Struggling with Prayer

What do we do when our prayer becomes dry?

When we find ourselves struggling with prayer, and feel that it has become dry and lifeless, we are sometimes tempted to stop praying. When our prayer has become a struggle, it is good to remember that God knows our needs, and even knows what we want to say when we don’t seem to know. This is the time we need to just pray without worrying about it. When we find we can’t keep our minds focused on the formal morning and evening prayers, as found in our prayer book, it is perfectly acceptable to simply light our lampada (hanging oil lamp), sit quietly before our icons, and let silence be our voice.

God wants to enter into our heart, and requires only our permission and cooperation. This relationship does not require an emotional response, for, like all relationships, we are not always open to an emotional response. Being real with God is far more important than being emotional, since emotions can be contrived and fleshly. As in all relationships, there are times when we do feel moved by emotions, but the lack of such feelings in no way represents a lack of love for God, because God cares for us, and God knows we love him, even when suffering in those dry times.

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Wednesday October 28, 2020 / October 15, 2020
21st Week after Pentecost. Tone three.
Fast. By Monastic Charter: Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)
Venerable Euthymius the New of Thessalonica, monk of Mt. Athos (889).
Martyr Lucian, presbyter of Greater Antioch (312).
New Hieromartyr Simeon priest (1918).
New Hieromartyr Valerian Novitsky, priest of Telyadovich (1930).
New Hieromartyr Demetrius priest (1942).
St. Athanasius (Sakharov) the Confessor, bishop of Kovrov (1962).
Synaxis of Twenty-three New Martyrs of Belorussia: archbishop Seraphim (Shakhmut), archpriest Alexander Shalay, archpriest Vladimir Zubkov, archpriest Vladimir Izmajlov, archpriest Vladimir Pasternatsky, archpriest Vladimir Khirasko, archpriest Demetrius Pavsky, archpriest John Voronec, archpriest Leonod Biriukovich, archpriest Matthew Kritsuk, archpriest Michael Novitsky, archpriest Michael Polishevsky, archpriest Porfiry Rubanovich, archpriest Sergius Rodakovsky, priest Valerian Novitsky, priest Vladimir Taliush, priest Vladimir Khrischanovich, priest Demetrius Polyshevsky, priest John Vecherko, priest John Pankratovich, priest Nicholas Matskevich, priest Peter Grudinsky and deacon Nicholas Vasiukovich.
St. John, bishop of Suzdal (1385).
Hieromartyr Lucian, presbyter of the Kiev Caves (1243).
Martyrs Sarbelus and Bebai (Barbea) of Edessa (2nd c.).
St. Sabinus, bishop of Catania (760).
Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “She Who Ripens the Grain” (19th c.).
St. Dionysius, archbishop of Suzdal (1373).
St. Barses the Confessor, bishop of Edessa (378).
St. Thecla, abbess of Ochsenfurt ( 790) (Germany).
St. Aurelia of Strasburg (Alsace) (383) (Gaul).

The Scripture Readings

Colossians 1:18-23

18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Reconciled in Christ

19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Luke 8:22-25

Wind and Wave Obey Jesus

22 Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.” And they launched out. 23 But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. 24 And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!”

Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. 25 But He said to them, “Where is your faith?”

And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, “Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!”