introduction

In two different places in the Gospel of Matthew, two phrases related to prayer appear that seem to contradict each other. In the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord Jesus taught the crowds to pray “in secret,” meaning that prayer should be private, as he said, “Close your door”: so man would be in communion with the Heavenly Father alone (Matthew 6:5). But on another topic and on another occasion, the Lord Jesus taught about the necessity of republican prayer by saying: “If two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them” (Matthew 18:19).

Is there a disagreement or contradiction between these two ways of praying? Or are they only possible together? The strange thing is that one rejects the existence of the other. A person must learn how to pray alone, where he presents his needs and weaknesses before the Heavenly Father, our Lord and God, in a confidential, personal conversation. Those who are accustomed to this solitary prayer are the only ones able to come together spiritually and unite their requests for each other. Republican prayer requires solitary training first.

However, individual prayer is only possible for a group. A person is not a Christian by himself and for himself, but rather he is a member of the body or the church. Even in secret, in the “room,” the Christian prays as a member of the group of the saved, because in the church he practices reverence and devotion. Accordingly, the two methods are necessary, one of which complements the other. They are two cases that cannot be differentiated between because they are two related phenomena of one act of worship, and it is dangerous to be satisfied with one of them without the other.

Individual prayer may lead an individual to individual Sufism and isolated piety, and when some of these individuals who have not previously been trained to pray try to join others, this does not result in republican prayer, but rather a prayer intended to show off and show off. Therefore, the Church’s discipline requires every believer to prepare himself for republican prayer during his individual prayer “in the bedroom.” The individual begins to pray in his home first, then he goes to church and participates with the rest of the brothers in offering honor and praise to God and asking for their needs.

The expression “individual prayer” as people use it in our present days is wrong and misleading and may lead a person to think that prayer is a personal matter that he can dispose of as he pleases, while in fact it is a necessary prelude to republican prayer, indispensable, helping individuals to raise their supplications together “with a heart.” "One, one mouth." There is no doubt that individual prayer is not limited to preparation only, because the Christian person, even in his bedroom, must not pray for himself only, because he does not kneel before the Heavenly Father alone, and the Heavenly Father is not his Father alone, but rather the Father of all of us. He must remember that there are many others kneeling before the Heavenly Father himself at one time. He does not have the right to pray for his own needs only, but also for the needs of others. Individual prayer in itself must be comprehensive. The heart poured out before God must expand to embrace all the needs and sufferings of the human race. Only in this spirit can individuals come together as brothers and agree together on anything they ask of the Lord. On the other hand, we can say that republican prayer is also an individual duty and the responsibility of every Christian who contributes to the common life of the saved. Saint Cyprian, in his wonderful explanation of the Lord’s Prayer, previously stressed the collective advantage of all Christian prayers and worship.

Individual worship

The Orthodox Church has prepared a series of morning and evening prayers and everyone is expected to practice them. Most of these prayers are ancient and are collected in a book called “Canonicon.” This book is a rule of prayer that does not cover everything, but rather it is a simple guide supplemented by other voluntary supplications. However, the main goal is not only to repeat the law, but rather to understand the spiritual meaning.

“When you get up from sleep before the day begins, stand up devoutly before God who sees everything, then make the sign of the cross, saying: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. After you have called on the name of the Holy Trinity, remain silent for a moment so that your thoughts may be free from every global matter. Then repeat the following prayers with all your heart, without haste.” This is the introduction to morning prayer. Then the prayers that follow are refined and organized in order in order to remind the individual of some topics that he should not neglect in his daily prayers. When necessary, these prayers can be shortened.

There is a warning at the end of the morning prayer rule, the text of which is as follows: “It is best to repeat some of the prayers recorded here only with attention and contemplation. Do not repeat them all in a hurry without any groaning.” Prayer is not just repeating some established phrases, but rather it is, above all, communion with the living God. The Christian is expected and required to practice it. There is no doubt that there are levels of devotional ascension, even a ladder that gradually ascends. Here are some prayer tips addressed to secular women from a great man who lived in the nineteenth century, Bishop Theophanes (1815-1894).

