I – On the Essence, Meaning and Power of Prayer
⁕ Prayer is proof of the existence of my reasoning personality, of my God-image; it is the pledge of my future divinity and beatitude. I was created out of nothing; I am nothing before God, having nothing of my own. But I, by His grace, am a personality, possess intelligence, a heart and a free will, and in my intelligence and freedom I am able by approaching Him in my heart to gradually increase His eternal kingdom within me; to, gradually, still further increase His gifts within me; to draw from Him—as out of an everflowing and inexhaustible Source—every spiritual and material good, especially the spiritual.
Prayer suggests to me that I am the image of God; that through humble and grateful disposition of my soul before God, with my free will, I, by infinitely multiplying God’s spiritual gifts, am thus able to infinitely perfect myself and to enhance my God-image, my heavenly beatitude—for which I have been predetermined—to infinity. Oh, prayer is the sign of my great dignity, with which my Creator has honored me. At one and the same time, however, prayer reminds me of my nonentity (I came from nothing and have nothing of my own, for which reason I beseech God for everything), as well as of my greatest dignity (I am God s image; I am divine; I may be called God’s friend, just as was Abraham, the father of believers—if only I would but believe unquestionably in the existence of my God, in His goodness and almighty power; and become assimilated to Him in this life through deeds of love and mercy.)
⁕ In prayers: supplication—is against our proud flesh, which credits everything to itself; gratitude—is against the insensibility of our flesh toward God’s countless blessings; praise—is against our carnal man, who seeks glory only for himself.
⁕ God is Truth: and my prayer must be truthful too, just as life. God is light, and so must my prayer be offered in the light of mind and heart. God is fire, and my prayer must—like life—be burning. God is absolutely free: and so must my prayer be a free outpouring from the heart. What wealth of human spirit: let him but think of God in his heart, let him but desire spiritual union with God—and He is immediately with him. And neither the walls of houses, nor any riveted steel of prisons—neither mountains nor chasms—can prevent such union. God is immediately with you; so also are the Angels and the Saints—with God, all of them are before your eyes, beside your heart like the closest of friends—are ever in your presence. O, the wealth of the human spirit!
⁕ Prayer is the uplifting of the mind and heart toward God is the contemplation of God, audacious conversation of creature with Creator, the reverent standing of the soul before the King and Life Himself Who giveth life to all; to forget all that surrounds us for His sake—is food for the soul, air and light, it is the soul’s life-giving warmth, it is the cleansing of sins; it is Christ’s blessed yoke and His light burden. Prayer is the constant feeling (awareness) of one’s spiritual frailty or poverty; it is the soul’s consecration, a foretaste of future beatitude, is angelic beatitude, is the heavenly rain which refreshes, satiates and makes fruitful the soil of the soul, is the power and strength of the soul and body; it is the airing and clearing of our mental atmosphere, enlightenment of the personality, joy of spirit, a golden bond which unites creation with its Creator; is cheerfulness and courage in all of life’s sorrows and temptations, is success in deeds, is dignity tantamount to that of the angels; is the consolidation of faith, hope and love. Prayer is the reform of our lives, is the mother of heartfelt contrition and tears; is strong inducement to perform works of mercy; is safety in life and destruction of the fear of death; is the neglect of earthly treasures and wish for heavenly goods; is expectation of the Judge of the universe, of common resurrection and of life in the hereafter; is increased efforts in avoiding eternal torments, is the constant search for the mercy of forgiveness from the Lord; is walking before the eyes of God, is the blessed vanishing before the Creator and Provider of all, is vital water of the soul; prayer is the containing of all people in one’s heart through love, is the bringing down of heaven into the soul, is the containing of the Holy Trinity within the heart according to the words: “We will come unto him and make our abode with him.” [John 14 23][1].
⁕ Prayer is the constant feeling of one’s spiritual poverty frailty; the contemplation within oneself, in people and in nature of the works of God’s wisdom, goodness and all-powerful strength prayer is a constant feeling of gratitude.
⁕ When you pray, make every effort to feel with your heart, the truth and power of your prayer, and feed upon these qualities upon imperishable food; saturate your heart with them as with dew warm yourself as by a blessed fire.
⁕ In prayer—as in any other activity in your life—avoid over-anxiety, doubt and diabolic dreaminess. Let your spiritual ye be simple, so that the entire body of your prayer, your deeds and your life may be bright.
