www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Prayer What a wonderful topic!

This is my first time on the Byzantine Forum, and the Prayer Request topic is wonderful. Remember all of the times in the Gospels when Jesus withdrew from the crowds to privately pray to his Father. Remember also His teachings that the Father will grant you whatever you request in Jesus' name.

Sometimes we overlook just how powerful prayer really is. A simple "Jesus, I love you" when you lay in bed ready to fall asleep is more powerful than all of the weapons humans have ever made.

JP

AMEN!

Welcome to the forum

Dear JP,

It is an Eastern tradition to recite the Jesus Prayer while in bed and everywhere - "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner!"

And we can do this by making the Sign of the Cross to the words, as the Old Rite Orthodox do.

St John Chrysostom counselled the continual use of the Jesus Prayer, as did many other Saints.

And I understand that the Irish Celi De monks also invoked the Name of Jesus frequently . . .

Alex

I personally think the early Irish monks learned a lot more from the East than the West, at least until the Synod of Whitby in the 7th Century. There are just a lot of similarities between early Irish Christianity and Eastern Christianity.

However, it doesn't really matter except to the historians and theologians. I feel we are all in this boat together and we need to row like a team.

JP

Dear JP,

Well, when the Irish monks rowed toward the West, they commented on all the terrible creatures they experienced along the way . . .

Very much like the Eastern Christian experience . . .

Alex

Excellent!