He says that: Before an individual lifts up his prayer to God, he must repeat it to himself, read it and understand its meaning well, then meditate on every word in it in order to fully comprehend its meaning. This is not considered a prayer yet, but rather just a preparatory recitation. He must never deviate from it. There is order and obedience in the matter, and the individual can choose a very short prayer, but he must adhere to it completely. First, let him feel that he is in the presence of God and what it includes is not only fear and trembling, but also love and worship. The problem with prayer is attention, it is standing before God and not being distracted by worldly concerns. The words of prayer must be recited in such a way that they have an impact on the soul, and if a particular word attracts attention, one should stop and listen to it and not rush to anything else. And all this is not the first step. These prayer books are intended for beginners only. It is the beginning of worship. If we learn a language, we learn the sentences, then we leave the book for a while, and after that we start talking in it. This is how we learn to pray as well. We learn some examples first and then we start talking to God. There is no doubt that prayer books are useful and indispensable, especially for beginners. The main goal is to talk to God. Prayer is not limited to certain hours of the day, but rather every Christian must feel within himself that he is always in the presence of God. The goal of prayer is communion with God, and then the Holy Spirit begins to speak to the heart with joy and warmth. How far this is from formality and ritual fossilization. The prayer is for the new man to arise spiritually in the old Adam.

The Russian saint Seraphim Sarovsky, who lived in the last century, also stressed this in his guidance to simple laity. The only true goal of the Christian life is to acquire the Holy Spirit. Bishop Theophanes was a scholar, professor of theology, and director of a higher theological institute for two years. As for Saint Seraphim, he did not go to school and did not receive any worldly culture. Rather, he obtained all his knowledge from the Holy Books, the Church’s ritual tradition, and of course from his devotional life. They both say the same thing.

This is what Saint Seraphim said: “The true goal of Christian life is to acquire the Holy Spirit of God. Prayer, fasting, staying up late, and all other Christian actions, no matter how good they are in themselves, do not lead us to the goal of Christian life, even though they are an essential means to achieving that goal. We must begin with true faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came into the world to save sinners, then by obtaining the grace of the Spirit who brings the Kingdom of God into our hearts and facilitates the way for us to obtain the blessings of the life to come... The Holy Spirit Himself enters our souls, and His entry is the Almighty to us, and the presence of Triune glory in our soul, we give it only if we earn it with the earnestness of the Holy Spirit, who prepares in our soul and body a throne for the presence of God, the Creator of all, which resides in our soul.”

Prayer is possible everywhere and for every person, rich or poor, noble or simple, strong or weak, healthy or sick, righteous or sinful. Great is the power of prayer. Above all, it brings the Spirit of God, and it is the easiest sport to practice. It is truly in prayer that our God and Savior allows us to talk to Him. But in this hadith, we must only pray for God to send down the Holy Spirit on us with the amounts of heavenly grace known to Him. If He comes missing, then we must stop praying, because how can we ask Him: “Come and dwell in us and purify us from every defilement and save our souls, O Good One.” After He came to save us who trust in Him and call upon His holy name in truth, so that we may receive, with humility and love, the Comforter in the chamber of our souls? When the Spirit of God descends on man and overshadows him with His full abundance, the human soul is filled with inexpressible joy because the Spirit of God turns everything it touches into joy.

If we listen again to Saint Seraphim, we hear the same voice that has been echoed in ascetic and devotional literature since ancient times, the voice of Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Saint Athanasius the Great, the Fathers of the Desert, Saint Basil the Great and others, including the greatest Byzantine mystic of the eleventh century, Saint Simeon the New Theologian.

