Why do we need prayer?

In his article "On Prayer," the famous Russian poet Vasily Zhukovsky asks: "What is our prayer to Him? Is it necessary to bow Him down to mercy, when He is mercy itself? Does He Himself need to establish a ritual of prayer between Himself and man in the verbal form of prayer? Is it necessary to say to man, 'First demand, then I will give,' when He knows in advance all that is necessary for man, and when all good gifts flow out of Him by themselves?" then I also will be with your soul in your prayer. You need prayer as My love for you, and I need your prayer as your love for Me." Having pondered over this last phrase and imprinted it in our hearts, let us begin to pray today. First of all, let us express gratitude to our Creator and God for giving us life, the joy of being, regardless of whether we like this life or not, for this depends on our understanding and perception of life itself.

But if everything is from Him - life, reason, feelings, abilities, health, food - then in our prayer we can have the boldness to humbly ask Him for our needs. In addition, a person who makes a heartfelt prayer is in spiritual communion with another, spiritual world in these minutes and hours, where the Creator Himself and God – the Heavenly Father, the Holy Spirit, the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ and His Most Pure Mother – the Most Holy Mother of God, the great host of Angels and holy saints of God, to whom we lift up our prayers, dwell in their glory.

Where to pray

Of course, you can pray everywhere and always, not only in church - at home, and in the field, and on the road. It is possible and necessary, but you must admit that a thousand voices simultaneously crying out in church: "Lord, have mercy" - the heavens will pass sooner than the lonely voice of a praying person in the house.

St. Joseph of Volotsk, speaking of the benefits of public prayer, remarks: "You can pray at home, but you cannot pray there as in church, where unanimous prayer singing is offered, where there is unanimity, harmony, the union of love... Here the prayers of the priests are offered. For this reason the priests stand before them, so that the feeble prayers of the people, holding on to their stronger ones, may ascend with them to heaven."

This is worth remembering. Although what has been said does not diminish the need for home prayer, especially family prayer.

The words of Christ: "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" - confirm the Orthodox understanding that the family is a house church.

It is very important that the entire way of life and everyday life of a family, consisting, of course, of believers, be built on prayer; so that they pray together, work together, study, go to church together, observing its Ustav and traditions. Only in such a family are the foundations of the spiritual life of growing children laid. Brought up in the spirit of Christian love and obedience to parents and the church, they will stand on a firm foundation of holy Faith. What they get in the family, they will carry through their entire lives. Then the notorious problem of fathers and sons will not arise either. When there is unity in prayer in the family, then there will be unity in everything else.

From what has been said, it is clear what prayer is, but many often ask the priest: "Father, teach me how to pray, what needs to be done so that God hears me."

It is impossible to answer this question unequivocally. Here it is necessary to keep in mind the personality of each person: his age, education, social status, whether he lives in the family or alone. Here we need an individual approach of the priest to everyone. But a general and obligatory advice can be given: "Before you begin to pray, prepare yourself" (Sirach 17:23).

Before a person has a desire to pray, he must create conditions for himself that help him in performing prayerful communion with God. That is, to find, if possible, a place where no one and nothing will distract from prayer. It is desirable to look at the holy image of the Savior, the Mother of God or a saint before beginning the prayer and mentally imagine their living presence. Remember: if you don't see God, then God definitely sees you. Having made the sign of the Cross on yourself, begin your prayer rule with reverence, either according to the prayer book, or in your own words, but always coming not only from the tongue, but most importantly from the heart, otherwise the prayer will be in vain, for, as the Lord said: "These people draw near to Me with their lips, and worship Me with their tongues; but their heart is far from me. But in vain (in vain) do they worship Me" (Matt. 15:8-9).