Clergy Reflection: Tuesday Of The Second Week

Tuesday of the Second Week

As we seek to improve ourselves spiritually during this holy time, it would be impossible to accomplish self-improvement without first improving our communication with God. Focused prayer can be difficult even for the Saints but the benefits far outweigh our insecurities. Here are three keys to accomplishing good and effective prayer.

First, the goal should be to descend with the mind into the heart and accomplish union with God. The mind may want to understand God but it is only the heart that finds Him.

Second, become a student of the masters, the great Church Fathers. Learn to pray as they did. Let your prayers take you on a journey through Christ’s life and see God for who He really is.

Third, learn to be silent and peaceful as much as you are prayerful. Use the Jesus Prayer or create your own variation. Here are a few examples:

† Lord Jesus Christ, help me and save me. † Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, I thank you. † My Lord and my God, have mercy on me. † O Holy Lord, bring peace into my life. † O Lord, help me to accept Your will in all things.

Fr. Christopher Stamas