Saint Luke of Crimea speaks to us
When I speak about prayer, people often tell me: "I don't know how to pray. Teach me how to pray!" What should I answer them?
First of all, I tell them that prayer is the greatest and most difficult of all human endeavors. We know that no difficult work is learned easily. In all disciplines, in all arts, prolonged study is needed. And, if prolonged study is needed in all fields, all the more so in this field, which is the most important. Study, study, study ceaselessly, and you will receive the gift of prayer.
How do you begin to learn?
Here's how: there are many prayers, written by great saints of God, great venerable ones, and martyrs... Do not set about inventing prayers, but pray with those that the Holy Church teaches. But, while you read these prayers, immerse yourself in each of their words, warding off any distraction from the words of the prayer. If you pray in this way, then the holy prayers of the great saints of God will sanctify your soul.
The Jesus Prayer
But there is another prayer, the Jesus Prayer, which is considered the most significant and most beneficial by all monastics:
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner”.
This prayer truly works miracles, so it is considered extremely important, if not the most important of all. Learn this prayer, begin with it. Master it thus: close the door of your room, stand or sit on a chair, kneel if you wish.
What you have to do
Before all else, bow your head and look into your heart, reflecting and remembering which of the great multitude of sins torments your heart the most, which is the most abominable before God.
Thus, standing, or sitting, or kneeling, find out what your gravest sin is, bow your head and ask the Lord, before all else, to forgive your sin. Pray with the Jesus Prayer, recited especially on prayer beads, saying:
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner”.
And, at that moment, think about your gravest sin. Say this prayer, again and again, at least a hundred times, always gathering your thoughts upon your gravest and most disgusting sin. Starting with this one, then remember other sins as well.
Ask for forgiveness
Reciting the Jesus Prayer, having all sins in mind, you will ask the Lord for forgiveness not only for the gravest, but for all your sins. This prayer will work a miracle in your soul. You will be ashamed; as you begin to confess your gravest sin before God, you will feel a persistent longing to be delivered, to be delivered at once from that vile sin.
The Path to Freedom
Praying in this way day by day, you will be delivered more and more from your greatest sin, as well as from all other sins, and your soul will be transfigured. You yourself will begin to notice how your conduct towards your neighbor changes: you will observe that you become more and more gentle, more patient, more peaceful, more humble. You will treat people with great care, being careful not to hurt or offend anyone. And the Jesus Prayer will transfigure your heart and will accomplish this miracle, of the mystical presence of divine grace in your heart.
This is what I wanted to tell you about prayer.
And, if you want to cleanse your heart, if you want to stand without fear before Christ, the fearsome Judge, then follow my advice. Pray with the Jesus Prayer and, above all, repent, repent...
Repent!
The prayer of repentance should be your most important and frequent prayer. But, as you cleanse your heart, you will learn to pray not only for yourself, but also for those close to you, as well as for those further away, for all mankind, and the most holy and pleasing prayer to God will be offered for those who hate and condemn you.
The Highest Form of Prayer
I advised you earlier not to imitate sectarians in formulating your own prayers, but now I will tell you that there is a higher form of prayer: prayer without words, the cry of the soul to God, the opening of Heaven and living communion with God.
May the Lord grant that we all attain such a prayer! But this will only come when we become true temples of the Holy Spirit. Amen.