Chapter 115

Can the Prayer Rule Be Shortened?

There remains with me one more question — about your prayer rule. Before you asked to finish the rule an hour earlier. Not perceiving the enemy’s deception, I agreed to this. Now the enemy has crept in with you and persuaded you that the prayer rule could be shortened further by adding handicraft to it. So your usual prayer was completely disrupted. This is not good. Make an effort to restore it as it was from the beginning.

If it is more convenient for you to finish the rule an hour earlier, then start it an hour earlier as well. Cast out handicraft entirely. Where did you find such permission? No, no... You must labor hard, not invent indulgences. This is the broad path — not good.

(Letter 528. Vol. 3, pp. 223–224)