Chapter 54

Never Approach God Carelessly

When circumstances do not allow you to perform your prayer rule in full, perform it in abbreviated form. But you should never hurry. God is everywhere. Say thanks to Him in the morning and ask His blessing in your own words, make a few prostrations—and that is enough! Never approach God carelessly. Always do so with great reverence. He needs neither our prostrations nor our many words. A short and powerful cry from the heart—that is what reaches Him! And this can be done while going about your business. And consequently, you can pray unceasingly. Care about this and direct everything toward it.

Saint Epiphanius was asked: ‘How should we keep the canonical hours?’ Hours?! There are no special hours for prayer: it must be at all hours and all moments. Saint Basil the Great was asked: ‘How do we pray unceasingly?’ He answered: ‘Hold a prayerful disposition in your heart, and you will pray unceasingly. Work with your hands, but lift your mind to God.’ The apostles went throughout the whole earth—how much labor! And meanwhile they prayed unceasingly. And they wrote this commandment. It is the spirit of faith, hope, and surrender to God’s will—this is what you must kindle in the heart.

(Letter 250. Issue 2, p. 78–79)