Categories: orthodox-life
Date: 13 October 2004 05:14:57
I'm reading "Modern Orthodox Saints - #5 St. Seraphim of Sarov" at the moment. Reading about his life was inspiring, and I've just begun to read "A Conversation with the Saint" by Nicholas A. Motovilov. I recently read this and thought I'd share it:
"Of course, every good work done for the sake of Christ gives us the grace of the Holy Spirit, but prayer provides it most of all, for prayer is, as it were, always at hand as an instrument for the acquisition of the grace of the Spirit. For instance, you would like to go to church, but either there is no church or the service is over. Or, you would like to give alms to the beggar, but there is no beggar or you have nothing to give. Or, you would like to preserve your virginity, but you have not strength, either because of your constitution, or because of the violence of the machinations of the enemy which you cannot withstand on account of your human weakness. Or, you would like to do some good deed or other for Christ's sake, but you have not the strength or the occasion does not arise. But nothing stands in the way of prayer: it is always possible for everyone, rich and poor, noble and lowly, strong and weak, healthy and sick, righteous and sinful....
"Great is the power of prayer. More than anything else, it brings with it the Spirit of God, and its practice is available to everyone...."