Prayer as Love

Saint Porphyrios teaches that continual prayer without effort where grace overshadows bringing unexplainable joy, requires divine Eros, a burning love for Christ. The relationship between God and the believer must become one of mutual desire: God, the Lover, desires the beloved, and the beloved strives to reach the Lover. This love is most profound when expressed as thanksgiving. our efforts in prayer should not be done out of duty but as a necessity and selflessness, similar to the need to eat. To prepare for such prayer we read the divine offices with love filling our hearts with gladness.

Our task in prayer is to find a way to enter into the love of Christ which is experienced as divine light, allowing our soul to awaken our love in the embrace of  Christ’s love and become holy. We abandon ourselves to divine Eros. Our primary aim is love: for Christ, the Church, and our neighbor. prayer based on this love and craving for God creates a union that is Paradise on earth. It is expressed through love for our neighbor and the desire for everyone's salvation, even our enemies.

The efforts made in prayer should be driven by the love of Christ, aiming to experience His love more deeply.

Reference: Wounded by Love, Saint Porphyrios, on prayer

Engaging in True Prayer: Guidance from Saint Porphyrios

When Saint Porphyrios advises, "let the Lord himself teach us to pray. Don’t try to learn it on our own," he emphasizes that true prayer is a gift from God and should be guided by Him. It is not merely a technique or a set of words to be learned but a relational and spiritual practice that deepens through God's grace. Acknowledging that we cannot perfect our prayer life solely through our efforts requires humility and openness to the Holy Spirit's guidance.

We must remember that prayer is about a personal relationship with God. Allowing the Lord to teach us means engaging in a dynamic and responsive relationship where God leads and we follow. Saint Porphyrios underscores the importance of seeking God’s direct instruction and inspiration in the journey of prayer.

Saint Porphyrios also advises us to "make entreaty to receive the divine light of divine knowledge." This divine light refers to the spiritual insight and understanding that comes from God, allowing one to perceive and comprehend spiritual truths more deeply. By asking for this light, a person opens themselves to the transformative grace of God, which enlightens the mind and heart, leading to a more profound and genuine relationship with Him. It is a call to humble oneself and recognize the need for God's guidance and wisdom in one's spiritual journey.

This divine light he refers to is the same divine light mentioned by Saint Symeon the New Theologian, who often spoke about the experience of the divine light as a tangible encounter with God’s uncreated energies. He described it as an overwhelming, transformative experience that brings profound spiritual enlightenment and union with God.

This divine light is understood in Orthodox theology as the uncreated energy of God, through which believers can experience His presence and grace. Both saints emphasize the importance of seeking this light through prayer, humility, and a deep commitment to living a holy life, as it is through this light that one comes to a true knowledge of God and is transformed in His likeness.

Saint Porphyrios, in his unassuming way, shows the path of humility and calls us to a prayer life that is mystical, opening ourselves to the uncreated energies of God. When we experience these in the form of light, we are experiencing true prayer and a direct relationship with God. This should be our aim in prayer.

Reference: Wounded by by Love, Saint Porphyrios, pg 114

Prayer before prayer

Saint Porphyrios recommends that we recite a prayer from the Divine Liturgy that comes before the reading of the Gospel before we pray. Here is my interpretation of this prayer:

Lord, enlighten my heart with Your divine light, illuminating the innermost part of my soul. 

I acknowledge Your authority and deep love for humanity, Your compassionate and benevolent nature. Enlighten me with Your divine truths, holiness, and wisdom. Transform me and lead me to a deeper relationship with You. 

Give me spiritual insight and perception to discern Your spiritual truths. Help me comprehend the teachings of the Gospel to understand how to live a life in accordance with Your will. I stand in awe and respect of Your commandments, recognizing their divine origin and authority. 

Help me struggle against my passions and sinful inclinations, attaining a decisive victory over these desires through Your help and my personal effort, so that I may lead a life guided by the Holy Spirit in harmony with Your will. 

Orient both my thoughts and actions towards pleasing You, maintaining a holistic approach to my spiritual life. 

I acknowledge You as the ultimate source of light and enlightenment for both my soul and body, embrace Your divine presence, desiring Your guidance, and sanctification.  

Have mercy on me.

