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).

We must pray with fervent faith that "... whatever you ask in prayer with faith, you will receive" (Matt. 21:22), not forgetting at the same time that our prayer should always be filled with sincere love and forgiveness for all our neighbors; otherwise, our prayer will be just as useless. Christ Himself warns everyone about this: "When you stand in prayer, forgive, if you have anything against anyone. If ye forgive not, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses" (Mark 5:44).

"Whoever wants God to hear his prayer quickly, when he rises to perform it - before any other prayer, even before prayer for his soul, let him offer prayer for his enemies, and for this reason God will hear every prayer of his" (Abba Zeno).

Молитву, сопровождаемую крестным знамением и поклонами, соединенную смиренным и слезным сокрушением о своих грехах, скорее услышит Господь, ибо устами пророка Он говорит: "На кого Я воззрю - только на смиренного и сокрушенного духом" (Исх. 66 гл. 2 стих.).

Поскольку через сердечную молитву происходит живая связь с Богом, то незаметно для нас ее действие способствует освящению и очищению души и тела, и тем самым мы приближаемся к духовному миру, становимся ближе к Богу. Потому-то все святые Отцы призывают нас к непрестанной молитве.

Правда, часто слышишь от молящихся сетование и смущение на то, что во время молитвы в голову приходят разные, подчас и греховные помыслы. На это святые Отцы говорят, что человеку, занимающемуся внимательной молитвой, особенно завидует дьявол и наводит на него различные искушения, и в частности нападение таких мыслей, которые конечно же мешают чистой молитве. Но, как говорит святитель Игнатий (Брянчанинов):

"Нападение на нас греховных помыслов попущено нам для нашей же пользы, потому что оно приводит к смирению, к опытному познанию нашего падения, нашей греховности" и способствует к усиленной, горячей молитве.

Так что, не смущаясь, надо продолжать свою молитву и ею отражать бесовское наваждение. В утешение наше Господь иногда подает нам благодатное ощущение во время молитвы, а иногда попускает искушения для укрепления нашего духа.