⁕ As long as we stand in zealous prayer, so long does the soul feel calm, and warm, and light: because we are then with God and in God; but no sooner do we stop praying than come temptations and all types of confusion. O, thrice-blessed time of prayer!
⁕ While praying, we must unfailingly take hold of our heart and direct it toward the Lord. It must not be cold, sly, untrue and double-faced. Otherwise, of what benefit is our prayer, our fasting and attendance at divine services before confession and Communion? Is it good to hear from the Lord these angry words: “This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoreth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me.” [Matthew 15 8][2]. And so, let us not stand in church spiritually enfeebled, but let each one’s spirit burn in labouring for the Lord. Even fellow humans value but little those services which we perform coldly, from habit. While what God wants is precisely our heart. “My son, give Me thine heart” [Proverbs 23 26] [3] — because the heart is the main thing in man: it is his life; our heart is even more—it is the man himself. That is why he who does not pray or serve God with his heart, does what amounts to not pray at all, since only his body is then praying, which by itself—without the soul—is nothing but earth. Remember that when you stand in prayer, you are standing before God, containing the intelligence of all. For this reason your prayer must be—so to speak—all spirit, all reason.
⁕ During prayer, be like a babbling baby, blending into one spirit with that of your prayer. Consider yourself a nonentity and accept prayers as a great gift of God. Completely renounce the reasonings of your flesh and do not heed them, for “knowledge (of the flesh) puffeth up” [1 Cor. 8 1][4], it doubts, day-dreams, blasphemes. If during prayer, or at other times, the enemy (i.e. the devil) makes your soul stumble with some type of blasphemies or abominations, do not lose heart from them, but firmly say within your heart: it is to cleanse us from these and similar sins that our Lord Jesus Christ came to earth; it is to help us in and similar failings of the spirit that the All-Merciful had come; and when you will have said these words with faith, your heart will be immediately at rest, for the Lord will cleanse it. In general, we must not become dejected by any sin coming in dreaminess, but must trust in the Saviour. O, boundless com. passion of God! O, the greatest of the God-Man’s service to us sinners! Even up to now does He help in His love of mankind, cleansing and saving us. Thus may the enemy’s power be put to shame.
⁕ Man’s thoughts exert an extremely powerful influence over the state and inclination of his heart and actions; consequently—in order that the heart be pure, kind and calm, while the will inclined toward kindness and goodness—it is necessary to cleanse your thoughts with prayer, the reading of Holy Scriptures and writings of the Church Fathers; through meditation on the perishability, transience and disappearance of earthly pleasures.
⁕ As close as your thought is to you, as close as faith is to your heart—that is how close God is to you, the livelier and firmer the thought of God, the livelier the faith and realization of one’s frailty and insignificance, of the feeling of the need for God—the closer He is. Or, as close is the air to the body, so close is God to the soul. For God is—so to speak—the mental atmosphere which is breathed by all the Angels, souls of the Saints, the souls of people who lead particularly pious lives. You cannot—not even for a minute—live without God, and, indeed, you live by Him each minute: “For in Him we live, and move, and have our being” [Acts 17 28][5].
⁕ The heart’s insensibility to the truth of words in prayer arises out of the heart’s disbelief and out of one’s insensibility to one’s sinfulness, while this, in turn, flows out of a hidden feeling of pride. In measuring his feelings during prayer, a man is able to discover whether he is proud or humble: the more emotional, ardent the prayer—the humbler he; the more insensible prayer—the prouder the man.
⁕ Try to achieve child-like simplicity in your people and in your prayers to God. Simplicity is good and virtue. God is absolutely simple, because He is absolutely good. Let not your own soul, also, be split between good and evil.
⁕ Learn to pray, force yourself to pray: you will find it difficult at first, but later, the more you will force yourself, the easier it will become. But, at first, you must always force yourself.
⁕ As you pray, imagine as if only the One God in Three persons is before you, and that apart from Him there is nothing else. Imagine God to be in the world in the same way as the soul is in the body, although He is infinitely above the world and is not limited by it, while your body is small and all of it is taken up in your small soul. But the universe is great. God is infinitely great and throughout the whole of creation God fills everything—“is everywhere present and fillest all things.”
