Chapter 38
On Reciting Prayers With Little Prayers and Sobriety
38.2.1 May the mercy of God be with you!
38.3.1 Your two letters are before me—accusers of my slothfulness—I am at fault.[1] Please excuse and forgive me. In your first letter you describe how you fast. The fast is sufficient, and the spiritual fast is in order.[2] What adorns both is your care for the adopted girl and the unfortunate pious lady. May the Lord grant power to your word!
38.4.1 That you’re taking the plan for the church and bell tower from Moscow ones is very pious... From Moscow comes light to us. As you have decided regarding the reading of akathists, do it that way… But little prayers are always better. And besides the ones I’ve pointed out to you, you can gather many more yourself and choose from them the ones that suit you best. You’ll end up with a long series of prayers. Learn them by heart and use them for your prayer rule. You can distribute them into groups like this: doxological, thanksgiving, petitionary, penitential, and whatever else. Praying this way is even better… I don’t know whether you have self-will.[3] But is there anyone who doesn’t have self-will? It’s always good that you present yourself to God as one who is always repenting. And pray to God that He would give you to see tangibly what evils are in your heart... and, whatever you see, find a little prayer against it... and always insert it into your prayer rule. – It’s good that you’re learning the value and necessity of sobriety. And pray for it. Sobriety must be uninterrupted, just as prayer is unceasing. Both will take root in the soul when a feeling toward God is planted in the heart – warm and sweet and reverent, permeated with the fear of God.
38.5.1 Love of the body, indulgence of the flesh, self-indulgence, self-pity – these are different names for one and the same thing... Opposed to them is self-mortification, which begins with a certain hostility toward the body... a desire to torment it and the doing of this with a certain pleasure.[4] It’s good that you read the ‘Reminder to Nuns’ for the sisters. Your rule-writing is very good; please continue to do so; and what you have established regarding the cell-rule for nighttime prayer is commendable. May the Lord bless your labors.
38.6.1 Be sober and watchful.
38.7.1 Bishop Theophan.
38.8.1 .
38.9.1 It is May 9.