For questions about personal prayer rule Christian, answers the rector of the Holy Trinity Cathedral of Saratov, hegumen Pakhomiy (Bruskov)
Prayer is the free appeal of the human soul to God. How to correlate this freedom with the obligation to read the rule even when you clearly do not want to do this?
Freedom is not permissiveness. A person is so arranged that if he allows himself an indulgence, it can be very difficult to return to the previous state. There are many examples in hagiographic literature when ascetics abandoned their prayer rule in order to show love to the brothers who came. Thus, they put the commandment of love above their own. prayer rule. But it should be remembered that these people reached extraordinary heights of spiritual life, they were unceasingly in prayer. When we feel that we do not want to pray, this is a banal temptation, not a manifestation of freedom.
The rule keeps a person in a spiritually developed state; it should not depend on a momentary mood. If a person leaves the prayer rule, he very quickly comes to relaxation.
In addition, it should be remembered that when a person communicates with God, an enemy of our salvation always strives to stand between them. And not allowing him to do this is not a restriction on the freedom of the individual.
At what point in time should you read the morning and evening rule?
This is clearly and clearly stated in any Orthodox prayer book: "Awakening from sleep, before any other work, stand reverently before the All-Seeing God and, making the sign of the cross, say ...". In addition, the very meaning of prayers tells us that morning prayers are read at the very beginning of the day, when a person’s mind is not yet occupied with any thoughts. BUT evening prayers should be read for a dream to come, after all sorts of things. In these prayers, sleep is compared with death, the bed with a deathbed. And it is strange, after talking about death, to go to watch TV or communicate with relatives.
Any prayer rule is based on the experience of the Church, to which we must listen. These rules do not violate human freedom, but help to get the maximum spiritual benefit. Of course, there can be exceptions to any rule based on some unforeseen circumstances.
What else, besides morning and evening prayers, can be included in the prayer rule of a layman?
The rule of a layman may include quite a variety of prayers and rites. It can be various canons, akathists, reading Holy Scripture or the Psalms, prostrations, the Jesus Prayer. In addition, the rule should include a brief or more detailed commemoration of the health and repose of loved ones. In monastic practice, there is a custom to include in the rule the reading of patristic literature. But before you add something to your prayer rule, you need to think carefully, consult with the priest, evaluate your strengths. After all, the rule is read regardless of mood, fatigue, other heart movements. And if a person has promised something to God, it must be fulfilled. The Holy Fathers say: let the rule be small, but constant. At the same time, you need to pray with all your heart.
Can a person himself, without blessing, begin to read the canons, akathists in addition to the prayer rule?
Of course it can. But if he did not just read a prayer according to the aspiration of his heart, but thereby increases his constant prayer rule, it is better to ask a blessing from the confessor. A priest with a glance from the outside will assess his condition correctly: whether such an increase will be beneficial to him. If a Christian regularly goes to confession, watches over his inner life, such a change in his rule will, in one way or another, be reflected in his spiritual life.
But this is possible when a person has a confessor. If there is no confessor, and he himself decided to add something to his rule, it is still better to consult at the next confession.
On days when the service lasts all night and Christians do not sleep, is it necessary to read evening and morning prayers?
We do not tie the morning and evening rule to a specific time. However, it would be wrong to read evening prayers in the morning, and morning prayers in the evening. We should not be hypocritical about the rule and read it at all costs, ignoring the meaning of the prayers. If you are not going to sleep, why ask God's blessing to sleep? You can replace the morning or evening rule with other prayers or reading the Gospel.
Is it possible for a woman to read a prayer rule with her head uncovered at home?
- I think that it is better for a woman to make a prayer rule in a headscarf. This brings up humility in her and shows her obedience to the Church. Indeed, from the Holy Scriptures we learn that the wife covers her head not for those around her, but for the Angels (1 Cor. 11:10). This is a matter of personal piety. Of course, God does not care whether you stand up for prayer with or without a headscarf, but this is important for you.
How are the canons and the following to Holy Communion read: on the same day the day before, or can their reading be divided over several days?
- It is impossible to approach the fulfillment of the prayer rule formally. A person must build his relationship with God himself, based on prayer preparation, health, free time, and the practice of communicating with a confessor.
Today, a tradition has developed in preparation for Communion to read three canons: to the Lord, the Mother of God and the Guardian Angel, an akathist to the Savior or the Mother of God, the following to Holy Communion. I think it's best to read the whole rule on the same day before Communion. But if it's hard, you can spread it over three days.
Often friends and acquaintances ask how to prepare for Communion, how to read the Psalter? What should they say to us laymen?
- You need to answer what you know for sure. You can not take responsibility for something strictly obligatory to prescribe to another or say something that you are not sure of. When answering, you need to be guided by a common tradition church life today. If not personal experience, you need to resort to the experience of the Church, the holy fathers. And if you were asked a question, the answer to which you do not know, you should be advised to turn to a priest or patristic creations.
I read the translation of some prayers into Russian. It turns out that I used to put a completely different meaning into them. Is it necessary to strive for a common understanding, to read translations, or can one understand prayers as the heart tells?
Prayers should be understood as they are written. An analogy can be drawn with conventional literature. We read the work, we understand it in our own way. But it is always interesting to know what meaning the author himself put into this work. Also the text of the prayer. The author put a special meaning into each of them. After all, we do not read a conspiracy, but turn to God with a certain petition or doxology. One can recall the words of the Apostle Paul that it is better to say five words in an understandable dialect than a thousand in an incomprehensible one (1 Cor. 14:19). In addition, the authors of most Orthodox prayers are holy ascetics glorified by the Church.
How to relate to modern prayers? Is it possible to read everything that is written in the prayer books, or do you prefer the more ancient ones?
- Personally, I am more touched by the words of more ancient canons, stichera. They seem deeper and more penetrating to me. But many people also like modern akathists for their simplicity.
If the Church has accepted prayers, you need to treat them with reverence, reverence and try to find some benefit for yourself. But understand that some modern prayers not so much in content. High Quality like prayers composed by ancient ascetics.
When a person writes a prayer for public use, he must understand what responsibility he takes on. He must have experience in prayer, but also be well educated. All texts that are offered by modern prayer creators must be edited and undergo a strict selection.
What is more important - to finish reading the rule at home or to come to work on time?
- Go to work. If a person has gathered in a temple, then in the first place should be public prayer. Although the fathers compared public and domestic prayer with the two wings of a bird. Just as a bird cannot fly with one wing, so can a man. If he does not pray at home, but only goes to the temple, then, most likely, prayer will not go with him in the temple either. After all, he has no experience of personal communion with God. If a person prays only at home, but does not go to church, it means that he does not have an understanding of what the Church is. And without the Church there is no salvation.
How can a layman replace service at home if necessary?
Today, a large number of liturgical literature and various prayer books are published. If a layman cannot be present at the service, he can read both the morning and evening service, and lunch.
Is it possible to read the rule while sitting?
The Apostle Paul writes: "Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial" (1 Cor. 6:12). Tired or sick - you can sit down in the Church, while reading house rule. But you should understand what you are guided by: pain that prevents you from praying, or laziness. If the alternative to reading a prayer while sitting is its complete absence, of course, it is better to read sitting. If a person is seriously ill, you can even lie down. But if he is just tired or laziness fights him, you need to overcome yourself and get up. During worship, the Charter regulates when you can stand or sit. For example, we listen to the reading of the Gospel, akathists while standing, and while reading kathismas, sedals, and teachings, we sit down.