⁕ Our Saviour deigned to become incarnate so as to not only save us when sins and passions have overcome us and when we will have been already entangled by them, but also so as to save us by our prayers while sin and passion are only striving to overwhelm us, when they are fighting us. We must not slumber and faint-heartedly give up the battle when passions are warring against us, but especially then must we be on our guard, be vigilant and pray to Christ not to permit us to sin. It is not when flames have already swept through the whole building that one should begin to save a house from fire, but the best time is when the fire is only beginning. The same applies to a soul: the soul is the house, and passions—the fire. “Neither give place to the devil” [Ephesians 4 27][6].
⁕ The evil one tries to scatter our prayer like so much sand, wants to make our words like dry sand, without binding and without heart-felt warmth. Prayer is, at times, a structure built on sand, at others—on rock. They build on sand who pray without faith, absent mindedly, coldly,—such a prayer falls apart by itself and brings no benefit to the one who is praying; while they build on stone who, throughout the length of their prayer, axe their eyes fixed upon the Lord and who pray to Him as to one alive, conversing with Him face to face.
⁕ Let us measure the worth of our prayer by a human measuring-stick, by the quality of our relations with people? Sometimes we express our requests, praises, gratitude—or do something for them—coldly, without having our heart in it, in the line of duty or out of courtesy, while at other times—warmly, from the heart and with love; or sometimes—hypocritically, and at others—sincerely. We behave exactly the same way also with God! We must always express our praises, gratitude and requests to God from the whole heart; we must always perform and task before him from all our heart; we must love Him and trust Him always with our heart.
⁕ Is it possible to pray with haste without damaging one’s prayer? Yes, it is, but only for those who have mastered inner prayer with a pure heart. In prayer, it is essential that the heart sincerely desire the object of its requests, that it feel the truth of what it is saying, and a pure heart has this quality, as it were within its nature. Which is why it can pray at the same time hurriedly and in a pleasing manner to God, since haste does not harm the truth (sincerity) of prayer. But those who have not acquired prayer of the heart must pray without hurrying, awaiting the corresponding echo in their heart of each word of prayer And this does not soon come to a man who is unaccustomed to prayerful contemplation. For this reason, the slow articulation of words in prayer must be set as an indispensable rule for such people. Wait until each word reverberates in your heart with its corresponding echo.
⁕ Just as an evil man, in coming with a request to one who is kind, mild and humble, for the better success of his petition attempts to become like the latter, so must a Christian, in approaching our Lord, His Most Pure Mother, the Angels or the Saints—for his prayer to be successful—become as far as possible, like our Lord Himself, or His Most Pure Mother, the Angels or the Saints. And it is precisely in this that the secret of our prayer’s degree of approximation and their being soon heard lies.
⁕ Surrender your hearts to God, petitioners—that loving, sincere heart with which you love your children, your parents, benefactors and friends, in which you feel the sweetness of unfeigned and pure love.
⁕ Sometimes, during prolonged prayer, only a few minutes are truly pleasing to God and represent a true prayer and service to God. The main thing in prayer is—nearness of your heart to God, evidenced by the sweetness of God’s presence in the soul.
⁕ Constrained prayer develops hypocrisy, makes one unfit for any task requiring mental concentration and makes a man sluggish in everything, even in performing his routine tasks. This must convince all who pray in such a manner to remedy their prayer. One must pray willingly and energetically from the heart. Pray to God not from sorrow nor from want (compulsively)—“for God loveth a cheerful giver” [2 Corinth. 9 7][7].
⁕ God’s greatest gift—which we need most of all and which we receive very often from God as a result of our prayer—is peace of the heart, in the words of our Saviour: “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” [Matthew 11 28][8]. And rejoice and consider yourselves rich, as possessing everything when you will have received peace
⁕ In beseeching our Lord, or the Most Pure Mother of God, or the Angels and Saints, it is essential to have the faith of the centurion of Capernaum. He believed that just as his soldiers listened to him and obeyed his words, the more simply would his request be fulfilled by the Almighty word of the Good Lord. If creatures with their limited power carried out his requests, then would not the Lord Himself with His almighty power fulfill the pleas of His servants, when they approached Him with faith and hope. Will not our own petitions, offered up with faith, hope and love, also be fulfilled by His servants—the Most Pure Mother of God, the Angels and Saints, who are faithful and powerful with grace and intercession before God. Verily I, too, believe with the centurion that should I ask some Saint correctly and for what is necessary: “grant this”—he will grant it; “come to my assistance”—and he will come; “do this”—and he will do it. This is the sort of simple and powerful faith we must have.
