Saint Nicholas
Greek Orthodox
Church
San Jose, California
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©
1999-2006 St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church of
San Jose, CA
Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
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"O Gregory the
Miracle Worker, light of
Orthodoxy, support and teacher of the Church, comeliness of monastics,
invincible defender of theologians, the pride
of Thessalonica and preacher of grace: intercede for ever that our souls
may be saved." The Many Forms of Prayer As mere mortals, the only way we can hope to communicate with God is through prayer. Prayer has many different aspects and can take a variety of forms. St. Gregory Palamas, the 14th century Bishop of Thessalonika - who we commemorate annually on the Second Sunday of Lent - was a staunch advocate of silent, contemplative prayer. He founded a monastic movement called "hesychasm" (from the Greek word "hesychia," meaning "quiet") which encouraged the constant recitation of the Jesus Prayer - Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have Mercy On Me, A Sinner - as a means of drawing closer to God in one's own heart. While praying in this fashion may bring us a great deal of inner peace, there are other forms of prayer that must be practiced and perfected if our prayer life is to be complete. First, we must offer God PRAYERS OF WORSHIP. He is the Creator; we are His creatures. We must never neglect to give Him praise. God also deserves our PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING. As St. James tells us: "Every good and perfect gift is from above." We must be grateful for all of the benefits God bestows upon us. INTERCESSORY PRAYER is also important. Asking our Lord to fill the needs of others - friend and foe alike - is a vital part of our prayer life. Finally, we must learn the proper way of PRAYING FOR OUR OWN NEEDS. These petitions cannot be selfish and self-serving. We cannot expect God to grant our every whim and desire! These are the "ingredients" of a proper prayer life for an Orthodox Christian. May we all follow this "recipe" for establishing a prayerful relationship with our Heavenly Father. Bible Readings for Sunday,
March 11th, 2001: |
Icon of St. Gregory Palamas This holy Father, from Asia Minor, was reared from childhood in the royal court of Constantinople, where he was instructed in both religious and secular wisdom. Later, while still a youth, he left the imperial court and struggled in asceticism on Mount Athos, and in the Skete at Beroea. He was present in Constantinople at the Councils that were convened in 1341 and in 1347 and contended courageously for the true dogmas of the Church of Christ, teaching in particular that divine grace is not created, but is the uncreated energies of God which poured forth throughout creation; otherwise it would be impossible, if grace were created, for man to have genuine communion with the uncreated God. He was appointed Metropolitan of Thessalonica in 1347, where he served until his death in 1359. The patriarch Philotheus composed a full service for his feast day in 1368, when it was established that his feast be celebrated on this day. |
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St. Nicholas Greek
Orthodox Church
1260 Davis Street, San Jose,
California 95126