Thank you so much for making these videos in my times of need wether I’m at work or driving I love listening to these readings it helps so much and I want you to be encouraged to keep making these because I know they are helping many like me
Wounded by Love by St. Porphyrios was one of the first Orthodox Christian books I read. He has a wonderful way of describing the Orthodoxy life with love.
ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL ADVICE!!! I always found the prayer to be easier with my eyes open. With my eyes closed I struggle with the prayer as images tend to pop up in my mind involuntarily ( since I’m a very visual person and had a very overactive imagination ) Looks like “Wounded By Love” is next on my to read list. Thank you for the wonderful content May it be blessed 🌴🌴🌴
It’s difficult for me to pray and get closer to God because I always am feeling like maybe it’s an ulterior motive that drives me to be closer to God, and not my pure love for Him. But I’m not sure how to make the ulterior motives go away. I feel like as humans, a lot of us tend to do things like be in relationships transactionally with ulterior motives instead of what God wants for us which is to love without expectation. It’s a difficult thing to really do, and I want to know how we can really achieve that.
Do you not understand that the prayer is about giving up self reliance? If this is the case, what you said is not a problem: pray with this in mind 1) that you stop your attempts to figure it out on your own 2) that your intentions be made pure and acceptable to Christ. Everything else is just neuroticism meant to distract you. Cut that train of thought off immediately
How do we lead ourselves to an atmosphere of grace so that we can say the prayer? Is that something we can do by attending church, struggling, and confessing regularly or do we need constant guidance to do it, like being a monk?
Between what I understand and what comes to mind from the saints, including St. Porphyrios: fall in love with Christ, be watchful over yourself, and ask God for the "atmosphere of grace" and the God who gives good gifts to His children will not fail to do so. Good question, brother.
Hey, how do we avoid prelest, delusion and pride when saying the prayer? How do we avoid thinking highly of ourselves which obviously will block divine grace from working in us?
He did. I thought of this as well when I recorded this text last night. One possibility, since I can't imagine these two great saints would disagree on something so fundamental, is that St. Porphyrios has in mind a situation where someone is becoming delusional in saying the prayer because of pride and prelest. Would be a good question for someone will deep experience of the Jesus Prayer.
The neptic fathers say that continual prayer is a gift from God. One may rightly aspire to continual prayer as the ultimate goal of prayer, yet not have received the power from God for this state to manifest. What is advised by St.Porphyrious is to only pray at such times as you have the concentration and peace to pray worthily and with complete attention. If you try to have continual prayer by your own efforts, you will so dilute the prayer that it will become weak, and the soul will begin to reject the imposition of this monotonous and mechanical chore. The fathers have stressed that the gift of continual prayer is a manifestation of divine grace, which when it comes is effortless and accompanied by deep inner peace.
Don't try to picture anything. This seems to be the opposite of what praying through icons does. If I am often praying through icons of Christ, my brain will automatically start to picture that deep within the subconscious
@OrthodoxWisdom what about people who think only in images? My overall point was that the majority of people are not in control of what their subconscious mind produces. It can improve the more we pray.
![[LIVE] : ONE ลุมพินี 89 | คู่เอก "ยอดไอคิว vs คิริลล์"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Z3vYkHJ_5Ig/mqdefault.jpg)
Beautiful words by a wonderful and holy man. Saint Porphyrios, please pray for us. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us sinners!
If I could afford it I would buy this book by the case and give them out like candy.
Thank you so much for making these videos in my times of need wether I’m at work or driving I love listening to these readings it helps so much and I want you to be encouraged to keep making these because I know they are helping many like me
Amen!
Wounded by Love by St. Porphyrios was one of the first Orthodox Christian books I read. He has a wonderful way of describing the Orthodoxy life with love.
ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL ADVICE!!!
I always found the prayer to be easier with my eyes open. With my eyes closed I struggle with the prayer as images tend to pop up in my mind involuntarily ( since I’m a very visual person and had a very overactive imagination )
Looks like “Wounded By Love” is next on my to read list. Thank you for the wonderful content
May it be blessed
🌴🌴🌴
Thank you. Can you read more of saint porphyrios?
አሜን ✝️🙏❤️🛐
This thumbnail is beautiful ❤
It’s difficult for me to pray and get closer to God because I always am feeling like maybe it’s an ulterior motive that drives me to be closer to God, and not my pure love for Him. But I’m not sure how to make the ulterior motives go away. I feel like as humans, a lot of us tend to do things like be in relationships transactionally with ulterior motives instead of what God wants for us which is to love without expectation. It’s a difficult thing to really do, and I want to know how we can really achieve that.
Do you not understand that the prayer is about giving up self reliance? If this is the case, what you said is not a problem: pray with this in mind 1) that you stop your attempts to figure it out on your own 2) that your intentions be made pure and acceptable to Christ.
Everything else is just neuroticism meant to distract you. Cut that train of thought off immediately
How do we lead ourselves to an atmosphere of grace so that we can say the prayer? Is that something we can do by attending church, struggling, and confessing regularly or do we need constant guidance to do it, like being a monk?
Between what I understand and what comes to mind from the saints, including St. Porphyrios: fall in love with Christ, be watchful over yourself, and ask God for the "atmosphere of grace" and the God who gives good gifts to His children will not fail to do so. Good question, brother.
I recommend the book "Thinking Orthodox". I just listened to a part of the book about the different paths you mentioned in your comment.
Hey, how do we avoid prelest, delusion and pride when saying the prayer? How do we avoid thinking highly of ourselves which obviously will block divine grace from working in us?
Im confused. St Joseph the Hesychast said to never stop saying it
He did. I thought of this as well when I recorded this text last night. One possibility, since I can't imagine these two great saints would disagree on something so fundamental, is that St. Porphyrios has in mind a situation where someone is becoming delusional in saying the prayer because of pride and prelest. Would be a good question for someone will deep experience of the Jesus Prayer.
@OrthodoxWisdom thank You so much. God bless You. I usually Say the Jesus prayer alot but this video made me despair a Little bit.
The neptic fathers say that continual prayer is a gift from God. One may rightly aspire to continual prayer as the ultimate goal of prayer, yet not have received the power from God for this state to manifest. What is advised by St.Porphyrious is to only pray at such times as you have the concentration and peace to pray worthily and with complete attention. If you try to have continual prayer by your own efforts, you will so dilute the prayer that it will become weak, and the soul will begin to reject the imposition of this monotonous and mechanical chore. The fathers have stressed that the gift of continual prayer is a manifestation of divine grace, which when it comes is effortless and accompanied by deep inner peace.
@MichaelK.-xl2qk thank You!
Don't try to picture anything. This seems to be the opposite of what praying through icons does. If I am often praying through icons of Christ, my brain will automatically start to picture that deep within the subconscious
I’d reconsider that. The Fathers all say we must not make images in our minds during prayer.
@OrthodoxWisdom what about people who think only in images? My overall point was that the majority of people are not in control of what their subconscious mind produces. It can improve the more we pray.
Amen, on point!