There is a tradition, but it is a living tradition, it is a continuation of a single experience. We must not forget that these devotional advice were not for lonely people in isolation, but for ordinary secular people, because seeking the Holy Spirit is possible in the world as well. Spiritual asceticism in this world does not necessarily mean external separation or isolation, but on the contrary, acquiring the spirit is a means to sanctifying all of life. There is no stagnation in this mysticism of devotion. Seeking the Spirit must be accompanied by serious work. Unemployment is a great vice and sin. However, we must not take Pelagius's teaching. Good deeds are not a path to salvation. It does not give a reward, but rather the fruits of obedience and complete surrender to God and His purposes. It is a duty, not a wage. It is a response of thanksgiving for the saving grace and mercy of the living God that was revealed to us and poured out upon us through Jesus Christ, the Lord and Savior of all.

Orthodox spirituality does not recognize any distinction on this side. It affirms the basic equality between believers and the same goal for all, monks and those living in the world, including priests and laymen: equality in personal communion with God through Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. You begin by studying the text of the established prayers and then repeating them before God, carefully examining every word. Then there must be a day when the Holy Spirit Himself descends and stops you during prayer and intercedes on your behalf “with indescribable groans.” Then you must stop talking and listen to him. The subjective purpose of individual prayer must disappear and become a transmission of the spirit. This does not mean that a person should destroy his personality, but rather that he should raise it to a higher level through full communion with God. Here is an example of a great prayer composed by Filaret Metropolitan of Moscow (1782-1876):

“Lord, I do not know what I should ask of you: you know all my true needs. And you love me more than I know how to love. Help me to see my true needs that are hidden from me. I do not dare to ask for a cross or consolation. But I can rely on you. My heart is open to you, so come to me and help me for your compassion. Hit me and heal me. Cast me down and raise me up. I silently worship Your holy will and Your unsearchable ways. I offer myself as a sacrifice to you, and I trust in you, and I have no desire except to do your will. Teach me how to pray. Pray yourself in me.”

Thus, prayer is not just pleading and supplication, as there are degrees and levels. The individual begins his prayer with supplication, intercession, and enumerating his needs and weaknesses before God. This is the beginning prayer. However, God knows our weaknesses and sorrows more than we know them, and He is always ready to help us before we ask Him. Then there is gratitude for divine love. It is a higher level that leads us in the end to ascetic praise and worship of God as we meet His splendor and glory face to face and praise Him for His greatness that is beyond words, the greatness of His love that surpasses all knowledge and all understanding. Then the human choir meets the choirs of angels who do not supplicate or thank, but rather constantly praise His eternal glory, greatness, and splendor. There is a natural progression from human supplication to vision.

Collective worship

Personal prayer is an introduction to the mystery of the Church. This mystery is revealed and simplified in the collective sacramental worship of the Church. It's a secret. It is a double mystery, the mystery of Christ, complete in head and body, the mystery of the Lord and the mystery of the community. The sacrament of thanksgiving is a true declaration of Christ, an image of his redemptive work. He puts before us, with symbolic articles and signs, the entire life of the Lord from Bethlehem to the Mount of Olives and Golgotha, along with His resurrection and ascension, and a foretaste of His second coming. The symbolic signs and various words remind us of the whole, but they are not only a memory, but an evocation, that is, they make past things current again. The two aspects of this secret must be kept together. The sacrament of thanksgiving is the greatest Christian witness. It is a testimony of Christian communion between the redeemed and the redeemed community. As long as the mystery is completed, the Church of Christ bears witness to its Lord and Teacher. But then he changed the purely human testimony much. Come and see. Whoever comes with an open heart and strong faith will be able to see and touch the Lord Himself, and He is ever present and residing in His blessed mysteries, present, visible, and tangible - visible, of course, with spiritual insight. The statement of transubstantiation is not only a theological theory or interpretation, but rather the opposite: it is direct testimony, eye-witness testimony of spiritual insight. The Lord’s coming is not limited to the elements that are sanctified and become truly impossible.