⁕ Outward prayer is not infrequently performed at the expense of the inner, while inner prayer—at the expense of the outer. That is, when I pray with my lips or read audibly, then many words do not reach the heart: I am divided, am being a hypocrite. I articulate one thing with my tongue while something else is in my heart; my speak the truth, while the state of my heart is not in accord with the prayer’s words. I fix my attention upon their meaning and power, gradually training the heart to become accustomed to the truth, and enter into that state of spirit, in which the words of the prayer are written, and in this manner I come to learn little by little, to pray in spirit and in truth, in the words of eternal Truth: “They that worship God, must worship Him in spirit and in Truth” [John 4 24][9]. Whenever a man prays on the surface, audibly, then he is not always able to detect all the movements of his heart, which are too fast, so that he must of necessity concern himself with articulating, with the external form of words. In this way, an utterly false prayer is produced by many sextons who read cursorily: they appear to be praying with their lips, to all outward appearances you see them akin to the pious, while their heart sleeps and knows not what lips are saying. This happens because they hurry and ponder with their hearts over what they are saying. We must pray for them, just as they pray for us; we must pray for their words to reach their heart and to breathe with its warmth. They pray for us with the words of saints, while we pray for them.
⁕ All, beginning to work for the Lord in prayer, learn to be, similar to Him, humble, with meek and truthful heart; do not have slyness in heart, duplicity, do not be cold; try to have His spirit for who does not possess the spirit of Christ is not His,—and the Lord seeks in us something similar and related to Himself to which His grace could be implanted. Remember that not a single word will be lost in vain in prayer if it be said from the heart: the Lord hears each word and each word is on His balance. It seems to us at times as if our words only beat the air in vain, resound as a voice in the wilderness: no. We must remember that the Lord understands us in our prayer, if it is permitted to say so, i.e. our words—in exactly the same way as perfect men of prayer understand themselves, for man is the image of God. The Lord replies to each wish of the heart, whether expressed in words or not.
⁕ So that a Christian may live a Christian life and life of the spirit be not completely extinguished within him, private and public prayer is essential to him, it is as essential to attend Divine Services in church with faith, comprehension and zeal, as it is essential to refill a lampadka with oil for it to burn and not die out; while since sincere, ardent prayer comes from abstinence, then in order to uphold within yourself the Christian life or ardor of faith, hope and love, abstinence and fasting are needed. Nothing so soon extinguishes within us the spirit of faith as intemperance, gourmandizing and surfeit and a dissipated, loose life. —I die away, die spiritually whenever I do not serve in church a whole week and flare up, revive in body and heart when I serve, forcing myself to not merely formal prayer, but actual, spiritual, sincere, flaming.
⁕ Contemplate God firmly with your spiritual eyes and during contemplation of Him, ask what you wish for in the name of Jesus Christ—and it will be done to you. God will be everything for you in an instant, for He is a simple Being, above all time and space, and during the minutes of your faith, your spiritual union with Him, will fulfill for you everything you require for the salvation of yourself and your neighbor, and you will, for this period of time, yourself be a participant to Divinity in your most sincere communion with Him: “I have said: ye are gods.” just as between God and yourself at this time there will be no interval, so also between your word and your performance will there be no interval; you will speak—and it will be immediately performed, just as God “commanded, and they were created.” This is so—both as regards the Sacraments, as spiritual prayer in general. Although in the Sacraments everything is accomplished owing to the grace of priesthood in which a priest is vested, for the sake of the supreme High Priest Himself __ Christ, Whose image the priest bears upon himself,—for which reason, although he bears his office unworthily, though he be suspicious, sceptical or mistrustful, nevertheless God’s mystery is performed swiftly, in the twinkling of an eye.
⁕ Some say: we are soon tired of praying. From what? From not imagining vividly the Lord before them,—Who is to the right of you. Look at Him ceaselessly with eyes of the heart, and then you will stand an entire night in prayer without tiring. What am I saying—a night! Three days and three nights will you stand and not become tired. Remember those who were standing on top of pillars. They stood many years on a pillar in a prayerful mood of the spirit and overcame their flesh which, as in you so also in them, was also prone to laziness. While you feel burdened by a few hours of public prayer, by even one hour.