Hello!
According to paragraph 3 of Article 1 federal law dated July 25, 2002 No. 114-FZ "On countering extremist activity":
3) extremist materials - documents intended for publication or information on other media, calling for the implementation of extremist activities or substantiating or justifying the need for such activities, including the writings of the leaders of the National Socialist Workers' Party of Germany, Fascist Party of Italy, publications substantiating or justifying national and (or) racial superiority or justifying the practice of committing war or other crimes aimed at the complete or partial destruction of any ethnic, social, racial, national or religious group;
Those. this article of the law provides indicative criteria for classifying the book "My Struggle" as extremist materials, and according to Article 13 of this Law:
Within the territory of Russian Federation distribution of extremist materials, as well as their production or storage for distribution purposes is prohibited. In cases stipulated by the legislation of the Russian Federation, the production, storage or distribution of extremist materials is an offense and entails liability.
Informational materials are recognized as extremist by a federal court at the place of their discovery, distribution, or the location of the organization that produced such materials, on the basis of a prosecutor’s application or in the course of proceedings in a relevant case on administrative offense, civil, administrative or criminal case.
Simultaneously with the decision to recognize information materials as extremist the court decides about their confiscation.
A copy of the decision that has entered into force on the recognition of information materials as extremist is sent by the court within three days to the federal body state registration.
The federal state registration authority, on the basis of a court decision on recognizing information materials as extremist, enters them into the federal list of extremist materials within thirty days.
The procedure for maintaining the federal list of extremist materials is established by the federal body of state registration.
federal list extremist materials shall be posted on the information and telecommunications network "Internet" on the official website of the federal body of state registration. This list is also subject to publication in the media. mass media according to established order.
Those. Only the court decides. As long as the court does not recognize My Struggle as extremist material, this book will not be banned on the territory of the Russian Federation.
Number of entries: 775
Oleg
Oleg, the very word "akathist" means a hymn that is performed while standing. If it’s hard to stand, then at least kneeling. Sitting down to read an akathist is somehow completely indecent. Although, when we are a hundred years old, the Lord, I think, looking at our decrepit weakness, will forgive this too - if only we would pray.
hegumen Nikon (Golovko)
Thank God for everything! Sinful and accursed, I rush about in life from my actions and thoughts. I'm trying to fulfill the Theotokos Rule. Is it possible to read five-number prayers after it without the blessing of a confessor or priest, or how to get it? Save you Lord!
Boris
Boris, without the blessing of the confessor, one cannot impose on oneself the fulfillment of the prayer rule, except for the performance of morning and evening prayers. You can ask for blessings at confession in the temple, and it is better from a priest who already knows you. In the same place, one must seek God's help, so as not to "rush about from deeds and thoughts." Help the Lord.
Priest Sergiy Osipov
Good afternoon! We have a difficult situation - my husband's business collapsed, partners turned away, contracts fell through. He is constantly trying to establish contacts, to improve his business, but how cut off. There are no sources of income. It hurts my heart to look at him! I have a problem getting a job, even though I have 2 higher education, appearance is good. I sent a lot of resumes, some refusals, I don’t understand why. We are in despair. Tell me, please, what should we do? To whom to pray? What to read? Thanks in advance for your reply!
Darya
Daria, why did you turn to prayer when it became bad? After all, we must pray constantly. And besides, very believing people also have temptations, people who pray constantly - such is life, such is our world. But through temptations we come to know the will of God, and praying for God so that He would quickly give us back what we have lost is wrong. Real Christians understand that life with God does not have to be such that you will have everything, on the contrary! See what the Savior was like during His earthly life? In fact, a poor person who has nothing, up to complete poverty. What about His disciples? The same. Poor fishermen, very simple and humble people. And those Christians who later followed Christ in all ages—didn't they consciously give away all their possessions? Did they not deliberately live in poverty, clearly understanding that real life waiting for them ahead, beyond the limits of this earthly life?! Yes, that's how they lived. Living with God, Daria, is not easy, it is a lot of work and patience. Therefore, you also try to pray to God not only when He visits you with grief, so that you think again and again about the frailty of this life, but also for every day and hour. Do not forget Him in prayer, do not forget the Most Holy Theotokos, St. Nicholas and all those saints whom you especially love and revere, who have helped you more than once. And may God give you everything you need for life: will it be wealth - so be it, will it be poverty - and we will bear it with gratitude, since it is given to us for the good. The Lord does not want the sinner to die, but wants him to turn and die a righteous man. And therefore it often happens that He delivers us from everything harmful to our souls, everything that we acquired and clung to in that life when we lived without Him, as if saying to us: “If you ask me in your prayers so that I save you, then be patient, I will save you!" Humble yourself with the Providence of God and seek the salvation of your soul, and you will have everything you need for life.
hegumen Nikon (Golovko)
Hello. Moved to another city and decided to start new life but the circumstances are stronger? and nothing works. I go to church constantly, thank you and ask for help, but everything goes wrong. Is it worth it to fight, or do you need to accept and calm down? It's just that when I started all this, it seemed to me that the Lord was on my side, but now it seems to me that everyone has turned their backs on me. I often have breakdowns and bouts of anger, and I ask for one thing: give me the strength to accept everything that happens, but I can’t. I didn’t do anything bad to anyone, at least on purpose, I learned to forgive envious people, and those who hurt me, but life doesn’t add up. I will soon be 23 years old, and I have not even met anyone, and I have already completely despaired of finding my own. woman's happiness. What if I can’t come to terms with it and still hope for the best?
Ekaterina
Ekaterina, you need to strive for good. You can't give up, you can't despair. God is testing you, testing your patience, your determination. The Holy Fathers say: you need to wait a bit until God arranges everything, do not rush Him. It happens that we fight, fight, - and nothing, but as soon as we humble ourselves, it itself comes to us, and even better than we expected. You demand from God - but this is not possible. We pray, we ask, and we wait, and we hope. God gives us in life what is useful to us, if it is to our detriment, He does not give us. Read the prayer of the Optina elders - it is very good. You humble yourself, calm down, but do not leave the prayer. As the Gospel says, "Ask and you will receive; knock and it will be opened to you." Ekaterina, I think God will hear you - will give you female happiness. He will send you a groom, give you the opportunity to find a family. The main thing is to believe that in due time everything will be, and I think it will definitely be!
Hieromonk Viktorin (Aseev)
Hello. Tell me, please, is it possible to read the morning and evening prayers, sitting at the table or on your knees, leaning on the bed? Is it necessary to stand?
Natalia
Natalia: You can, of course. If you are tired, feel bad, but do not leave your prayers, the Lord will especially reward you. Strengthen you Lord.
Priest Sergiy Osipov
Hello! I recently downloaded a prayer book with morning and evening rules to my smartphone - a very convenient interface, automatic switching of rules depending on the time of day. Is there something reprehensible in reading prayers from the phone screen?
Dmitry
Dmitry, there is no difference whether you read from a sheet or from a screen. Help the Lord.
Priest Sergiy Osipov
Good evening. I have Small child(2 years old), for Last year with a little we were in the hospital at the hospital 10 times, currently the baby is in intensive care. I cannot say that my child is sick, but every month we get so sick that we cannot do without a hospital. Reaction to vaccination, surgery, unexplained seizures - these are our diagnoses. I feel that the whole thing is not in the state of his health. The child is baptized. I have the impression that he was either jinxed, or cursed, or something like that ... I ordered a magpie for health in three churches, went to the icon of Panteleimon the Healer in our church, now I again ordered a magpie for health. I want to ask - what can be done to protect my baby from any intrigues of human beings from the outside? From envy, from hatred? And further. The fact is that the child was born out of wedlock, his father is married to another woman, and he initially did not want the birth of my baby. There were many curses against me and against the child. I ask for help and advice from you.
