To live an Orthodox Way of
Life it is important to begin the day in peace. One cannot live spiritually if
your day begins with a harried mad dash to work, eating on the way, rushing
through traffic. It's amazing what you see people doing in the morning commute.
The morning can be very busy especially if you have small children to get ready for school, but the key is to program enough time for all the essential activities plus Prayer. This may mean getting up an hour earlier so you have time for meditation and prayer as well as a relaxed and nutritional breakfast.
If you get up earlier you will find that all is quiet. You can shower in peace and then go to your quiet place in the house for prayer. Because you have provided the proper time, this does not have to a quick perfunctory prayer, but one where you appreciate the quietness and go deep within opening your heart to God. To enter into prayer we need to sit quietly and steady our minds on God. We leave behind all the cares of the coming day because we know we have this special time to do this. You remember that you are God's child whom He loves unconditionally, and then with humility enter into a dialogue with Him. The essential ingredient is to create this peaceful time where you are not rushed or forced into the worldly cares of the day. This is your private time with God. Protect it.
You can find advice on morning prayers here. Be sure to allow time for the practice of the Jesus prayer as well as this is the prayer that will get you thorough the day.
When you have completed your daily prayer routine think about the difficulties you might face during the day. Think how you can handle them in a way that will be pleasing to God. At the end of the day you can evaluate how well you did and give thanks to the Lord and ask for His help to handle them better if need be. (Morning and evening prayer are like bookends on an Orthodox Way of Life.)
Once you have finished this, the you can with a peaceful mind, filled with God's presence proceed with the essential activities which you have organized to accomplish before leaving for work without undue rush. It's important to allow time to prepare and eat a good breakfast sitting comfortably. You have nourished you soul and you also need to nourish your body.
As you begin your commute, do not try and beat the traffic or allow yourself to be irritated about delays or missing a stop light. Allow sufficing time so you will not be rushed but arrive a few minutes early at for work. Go with the flow of the traffic, not trying to beat it. Try and keep in mind the quiet presence you enjoyed in prayer.
Once at work, review your activities of the day and commit yourself to doing them according to the will of God. All ow for unexpected events. When you do find situations that begin to upset you, remember your prayer time and immediately recite the Jesus prayer. If you encounter a situation where you anger is aroused or if you find yourself emotionally upset, take a walk while you recite the Jesus prayer to yourself. Saying it just ten times will calm your soul so you can continue without causing greater stress or difficulty to yourself or others.
The key is to allow the proper amount of time in the morning so you can begin with peace. This morning peace will go along way during the day. There is only so much time and we have to allocate it so we can maintain our peace and stay in contact with our Lord.
When Grace is
Active
Have a regular prayer rule that includes morning and evening prayer.
2. Worshiping and Participating in Sacraments
Attend and participate in the Divine Liturgy receiving Holy Communion regularly as well as regular participation in Confession.
3. Honoring the Liturgical Cycle of the Church
Follow the seasons of the church and participate in the fasts and feasts of the Church.
4. Using the Jesus Prayer
Repeat the Holy name whenever possible throughout the day or night.
5. Slowing Down and Ordering Your Life
Set priorities and reduce the stress and friction caused by a hurried life.
6. Being Watchful
Give full attention to what you are doing at the moment.
7. Taming the Passions
Overcome your habits, attachment to your likes and dislikes, and learn to practice the virtues.
8. Putting Others First
Free yourself from your selfishness and find joy in helping others.
9. Spiritual Fellowship
Spend time regularly with other Orthodox Christians for support and inspiration.
10. Reading the Scriptures and Holy Fathers
Be inspired by the lessons of the Holy Scriptures, the wisdom of the Holy Fathers and the lives of the Saints of the Church.
The morning can be very busy especially if you have small children to get ready for school, but the key is to program enough time for all the essential activities plus Prayer. This may mean getting up an hour earlier so you have time for meditation and prayer as well as a relaxed and nutritional breakfast.
If you get up earlier you will find that all is quiet. You can shower in peace and then go to your quiet place in the house for prayer. Because you have provided the proper time, this does not have to a quick perfunctory prayer, but one where you appreciate the quietness and go deep within opening your heart to God. To enter into prayer we need to sit quietly and steady our minds on God. We leave behind all the cares of the coming day because we know we have this special time to do this. You remember that you are God's child whom He loves unconditionally, and then with humility enter into a dialogue with Him. The essential ingredient is to create this peaceful time where you are not rushed or forced into the worldly cares of the day. This is your private time with God. Protect it.
You can find advice on morning prayers here. Be sure to allow time for the practice of the Jesus prayer as well as this is the prayer that will get you thorough the day.
When you have completed your daily prayer routine think about the difficulties you might face during the day. Think how you can handle them in a way that will be pleasing to God. At the end of the day you can evaluate how well you did and give thanks to the Lord and ask for His help to handle them better if need be. (Morning and evening prayer are like bookends on an Orthodox Way of Life.)
Once you have finished this, the you can with a peaceful mind, filled with God's presence proceed with the essential activities which you have organized to accomplish before leaving for work without undue rush. It's important to allow time to prepare and eat a good breakfast sitting comfortably. You have nourished you soul and you also need to nourish your body.
