Orthodox Christian Prayer

The Importance of Prayer in Orthodoxy

• Prayer is an integral part of the Orthodox spiritual life, and is necessary for building a connection with God and companionship.
• Pope Kyrillos the sixth said that "prayers move the hand of He who moves the universe."

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

• The parable teaches us to pray always and not lose heart, as God will avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him.
• The parable emphasizes the importance of persistence in prayer, as God will respond to our prayers speedily.

Levels of Prayer in Orthodoxy

• Liturgical Prayers: prayers prayed as a community of believers inside the church, which teach us the faith and how to pray.
• Family Prayers: a mix of memorized and personalized prayers prayed within the family, which helps keep the peace of the home and brings joy and blessings.
• Individual or Personal Prayers: expressed however we feel comfortable, even if they are silent prayers.

The Jesus Prayer

• Also known as the Arrow Prayers, the Jesus Prayer is "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."
• This prayer is a powerful introduction to personal prayers and can be used when we are at a loss for words.

Integrating Personal Prayers into Liturgical Prayers

• The ultimate goal is to integrate personal prayers into liturgical prayers and bring liturgical prayers into individualized prayers.
• We can pray personally during the Liturgy, even when we are listening to a sermon or singing hymns.

Making Prayer a Habit

• Praying is a skill that we can develop through practice, and the more we pray, the better we get at it by God's grace.
• Our prayers maintain the blessing in our daily life, and when we pray during the day, our day is blessed, and when we pray in the middle of the night, the night is blessed and the next day also.

Remembering Others in Our Prayers

• It is important to remember others in our prayers, as they remember us.
• The parable of the persistent widow teaches us that God listens to our requests when we are persistent in prayer.

The Lord's Teaching on Prayer

• The Lord loves to hear us pray, and He asked us to do so.
• St. Paul teaches us that prayers bring hope and require patience.

The Apostles' and Fathers' Examples of Prayer

• Lord Jesus Himself prayed to communicate with the Father and to teach us to pray.
• St. Polycarp of Smyrna said that we should return to the word which has been handed down to us, watching in prayer, persevering in fasting, and beseeching in our supplications.

Fulfillment Through the Act of Prayer

• Effective prayers bring fulfillment within itself, as we find joy and assurance that the Lord is in control of everything.
• Those who were successful in their prayers did not have specific expectations from their prayers, but found fulfillment in communicating with God.

Explore the importance of prayer in Orthodox Christianity, building a connection with God and its benefits. Discover what the Orthodox fathers and Pope Kyrillos have to say about the power of prayer.