Oksana
Dear Oksana, I cannot determine the cause of your child’s illness in absentia, but I can advise, in addition to mandatory medical treatment, regular communion of the Saints Mysteries of Christ, joint daily prayer with the child, daily fasting use of holy water and prosphora. Ordering magpies is, of course, good, but your personal prayer and teaching your child to pray is much more important. As for the evil eye and other things, just get it out of your head, demons cannot harm a believer, and one person cannot do such harm to another at all. All this is superstition!
Archpriest Andrey Efanov
Please tell me how to read prayers correctly if I want to add a prayer to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Feodorovskaya Mother of God, the Mother of God "Seven-shot", Matrona, Peter and Fevronia and canons and akathists to the morning and evening prayers. In what sequence should prayers take place, and before morning and evening or after?
Darya
Daria, in the morning morning prayers are always read first, then according to the hierarchy: prayers, canons, akathists, etc. to the Savior, then Mother of God, then to the saints in this order: great martyrs, martyrs, reverend, blessed, righteous). In your case, first to Peter and Fevronia, then to Matrona. But it seems to me that you have imposed a lot of obligations on yourself, perhaps to alternate: one day is canons, another day is akathist, the third day is prayer to the Savior, the Mother of God and the Saints? I think it will be easier for you. In the evening, evening prayers are always read last at the end.
Hieromonk Viktorin (Aseev)
Hello, father! I'm going to change jobs soon. Tell me, please, which saint should I pray for everything to turn out well in a new place? Thanks in advance for your reply.
Elena
Elena, pray to the one whom you love and respect the most, who has already helped you many times. But do not forget in your prayers both the Most Holy Theotokos and the Savior Himself. Be sure to pray to them.
hegumen Nikon (Golovko)
Hello, father! Help me please! A month ago, I found a Russian site where you could leave notes and requests to all the saints: Nicholas the Wonderworker, Seraphim of Sarafsky, Matrona of Moscow. Unfortunately, I have lost this site. Maybe you know a similar official site, please write to me on my email. Thank you in advance! God bless you!
Ludmila
Dear Lyudmila, of those sites where you can submit notes, I can definitely name "Commemoration": http://pominovenie-iv.narod.ru/ and "Church of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious in Vladimir": http://stgeorgy.ru / , since they were created with my participation and I personally know priests who pray according to notes, and project administrators. Maybe the site administration will tell you other projects.
Archpriest Andrey Efanov
Good evening! I have such a problem: I meet a guy, everything is fine, but I constantly have a feeling of resentment towards him. The fact is that he told me six months ago that he did not know if he had feelings for me, that he needed to think. And then he even offered to leave. Then, after some time, he met a girl, began to communicate with her, walk, and even visit places that are known only to him and me (nature). But then he somehow stopped communicating with her and again came to put up with me, saying that he felt bad without me, that he needed me. I decided to forgive him, it was in September. But forgiveness didn't work. I constantly remember this, I am unpleasantly terribly, it seems that this can happen again. How can you get rid of this resentment? What kind of prayers?
Irina
Irina, sometimes, in order to understand that someone is dear to you, you must first lose touch with this person. Read the gospel parable about prodigal son(The Gospel of Luke, ch. 15, pp. 11-32), it is shown there - the son left the family and only realized in a foreign land how much he loves his father. Try to forgive and give to your young man second chance.
Deacon Elijah Kokin
Hello, father! When I was still in primary school, my vocal coach invited me to Sunday school. I went, I really liked it. My parents were happy about this. Under communism, they did not go to church, but now they try to adhere to all the rules. I am taught the same. But in the last six months, a terrible despondency has come over me. I don't want to go to church. Reading prayers does not give me the former pleasure. I was disappointed in many ways. I've lost my sense. I just live. Previously, only the thought of God inspired me. I was truly happy. I don't understand what is happening to me. Thanks for the advice.
Natalia, 17 years old
Dear Natasha, believe me, this is normal and natural - from time to time we experience crises. There are two ways out of these states - to break into a steep peak or come to a new, deeper awareness of your life. Such crises help us shed the outdated skin of illusions and take one more step closer to the Truth. I would advise you to communicate more with wise and experienced people who inspire confidence in you and talk about what worries you. It would also be great if you tried to take part in the volunteer movement, if you would help people as much as possible (sick children, the elderly, the disabled, etc.). When you see the grateful eyes of people to whom your work has brought relief, you begin to feel that everything that happens has a meaning. God bless you, Natasha. Do not despair! And write to us again.
Deacon Elijah Kokin
Hello. I am worried about a dream that I had in the morning. In my sleep, I spit out my teeth. The dream books say that this is a serious illness of relatives or the one who had a dream. I am a very religious person and I know that dreams are from the evil one. Tell me, please, how to cope with psychologically not thinking about the bad? What are the prayers that need to be read? I go to the Temple regularly on Sundays for services. Thank you in advance.
Julia
Julia, for starters, throw away your dream book. You can’t believe dreams, you say that you are a believer, but you believe this nonsense - you, apparently, are used to considering dreams and interpreting them. There are no special prayers, read "Our Father". Confess. Are you afraid of something? Accept everything in life as from the hand of God, as it is written in the prayer of the Optina Elders - by the way, it’s good to read it too, it calms inner unrest.
Hieromonk Viktorin (Aseev)
Can a father baptize a child without godparents? And what words to say during confession? I know that fasting, praying is necessary. I'm sorry, but I feel embarrassed, as if I said the wrong thing.
Alyona
The godfather is the recipient (from the holy font) of the baby. He is responsible before God for the spiritual growth of the baby, prays for him. You can baptize with one godfather, for boys it must be Godfather, and for girls - the godmother. We confess not according to a formula, but according to the inclination of the heart. Confession is repentance for one's sins in order to be cleansed of them and be reconciled with God. Name your sins at confession - what your soul hurts about, what you have done wrong in life, what may be tormenting you.
Hieromonk Viktorin (Aseev)
Hello! Tell me how to pray for God to answer me?
Sergei
They don't say that in the church: "God answered me." The correct word is "heard". If you want God to hear you, you must also hear God, understand what He wants from us. We must obey the commandments of God. "Whoever does the will of God and fulfills His commandments, God hears him" and fulfills our petitions, and if we do not fulfill, then God may not hear us when we ask him for something. We must be firm in prayer, have patience, because our petition may not be fulfilled for a long time, or it may be immediately fulfilled - depending on what we ask, how we ask, and whether it is the will of God.
Hieromonk Viktorin (Aseev)
Hello! I started to go to church recently - a year ago. I try to read, watch programs on the "Union", I read the Bible, evening prayers (morning prayers do not work yet, because there are three small children). We rarely go to church, I read the Children's Bible, I taught the children to pray "Our Father". But I feel that somehow everything is dry, without feelings. Children, like a verse, will rattle prayers. And I myself read, because "it is necessary." I am at Communion. Married with her husband. They went to the relics, kissed - but for what, I don’t understand, I ask the Lord to give both faith and love. Maybe I'm doing it wrong? Or no feelings to wait? Please tell me.
