But I do not mean prayer that rests only on the lips, but proceeds from the depths of thoughts; Like trees that, having taken root in the depths, are not broken by the wind, so prayer, sent out from the depths of the mind, stretches out into the heights. That is why the prophet says: "From the depths" of the mind (In the manuscript of Archbishop Gregory, the manuscripts of the Solovetsky Library No327 and No331 there is no insertion of an explanatory word.) "I call upon Thee, O Lord" (Psalm 129:1).

You see how you should speak and pray! From the depths of the heart. Not with that evil prayer that is filled with dissipation, but with diligence and with a sick soul and a contrite thought: this is the prayer that leads to Heaven. Like waters: as long as they flow on a flat ground, they do not rise to a height; and when they are gathered together, blocking the stream, they, constrained, fly faster than any arrow to the height.

So it is with human thought: as long as it remains without fear and in neglect of itself, it spreads widely and spreads; but when sorrowful deeds and sorrowful circumstances restrain her from the valley, then, strongly squeezed, she sends up pure and powerful prayers to the heights. For the prophet says: "I have cried to the Lord in my affliction, and He has heard me" (Psalm 119:1).

Therefore, let our soul grieve, remembering death, the answer it will give for sins, remembering the Last Judgment, the Judge who knows no mercy and forgiveness, remembering the dark fire, the abyss, the abyss of impassable underground flames, and the subterranean terrible places and abysses, remembering God (In the manuscript of the Solovetsky Library No331 — "God's mercy".)

, and of the Kingdom of Heaven, and of the holy angels: for nothing so much drives away decay and exhaustion as the constant remembrance of this, especially during prayer. Thus, gathering thought from the outside and turning it inward, let us drive away decay and exhaustion, and, having expelled from our thoughts all earthly things, let us all aspire to Heaven. And as if standing near the Throne of Glory, let us think, with whom do we want to call upon God together?

"Standing with the cherubim, flying in thought with the seraphim, being numbered in the flesh with the bodiless powers, thou hast been vouchsafed to stand before the common Lord. With all this let us warm our conscience, and let it grieve and be oppressed: in this way, during prayer, the grieving person can always attract into his soul the Divine sweetness that flows from tears. Thus, the confluence of clouds makes the sky gloomy; but when frequent drops flow and rain pours out, then the whole place becomes quiet and bright. The same is true for sadness, while it is inside (

In the manuscript of the Solovetsky Library No327 after these words is added: "darkens our thoughts".); but when it is poured out with the words of prayer, and then with tears, then the soul will renounce vain and evil worldly conversations and will be filled with great brightness, with the help of God, as if certain rays are sent from God into the thoughts of the person praying. Both the light of the lamp and the light of prayer (In the manuscript of Archbishop Gregory it is added: "enlighten the soul").

If you learn to pray attentively, you will not need the teachings of the servants of God: God Himself, without intermediaries, will illumine the thought. If prayer has such power, then how much more so is the prayer of a multitude of people: it is both more daring and engenders zeal. So, if you hit a stone with a stone, a lot of sparks fly out. What can be colder than a stone? But frequency has defeated nature.

If this happens to a stone, how much more so to souls that are inflamed by one another and warmed by spiritual fire. Thus, in the time of our forefathers, twelve were united, but one of them perished, Judas; from eleven came one hundred and twenty, from one hundred and twenty three thousand, then five thousand, then they filled the whole universe with the knowledge of God. The reason for this is that they never left the church, but were always together, being in the sanctuary and listening to prayers and reading, and not whispering and not talking about perishable and earthly things.

That is why they kindled a great fire, and that is why they did not fall away, but attracted the whole universe. But if someone says that he can pray at home, you are deceived, O man. It is possible to pray at home, but it is impossible to pray as in church, where there are many fathers, where singing is unanimously addressed to God, where there is unanimity, and agreement, and the union of love.

At this time, O beloved, not only people cry out with a trembling voice, but also the angels fall down to the Lord, and the archangels pray. As people come to kings having cut off olive branches, and the branches remind kings of mercy and love for mankind, so the angels, instead of olive branches, offering the very Body of the Lord as the Lord, pray for human nature: "We pray for those whom Thou Thyself, having foreceded, so loved that Thou didst give Thy life for them.

For those for whom Thou hast poured out Thy Blood, for whom Thou hast sacrificed Thy Body." Therefore, when you pray to the Lord alone, He does not hear you so well. After all, priestly prayers are also invoked here. For this reason the priests also stand here, so that the prayers of the people, being weak, united with their prayers, which are stronger, may ascend with them to Heaven.

And Paul testifies, saying thus: "God, who also delivered us from death so near, and delivers, and in Whom we hope that He will deliver us again, with the help of your prayer for us" (2 Corinthians 1:10-11). And Peter was delivered from prison by prayer: "In the meantime the church diligently prayed to God for him" (Acts 12:5). If church prayer helped Peter, how can you not believe in its power and what answer do you hope to receive?

The Church is stronger than the heavens, and the sun will be extinguished sooner than the Church will disappear without a trace. The hosts of angels glorify the mountain, and people sing about the valley in the church. The Seraphim cry out the thrice-holy hymn, and the valley sends the same hymn to a multitude of people. A common triumph for the heavenly and the earthly, one thanksgiving, one joy, one joy! And this ineffable descent made the Lord! The Holy Spirit arranged it!