Chapter 73

Unceasing Prayer—a Gift of Grace

But there is unceasing prayer, which continuously goes out to God from the heart. This is a gift of grace. Saint Macarius the Great says: “Pray and labor in prayer, and God, seeing how earnestly you desire to pray, will give you prayer”9. In the Slavic Philokalia, Elder Maximus of Kapsokalyvia speaks of himself, saying that for two years he prayed to the Mother of God that She give or obtain prayer for him. “Once,” he says, “as I, having prayed, kissed the icon of the Mother of God, suddenly a sweet flame descended into my heart and from that time it has glowed there”10. Behold a gift of prayer! Seek it yourselves and in prayer with words express that prayer, holding in mind the prayer of which Maximus speaks. Sometimes it happens that this flame descends at the time of priestly absolution at confession, sometimes at communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. By all means seek it. But keep the labor of prayer as it is, striving in every way to stir up your feeling toward God.

(Letter 516. Vol. 3, pp. 205–206)