As you begin your commute, do not try and beat the traffic or allow yourself to be irritated about delays or missing a stop light. Allow sufficing time so you will not be rushed but arrive a few minutes early at for work. Go with the flow of the traffic, not trying to beat it. Try and keep in mind the quiet presence you enjoyed in prayer.
Once at work, review your activities of the day and commit yourself to doing them according to the will of God. All ow for unexpected events. When you do find situations that begin to upset you, remember your prayer time and immediately recite the Jesus prayer. If you encounter a situation where you anger is aroused or if you find yourself emotionally upset, take a walk while you recite the Jesus prayer to yourself. Saying it just ten times will calm your soul so you can continue without causing greater stress or difficulty to yourself or others.
The key is to allow the proper amount of time in the morning so you can begin with peace. This morning peace will go along way during the day. There is only so much time and we have to allocate it so we can maintain our peace and stay in contact with our Lord.
When Grace is
Active
Those who are
saved, that is, those who will enter the eternal Kingdom of God, are only those
in whom grace dwells; not secretly, but openly, permeating our entire essence
and becoming even outwardly visible, absorbing, as it were, our entire nature. – Saint Theophan the Recluse
So, what does it mean to have grace permeate our entire being? Saint Theophan offers the following,
So, what does it mean to have grace permeate our entire being? Saint Theophan offers the following,
All those
entering into contact with such a grace-filled person feel an unusual force
present within him, which manifests itself in different ways. When such a
person begins to speak about something spiritual, everything emanates from him
as brightly as the midday sun, and his words go directly to the soul, authoritatively
forming corresponding feelings and dispositions within. Even if he does not
speak, he exudes a warmth which touches everything, and a certain force goes
out, which stimulates moral energy and engenders readiness for every kind of
spiritual action and exploit.
For grace to permeate our entire
being requires our total dedication to doing the will of God. We cannot be
lukewarm in our commitment. This is the worst condition because we are
complacent and God will surely reject us. St. John the Theologian reports to us
the following,
I know your
works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So
then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out
of My mouth. (Revelations 3:15–16)
St. Theophan says,
One must be
fervent towards God and all that is Divine, but cold towards everything secular
and worldly. If you are neither cold towards the secular, nor fervent towards
the Divine, but are instead lukewarm and half-cold towards both one and the
other, you will be cast out by God.
We
must work to maintain our zeal so we will not be lukewarm in our relationship
with God.
Finding Inner Peace
How to gain peace in our lives?
There is one thing above that is essential and that the satisfaction of our
spiritual needs. When we know our purpose and seek the Holy Spirit, when it
comes it comforts us and beings peace to all the other aspects of our being.
Saint Theophan says they are "the one thing needful."
Saint Theophan says they are "the one thing needful."
When
spiritual needs are met, they teach a person to harmonize with those needs the
satisfaction of other needs, so that neither the needs of the intellect or the
needs of the body interfere with the spirit for life, but, instead, aid it.
Then within a person is established complete harmony of all motions and
revelations of his life. There is a harmony of thoughts, feelings, desires,
undertakings, relationships, pleasures. And this is Paradise! Contrary to this,
when the spirit is not satisfied, and this one thing needful is forgotten, that
each of these other needs runs off in a different direction, each one demands
fulfillment of its own needs, and their muddle and cry, like noise at a bazaar,
deafen the poor person, and he runs around like a madman trying to satisfy
them. But he never has peace, because when one need is being satisfied, the
others are not...
So, if you are feeling a disorder in
your life, it is time to pay attention to the spiritual dimension of your life.
Examine you attention to the basics: Daily prayer, the Jesus Prayer, reading of
Scripture, attending worship services and with proper preparation participation
in the sacraments, spiritual fellowship, and helping others.
Ten Point Program For
Orthodox Life
Translating Orthodox Christian Ideals Into Daily Life
Translating Orthodox Christian Ideals Into Daily Life
Have a regular prayer rule that includes morning and evening prayer.
2. Worshiping and Participating in Sacraments
Attend and participate in the Divine Liturgy receiving Holy Communion regularly as well as regular participation in Confession.
3. Honoring the Liturgical Cycle of the Church
Follow the seasons of the church and participate in the fasts and feasts of the Church.
4. Using the Jesus Prayer
Repeat the Holy name whenever possible throughout the day or night.
5. Slowing Down and Ordering Your Life
Set priorities and reduce the stress and friction caused by a hurried life.
6. Being Watchful
Give full attention to what you are doing at the moment.
7. Taming the Passions
Overcome your habits, attachment to your likes and dislikes, and learn to practice the virtues.
8. Putting Others First
Free yourself from your selfishness and find joy in helping others.
9. Spiritual Fellowship
Spend time regularly with other Orthodox Christians for support and inspiration.
10. Reading the Scriptures and Holy Fathers
Be inspired by the lessons of the Holy Scriptures, the wisdom of the Holy Fathers and the lives of the Saints of the Church.