Reference: Wounded by Love, Saint Porphyrios,  pg 114

How Do We Make Prayer?

True prayer comes from our cooperation with the Holy Spirit.:

John 14:26: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”

Romans 8:26-27: “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Our church fathers teach this as well:

St. Basil the Great: “It is especially important to teach those who pray how to ask from the Holy Spirit for those things which are absolutely necessary for the soul. For He is the source of sanctification and spiritual enlightenment; He gives the inner strength necessary for the soul’s health, and transforms the spirit.” (On the Holy Spirit, Chapter 26)

St. John Chrysostom: “The Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. This means that the Spirit, by means of the inexplicable groans of prayer, suggests to us what we should pray for, what it is right to request in prayer.” (Homilies on Romans, Homily 15)

St. Seraphim of Sarov: “The true aim of our Christian life consists in the acquisition of the Holy Spirit of God. Prayer, fasting, vigil, and all other Christian practices, however good they may be in themselves, do not constitute the aim of our Christian life, although they serve as the indispensable means of attaining this aim.” (Conversation with N. A. Motovilov)

St. Symeon the New Theologian: “When a man’s mind is perfectly united to God and receives the energy of the Holy Spirit, he prays to God in the Spirit and is fully aware of what he is saying and of the prayer’s content, having been illumined by the divine light.” (The Discourses, Chapter 25)

Prayer requires humility to be aware of the voice of the Holy Spirit. Our petitions should reflect this humbleness. The most powerful prayer for Orthodox Christians is the Jesus prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.” As we quiet ourselves and emerge our soul in His love reciting this prayer, divine grace will flow into our heart. We will see the world with new eyes and find it effortless to do the will of our God.

It all happens through the work of the Holy Spirit. It is through Him we make true prayer.

Reference: Wounded by Love: Saint Porphyios, pg 113

Turn Your Mind to God Continually

To experience the love and joy of God in our life we must make a continual effort in prayer. God’s love is always present no matter where we are or what we are doing. We must live every moment in a way aware of His loving presence and embrace This love. 

In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Paul exhorts "pray without ceasing."[2] This is a direct call for continual, unceasing prayer. The Bible repeatedly emphasizes the importance of continual, persistent, devoted prayer as a vital spiritual discipline for believers. Jesus, Paul, and the early church all modeled this practice.

How is this possible? This requires a passionate love of Jesus Christ. His life provides us with an image we should desire to copy. It is based on love. Our soul longs for His love and is not seeking an intellectual understanding. It desires much more, something that only comes from a deep place in our heart. This we find when we desire to fulfill all He asks of us out of our pure love. This is not a simple obedience based on any sense of obligation. Where obligation is involved there is not the fulness of love. We follow Him only because we love Him. In this way we become worthy of His love, always seeking to follow what he taught. Then continuous prayer becomes effortless and natural.

It’s is through continuous prayer based on our love in Him that we will find the Kingdom He promises.

Reference: Wounded by Love, Saint Porphyios, pg 113

The Essence of Prayer: Seeking the Eternal

Our soul yearns for communion with God who is the eternal source of love and joy.

 “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” Psalm 42:1-2

Within every human soul lies an innate desire to be united with the divine, transcending the temporal confines of this world.  

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11

 “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.” 2 Corinthians 5:1-5

This longing is not merely an emotional or intellectual pursuit but a profound spiritual aspiration to connect with the heavenly.

Prayer is a sacred dialogue that transcends words, leading us into the mystery of God's infinite presence, satisfying the yearnings by of our soul. In prayer, we reach beyond our limited understanding, uniting with the divine mystery. Since God is incomprehensible and infinite, He cannot be fully grasped by the human mind intellectually. It is in this mystical encounter experienced in prayer that  we grasp the fullness of His love and the joy that our hearts deeply crave.

Seeking God is a continuous journey, one that requires fervor and persistence. Prayer is not a momentary act but a ongoing quest for intimacy with the Creator. This fervent seeking must be supported  by a love for God, constantly reaching out to Him in every moment of life. We must approach prayer with zeal, for it is through this fervent pursuit that we draw nearer to the divine.

