Let this be every day, and do not fall asleep first, O man, until you have thought about the sins you have committed during the day; then, without a doubt, the next day you will not try to do this so soon [5, 51].

85) "It is fitting to precede the sun to give thanks to Thee" (Wis. 16:28). With a king you would not suffer anyone inferior to you to worship him before you; but here, when everything is already worshipping God, you are still asleep, you give up the primacy of creation, you do not warn all the creatures created for you, and you do not give thanks to Him, but when you get up and wash your face and hands, you leave your soul unclean. Or do you not know that just as the body is cleansed by water, so the soul is cleansed by prayer? Therefore, wash your soul first of your body. Many stains of evil clinged to it. Let us wash them away with prayer. If we protect ourselves in this way from the first hours after waking up, then we will lay a good foundation for the day's activity [5, 65].

86) The furnace will not burn if you do not put a fire on it, and lust will not flare up if you do not give it food: you will not look at beautiful faces, you will not go to spectacles, you will not fatten the flesh with gluttony, you will not drown the mind in wine. "And that's enough, you say?" No, this alone is not enough, but something else must be added: unceasing prayers, communion with the saints, appropriate fasting, constant abstinence, tedious lack of idleness, and above all the fear of God, remembrance of the future judgment, of unbearable torments and promised blessings. By observing all this, you can curb the fierce lust [5, 75].

87) It should always be remembered that one should not only pray, but pray in such a way as to be heard. For prayer alone is not sufficient to obtain what we desire, if we do not send it in a way that pleases God. And the Pharisee prayed, but received no benefit, and the Jews prayed, but God turned away from their supplications; because they did not pray the way one should pray. What do you need? Tears, sobs, sighing, separation from vicious people, fear and apprehension of God's judgment are needed. I will say in general: we will be heard, if we prove worthy to receive what we ask for; if we pray in accordance with the laws of God about prayer; if we pray without ceasing; if we do not ask for anything, God unworthy; if we ask for what is useful; if we do what is due on our part. In this way many were heard: Cornelius was heard in life; Syrophoenicisa — for persistence in prayer; Solomon — for a worthy subject of petition; the publican for humility, others for something else. We are not heard when we ask for what is useless, and also when we pray and do not forsake our sins, and even when we ask for vengeance on our enemies [5, 84-5].

88) Do the prayers of the saints have power or are they superfluous and in vain? Thus St. Peter resurrected Tabitha not only by his prayer, but also by virtue of her almsgiving. In the same way, the prayer of the saints helped all whom it helped. But this happens only here, on earth, and not so there — there is your salvation from works alone [5, 229].

89) "From the depths I have cried unto Thee, O Lord" (Psalm 129:1). What does it mean from the depths? Not merely with the lips, not with the tongue, for words can flow without thought, but from the depths of the heart, with great zeal and zeal, from the very foundations of the soul. Such prayers have great power and strength, they do not scatter or waver, even if the devil attacks with great boldness. As a strong tree, which has taken root very deeply in the earth, and has encompassed the bowels of it, resists every gust of wind, and a tree that holds on to the surface falls at the slight breath of wind, is uprooted, and falls to the ground: so also the prayers that proceed from the bosom of the soul, and have their root in the depths of it, remain strong and unrelenting, and do not waver, even though they approach, innumerable thoughts and the whole host of the devil; and prayers that come only from the mouth and from the tongue, but do not come from the depths of the soul, cannot even ascend to God, because of the indifference of the heart in them. Whoever prays in this way, his mouth makes a sound, but his heart is empty, and his mind is idle [5, 373].

90) He who prays from the heart, even before he receives what he asks for, already receives great blessings from the very act of prayer. Such prayer tames all passions, subdues anger, banishes envy, suppresses lust, weakens love for worldly things, gives the soul great tranquility, ascends to heaven itself. As rain, falling on solid ground, softens it, or as fire softens iron: so such prayer, even stronger than fire, and better than rain, softens and irrigates the soul hardened by passions. The soul itself is tender and receptive: but just as the water of the Danube is often petrified by cold, so our soul hardens from sin and carelessness and becomes a stone. For this reason we need a great deal of heat to soften its hardness. This is mainly done by prayer. And so, when you begin to pray, take care not only to receive what you ask for, but also to make your soul better by means of prayer itself [5, 374].

91) "In the night lift up your hands in holiness" (Psalm 133:2). Why did he say, "in the nights"? Wishing to teach us not to spend the whole night sleeping, and to show that then prayers are purer when the mind is lighter and there are fewer worries. If one must go to the sanctuary at night, then think about what forgiveness can be received by one who does not pray at home at this time. The prophet lifts you out of bed and leads you to the temple, commanding you to spend the night in prayer; but you, even staying at home, do not do this [5, 386].

92) What does it mean: "And before the angels I will sing to Thee" (Psalm 137:1)? "I will try to sing with the Angels, I will compete with them, I will rejoice with the heavenly Powers: although I am different from them by nature, I will try to be equal to them in my zeal [5, 407].

93) We are especially heard when our prayer is pleasing to God. Trace. It depends on us that we are heard. When we ask for what God can worthily give, when we ask with earnestness, when we make ourselves worthy of receiving, then He hears the prayer and gives what we ask for.

94) "I will worship Thy holy temple" (Psalm 137:2). It is no small virtue when someone can enter a church and, entering, bow down with a clear conscience. The point is not only to enter the church and kneel, but to enter with a zealous soul and with an attentive mind, so that one may dwell in it not only in body, but also in soul [5, 408].

95) "Lord, I have cried unto Thee, hear me" (Psalm 140:1). The Prophet does not express that in order to be heard, one must be with a loud and strong voice; but he means here the inner proclamation, which is pronounced by the inflamed heart and the contrite spirit, which Moses was also heard in pronouncing. As a man who cries out with a loud voice exerts all his strength, so he who cries out with his heart strains his whole mind. Such a proclamation is required by God; an invocation that comes from the heart and does not allow the singer to be amused and look around. There are many people who stand in prayer and do not call out to God; their lips cry out to God and pronounce the name of God, but the mind does not accompany a single word with attention. Such a person does not cry out, does not pray to God, although he seems to be praying to Him [5, 428].

96) "Do not turn my heart into the words of deceit, do not forget the guilt of sins" (Psalm 140:4). To sin is evil; but even more grievous is the evil of denying oneself after committing a sin. This is especially the weapon of the devil. So it was with the primordial people. Whereas Adam should have confessed his sin, he lays the blame on his wife, and then on the devil. Whereas he should have said, "He who has sinned, he is wicked," some are not only not recognized, but are even justified. For the devil, knowing that the confession of sin is deliverance from sin, inclines the soul to shameless obstinacy. But you, beloved, when you sin, say: I have sinned. In this way you will propitiate God, and you will make yourself slower to commit sins [5, 437].

97) "Remember the days of old, learn in all Thy works. I have lifted up my hands to Thee" (Psalm 142:5, 6). He did not say, "stretched out," but, "lifted up," wishing to express the strong disposition of the heart, which strove, as it were, to break out of the body and withdraw to God. Inspired, he says, by the remembrance of great events, contemplating love for mankind, understanding through misfortunes, and the tranquillity that comes from deliverance from them, I have run to Thee. — "And my soul is like a dry land unto Thee." As the parched earth thirsts for rain, so I desire to be constantly with Thee [5, 453].