II – Prayer—Breath of The Holy Spirit
⁕ Prayer—is spiritual breathing; in praying we breathe by the Holy Spirit: “praying in the Holy Ghost” [Jude 1 20][10]. And so, all Church prayers—are the breath of the Holy Spirit, as if spiritual air and at same time light, a spiritual fire, spiritual food and spiritual clothing.
⁕ In prayers and Church songs, throughout their entire field, there moves the Spirit of truth. Everything contradictory and blasphemous which comes into the head from without—is from the devil, the father of lies, the slanderer; prayers and chants—are the breath of the Holy Spirit.
⁕ We have felt in our heart during prayer or during the fading of God’s word and other books containing sacred matter (even at times lay books also—of a worthy nature, where for example, is described some kind of event, showing the work of God’s Providence over people), or in pious talks—a still small voice, so that along your body as if electricity has passed. This is the Lord visiting us. “A still small voice” [1 Kings 19 12][11].
⁕ “Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me?” [John 14 9–10][12]. Don’t you know that during prayer the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are in you and you in Them?
⁕ Prayer is the breath of the soul as air is the natural breath of the body. We breathe by the Holy Spirit. You cannot say a single word of prayer from your whole heart without the Holy Spirit. In praying mouth to mouth you converse with the Lord and if you have your spiritual mouth opened by faith and love you as it were breathe in from Him at the same time the spiritual blessings requested through the Holy Spirit.
⁕ When you stand up to pray burdened by many sins and possessed by despair, begin to pray with hope, with a burning spirit, remember then that the Spirit of God Himself helps us in our infirmities, “making intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” When you will have remembered with faith about this action within us of God’s Spirit, then tears of tender emotion will flow from your eyes and you will come to feel peace in your heart, a sweetness, justification and joy in the Holy Spirit, you will cry out with words of the heart: Abba, Father!
III – Prayer—A Standing in the Presence of The Holy Trinity and Congregation of Dwellers of Heaven!
⁕ In calling the Lord God in Three Persons in Prayer, remember that you are calling the Father of all creatures, Who had no beginning, of Angels and men, that all the Heavenly Hosts regard you, the caller, with wonder and look upon you with love because you are calling with faith and love and proper reverence the common to us and them Creator, Pantocrator and Lord, Whom they love immeasurably, before Whom they are strongly reverent. O, what high joy and beatitude, what greatness, what honour it is to call the eternal Father! Value constantly and unfailingly this highest of joys, this beatitude, which was granted to you by your God’s infinite goodness, and do not forget yourself during your prayer. God is listening to you. Angel’s and God’s holy men are listening to you—February 26, 1864. I shed tears writing these lines.
⁕ When you are praying alone and your spirit is dejected and begins to become bored and oppressed by loneliness, remember then, as always, that upon you look down with eyes that are brighter than the sun—the triune God, all the holy Angels, your guardian Angel and God’s holy men. Truly, for all of them are one in God, and where God is, there also are they. Wherever the sun turns, there also all its rays are turned. Understand what is being said. Always pray with a burning heart, and for this never overeat and do not drink to excess. Remember with Whom you are talking! People very often forget with Whom they are talking in prayer, Who witnesses their prayers. They forget that they are talking with the Vigilant and All-seeing, that to their conversation with God are listening all the Heavenly Hosts and God’s holy men.
⁕ When you pray to Our Lady or to some Saint, imagine firmly that you are a member of the Church in which Our Lady—is the edifice’s main stone. “The Origin of the spiritual building” (Akathist to the Most Pure Mother of God, ikos 10) and know that you are closely tied from within with all the heavenly dwellers as a stone of the building, although soft and not firm. Thus comprehending, you will understand why prayers reach the saints so easily: for all of us are under the one Head—Christ [cf. Ephes. 1 22] [13] and all are animated by the one Spirit of God.