Ekaterina
Ekaterina, the fact that you go to church, take communion is already good. Not all at once, gradually. When you pray or go to church, pay close attention to the words of the prayer and take your time. And so - everything is fine, you are doing the right thing, everything will come with time.
Hieromonk Viktorin (Aseev)
Hello, thank you for your answer to my question. Today I want to ask you this: the Holy Fathers say that everything in life happens according to God's permission, including sorrow (either for our past sins, or for our spiritual growth). I am church-going, I regularly participate in the Sacraments, but I am completely lost when some kind of sorrow happens in my life. I fall into despondency and cannot understand in any way what in a particular case God wants to tell me through this grief. For example, close native person betrayed, turned away - why, for what - without explanation. Naturally, I have resentment, bewilderment, in a word - SORRY. I begin to reproach him, to blame, to feel sorry for myself, to cry about the life ruined with him. At such moments I am blinded by my passions. I am at a loss: the Lord wants peace and love for his children, how can He allow us to offend and be offended? I asked the Lord to teach me humility, patience. Prayed for this virtue and St. Seraphim of Sarovsky, knowing that I don’t have her. Does this mean that my neighbor's hardened heart, his betrayal, alienation IS ALLOWED BY GOD FOR MY BENEFITS? How should I treat my neighbor, whose pride is like a wall between us, how should I treat my neighbor who avoids me - do not pay attention? How to preserve peace of mind in such a situation, especially during the days of fasting before Communion? Help me understand how to see what God's will is for me in a particular situation? I will also add: I constantly pray to the Lord, the Mother of God for peace in the family, I read the Psalter, the Gospel for loved ones, I ordered a prayer service for the multiplication of love, Sorokousty, but nothing changes, but rather the opposite. How can I understand this? What else can I do so that the Lord hears me??? Save me, God!
Valentine
You misunderstand; something is done by the will of God, something by permission. Read Orthodox literature more and more carefully. God does not want bodily happiness for us in our life, although we do not reject it and we all desire it. We so often seek happiness and do not find it, because true happiness is not here, but in the kingdom of God. There is no real happiness here: "In the world you will have sorrow, but take heart, I have conquered the world." Psalmist David says: "The life of a man is 70, if he is able to 80 years, and multiplying their pain and disease." God wants to save us, but how can we be saved when we are all sinners and subject to death? Not wanting our death, He does not allow, but sends us sorrows and illnesses: "Whom I love, I will punish." Saints say: to be happy, you have to work hard, pray a lot and do good deeds. When the Holy Spirit instills in a person, he has peace in his soul, bliss. You ask God for humility and patience, so He sends you every reproach. Believe God does not want bad man. Acquire peace in your soul, look deeper into yourself more. When we pray, ask God for something, He may not fulfill our petition, or he may hesitate, testing us in firmness. Do not rush God, pray with a humble heart, what you pray is already an achievement. Don't leave your prayer. God will see your zeal, firmness, humility and, I think, will not leave your prayer without attention.
Hieromonk Viktorin (Aseev)
What causes mental fatigue? Can a soul be empty?
Why can't it? If there is no prayer, it will be both empty and tired. The Holy Fathers do the following. The man is tired, he has no strength to pray, he says to himself: “Maybe your fatigue is from demons”, gets up and prays. And the man has strength. So the Lord did. In order for the soul not to be empty and to have strength, one must accustom oneself to the Jesus Prayer - "Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner (or a sinner)".
How to spend a day like God?
In the morning, when we are still resting, they are already standing near our bed - with right side An angel, and a demon on the left. They are waiting for whom we will begin to serve on this day. And this is how you start the day. When you wake up, immediately protect yourself sign of the cross and jump out of bed so that laziness remains under the covers, and we find ourselves in a holy corner. Then do three bow to the ground and turn to the Lord with these words: "Lord, I thank You for the past night, bless me for the coming day, bless me and bless this day, and help me spend it in prayer, in good deeds, and save me from all enemies visible and invisible ". And then we begin to read the Jesus Prayer. Having washed and dressed, we will stand in a holy corner, collect our thoughts, concentrate so that nothing distracts us and begin morning prayers. Having finished them, let's read a chapter from the Gospel. And then let's figure out what a good deed we can do today to our neighbor ... It's time to go to work. Here, too, you need to pray: before you go out the door, say the following words of St. John Chrysostom: "I deny you, Satan, your pride and service to you and combine with You, Christ, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen." Fall yourself with the sign of the cross, and when you leave the house, quietly cross the road. On the way to work, and for any business, you need to read the Jesus Prayer and "Virgin Mary, rejoice ..." If we do housework, before preparing food, sprinkle all the food with holy water, and light the stove with a candle, which light from the lamp. Then the food will not harm us, but will benefit us, in strengthening not only bodily, but also spiritual strength, especially if we cook, constantly reciting the Jesus Prayer.
After morning or evening prayers, there is not always a feeling of grace. Sometimes drowsiness interferes with prayer. How to avoid it?
Demons do not like prayer, as soon as a person begins prayer, drowsiness and absent-mindedness also attack. You must try to delve into the words of the prayer, and then you will feel it. But the Lord does not always comfort the soul. The most valuable prayer is when a person does not want to pray, but he forces himself... A small child cannot yet stand and walk. But his parents take him, put him on his feet, support him, and he feels help, stands firmly. And when his parents let him go, he immediately falls down and cries. So we, when the Lord - our Heavenly Father - supports us with His grace, we can do everything, we are ready to move mountains and we pray well and easily. But as soon as grace departs from us, we immediately fall down - we don't really know how to walk spiritually. And here we must humble ourselves and say: "Lord, I am nothing without You." And when a person understands this, the mercy of God will help him. And we often rely only on ourselves: I am strong, I can stand, I can walk ... So, the Lord takes away grace, therefore we fall, suffer and suffer - from our pride, we rely on ourselves a lot.
How to become attentive in prayer?
In order for prayer to pass through our attention, we do not need to clatter, do proofreading; rammed - and calmed down, Prayer Book postponed. At first they delve into every word; slowly, calmly, evenly, you need to set yourself up for prayer. We begin to gradually enter into it, there you can read quickly, anyway, every word will enter into the soul. It is necessary for a prayer so that it does not pass by. And then we fill the air with sound, but the heart remains empty.
I don't have the Jesus Prayer. What do you recommend?
If prayer does not go, then sins interfere. As we repent, we must try to read this prayer as often as possible: "Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner! (or a sinner)" And while reading, strike at last word. In order to constantly read this prayer, you need to lead a special spiritual life, and most importantly, find humility. We must consider ourselves worse than everyone, worse than any creature, endure reproach, insults, do not grumble and do not blame anyone. Then the prayer will go. You have to start praying in the morning. How is the mill? That he fell asleep in the morning, he will pray all day. As soon as we woke up, immediately: "In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit! Lord, thank You for the past night, bless me today. Mother of God, thank You for the past night, bless me today. Lord, strengthen me in me faith, send me the grace of the Holy Spirit! Give me a Christian death, shameless and good answer on the day of the Last Judgment. My Guardian Angel, thank you for the past night, bless me today, save me from all enemies visible and invisible. Lord Jesus Christ Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner!" So just read and read. We dress with prayer, we wash ourselves. We read the morning prayers, again 500 times the Jesus Prayer. This is a charge for the whole day. It gives a person energy, strength, expels darkness and emptiness from the soul. A person will no longer walk and be indignant at something, make noise, get annoyed. When a person constantly reads the Jesus Prayer, the Lord will reward him for his labors, this prayer begins to be created in the mind. A person concentrates all his attention in the words of prayer. But one can only pray with a repentant feeling. As soon as the thought comes: "I am a saint," know that this is a pernicious path, this thought is from the devil.