In essence, prayer is the soul's response to the divine call. It is a journey into the mystery of God's eternal love, a pursuit of the joy that only He can provide. We find God in the silence of prayer, beyond our comprehension, yet intimately present in our lives and intimately knowable through his energies. By engaging  in fervent and continuous prayer, we are drawn closer to God, experiencing the fullness of His love and the eternal joy our soul seeks.

Reference: Wounded by Love, Saint Porphyrios, pg 113

What is Necessary for Troubled Times.

These times are difficult and troubled. It seems like there is an over abundance of anger and disregard for the needs of others. Saint Paisios says this: 

“May God forgive me, but the world has become a huge mad house! No one thinks of the next life any more. All they want is more and more material goods. This is why they cannot find piece and run around constantly.”  (P 169 With Pain And Love for Contemporary Man, Saint Paisios)

Christ is the light of the world and it is His light that can bring peace through spiritual disciplines. Jesus said 

“I am the light of the world,” and “you are the light of the world.”

The way to peace is through a union with Christ so His light and divine love can live through each of us. Saint Porphyrios tells us the following:

“Out task is to attempt to find a way to enter into the light of Christ...The essence of the matter is for us to be with Christ; for our soul to wake up and love Christ and become holy.” (P 96 Wounded by Love)

This is not about theology or philosophy but practical aspects of spiritual life based on Scripture, and living what Christ has taught through an Orthodox way of life. The key is to purify our hearts by mastering our distracting thoughts in our minds. We must tame the passions that polite our hearts with angry thoughts. Christ and Church fathers and traditions of church show us the way.

The human mind is like a flickering candle in breeze. It is ever active and can easily lead us to sinful ways like anger and selfishness. Without the breeze of temptations, this flickering flame can be steadied. One of the important elements of the Orthodox way of life that can help us is  the Jesus Prayer practiced in the context of Church.

We can become like a bright light. Saint Porphyrios says,

This light is the uncreated light of Christ. If we acquire this light we will know the truth. And God is truth. God knows everything. For Him all things are known and luminous. The world is the work of God. God illuminates this world with His uncreated light. God is light because He knows Himself. We do not know ourselves, and that is why we are in darkness. When we allow the light to flood over us we have communion with God...When we are united with Him, Christ makes us luminous. He offers the ‘great light’ to each of us. If only we would receive it. (P 149 Wounded by Love)

To receive this light we must reach deep into the unconscious mind of our souls through worship prayer and fasting. Saint Porphyrios reminds us:

“No one can ascend to spirituality without exercising himself” (p 156 Wounded by Love)

The Jesus prayer of the heart is a prayer from the depths of the heart. With it comes grace, the Holy Spirit, to enlighten, to purify, and conquer our anxieties and fears. Divine forces are released. It demands a total faith, a surrender and dependence on the Lord.

“When I am repeating the prayer in my mind, sometimes my joy becomes more and more intense. And when my joy becomes ever stronger with the words “Lord Jesus Christ...”, I feel my mind leaping within me along with my heart and there I experience all this joy as I say the prayer.  (P 123 Wounded by Love)

Our current life is being distorted by cultural wars. Bad habits have been normalized and therefore we must reach deep to change or eradicate them. Suffering with anxieties and fear of our future we have to go deep inside just like the saints. Many spiritual men and women show us the way of deep prayer, one that reaches depths of our hearts, purifying so we can receive this divine light.

Jesus tells our prayers will be answered. As a foundation We need the faith of Abraham, Apostles, martyrs, and ascetics. With such faith and our own acetic efforts through deep prayer we not only release forces to heal ourselves but also those around us. We become a beacon of His light. You can become peaceful and a force for peace in the world.

Overcome judgement and anger we can receive love and compassion in the healing light of a Christ. Cultivate it with deep prayer based on Love of Christ and work helping others in a selfless manner. Approach everything with love. You will in this way escape destructive ways of thinking and instead of anxiety and anger you will find joy.

This is the best way to deal with our troubled times.

What is True Religion?

Today many Orthodox Christians call themselves religious but do not practice a true religion. What do I mean? Let me give two simple examples. One person comes to church periodically. When she comes she makes many prostrations, crosses herself many times, cries, venerates all the icons on the iconostasis, makes a generous donation to the church. Another comes most Sundays and often on a week day and sits quietly in the back. The first, when she leaves the church immediately begins to complain about her health and other problems she has. The other, even though she sufffers from several ailments always has a warm smile and the first thing she is asks in broken English is, "are you OK" . So who has the true religion?