⁕ At the end of home, morning and evening prayers call the holy patriarchs, prophets, Apostles, saints, martyrs, witnesses, holy men, abstainers, or ascetics, wealth-spurners,—so as to, by seeing in them the realization of every virtue, to also yourself become an imitator of every virtue. From the patriarchs learn child-like faith and obedience to the Lord; from the prophets and Apostles—zeal for the glory of God and for the salvation of human souls; from the saints—zeal to propagate the word of God and in general to assist by writing in print to the most possible glorification of God’s name, to the strengthening of faith, hope and love in Christians; from martyrs and witnesses—firmness for the faith and piety before people who are unbelieving and wicked; from ascetics—crucification of the flesh with its passions and desires, of prayer and thought of God; from the wealth-spurners—poverty and free assistance to the needy.
IV – Word in Prayer
⁕ Word even in our mouth is already creative, forming articulate sounds; with word emerges man’s living spirit not separating from thought and word. You see, word by its own nature, is creative even in us. Why is it then that we are at times sceptical and suspicious of the word’s creative power, for example, in prayer, that the prayer—this verbal service—will inevitably bring down to us the mercy of the Lord? Thus the word ceaselessly creates flesh: articulate sounds, and writings, or our books, are they not flesh with which word has become invested? While we have become so accustomed to hearing and seeing this that it seems to us this utterly does not merit special attention. Not only is the nature of God creative, but by His gift, also the nature of created spiritually-endowed creatures—is creative under God’s control: “Be fruitful, and multiply” [Gen. 1 28][14]. The souls of living creatures grow themselves bodies under God’s supervision (the spider, bee, worm). Thus, men, through the power given to them by God, up to now are fruitful and multiply upon the earth; thus, people and animals create for themselves everything that is essential for life, especially man—this most inventive of beings, which amazes with its infinite creativity in all forms of art. Since the Word—the Creator is everywhere present, so everywhere, although not to infinity, are His creations also spread, and everywhere does He build and if need be—transfigurates.
⁕ The Word of God is exactly the same as God Himself For this reason believe without question in each word of the Lord, the word of God is—deed; and your word must be deed; consequently, having given your word, carry it out without fail; consequently, in prayer, too, our words must be deed and truth, am not falsehood, not simulation, not flattery. So also throughout life.
⁕ During prayer always firmly believe and remember that every thought and word of yours may, undoubtedly, become deeds. “For with God nothing shall be impossible” [Luke 1 37][15]. “But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit” [1 Corinth. 6 17][16]. This signifies that even your words shall not be without power. “All things are possible to him that believeth” [Mark 9 23][17]. Treasure your word: the word is precious. “Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof on the day of judgement” [Matthew 12 36][18].
⁕ When praying, pay steadfast attention to the words of the prayer, feeling them in your heart. Do not withdraw your mind from them to any other thoughts. When praying during Divine service, during the celebration of the Sacraments or having prayers upon various occasions rely firmly upon the words themselves of the Church prayers, believing that not a single word is placed there in vain, that every one of them has its power, that in each word dwells the Lord Himself (in His Three hypostasis), “Who is everywhere present and fills all things”: think thus:—I myself am nothing, the Lord does everything. Also think: when I speak—God the Word, speaks in me. I need be careful for nothing. “Casting all your care”, it is said, “upon Him, for He careth for you.” [1 Peter 5 7][19].
⁕ As in God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost are undivided, so also in prayer and in our daily life the thought, the word, and the deed ought to be undivided. If you ask anything of God, believe that it will be done in accordance with your request, as God pleases. If you read the Word of God, believe that everything that is spoken of in it was, is and shall be; or was done, is being done, and shall be done. Believe thus, speak thus, read thus, and pray thus. Great is the Word; great is the thinking, speaking, and acting soul, the image and likeness of the Almighty Trinity. Man, know yourself! Know what you are, and conduct yourself in accordance with your dignity.
⁕ When you doubt in the accomplishment or fulfillment of any word of prayer, remember that the nature of the word is accomplishment, realisation, and that the Holy Ghost, teaching us to pray for anything as we ought [Romans 8 26][20], is Himself called the Accomplisher. It is He also Who accomplishes our prayer (accomplished by the Spirit). Remember that the word is power. “With God”, it is said, “nothing shall be impossible” [Luke 1 37] [21]The word of the Lord “shall not return unto Him void” [Isaiah 55 11][22], but, like rain or snow, it shall water the earth of our hearts, and shall give seed (the fulfillment) to the sower. Even of men people say: “His word has extraordinary power. You see, therefore, that the word is power, spirit, life.