The confessor said "to begin with, read at least 500 Jesus prayers." It's like in a mill - that they fell asleep in the morning, then it grinds all day. But if the confessor said "only 500 prayers," then you don't need to read more than 500. Why? Because everything is given according to one's strength, according to the spiritual level of each person. Otherwise, you can easily fall into delusion, and then you will not approach such a "saint". In the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, one elder had a novice. This elder lived in the monastery for 50 years, and the novice had just come from the world. And he decided to move on. Without the elder's blessing, he would stand the early liturgy, and set the later one, a big rule for himself and read everything, constantly remained in prayer. After 2 years he reached the great "perfection". "Angels" began to appear to him (only they covered their horns and tails). He was seduced by this, came to the elder and said: “You lived here for 50 years and did not learn to pray, but in two years I reached heights - Angels already appear to me. I am all in grace .. There is no place on earth like you I'll choke you." Well, the elder managed to knock on the neighboring cell; another monk came, this "saint" was tied up. And in the morning they were sent to the cowshed, and they were only allowed to go to the liturgy once a month: and they forbade praying (until he reconciled) ... In Russia, we are very fond of prayer books, ascetics, but true ascetics will never expose themselves. Holiness is measured not by prayers, not by deeds, but by humility, obedience. Only he has achieved something who considers himself the most sinful of all, worse than any cattle.
How to learn to pray purely, unabashedly?
We must start in the morning. The Holy Fathers advise that it is good to pray before we eat. But as soon as the food is tasted, it immediately becomes difficult to pray. If a person prays absent-mindedly, it means that he prays little and infrequently. The one who constantly abides in prayer has a living, unscattered prayer.
Prayer loves a pure life, without sins burdening the soul. For example, we have a telephone in our apartment. The kids were naughty and cut the wire with scissors. No matter how many numbers we dial, we will never get through. We need to reconnect the wires, restore the interrupted connection. In the same way, if we want to turn to God and be heard, we must establish our connection with Him - repent of sins, cleanse our conscience. Unrepentant sins are like a blank wall, through which prayer does not reach God.
I shared with a woman close to me, saying that you gave me the Mother of God rule. But I don't do it. I don't always follow the secret rule either. What should I do?
When you are given a separate rule, don't tell anyone about it. Demons will hear and will surely steal your exploits. I know hundreds of people who had a prayer, from morning to evening they read the Jesus Prayer, akathists, canons - their whole soul was blissful. As soon as they shared with someone - they boasted of a prayer, everything disappeared. And they have neither prayers nor bows.
I am often distracted during prayer or business. What to do - continue to pray or pay attention to the one who has come?
Well, since we have in the first place the commandment of God to love our neighbor, then we must put everything aside and pay attention to the guest. One holy elder was praying in his cell and saw through the window that his brother was coming towards him. So the elder, in order not to show that he was a prayer book, lay down in bed and lies. He read a prayer near the door: "Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us." And the old man from the bed and says: "Amen." His brother came to him, he received him with love, treated him to tea - that is, he showed love for him. And this is the most important thing!
Often this happens in our life: we read evening prayers, and suddenly a call (on the phone or at the door). How can we be? Of course, we must immediately answer the call, leaving the prayer. We found out everything with the person and again we continue the prayer from the place where we finished. True, we also have such visitors who come not to talk about God, not about the salvation of the soul, but to idle talk, but to condemn someone. And we should already know such friends; when they come to us, invite them to read together an akathist prepared in advance for such an occasion, or the Gospel, or a holy book. Tell them: "My joy, let's pray, read the akathist." If they come to you with a sincere feeling of friendship, they will read. And if not, they will find a thousand reasons, immediately remember urgent matters and run away. If you agree to chat with them, then both the "unfed husband at home" and the "uncleaned apartment" are not a hindrance to your girlfriend ... Once in Siberia I saw an interesting scene. One comes from the pumping station, there are two buckets on the yoke, the second one comes from the store, in the hands of full bags. We met and had a conversation between ourselves ... And I'm watching them. Their conversation is something like this: "Well, how is your daughter-in-law? And your son?" And the gossip begins. Those poor women! One shifts the yoke from shoulder to shoulder, the other hand pulls the bag. And all it took was a couple of words to exchange... Moreover, dirt - you can’t put bags ... And they stand not two, but ten, and twenty, and thirty minutes. And they don’t think about gravity, the most important thing is that they learned the news, they satiated the soul, they amused the evil spirit. And if they call to the church, they say: "It's hard for us to stand, our legs hurt, our back hurts." And with buckets and bags, nothing hurts to stand! The main thing is that the tongue does not hurt! I don’t feel like praying, but I have the strength to chat, and my tongue is well suspended: “We’ll sort through everyone, we’ll find out about everything.”
The best thing is how to wake up, wash your face and start the day with morning prayers. After that, you need to read the Jesus Prayer with attention. This is a huge charge for our soul. And with such a "recharge" we will have this prayer in our thoughts throughout the day. Many say that when they stand up for prayer, they are distracted. You can believe it, because if you read a little in the morning, and a little in the evening, nothing will be in your heart. We will always pray - and repentance will live in our hearts. After the morning - "Jesus" prayer as a continuation, and after the day - evening prayers as a continuation of the day. And so we will be constantly in prayer and will not be scattered. Don't think it's very hard, very hard, to pray. It is necessary to make an effort, to overcome oneself, to ask the Lord, the Mother of God, and grace will act in us. We will be given the desire to pray at all times.
And when prayer enters the soul, the heart, then these people try to move away from everyone, hide in secluded places. They can even climb into the cellar, if only to stay with the Lord, in prayer. The soul melts in Divine Love.
In order to achieve such a state of mind, you need to work a lot on yourself, on your "I".
When do you need to pray in your own words, and when according to the Prayer Book?
When you feel like praying, pray to the Lord at that time; "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" (Matthew 12:34).
Prayer is especially useful for the soul of a person when there is a need for it. Let's say a mother's daughter or son is lost. Or they took their son to jail. Here you will not pray according to the Prayer Book. A believing mother will immediately kneel down and from the abundance of her heart speak to the Lord. Prayer comes from the heart. So you can pray to God anywhere; Wherever we are, God hears our prayers. He knows the secrets of our heart. We don't even know what's in our hearts. And God is the Creator, He knows everything. So you can pray in transport, at any place, in any society. So Christ says: “But when you pray, go into your closet (that is, inside yourself) and, having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly” (Matt. 6.6). When we do good, when we give alms, then we must do it in such a way that no one knows about it. Christ says: "When you give alms, let left hand your right hand does not know what your right hand is doing, so that your almsgiving is in secret "(Matt. 6,3-4). That is, not literally, as grandmothers understand - they serve only with their right hand. And if a person does not have right hand? What if both hands are missing? Good can be done without hands. The main thing is that no one sees it. Good must be done in a secret way. All the boastful, the proud, the selfish, show off doing a good deed in order to receive praise, earthly glory from it. They will say to her: "How good, how kind! Helps everyone, gives to everyone."
I often wake up at night, always at the same time. Does it mean anything?
If we woke up at night, then there is an opportunity to pray. Prayed - go back to sleep. But, if this happens often, you need to take a blessing from the confessor.
