A Life of Prayer
Psalm 146
My soul, give praise to the Lord; I will praise the Lord all my days, make music to my God while I live.
Put no trust in princes, In mortal men in whom there is no help. Take their breath, they return to clay and their plans that day come to nothing.
He is happy who is helped by Jacob’s God, whose hope is in the Lord his God, who alone made heaven and earth, the seas and all they contain.
It is he who keeps faith for ever, who is just to those who are oppressed.
It is he who gives bread to the hungry, the Lord, who sets prisoners free, the Lord who gives sight to the blind, who raises up those who are bowed down, the Lord, who protects the stranger and upholds the widow and orphan.
It is the Lord who loves the just but thwarts the path of the wicked. The Lord will reign for ever, Sion’s God, from age to age.
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1 Thessalonians 5:17: “Pray Without Ceasing.”
The Christian Life Is A Life Of Prayer
“Living the life of prayer by the Rule of the Church helps us to live in God’s story rather than in the story of the world. It helps us to experience time in terms of priorities of God rather than in terms of the urgencies of the world. Common Rule also forms us as a community.
Without a commitment to prayer, which includes a commitment to Bible reading, study and meditation, the life of the Christian tends to be conformed to the pattern of the world (cf. Romans 12:2).”
https://thedht.org/a-life-of-prayer
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“Prayer is the only bridge over the despondency of the world with its death, sins, and passions. It gives light to the mind, helping us to slowly see ourselves as we are, and God as He is. It enables us to overcome temptation and weaknesses. It has the potential to heal our spiritual infirmities.
Persistent and patient prayer is the answer to almost all the questions we have; this is so because it grants us God’s grace and peace. It also brings us to a saving knowledge of the true God, going above and beyond rational thought. It cannot be stated enough that it is essential to begin again today.
Prayer generates prayer. The Fathers tell us that prayer will teach us and be our guide if we are devoted to it. It is the quintessential practice for all Christians. If we say we love God, we pray; if we say that we love each other, we pray for each other. Our life of prayer fulfills the commandment on which hang all the Law and the Prophets: to love God and to love our neighbor.”
Acquiring the Mind of Christ (Archimandrite Sergius)
Ephesians 4:29-32
Never let evil talk pass your lips; say only the good things men need to hear, things that will really help them. Do nothing that will sadden the Holy Spirit with whom you were sealed against the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, all passion and anger, harsh words, slander, and malice of every kind. In place of these, be kind to one another, compassionate, and mutually forgiving, just as God has forgiven you in Christ.