Prayer Corner

O Master, Lord Jesus Christ, our God, Who are long suffering toward our transgressions and have led us even to this hour, in which, You while hanging on the life-giving Tree, made the way for the entry into Paradise of the grateful thief and by death destroyed death: cleanse us, Your sinful and unworthy servants; for we have sinned and committed iniquities and are not worthy to lift up our eyes and look to the height of heaven, because we have forsaken the path of Your righteousness, and have walked dafter the desires of our hearts.  But we beseech Your boundless grace: Spare us, O Lord, according to the multitude of Your mercy, and save us for the sake of Your holy name; for our days are wastes away in vanity.  Rescue us from the hand of the adversary and forgive us our sins, and mortify the presumption of our flesh, that putting off the old man, we may put on the new one, and live for You, our Master and Benefactor; and that following in Your commandments, we may attain to eternal rest, wherein is the  dwelling place of all who are glad.  For You are indeed the true joy and gladness of those who love You, O Christ our God, and to You we send up glory, with Your Eternal Father, and Your most Holy Good and Life-creating Spirit, now and ever and forever.  Amen.

When praying, keep to the rule that it is better to say five words from the depth of your heart than ten thousand words with your tongue only. When you observe that your heart is cold and prays unwillingly, stop praying and warm your heart by vividly representing to yourself either your own wickedness, your spiritual poverty, misery, and blindness, or the great benefits which God bestows every moment upon you and all mankind, especially upon Christians, and then pray slowly and fervently.If you do not have time to say all your prayers, it does not matter, and you will receive incomparably greater benefit from praying fervently and not hurriedly than if you had said all your prayers hurriedly and without feeling: 'I had rather speak five words with my understanding than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue' (I Cor. 14:19)...It is well to pray long and continually; but 'All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given' (Mt. 19:11,12).

- St. John of Kronstadt , from My Life in Christ: Part 1, Holy Trinity Monastery pgs. 113-114