⁕ God is a Spirit, an incomplex Being. And in what manner does the Spirit manifest itself? By thought, word and deed. Therefore God, as an incomplex Being, is not composed of a series or of a multitude of thoughts, or of a multitude of words or creations, but He is wholly, in one incomplex thought, God—the Trinity, or, in one incomplex word—the Trinity, or in Persons, united together in one. But He is also wholly in everything that exists, penetrating and filling everything with Himself. For instance, when you say a prayer, He is in every word of it, of it, and like a Holy Fire, penetrates each word—everyone may experience this for himself if he will pray sincerely, fervently, with faith and love. But, especially, He is wholly in the names belonging to Him: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, or the Holy Trinity, or the Lord, the Lord God, the Lord God of Sabbaoth, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Holy Spirit, the Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth and in His other names. The Angels and the Saints are also near to us in their names, as their names and our faith in them are near to our heart; for they are nothing else but the breath of God, and are ‘one spirit with the Lord.’ [Corinth. 6 17] [23]
⁕ Every word of the Holy Writ, every word of Divine liturgy, of the morning and evening services, every word of the Sacramental prayers and of the other prayers, has in itself the power corresponding to it and contained in it, like the sign of the honourable and life-giving cross. Such grace is present in every word of the Church, on account of the Personal Incarnate Word of God, Who is the Head of the Church, dwelling in the Church. Besides this, every truly good word has in itself the power corresponding to it, owing to the all-filling simple Word of God. With what attention and reverence, with what faith, must we therefore pronounce each word! For the Word is the Creator Himself, God, and through the Word all things were brought into existence from nonexistence.
⁕ You are a being endued with speech. Remember that you derive your origin from the word of the Creator of all things and that in union (through faith) with the creative Word, by means of faith, you can yourself be a material and spiritual creator. Believe that by your faith in the creative word of the Father, your own word, too, shall not return to you vain, powerless (when, for instance, you pray to God, the Benefactor, in accordance with the holy Church’s direction or the Lord’s guidance);, but it shall bring you the necessary for good deeds; believe that through faith in the creative Word you will not be unsuccessful in teaching people either in the’ temple during Divine service, or during the celebration of the sacraments in private houses; neither shall your teaching in schools be unsuccessful, but it shall bring you the gift necessary for good deeds; believe you.
⁕ Be firmly convinced that every word, especially those pronounced during prayer is realizable, remembering that the author of the word is God the Word, that our God Himself, worshipped in the Holy Trinity, is expressed by the three words or names: The Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; that each word has a corresponding being, or that every word can become being and deed. Therefore reverence the word and value it. Remember that the Son of God, as the Personal Word of God, is always united with the Father and the Holy Ghost, in the same manner as the Father, as the Supreme Wisdom, participates, by His omnipresence, His creative Word, and the Holy Ghost the Accomplisher in the words of Holy Scripture, or in the prayers or in the writings of the most wise Fathers. This is why no word is vain, but has or should have power in itself. Woe to those who speak idly, for they will have to answer for their idle speaking! ‘For with God nothing shall be impossible’ [Luke 1 37][24]. Power and accomplishment are, in general, the properties of the word. Such should it also be in the mouths of men.
[1] Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me. John 14 22–24
[2] Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. Matthew 1 1–11
[3] The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him. Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice. My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways. Proverbs 23 24–26
[4] Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. But if any man love God, the same is known of him. 1 Corinthians 8 1–3
[5] God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Acts 17 24–28
[6] Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Ephesians 4 25–29
[7] But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;) Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. 2 Corinthians 9 6–11
[8] At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11 25–30
[9] Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. John 4 21–24
[10] But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Jude 1 17–21
[11] And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? 1 Kings 19 11–13
[12] Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake. John 14 8–11
[13] Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. Ephesians 1 15–23
[14] So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Genesis 1 27–31
[15] Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. Luke 1 34–38
[16] Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. 1 Corinthians 6 15–20
[17] And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. Mark 9 21–24
[18] Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Matthew 12 33–37
[19] And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 1 Peter 5 4–9
[20] For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8 24–28
[21] Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. Luke 1 34–38
[22] For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. Isaiah 55 8–13
[23] And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power. Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 1 Corinthians 6 14–17
[24] Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. Luke 1 34–38
Orthodox Life, July-August 1965, pp. 21-35
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