SSCORRE!

Saint Sophia Cathedral

Online Resources for our Religious Edification

Topic of the Week – On Prayer for Others

Adult/Family:

“A famous saying is ‘When your children are young speak to them about God. When your children grow up, speak to God about them.’ That’s a general rule.

So when they grow up, the words are going to be less and less and less effective for any change. Unless they are coming to you saying, teach me, tell me, enlighten me. Of course, then you’re going to respond and teach. If they have no interest and you undiscerningly speak, speak, speak, you’re going to make things worse.

You need to double down on prayer, double down on the whole ascetic life. It’s about quantity and quality of our prayer in our prayer corner.

And remember, the Lord says that’s where He sees and rewards. So if your petition is for the sake of the salvation of your children or brother and sister, the reward will be their salvation. You will see Him and pray to Him in private, and He will reward in public.

Turn to God, seek consolation in God, and speak far less than not….”

The Orthodox Ethos on Instagram: When your children are young, speak to them about God. When your children grow up, speak to God about them., Fr. Peter Heers

Preschool/Elementary:

“When God wants to have mercy on someone, He inspires someone else to pray for him and He helps in this prayer.”Saint Silouan the AthoniteMiddle School:“Do not let pass any opportunity to pray for anyone, either at his request or at the request of his relatives, friends, of those who esteem him, or of his acquaintances. The Lord looks favorably upon the prayer of our love, and upon our boldness before him.Besides this, prayer for others is very beneficial to the one himself who prays for others; it purifies the heart, strengthens faith and hope in God, and enkindles our love for God and our neighbor.

When praying, say thus: ‘Lord, it is possible for Thee to do this or that to this servant of Thine; do this for him, for Thy name is the Merciful Love of Men and the Almighty.”Saint John of Kronstadt, My Life in Christ 

 “When we or someone else are facing some problem, let us ask others for their prayers and let us all entreat God with faith and love. Be sure that God is pleased with these prayers and intervenes with miracles. This is something we haven’t understood properly. We say, ‘Say a prayer for me,’ but without realizing the power of common prayer.

Pray for others more than for yourself. Say, ‘Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me,’ and you will always have others in your mind. We are all children of the same Father; we are all one. And so, when we pray for others, we say, ‘Lord, Jesus Christ, have mercy on me,’ and not, ‘have mercy on them.’ In this way we make them one with ourselves.

Prayer for others which is made gently and with deep love is selfless and has great spiritual benefit. It brings grace to the person who prays and also to the person for whom he is praying. When you have great love and this love moves you to prayer, then the waves of love are transmitted and affect the person for whom you are praying and you create around him a shield of protection and you influence him, you lead him towards what is good.

When He sees your efforts, God bestows his grace abundantly on both you and on the person you are praying for. But we must die to ourselves. Do you understand?”

Wounded by Love, Saint Porphyrios, pp131-132

Here is a pocket-sized commemoration book where you can write down the names of people you need to pray for so you don’t forget anyone! Pocket Commemoration Book — Exaltation Press