I was talking to one person once. He says:
Father Ambrose, tell me, have you ever seen demons with your own eyes?
Demons are spirits, they cannot be seen with simple eyes. But they can materialize, taking the form of an old man, a young man, a girl, an animal, they can take on any image. A non-church person cannot understand this. Even believers fall for his tricks. Do you want to see? Here, I have a woman I know in Sergiev Posad, her confessor gave her a rule - to read the Psalter in a day. It is necessary to constantly burn candles, slowly read - it will take 8 hours. In addition, in the rule it is necessary to read the canons, akathists, the Jesus Prayer, and eat only lean food. When she began to pray (and this had to be done for 40 days) with the blessing of her confessor, he warned her: "If you pray, if there are any temptations, then do not pay attention, continue to pray." She accepted it. On the 20th day of strict fasting and almost unceasing prayer (she had to sleep sitting for 3-4 hours), she heard the locked door open and steps were heard, heavy - the floor was cracking. This is the 3rd floor. Someone came up behind her and began to breathe near her ear; breathe so deeply! At this time, from head to toe, she was covered with cold and trembling. I wanted to turn around, but I remembered the warning and thought: "If I turn around, I won't stay alive." So I prayed to the end.
Then I looked - everything is in place: the door is locked, everything is fine. Further, on the 30th day, a new temptation. I was reading the Psalter and heard how, from the back of the windows, the cats began to meow, scratch, climb out the window. They scratch - and that's it! And she survived it. Someone from the street threw a stone - the glass was shattered, the stone and fragments were lying on the floor. Can't turn around! The cold went through the window, but I read everything to the end. And when she finished reading, she looks - the window is whole, there is no stone. This is the demonic forces attacking a person.
The Monk Silouan of Athos, when he prayed, slept for two hours sitting. His spiritual eyes were opened and he began to see evil spirits. I saw them firsthand. They have horns, ugly faces, hooves on their feet, with tails ...
The person with whom I spoke is very obese - more than 100 kg, loves to eat deliciously - and eats meat, and everything in a row. I say: "Here, you will begin to fast and pray, then you will see everything, you will hear everything, you will feel everything."
How to thank the Lord correctly - in your own words or is there any special prayer?
We must thank the Lord with all our lives. Is in the prayer book thanksgiving prayer but it is very valuable to pray in your own words. The Monk Benjamin lived in one monastery. The Lord allowed him a disease - dropsy. He became huge, the little finger could only be clasped with two hands. They made a huge chair for him. When the brethren came to him, he showed his joy in every possible way, saying: "Dear brethren, rejoice with me. The Lord has mercy on me, the Lord has forgiven me." The Lord gave him such an illness, but he did not grumble, did not despair, rejoiced at the forgiveness of sins and the salvation of his soul, and thanked the Lord. No matter how many years we live, the main thing is to remain faithful to God in everything. For five years I carried in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, a difficult obedience - I confessed day and night. There was no strength left, he could not stand even for 10 minutes - his legs could not hold. And then the Lord granted polyarthritis - 6 months lay, acute pain in the joints. As soon as the inflammation passed, he began to walk around the room with a stick. Then he began to go out into the street: 100 meters, 200, 500 ... Each time more and more .... And then, in the evenings, when there were few people, he began to walk 5 kilometers; left the wand. In the spring, the Lord gave - and stopped limping. To this day, the Lord keeps. He knows who needs what. Therefore, thank the Lord for everything.
You need to pray everywhere and always: at home, at work, and in transport. If the legs are strong, it is better to pray while standing, and if the legs are sick, then, as the elders say, it is better to think about God during prayer than about sick legs.
Is it okay to cry while praying?
Can. Tears of repentance are not tears of evil and resentment, they wash our souls from sins. The more we cry, the better. It is very valuable to cry during prayer. When we pray - we read prayers - and at that time our mind lingered on some words (they penetrated our soul), we should not skip them, speed up the prayer; return to these words, and read until the soul dissolves in feeling and begins to cry. The soul prays at this time. When the soul is in prayer, and even with tears, the Guardian Angel is next to her; he prays next to us. Any sincerely believing person from practice knows that the Lord hears his prayer. We turn the words of prayer to God, and He returns them by grace to our hearts, and the heart of the believer feels that the Lord accepts his prayer.
When I read prayers, I often get distracted. Shouldn't you stop praying?
No. Read the prayer anyway. It is very useful, when you go out into the street, to walk and read the Jesus Prayer. It can be read in any position: standing, sitting, lying... Prayer is a conversation with God. Here, we can tell our neighbor everything - both sorrows and joys. But the Lord is closer than any neighbor. He knows all our thoughts, the secrets of the heart. He hears all our prayers, but sometimes he hesitates to fulfill them, which means that what we ask is not for the benefit of our soul (or not for the benefit of our neighbor). Any prayer must end with the words: "Lord, Thy will be done. Not as I want, but as You."
What is the daily prayer rule for an Orthodox layperson?
There is a rule and it is obligatory for everyone. These are morning and evening prayers, one chapter from the Gospel, two chapters from the epistles, one kathisma, three canons, an akathist, 500 Jesus prayers, 50 prostrations (and more with blessing).
I once asked one person:
Should I have lunch and dinner every day?
It is necessary, - he answers, - but besides this, I can intercept something, drink some tea.
What about praying? If our body requires food, is it not more than that - the soul? We feed the body so that the soul can be kept in the body and cleansed, sanctified, freed from sin, so that the Holy Spirit abides in us. She needs to be united with God already here. And the body is the clothes of the soul, which grows old, dies and crumbles into the dust of the earth. And we are on this temporary, perishable Special attention pay. We take care of him so much! And we feed, and give water, and paint, and dress in fashionable rags, and give peace - we pay a lot of attention. And for the soul, sometimes our care is not left. Have you read the morning prayers?
So you can’t even have breakfast (i.e., lunch, Christians never have breakfast). And if you're not going to read evening books, then you can't even have dinner. And you can't drink tea.
I will die of hunger!
So your soul is dying of hunger! Now, when a person makes this rule the norm of his life, then he has peace, peace and quiet in his soul. The Lord sends grace, and the Mother of God and the Angel of the Lord pray. In addition, Christians still pray to the saints, read other akathists, the soul is fed like that, contented and glad, peaceful, a person is saved. But it is not necessary to read like some, to do proofreading. They read it, rattled it - through the air, but it didn’t hit the soul. Slightly touch this - it flared up! But he considers himself a great prayer book - he "prays" very well. The Apostle Paul says: "It is better to speak five words with my mind, in order to instruct others, than the darkness of words in an unknown tongue" (1 Cor.
You can read akathists at least every day. I knew one woman (her name was Pelagia), she read 15 akathists every day. The Lord gave her special grace. Some Orthodox sometimes have many akathists collected - both 200 and 500. They usually read a certain akathist every holiday celebrated by the Church. For example, tomorrow is the feast of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. People who have an akathist to this holiday will read it.
Akathists are good to read with fresh memory, i.e. in the morning, when the mind is not burdened with worldly affairs. In general, it is very good to pray from morning to dinner, until the body is burdened with food. Then there is an opportunity to feel every word from akathists, canons.
All prayers and akathists are best read aloud. Why? Because words enter the soul through hearing and are better remembered. I constantly hear: "We cannot learn prayers ..." But they don't need to be taught - they just need to be read constantly, every day - in the morning and in the evening, and they are remembered by themselves. If "Our Father" is not remembered, then it is necessary to attach a piece of paper with this prayer where our dining table is.