Christ Himself is personally present as the sole servant of the mystery as the one and eternal High Priest of the New Testament. The secret of gratitude is not what we do and offer, but rather it is, above all, what God does for us. It is Christ who comes to the believer. The sacrament of thanksgiving is essentially the secret supper extended and completed. This basic application is confirmed by the entire ministry in the Eastern Church, and St. John Chrysostom clearly stated this in his preaching. There is no repetition and repetition is not possible. The secret of thanksgiving is the same, but it is always reciprocal, because Christ’s sacrifice is all-inclusive. Participation precisely means participating in the Mystical Supper itself, that is, taking us to the upper room where the Mystery was first established and given by the Savior Himself. We return to His presence. The secret is always the same, just as the sacrifice is the same, the table is always the same. A lamb is not sacrificed today and another yesterday, not one here and another there, but rather it is always and in every place, the Lamb of God Himself who bears the sins of the world, the Lord Jesus Himself. Christ is present as priest and victim. Christ himself establishes the sacrament and offers himself, his precious body and blood for its members, as the food of redemption and eternal life. The church has no choice but to accept the gift. However, the Church is not the only one who is passive even in accepting the offer of redemption, for Christ is not in the secret separate from his body. This is the mystery of the Church. Christ dwells in believers, and by faith they dwell in Him. The Church completes the service of redemption, or rather, Christ completes it through and in the Church. Christians were called to follow him. They should follow in his footsteps.

This is not only a moral commandment. It involves an ontological conjunction between the organs and the head. As a sacrament of the Church, the Eucharist is the fulfillment of the Church. The Church is real to the extent that it is gathered in the Master, when all its members are truly included in His body and His rising life, when they are nourished by the one spiritual food and filled with the Spirit from the rising life itself. The unity of the Church is constituted only by the unity of the Spirit, and faith is only a vessel of grace. We are one body because we share the one bread of life, the one heavenly food. Thus the Church is the growing fullness of Christ. It thrives on secrets. This means that the unity of the church is God’s gift and not a human work or human achievement.

However, it includes and requires an active contribution and response from the beneficiary. As a sacred service, the Eucharist is an act of shared worship, a real agreement between many to stay and pray together. The word “liturgy” itself means precisely a joint action. It is an action, not just a word. It is worth noting here that all prayers of thanks are placed in the plural. The conversion prayer itself is recited by the priest in the plural form because he offers prayers in the name of and for all believers. The priest does not conduct the service in his name, but in the name of the people, just as the offerings are presented and placed on the table for the Transmission in the name of the people. Of course, the priest alone is given the authority to offer common worship or to speak on behalf of everyone. This authority was given to him not by the people, but by Christ himself, the true servant of all the mysteries.

The servant does not represent the sect only, but rather Christ. Above all, he is the true servant of the people through human mediation. The servant acts not only as a representative of the Church, but above all as a representative of Christ. Authority was given to the servant not by the sect, but for the sect, as one of the many gifts of the Spirit. In the name of the whole Church, the priest says: We ask. This “we” in liturgical prayer has two meanings: First, it symbolizes the unity of the gathered Church, the undivided Christian communion that exists among all those who pray. “You have now granted us to offer you worship by agreement…” (Prayer by John Chrysostom) This agreement is not merely a combination of a special and isolated prayer. True agreement imposes conformity between those who meet and agree. One must pray not as a discreet individual but precisely as a member of the body, in secret communion in Christ. The prayer of sanctification is preceded in the Eastern rite by an invitation: “Let us love one another, so that with one resolve we may acknowledge and acknowledge the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, a Trinity of equal essence and inseparable.” Christian love is the only means of spiritual harmony, so that people can have one resolve. Only with the harmony of our minds do we approach and recognize the greatest mystery of divine unity: three persons and one God, one perfect being. The mystery of the Trinity is precisely the mystery of complete unity for many. This mystery is reflected on the human level.

