Why Do We Pray?
- Fr. Thomas Colyandro
- 5 minutes ago
- 2 min read
We talk a lot about praying, but why do we do it?
Prayer Brings Us Close to the Holy Spirit
"Virtues are formed by prayer. Prayer preserves temperance, suppresses anger, restrains pride and envy, draws down the Holy Spirit into the soul and raises man to heaven" (St Ephraim the Syrian, in Moore, Orthodox Prayer, p. 22).
Prayer Keeps Us Steady
"Hold on to the staff of prayer and you will not fall. And even a fall will not be fatal, since prayer is a devout, persistent coercing of God" (cf Lk 18.5), (St John Climacus, Ladder of Divine Ascent, 28.63, p. 281).
Prayer Strengthens Us in the Face of Tribulation
"Prayer heartens the conscience, invests the mind with power, strengthens one's hope, fires one's confidence. Thus, is man made able to withstand the tribulations and evils of this world, for when he compares them with the glorious things he is to inherit, he can defy torture and all manner of affliction" (St Isaac the Syrian, in The Four Books of St Isaac the Syrian, the Bishop of Nineveh, 1.1.118, Arabic version).
Prayer Shows Us More than Virtue
"The power of prayer lies not in its words but in righteousness ... Prayer is superior to all other virtues" (St Isaac the Syrian, The Four Books, 2.40, 41, 42, 44).
Prayer Helps Us Enter into the Mystical
"By means of words we find access to mysteries, for prayer draws the mind near to God" (St Isaac the Syrian, The Four Books, 1.134, 135).
Prayer Leads Us to Contemplate God's Love
"It is not by reason of our requests that God dispenses his gifts and blessings. No, He made our petitions and requests as a channel to lead our mind to contemplate His eternity that by doing so we may realize how much concern He has for us" (St Isaac the Syrian, The Four Books, 1.144, 145).
