Prayer of the heart is prayer of the total person, body, soul, and
spirit. But since the heart is the place of the Divine indwelling, prayer
of the heart is praying in which it is not only I that speak, but it
is the prayers which Christ and the Holy Spirit are saying within
me.
Those who attain prayer of the heart have the experience of
being prayed in.
~ Kallistos Ware*
Lord and Spirit of my
Heart ~
It's true, then. I have felt You here, within me, but I was afraid to recognize You, to acknowledge You, and I have also denied to myself that I have felt You. It hasn't happened often but I would like it to happen again, and, more often.
The times of my life when I have needed the most comfort have sometimes been the most difficult to enter into prayer. And sometimes the happiest times distract me from praying my thanksgivings. I'm working on all of that and I ask You ~ I invite You ~ to come into my heart, my soul, and all of me and help me to discover again all that deep prayer can do with and for me. Pray in me, please, and let my heart and soul feel full of You. amen.
It's true, then. I have felt You here, within me, but I was afraid to recognize You, to acknowledge You, and I have also denied to myself that I have felt You. It hasn't happened often but I would like it to happen again, and, more often.
The times of my life when I have needed the most comfort have sometimes been the most difficult to enter into prayer. And sometimes the happiest times distract me from praying my thanksgivings. I'm working on all of that and I ask You ~ I invite You ~ to come into my heart, my soul, and all of me and help me to discover again all that deep prayer can do with and for me. Pray in me, please, and let my heart and soul feel full of You. amen.
*Timothy Ware [1934-2022] of
Bath, England was raised in the Anglican Church and read classics
and theology at Magdalen College, Oxford. In 1958 at age 24 he
affiliated with the Eastern Orthodox Church. After much travel in Greece
and a significant amount of time at the Monastery of St. John of
Patmos and elsewhere, he was ordained to the priesthood and tonsured [shaving of all or part of the head] as a
monk in 1966. At that time he received the name
"Kallistos." He was later consecrated bishop and his
career path led him to be a Lecturer in Eastern Orthodox Studies at Oxford
University, a position he held for 35 years before retirement. He authored many books and articles on the Orthodox Christian faith.
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