Chapter 5

On the Prayer Rule and Its Fruits

^5.2.1 The mercy of God be with you!

^5.3.1 I’m writing to you only to say that I don’t have time to write properly. A pile of tasks... and my head is often heavy. For the ailment you wrote about in your last letter, a good remedy is to push yourself out of bed.

^5.4.1 You want a rule. I wrote to you—take the little prayers of Saint Chrysostom—the twenty-four. If that’s not enough, add verses from ‘Have mercy on me, O God...’ from the beginning up to ‘...Restore to me the joy of your salvation...’ That’s another twelve or thirteen. From the litany of supplication compose little prayers – six... ‘Perfect the day... An angel of peace...’ – You can compose them yourself... – The publican’s cry: God, be merciful to me a sinner. – The cry on the boat: Lord, save us, we are perishing!

^5.5.1 Gather thirty, forty, fifty of them... Repeat them ten times each... and this will be your rule – morning and evening.

^5.6.1 As you say the little prayers, go deep into the meaning, applying it to yourself... The first fruit... you won’t notice how the time passes.

^5.7.1 And you’ll see the other fruits later. Your little prayers, which you wrote out, are very good, but they’re long. You can insert them between the short ones... but it’s not obligatory, and only when they come. But the main thing is: turn to the Saviour with every spiritual need. Stir up your faith that He is near and hears... And tell Him your need... Do this more often... and it will come.

^5.8.1 If you find it convenient, go more often to the house of God. Nowhere does the spirit of prayer open up so much as in churches, when you remain in them attentively and reverently. If you do this, you’ll soon see fruit... though not after the first or second visit to church... You’ll need to give it months... and show perseverance and patience in this labor. But here too I’ll add – don’t bind yourself. – But if you do bind yourself by something, hold to it: for that’s what determines whether such sowing will bear fruit.

^5.9.1 When you decide to make your way to the skete, visit there – in the guesthouse there’s an eldress who is very learned, but most importantly – familiar with the science of God... You can talk over everything with her... better than with anyone else.

^5.10.1 But what an Hour![1]

^5.11.1 Be saved!

^5.12.1 I congratulate you on your new position!

^5.13.1 The Lord bless you!

^5.14.1 Pray, and the Lord will not abandon you.

^5.15.1 Your devoted servant, Bishop Theophan.

^5.16.1 February 20, 1889