for man has provided for prayer , so that, ast nay moment one so desires all the days of his life, one can have conversation with God. All the Saints kept "thier life of prayer unceasing."
The ultimate spiritual goal of the Orthodox Christians is to attain deification (theosis). Deification is the ancient theological word that describes the process by which a Christian BECOMES MORE LIKE GOD. Saint Peter the Holy Apostle speaks of this process when he writes, "AS His divine power ahs given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,,,you may be partakers of the divine nature" (2 Peter 1:3-4). But what does it mean to partake of the divine nature, and how do we experience it? To give an answer, we must first address what deification (theosis) is not, then describe what it is,
What DEIFICATION (THEOSIS) is not. When the Church calls us to pursue godliness, to be more like God, this does not mean that human beings then become divine. We do not become like God in His nature. That would not only be heresy, it would be impossible. We are human, alway have been human, and always will be human. We cannot take on the nature of God. Saint John of Damascus, writing in the 8th century, makes a remarkable observation. The word "God" in the Holy Scripture refers NOT to the divine nature or essence, for that is UNKNOWABLE. "God" refers rather TO THE DIVINE ENERGIES, the power and grace of God which we can perceive in this world. The Greek word for God, THEOS, comes from a verb meaning "run," "see," or "burn." These are energy words, so to speak, NOT essence words.
What deification is. Deification (Theosis) means we are to become more like God through His grace or divine energies. In creation, humans were made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26) according to human nature. In another words, HUMANITY BY NATURE IS AN ICON OR IMAGE OF DEITY: THE DIVINE IMAGE IS IN ALL HUMANITY. THROUGH SIN, HOWEVER, THIS IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD WAS MARRED, AND WE FELL.
When the Son of God, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ assumed our humanity in the womb of the Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary, the process of our being renewed in God’s image and likeness, was begun. Thus, those who are joined to our Savior Christ through faith in Holy Baptism BEGIN A RE-CREATION PROCESS, BEING RENEWED IN GOD’S IMAGE AND LIKENESS. WE BECOME, AS THE HOLY APOSTLE PETER WRITES, "PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE" (2 Peter 1:4).
Because of the INCARNATION OF THE SON OF GOD, BECAUSE THE FULLNESS OF GOD HAS INHABITED HUMAN FLESH, BEINGJOINED TO CHRIST MEANS THAT IT IS AGAIN POSSIBLE TO EXPERIENCE DEIFICATION (THEOSIS), THE FULFILLMENT OF OUR HUMAN DESTINY. THAT IS, THROUGH UNION WITH CHRIST, WE BECOME BY GRACE WHAT GOD IS BY NATURE–WE "BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD" (John 1:12). HIS DEITY INTERPENETRATES OUR HUMANITY.
Historically, DEIFICATION (THEOSIS) has often been illustrated by the "sword and fire" example. A steel sword is thrust into a hot fire until the sword takes on a red glow. The energy of the fire interpenetrates the sword. The sword neve becomes fire, but it picks up the properties of fire. By application, the divine energies interpenetrate the human nature of Christ. Being joined to Christ, our humanity is interpenetrated with the energies of God through Christ’s glorified flesh. Nourished by the Body and Blood of Christ, we partake of the grace of God–His strength, His love–and are enabled to serve Him and glorify Him. Thus we, being human, are being deified. [Resources: Orthodox Study Bible]
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"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George
The Eastern Orthodox Christian Ethos 