The Church as a harmonious community among many is the only image of divine unity. The Church founded by Christ is the new face of human life, its “universal” face that opposes all selfish and fragmented individualism. Love in Christ alone qualifies people to offer their offerings in a worthy and truthful manner. Not only because the lack of peace and love is personal bankruptcy, but because we, the whole people, must be one. In the words of Saint Cyprian: “If we pray, we do not pray for one person, but for the whole people, because we, the whole people, are one” (On the Lord’s Prayer: 3). On the other hand, the ritual plural form, the ritual “we,” has a deeper meaning. It refers to the catholic fullness and unity of the Church. Because every divine service is held in partnership with the universal Church and in the name of the entire Church.

Spiritually, in every service, the entire church contributes in an invisible but effective way: “Now the powers of heaven are serving with us in an invisible way.” The church on earth chants the glorious hymn of the Seraphim. We repeat these allegiances because the angelic church and the human church have become one in Christ Jesus. Likewise, there is no division between the living and the dead, because the power of death has been trodden down and death itself has been abolished by the glorious resurrection of the Lord, and the Lord is the head of his body. There is no final separation between heaven and earth after Christ. This is the new spiritual atmosphere in the church. “And if we stand in the temple of your glory, we think that we are standing in heaven... because you brought heaven down to earth with your amazing condescension.” With the unity of the body of Christ, death lost its ability to divide.

The departed are commemorated at every service. It is not just a memory, not just a testimony of our human affection and love, but an insightful look into the secret fellowship of believers, living and departing in Christ our common risen Lord. In this sense, thanksgiving is the mystery of the Church, or rather the complete mystery of Christ. In the sacrament of thanksgiving, the Church becomes aware of her final unity and tastes in advance her final perfection in the age to come. The sacrament of thanksgiving is not an expression of our human fellowship and our human brotherhood, but it is, above all, an expression of the mystery of divine redemption. It is, above all, an image of divine workmanship. It is the mystery of Christ that redeems and unites all, and transcends the boundaries of time, place, age, and race. The sacrament of thanksgiving was performed only so that we could witness and live that complete unity that was initiated and inaugurated by the risen incarnate Lord. We pray in the name of all humanity, all those who were called and responded to the call. We pray as a church. The whole Church prays with us and in us. So, the fullness of life is mentioned in the prayer of thanks. The fullness of human existence is presented and dedicated to God in Christ. God's entire providence is remembered and acknowledged with spiritual thanksgiving.

Thus, the prayer of sanctification is framed by the story of salvation. We bear witness to God's redemptive purposes and chart them through all the stages of their gradual realization recorded in the sacred history of the Torah.

We also say that ritual remembrance has a universal character and horizons. It includes the entire world, the kingdom of the entire creation: “We offer you this verbal worship for the sake of the entire inhabited earth and for the sake of the holy, universal and apostolic Church.” The prayer is completed and the name of the one for whom it was offered is mentioned, and the name means personality.

Thus, the mention of the members of the Church by their names in the offering of the sacrament of thanksgiving indicates that each person has his place in the completion of the body. We ask God to help our weak portfolio. “As for those whom we did not mention due to our forgetfulness or ignorance of them and the large number of names, remember them, O God, who knows the age and name of each one” (Basil’s Mass). And so once again the whole people prays for testimony: God worked first to save the fallen race. “You brought us out of nothingness into existence, and you continued to create everything until you took us up to heaven and granted us your future kingdom.” The secret of thanksgiving is above all an educational certificate and thus an acknowledgment of God's grace. The entire ritual is directed towards God... The story of redemption is not yet complete and Christians still live in expectation. The secret of salvation will be completed in the coming age. However, the Church is a sign of this coming perfection, and she prays for this perfection. “And just as this broken bread was scattered on the mountains, and after it was gathered together it became one, so let your whole church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into your kingdom” (Teaching of the Apostles 9:4).

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Father George Florevsky
This book was printed in June 1982
Al Noor Press
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