Saint Porfyrios says that the true religion is based on our love of God, not on the form but on substance of this love. He calls it Eros or love with passion. He says when we have this kind of love for God we receive His grace. We live in His light. When we have this light there is no darkness. No matter what we face we find goodness.

He uses the example of ancient people who lived in a cave and blocked the entrance to keep the wind out. Inside it was dark and there was little oxygen. They were not healthy. When they would go outside they would receive the sunlight and fresh air and be rejuvenated. The same he says happens when we receive the light of Christ. Without this light we are like the cave dweller, in darkness. With Hia light we are changed and what was bad becomes good. Darkness becomes light. This is the nature of a True religion.

We can follow all the rules, fast, pray, do metanias, cross ourselves, come to church, read scripture and still not have a true religion.

Saint Porfyrios says,

Often neither labor, nor prostrations, nor crossing ourselves attract God's grace. There are the mysteries. The most important thing is to go beyond the formal aspects and go to the heart of the matter. Whatever is done must be done with love.

 ....

With Christ a person is filled with grace and so lives above evil. Evil does not exist for him. There is only good, which is God. Evil cannot exist. While there is light there cannot be darkness. Nor can darkness encompass him because he has the light. 

The true Christian religion transforms and heals. But this requires our humility. True religion is love. We long for God always and seek union with Him, to live in His light. Without this, religion is a struggle and leaves us confused and weak. We grasp for pious actions. We seek charitable activities, we make prostrations. We try many things but remain confused, quarrelsome or depressed.

The true religion is not a human one. It is one with the true knowledge of the Trinitarian God and the work of the Holy Spirit. Our aim is to be one with Him based on a passionate love for Him. This love extends to all members. Saint Porfyrios describes this love as enthusiasm, madness, an intense longing for the divine. In this way we attract His grace and are changed and find peace and love in Him.

Reference: Wounded by Love, pp 94 - 95.

How Should We Accept Sickness?

Saint Porphyrios gives us an important lesson about illness. His words may be difficult to understand but we must open our soul to receive them so we can follow what the great saint teaches.

When we are in pain we should not think of this as a punishment from God but as a gift. God allows sickness for our benefit. Remember, God is love and is always trying to lead us to become like him so we can enter into His kingdom. Accepting our pain and discomfort as a gift, we must think of it as an opportunity to share in a small way the Passion of Christ.  It is His grace working in us. When we see this in this way we will experience joy that He is with us and allowing us to participate in His passion. It is His Passion that lead to His Resurrection. So we too are being led to our Resurrection by His grace when we experience as pain.

Nor should not fear pain as a sign of death, but think that, if it is our time to die, death is the only door to heaven and eternal life with Him.

Saint Porphyrios says that we should not pray to be relieved of our pain as this can be self-centered. We should instead pray to be forgiven for our sinfulness. Usually our sickness and pain makes us aware of our sinfulness and we feel a need to call on God for help.  We should pray for God to help us become a good person capable of doing His will and follow His commandments.

Sickness humbles us. It makes us realize that we are not in control. It is like the hot fire that purifies gold. The fire heats up the gold metal and the impurities float to the top. Then they are skimmed off leaving pure gold. When we are sick and realize we cannot control the destiny of our life it is like the heat that purifies gold. Our sinfulness comes to the top and with our prayer of forgiveness God can skim off the impurities in our hearts. As we continually sincerely ask for his mercy we find that His grace is given to us in mysterious ways. This faith we have in God's goodness towards us and His saving grace must be pure and unconditional. We must without doubt believe that God is our creator and savior. Based on this faith we must have total love for Him, loving Him more than anyone we know.  With this love we can say like saint Porphyrios says, "Even if you want to put mey in Hell, do so as long as I do not lose your love." For Him God's love had no boundaries.

In sickness Saint Porphyrios teaches us to accept our condition knowing God loves us and that He allows this illness so we can come closer to Him. Remember your sinfulness, continually pray for His mercy and forgiveness, and ask that he make you a good person in His eyes. Do not ask for self-centered things like to make you well but instead ask only that He make you a better person.

Have patience, endurance, and love God with your whole heart.