Many refer to a bad memory due to old age, and when you start asking them, asking various everyday questions, everyone remembers. They remember who was born when, in what year, everyone remembers birthdays. They know how much what is now in the store and on the market - and yet the prices are constantly changing! They know how much bread, salt, butter cost. Everyone remembers well. Ask: "What street do you live on?" - everyone will say. Very good memory. But they can't remember prayers. And this is because we have flesh in the first place. And we care so much about the flesh, we all remember what it needs. But we don’t care about the soul, that’s why our memory is bad for everything good. On the bad, we are masters ...
The holy fathers say that those who daily read the canons to the Savior, the Mother of God, the Guardian Angel, the saints, are especially protected by the Lord from all demonic misfortunes and evil people.
If you come to any boss for a reception, you will see a sign on his door "Reception hours from ... to ..." You can turn to God at any time. Night prayer is especially valuable. When a person prays at night, then, as the holy fathers say, this prayer is, as it were, paid for with gold. But in order to pray at night, one must take a blessing from the priest, because there is a danger: a person may become proud that he prays at night and fall into delusion, or demons will especially attack him. Through the blessing, the Lord will protect this person.
Sitting or standing? If the legs do not hold, then you can kneel down and read. If your knees are tired, you can read while sitting. It is better to sit and think about God than to think about your feet while standing. And one more thing: prayer without prostrations is a premature fetus. Fans are a must.
Now many are talking about the benefits of the revival of paganism in Russia. Maybe, indeed, paganism is not so bad?
IN Ancient Rome circuses hosted gladiator fights. One hundred thousand people gathered for this spectacle, filling the pews through the many entrances in ten minutes. And everyone was out for blood! Craving a spectacle! Two gladiators fought. In the struggle, one of them could fall, and then the second put his foot on his chest, raised his sword over the prostrate and watched what sign the patricians would give him. If the fingers are raised up, then you can leave the opponent to live, if down, it was necessary to take his life. Most often they demanded death. And the people triumphed, seeing the shed blood. Such was pagan fun.
In our Russia, about forty years ago, one acrobat walked along a cable high under the dome of the circus. Stumbling, she fell. Below was a mesh. She did not crash, but something else is important. All the spectators as one stood up and buzzed: "Is she alive? Faster than a doctor!" What does it say? The fact that they did not want death, but worried about the gymnast. The spirit of love was alive in the minds of people.
Otherwise, they are now educating the younger generation. On the TV screen there are action movies with murders, blood, pornography, horrors, space wars, aliens - demonic forces... People from an early age get used to scenes of violence. What is left for the child? Having seen enough of these pictures, he obtains weapons and shoots his classmates, who, in turn, mocked him. How many such cases there are in America! God forbid this will happen to us.
It used to happen that contract killings were committed in Moscow before. And now the scale of crime, mortality at the hands of killers has gone up sharply. Three or four people are killed a day. And the Lord said: "Thou shalt not kill!" (Ex. 20:13); "...those who do so will not inherit the kingdom of God" (Gal. 5:21), - all of them will go into the fire of hell.
I often have to go to prisons, confess prisoners. Confess and suicide bombers. They repent of the murders: some in contract, and someone killed in Afghanistan, Chechnya. Two hundred seventy, three hundred people were killed. They counted themselves. These are terrible sins! War is one thing, and another is to deprive a person of a life that you did not give him by order.
When you confess about ten murderers and get out of prison, then just wait: the demons will definitely arrange intrigues, there will be some kind of trouble.
Every priest knows how to take revenge evil spirits for the fact that he helps people to be freed from sins. One mother came to the Monk Seraphim of Sarov:
Father, pray: my son died without repentance. Out of modesty, at first he refused, humbled himself, and then yielded to the request, began to pray. And the woman saw that, praying, he rose above the floor. The old man said:
Mother, your son is saved. Go, pray yourself, thank God.
She left. And before his death, the Monk Seraphim showed his cell-attendant the body, from where the demons pulled out a piece:
This is how demons avenge every soul!
It is not so easy to pray for the salvation of people.
Orthodox Russia has received the Spirit of Christ, but the pagan West wants to kill her for this, thirsts for blood.
The Orthodox faith is the most impartial for a person. It obliges to a strict life on earth. And Catholics promise the soul a purgatory after death, where one can repent and be saved...
IN Orthodox Church There is no such thing as "purgatory". According to the teachings of the Orthodox Church, if a person lived righteously and passed into the other world, then he is rewarded with eternal joy, such a person can receive retribution for his good deeds, living on earth, in the form of peace, joy, peace of mind.
If a person lived uncleanly, did not repent and moved to the other world, then he falls into the clutches of demons. Before death, such people are usually sad, desperate, graceless, joyless. Their souls after death, languishing in torment, await the prayers of their relatives, the prayers of the Church. When an intensified prayer goes for the departed, the Lord frees their souls from hellish torments.
Church prayer also helps the righteous, those who have not yet received the fullness of grace during earthly life. The fullness of grace and joy is possible only after this soul is determined to Paradise at the Last Judgment. It is impossible to feel their fullness on earth. Only the chosen saints merged here with the Lord in such a way that they were raptured by the Spirit into the Kingdom of God.
Orthodoxy is often called a "religion of fear": "there will be a second coming, everyone will be punished, eternal torment ..." But Protestants talk about something else. So will there be punishment for unrepentant sinners, or will the love of the Lord cover everything?
Atheists have long deceived us by talking about the origin of religion. It was said that people could not explain this or that phenomenon of nature and began to deify it, to enter into religious contact with it. Sometimes, thunder rumbles, people hide underground, in the basement, they sit there, they are afraid. They think that they pagan god angry and now he will punish or a tornado will fly in, or solar eclipse will begin...
This is pagan fear. The Christian God is Love. And we should be afraid of God not because He will punish us, we should be afraid to offend Him with our sins. And if we have apostatized from God and brought trouble on ourselves, we do not hide underground from the wrath of God, we do not wait for the wrath of God to pass by. On the contrary, we go to confession, turn to God with a prayer of repentance, ask God for mercy, and pray. Christians do not hide from God, on the contrary, they themselves strive for Him for permission from sins. And God gives the penitent a helping hand, covers with His grace.
And warns the Church that there will be a Second Coming, Last Judgment not to intimidate. If you are walking along the road, there is a pit ahead and they say to you: "Be careful, do not fall, do not stumble," are you being intimidated? They warn you, help you avoid danger. So the Church says: "Do not sin, do not harm your neighbor, all this will turn against you yourself."
It is not necessary to present God as a villain because He does not accept sinners into Paradise. Unrepentant souls will not be able to live in Paradise, they will not be able to endure the light and purity that is there, just as sick eyes cannot endure bright light.
Everything depends on ourselves, on our behavior, prayers.
The Lord can change everything through prayer. One woman came to us from Krasnodar. Her son was imprisoned. There was an investigation. She came to one judge, he said to her: "Your son is eight years old." He had a big temptation. She came to me, crying, sobbing: "Father, pray, what should I do? The judge asks for five thousand dollars, but I don't have that kind of money." I say: "You know, mother, you will pray, the Lord will not leave you! What is his name?" She said his name, we prayed. And in the morning she comes:
Father, I'm going there now. The question is being decided whether they will imprison or let them go.
The Lord put it on her heart to say to her:
If you pray, God will arrange everything.
