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Church
School / Home School
Lesson
#5 – Praying
without Ceasing
“Our hearts
are like coal, which is cold, but may be lit with persistent effort.
Coal lights very slowly, and much care must be taken to tend it, even
when it is burning. Our prayer is like blowing on the coal, which
gradually becomes warmer, and eventually a hot fire, but only after much
persistence on our part. The key is persistence, and not to lose heart.
Even a small effort is rewarded by God, if we are persistent.”
Priest
Seraphim Holland
- On
the way home from church today, read over or color and then discuss
the page on the gospel lesson for today.
- Lent
is fast approaching and its time to think about improving our life
of prayer and fasting. Here’s
two ideas on daily prayer that your family can try in our ultimate
goal of “praying without ceasing.”(Those of you who do not need
to improve their prayer life, might want to refer back to last
week’s lesson on the “Publican and the Pharisee.”)
a.
Three Bows -- Upon getting out of bed in the morning, as your
feet hit the floor, direct your heart and mind towards God, and face
your icons, or face East, and without rushing, make the sign of the
cross, and three bows or prostrations as you pray:
i.
- (prostration #1)Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God have mercy on
me a
sinner.
ii.
-(prostration #2) Most Holy Theotokos, save us.
iii.
-(prostration #3)Holy Saint ______ (your patron saint), pray
to God for me.
After
these prayers, continue with your morning prayers, and then turn your
attentions to the cares of the day. Even if things happen and we abandon
our prayer and rush into our day, perhaps not to return to our morning
prayer, at least we have begun the by giving our "first
fruits" to God. (From
Nicodemus Magazine and Fr. S. Holland)
- “Every
hour and every day, like
heaven on earth it’s time to pray.” (From CD Living in an
Orthodox World) As
you know, we are to be praying the “Hours.”
Here’s a little twist or addition to that.
Every hour of the day, try to think about God at least one.
Set your watch or whatever!
GOD
Be With You!
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