Reference: Wounded by Love, pp 224 -231

Praying for Others

What are we to pray for?  We should pray for "the Church, for the world, for everyone," says Elder Porphyrios.  We cannot just pray for ourselves.  We must have a strong desire for the world to become sanctified.


When we are suffering or in need, we should ask others to pray for us.  When we all pray with faith and love seeking God's help He intervenes and this is when miracles happen.


Elder Porphyrios speaks to prayer for others.

Prayer for others which is made gently and with deep love is selfless and has great spiritual benefit.  It brings grace to the person who prays and also to the person for whom he is praying.  When you have great love and this love moves you to prayer, then the waves of love are transmitted and affect the person for whom you are praying and you create around him a shield of protection and you influence him, you lead him towards what is good.  When He sees your efforts, God bestows His grace abundantly on both you and on the person you are praying for.

He then adds,

But we must die to ourselves. Do you understand?

We cannot pray properly without humility. This is essential.  Our own wisdom is never sufficient. The personal advice we give to others is not the secret. In prayer we seek God's grace. His grace comforts and heals.


The Elder says,

The secret lies in our devotion, our prayer to God for what is best for our brethren to come about through the grace of God.  That is the best.  What we are unable to do will be done through His grace.

Pray always, "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy."


Reference: Wounded By Love, p 132

Pray with Love and Yearning

When we pray we must pray with love and yearning. Through prayer our soul is filled with divine love.


Elder Porphyrios says,

Lord Jesus Christ Have Mercy On Me

Pray to God with love and yearning. And when you repeat the prayer, "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me." Say it slowly, humbly, gently and with divine love. Pronounce the name of Christ with sweetness. Say the words one at a time: "Lord...Jesus...Christ...have mercy on me,"  smoothly, tenderly, affectionally, silently, secretly, mystically, but with exaltation, with longing, with passion, without tension, force of unbecoming emphasis, without compulsion and pressure. In the way a mother speaks to the child she lovesL "my little boy...me darling girl...my little Johnny...my sweet Mary!" 

This prayer will lead you to silence.  Gradually the words are lost. The soul prefers silence. There comes a time of true prayer where there is nothing but silence.  And as the Elder says, "The flood of divine love fills the soul with joy and exultation."


Reference: Wounded by Love, p 127

A Spiritual Guide is a Must for Practicing the Jesus Prayer

Why is a guide necessary?  Because you can easily be lead astray.  In prayer, you may experience visions or lights which are demonic and lead you to pride.  A guide can help you deal with such such experiences.  He can help you avoid being trapped by your pride and self will.  He can guide you in a progressive way, growing step by step to the stage where you will see the true light.

Elder Porphyrios speaks of the danger of delusion,

And if in this spiritual dimension desire is enkindled, not by your good self, but by the other self, the egotistical self, then undoubtably you will begin to experience a pseudo-joy. But in your outward life you will be ever more aggressive and irascible, more quick-tempered and fretful.  These are the signs of a person who is deluded.  

A guide must be a person who is experienced in the prayer of the heart.  It cannot be someone who prays mechanically and has not experienced prayer with the grace of God.  Such a person will only be able to tell you what he has read in books.


A spiritual guide will keep you out of danger of delusion.


The Elder advises,

This is the teaching. We say that prayer cannot be taught, but in point of fact it can be taught when you live with someone who truly prays. When you take a book about prayer and read it, it may be that you don't understand anything.  But when you have an elder next to you who prays, whatever he tells you about prayer you understand and take to heart.

Reference: Wounded By Love, pp 124 - 126 

How to Pray the Jesus Prayer

Elder Porphyrios gives us some instruction on prayer using the Jesus Prayer.


He says,

Prayer should be interior, prayed with the mind and not with the lips, so as not to cause distraction witht he mind wandering here and there.  Let us bring Christ into our mind in an unforced manner by repeating very gently, 'Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.'  don't think anything except the words, 'Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.' Nothing else. Nothing at all. Calmly, with open eyes, so that you are not in danger of succumbing to fantasies and delusions, and with care and devotion, turn towards Christ.  Repeat the prayer in an unforced manner and not continually, but when there is the disposition and an atmosphere of compunction which is a gift of divine grace. Without grace you fall into a state of self-hynotism and you can end up seeing lights and delusions and become mentally deranged.