I prayed all night. She came back after dinner and said:
The son was released. They acquitted him. Understood and released. Everything is fine.
This mother had so much joy, so much faith that the Lord heard her. And the son was not to blame, he was simply set up in business.
The son is completely out of hand, does not speak, does not obey. He is seventeen. How can I pray for him?
It is necessary to read the prayer "Theotokos, Virgin, rejoice" 150 times. Reverend Seraphim Sarovsky said that one who walks in Diveevo along the groove of the Mother of God and reads “Hail, Virgin Mother of God” a hundred and fifty times is under the special protection of the Mother of God. The Holy Fathers constantly spoke about the veneration of the Mother of God, about prayer appeal to her for help. The prayer of the Mother of God has great power. Through prayers Holy Mother of God the grace of God will descend on both the mother and the child. Righteous John Kronstadtsky says: “If all the angels, saints, all people living on earth gather together and pray, the prayer of the Mother of God surpasses all their prayers in power.
I remember one family. This was while we were serving in the parish. One mother, Natalia, had two girls - Lisa and Katya. Lisa was thirteen or fourteen years old, she was capricious, self-willed. And although she went to church with her mother, she remained very restless. I marveled at my mother's patience. Every morning he gets up and says to his daughter:
Lisa, let's pray!
Everyone, Mom, I read prayers!
Read fast, read slow!
Mom did not pull her up, patiently fulfilled all her requests. At this time, it was useless to beat and beat the daughter. Mother endured. Time passed, my daughter grew up, became calmer. Prayer together did her good.
There is no need to be afraid of temptations. The Lord will keep this family. Prayer has never harmed anyone. It only benefits our soul. Bragging harms us: "I read the Psalter for the deceased." We boast, and this is a sin.
It is customary to read the Psalter at the head of the deceased. Reading the Psalter is very useful for the soul of that person who constantly went to church and with repentance passed into that world. The Holy Fathers say: when we read the Psalter over the deceased, for example, for forty days, then sins fly away from departed soul, how autumn leaves from a tree.
How to pray for the living or the dead, is it possible to imagine a person while doing this?
The mind must be pure. When we pray, we should not represent God, the Mother of God, the holy saint: neither Their faces, nor their position. The mind must be free from images. Moreover, when we pray for a person, we just need to remember that such a person exists. And if you imagine images, you can damage your mind. The Holy Fathers forbid it.
I'm twenty-four years old. As a child, I laughed at my grandfather who talked to himself. Now that he is dead, I myself began to talk to myself. An inner voice tells me that if I pray for him, then this vice will slowly leave me. Do I need to pray for him?
Everyone needs to know: if we condemn a person for some vice, we will definitely fall into it ourselves. Therefore, the Lord said: "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. By what judgment you judge, you will be condemned."
You need to pray for your grandfather. Serve at mass, memorial notes for a memorial service, commemorate in the morning and evening in home prayers. It will be a great benefit to his soul and to us.
Is it necessary to cover your head with a scarf during home prayer?
"Every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered puts her head to shame, for it is the same as if she were shaved," says the Apostle Paul (1 Cor. 11:5). Orthodox Christian women, not only in the church, but also at home, cover their heads with a scarf: "A wife must have on her head the sign of power over her of angels" (1 Cor. 11:10).
Civil authorities organize additional bus routes to cemeteries on Easter. Is it correct? It seems to me that on this day the main thing is to be in the temple and commemorate the dead there.
For the dead there is a special day of remembrance - "Radonitsa". It happens on Tuesday in the second week after Easter. On this day, all Orthodox Christians go to congratulate their dead on the universal holiday of Easter, the Resurrection of Christ. And on the very day of Easter, believers should pray in the temple.
Routes organized by the city authorities for those people who do not go to church. Let them at least go there, at least in this way they will remember death and the finiteness of earthly existence.
Is it possible to watch live broadcasts from services from temples and pray? Often there is not enough health and strength to be present in the temple, but you want to touch the Divine with your soul...
The Lord vouchsafed me to visit a holy place, at the Holy Sepulcher. We had a video camera with us, and we filmed Holy place. Then they showed the footage to a priest. He saw footage of the Holy Sepulcher and says: "Stop this shot." He bowed to the ground and said: "I have never been to the Holy Sepulcher." And directly kissed the image of the Holy Sepulcher.
Of course, the image on the TV cannot be worshiped, we have icons. The case I described is an exception to the rule. The priest did this in simplicity of heart, out of a sense of reverence for the depicted shrine.
On holidays, all Orthodox should strive to be in the temple. And if you don’t have health, strength to move, watch the broadcast, stay with the Lord with your soul. Let our soul, together with the Lord, participate in His feast.
Can I wear a "Live Aid" belt?
One person came to me. I ask him:
What prayers do you know?
Of course, I even carry "Living Aids" with me.
He took out the documents, and there he had the 90th psalm "Alive in the help of Vyshnyago" rewritten. The man says: "My mother wrote to me, gave it to me, now I always carry it with me. May I?" - “Of course, it’s good that you wear this prayer, but if you don’t read it, what’s the point? help" were written not to carry them in your pocket or on your belt, but so that you could pull out, read, pray to the Lord every day. If you do not pray, you can die ... That's when you, hungry, got some bread , ate, strengthened your strength and you can calmly work in the sweat of your brow.So having prayed, you will give food for the soul and receive protection for the body.
Question: I really love one guy, you have no idea how. I just can't live without it. Recently I learned about one dua, reading which you can fall in love with a person. But still, something confuses me in this, so I would like to clarify: is it possible to ask Allah in dua to make someone fall in love with you?
Answer:
First of all, it should be emphasized that loving someone, of course, is not a sin. God has instilled in us an attraction to members of the opposite sex, which ultimately results in love. This feeling arises in our heart, which we cannot control. However, every thing has its own boundaries, defined by the set of divine laws - Shariah. According to them, if a person has feelings for a person of the opposite sex, it is recommended, without delay, to ask about his opinion on this matter. And with mutual consent, these persons should quickly marry (nikah), creating a strong and pious family.
As for the permissibility of reading such a dua, it should be noted that dua is a prayer in which the slave turns to the Lord with a request for care and help in something. And of course, the request should be only for the good. But do we always realize what is good for us and what is evil? For example, a girl may be fascinated by some trait of a guy's character, not knowing about his other sides, which will appear later in other situations. A guy can be blinded by the appearance of a girl, her beautiful disposition, at the same time, it is not known whether their life together will be a blessing. Only the Creator of the worlds knows about it.
The Almighty knows what is the real good, and chooses only the best for us. And when we earnestly ask God for something specific, there is a danger that having obtained it, we will encounter great difficulties and will regret. Therefore, we should completely rely on Allah and ask Him to grant us that which will benefit us both in this world and in the world to come.
Imam Abul-Hasan ash-Shazali (may his soul be holy) bequeathed: “Flee from your choice to the choice of Allah Almighty. Verily, he who has chosen something for himself does not know whether he will receive it or not. If he gets it, he does not know whether he will have it or not. And if he stays until the end of his life, he does not know whether this is good for him or not. Therefore, the only good thing is that which Allah has chosen for you.”.
Contentment with the Lord's Decisions Is the Result good opinion about him. Therefore, Ibn Mashish (may his soul be holy) said: “ Do not doubt anything from the decisions of the Almighty, hold a good opinion of Him in everything. Give no preference to your own choice over the choice of Allah.”.
There is another danger in making a dua to make someone fall in love with you. After all, we are invading