Unceasing Prayer

Before Abba Isaac began his second conference on prayer St. John inserted a historical account of a disagreement among the Egyptian brethren, which provided the background for this conference's topic. This theological disagreement dealt with how man was made in the image of God. One party's failure to properly understand how man was made in God's image caused detrimental blasphemy to the Orthodox faith at the time (10.1). St. John related how Bishop Theophilus of Alexandria sent a letter (A.D. 399) to the monasteries in Egypt arguing against the Anthropomorphites who were a group that assigned physical, human characteristics to God. This letter sparked a controversy, because a large number of the monks thought that man was literally created in God's image. Among those caught in this error was Serapion who was an aged, pious monk (10.2.2).  Abba Paphnutius received a learned deacon at the monastery in hopes that he would settle this dispute amongst the brethren. The deacon pointed out to Serapion and the brethren that man is the image of God in a spiritual sense rather than in a physical sense (10.3.3). After realizing his error Serapion was greatly distressed, because he had to give up his anthropomorphic image of the Godhead, which he had always mentally envisioned during prayer (10.3.4). In tears he cried out, "Woe is me, wretch that I am! They have taken my God from me, and I have no one to lay hold of, nor do I know whom I should adore or address" (10.3.5). How many of us ignorantly fall into such errors? This error is why the Church forbids mental images during prayer--because we could end up praying to our image of the Trinity instead of the Holy Trinity. By such an error we could even run "the risk of everlasting death" (10.4.1). We could ignorantly undo all spiritual progress, as Serapion bitterly experienced. How can we expect to properly unite with God when we do not rightly understand Him from the beginning? Nevertheless, God's grace is sufficient, and he that seeks God finds Him.

In contrast to Serapion's error pure prayer does not even permit the memory of any word or likeness of any deed or shape to interrupt its union with God (10.5.3). Tied to this purity is the practice of withdrawing the mind's gaze from the physical world. As the mind withdraws its gaze from earthly things, the soul can gaze inwardly on Christ with greater clarity (10.6.1). Does this mean that only a few monastics see Christ? No. "For the rest, Jesus is also seen by those who dwell in the cities and towns and villages--that is, by those who have an active way of life and its obligations--but not with the brightness with which he appears to those who are able to climb with him the aforesaid mount of virtues--namely, Peter, James, and John. For it was first in the desert that he appeared to Moses and spoke to Elijah" (10.6.3). Since God is everywhere present and fills all things, any Christian can see the Light of Christ by grace according to his ability. We must cut off worldly distractions, so we can address God with purity and integrity of heart. We must say the prayer of the heart without distraction even if only for thirty minutes a day. "Thus, while sojourning in this body, we shall in some fashion be able to prepare ourselves for the likeness as it were of that blessedness which is promised to the holy ones in the future, and God will be 'all in all' for us" (10.6.4). Everything must must be done away with, so that everything will be God in us. "This, I say is the end of all perfection--that the mind purged of every carnal desire--may daily be elevated to spiritual things, until one's whole way of life and all the yearnings of one's heart become a single and continuous prayer" (10.7.3). Ceaseless prayer is poured out to God, so that He might be in us and we in Him.

In prayer we encounter the "all other"--God Himself--for "all is elsewhere."  Pure prayer of the heart lacks all images, words, and phrases. In the morning we ask for the grace of pure prayer when we utter, "Pray in me." In order to make an unstable mind stable enough to ceaselessly pray, we must frequently attend to vigils, meditation, and prayer with all our strength, mind, and heart. Over time with God's grace and our feebly persistent efforts, we may pray without ceasing (10.14.2). Amen.

"At your work, flee conversation; only measured words in case of need. The hands should work for the needs of the body, and the mind should say the sweetest name of Christ, so that the need of the soul, which we must not forget even for moment, also will be provided for." - Elder Ephraim of Pilotheou 

"For God is silence, and in silence is He sung by means of that psalmody which is worthy of Him. I am not speaking of the silence of the tongue, for if someone merely keeps his tongue silent, without knowing how to sing in mind and spirit, then he is simply unoccupied and becomes filled with evil thoughts: ... There is a silence of the tongue, there is a silence of the whole body, there is a silence of the soul, there is the silence of the mind, and there is the silence of the spirit." - St. John the Solitary

"I consider no other labor as difficult as prayer. When we are ready to pray, our spiritual enemies interfere. They understand it is only by making it difficult for us to pray that they can harm us. Other things will meet with success if we keep at it, but laboring at prayer is a war that will continue until we die."- Abba Agathon

"Thus it is that St. Basil the Great tells us to pray whenever we sit at a table. When you eat bread, thank Him Who gave it to you. When you drink wine, remember Him Who provided you with this gift, that your heart might be gladdened. Is your hunger satisfied? Do not forget the Benefactor. When you dress, thank Him Who gave you clothes, increasing your love for God, Who bestows upon us garments for both winter and summer. Is the day finished? Thank our Lord, Who gave us the sun, that we might do the works of the day, and Who gave us fire to serve the needs of the night. And again in the evening, raise up your eyes to the Heavens and the beauty of the stars, glorifying the Master Fashioner, Who made all with wisdom." - Fr. David Cownie and Presbytera Juliana Cownie, A Guide to Orthodox Life: Some Beliefs, Customs, and Traditions of the Church