Prayer should not be seen as a chore or an obligation but rather an act of love.  There is no need for techniques such as a stool, bowing the head or closing the eyes.  True prayer is not dependent on anything external.


Reference: Wounded By Love, pp 121-122

How Does One Pray in the Heart?

Once a monk from the Holy Mountain who practices the Jesus prayer visited Elder Porphyrios and inquired about how he said the Jesus prayer.  Here is the dialogue that took place:

"How do you say the Jesus Prayer? Do you sit on a stool? Do you lower your head and concentrate?"

"No, " I replied. "I say, 'Lord Jesus Christ...' clearly in my mind giving attention to the words.  'Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me... Lord Jesus...' That is how I do it in my mind and pay attention to the words."

"That's not right at all, Elder," he said.  "The way you describe it is quite erroneous, not to say deluded.  The mind needs to be in the heart.  That is why it's called 'prayer of the heart.'"

"I'll tell you something else," I said to him. "Sometimes when I would be facing some temptation, I would bring into my mind the image of the Christ on the cross with his transfixed hands and feet dripping with blood and with the crown of thorns piercing his brow and with myself kneeling before him and saying to Him, 'Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me'."

"And you didn't bring your mind into your heart?" he interrupted.

"No." I replied.

"You are deluded," he said to me. "The mind must be in the heart.  That's why it's called 'prayer of the heart.' Delusion!"

He got up to leave.

"Elder!", I said to him. "Listen and I'll tell you something.  When I am repeating the prayer in my mind, sometimes my joy becomes more and more intense.  And when my joy becomes ever stronger with the words, "Lord Jesus Christ...", I feel my mind leaping within me along with my heart. That is, I feel my mind plummeting into my heart and there I experience all this joy as I say the prayer.  I begin with the mind and then my mind moves on its own when when joy comes."

"So that's how you pray! That indeed is the way!" he said to me. "Forgive me for saying 'delusion'."

Elder Porphyrios Teaching the Jesus Prayer.

This is a story one of the spiritual children of Elder Porphyrios told about how he taught them to pray. 

He placed us towards the east, two of us to his left and two to the right, with him in the middle. “Now we’ll pray noetically. first, I will say the words, and you will repeat them. But be careful, without anxiety or force, you’ll say the words calmly, humbly, with love and sweetness.” The Elder started off with his fine, delicate and eloquent voice, “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.” He said it very slowly, word by word, without forcing it at all. It was a though he had Christ before and he was begging him, with a log pause after the word “Christ”, Coloring his words “have mercy on me” with an entreating tone. And we repeated it each time, trying to imitate his stance, the color of his voice and if it at all possible his spiritual disposition. At some point, the Elder stopped saying the prayer out loud and just continued whispering it on his lips. We did the same thing. How long did our night-time prayer take? I don’t remember. All I remember was that the Elder imparted an emotion to us that I cannot express with human words. 

More on Jesus Prayer....

Reference, With Elder Porphyrios, by C. Yiannitsiotis, p 55

Porphyrios' Advice on the Jesus Prayer

Elder Porphyrios teaches that the prayer of the heart is for those who have already attracted the grace of God. 

He warns,

I mustn't be done with the thought.  "I'll learn it, I'll so it, I'll acquire it", because in this way we may be led to egoism and pride.

This is the serious danger for those who set out to practice the Jesus Prayer to seek the divine light of God.  They apply it like an external method.  It is their ego acting, their self will seeking some kind of pleasure from God.  This will most likely result in only increasing ones pride and will attract much assistance from the devil.  You may experience visions and lights which encourage you on your quest. Meanwhile your relationships with others will worsen. You we be seen as aloof and impatient.  It is a very dangerous situation.


Elder Porphyrios says,

Not only experience and genuine desire, but also wisdom, care and prudence are required if our prayer is to pure and pleasing to God.

Reference: Wounded By Love, p. 121

In Prayer What Is Meant By "Simplicity of Heart"?

Be mindful of the Lord in goodness and seek Him in simplicity of heart; for He is found with those who do not tempt Him, and appears to those who are not unfaithful to him. Wisdom 1:1 - 2

Elder Porphyrios tells a story about a converstion on prayer he had with a visiting Bishop.

He asked the Bishop, "What is meant by praying 'in simplicity of heart and artlessness?'"

The Bishop replied, "Praying with simplicity."

The elder then asked, "And do you understand what that means, your Emenince?"

He responded, "Yes I do."

The Elder then said, "Well, I don't. It is a mystery. It's something that happens only with divine grace."

The Bishop replied, "You are quite right. I don't understand either. An I'm grateful to you for reminding me that simplicity and artlessness can only be understood and achieved though divine grace."

The lesson is that true prayer cannot be gained by any external set of rules or method.  It only comes based on a humble loving relationship with God. Prayer is mystical and comes with grace.

The Elder tells us,

Simplicity and gentleness are a very saintly mode of spiritual life, but you cannot learn this in an external way. It must suffuse itself mystically within you so that your soul embraces this mode of life through the grace of God.

Reference: Wounded By Love, p 118 

What Should We Ask For In Our Prayers?

Elder Porphyrios says we should not ask in our prayer for something like "free me from illness" or "solve my problem".  What we should ask for is for His support and strength to deal with what we are given in life. It is natural for us to ask God for what we want.  But this is self centered.  Do we know what it is that God wants?


Elder Porphyrios says,

We shouldn't continue relentlessly in order to acquire what we want; rather we should leave all things to the will of God. What happens when we peruse what we want?  These always increase and we are never satisfied with what we have. The more we chase after these wants the more elusive they become. If we pray for good grades next we will ask for a good job.  Then it will be for a better job and so forth.

What should we ask for in our prayer?


The Elder says,

In our prayer we should ask only for the salvation of our soul.... The secret is to ask for your union with Christ with utter selflessness, without saying "give me this" or "give me that."... We should ask for the will of God to be done.

The enemy is our egoism.




Reference: Wounded By Love, p 117

Why are our prayers not heard?

Our prayers are not heard because we are not worthy.

Elder Porphyrios tells us that "the slightest murmuring against your neighbor affects your soul and you are unable to pray."  We must make ourselves worthy for prayer he advises us.  And our unworthiness comes from our inability to love our neighbor as ourselves.


Jesus says,

If you bring your gift to the altar and there you remember that your brother holds something against you leave your gift before the altar and go first to be reconciled with your brother and then offer your gift. Matt. 5:23 - 4

True prayer is not easy.  It is based on a close relationship with God.  It requires a self-giving to God and His will.


Elder Porphyrios says,

Those who desire and crave to belong to Christ and who abandon themselves tot he will of God become worthy.

This is the greatest spiritual challenge to give up our will and submit it to God's will.  It is a necessity to be able to keep all of His commandments.  This is the sign of our love of God.


Jesus says,

He who has my commandments and keeps them, he is the one who loves me; and he who loves me shall be loved by my Father and I will love him and will manifest myself to him. John 14:21

To be in union with God takes great effort on our part.


The Elder says,

We have to wrestle with the roaring lion.

More on Orthodox Prayer


Reference: Wounded by Love, p 116 

Through Prayer We Unite our Mind With God

To be able to have our mind continually turned towards God in love we must pray and meditate on His words. Elder Porphyrios advises that prayer is not based on our effort. It is only done with the Holy Spirit. He says, “In human prayer effort represents only a time millionth part.”

He says we need to have the proper surroundings

The reading of Scripture, the singing of psalms, the light of an oil lamp, and the fragrance of incense all create the appropriate atmosphere so that everything happens naturally, in simplicity of heart.

It is important to create a quiet place in our homes for our daily prayer. 

He advises us to pray for the divine light to shine within us to open our spiritual eyes to understand His divine words. To pray the words, “Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on us,” we need divine eros, he says.

Love is sufficient to bring us into a suitable frame of mind for prayer. Christ will come on His own and He will stoop over our soul as long as he finds certain little things which gratify Him: good intention, humility and love….

There are some preconditions for this to take place.  He advises, 

Our heart must be pure and free from all impediments. It must be devoid of hatred, egotism and malice. We must love His and He must love us…. the secret is to ask for forgiveness.

The message is always the same. Love.  Love God with all your heart and you will receive His grace.  You will have a pure heart and your mind will be suitable for prayer.  No effort will be needed.


More on Orthodox Prayer....

Reference: Wounded By Love, pp 113 - 115