Monthly Message from Fr. Ghassan - January/February 2025

Monthly Message from Fr. Ghassan - January/February 2025

NO ONE IS WORTHY? REFLECTIONS ON THE PRIEST'S CALL TO PRAYER  

Prayer is, at its highest level, an experience of theosis—an ascent towards union with God. Perfect prayer, as total communion with God, is wholly a gift of grace, an ideal so lofty that we are not even close to attaining it. Yet it is crucial to remember that such a level of prayer exists and that there are those who, through grace, have reached this level of divine union. 

A step closer to us is noetic, or heart-centred prayer, wherein the mind’s focus descends to the heart, and prayer flows from within. This, too, is a gift of grace, yet it is attainable, and something we are called to seek. St. Leo of Optina describes this beautifully: “Anyone visited by the Lord through severe trial, sorrow, or loss of a beloved one will, almost against his own will, pray with all his heart, mind, and soul. Everyone, then, possesses the potential for such deep prayer, but it is awakened either through gradual inner work, as taught by the holy fathers, or suddenly by ‘God’s drill.’” 

The second case—being spiritually "drilled" by God—lies beyond our control. Only God knows whose heart can withstand such intense trials and calls each person to prayer uniquely. Deep, heartfelt prayer may emerge in moments of acute suffering, yet it often fades with the passing of those circumstances. With each trial, the heart may either deepen in prayer or grow increasingly numb. Therefore, while we should not flee from suffering, expecting tribulation alone to open our hearts to prayer is unwise. In the spiritual life, we cannot rely on any single formula, for it is a realm of freedom, not calculation. 

 
Although we are cautioned against making rigid plans, we are still called to “gradually go deeper into ourselves,” as St. Leo advises. Grace, indeed, comes from God, yet we must prepare our souls through personal effort. Just as the saying goes, “The road rises to meet those who walk it,” so too does prayer deepen for those who tread the path with diligence and humility. 

The Location of the Heart 

St. Leo of Optina describes the path to prayer as a journey inward, gradually focusing one’s mind within the heart. In this context, "heart" refers to the core or centre of one’s being, not merely the physical organ that pumps blood, but the spiritual heart, the seat of the soul. The bodily heart symbolises the deeper place within us, where we feel and say, “I prayed with all my heart.” However, this is only the surface of the spiritual heart about which the holy fathers speak. Scripture says, "The inward thought and the heart of man are deep" (Psalm 64:6). Just as the sea has depths beyond its surface, so too does the spiritual heart have hidden depths. 

The Gospel teaches, "But when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly" (Matthew 6:6). Here, the "room" we must enter is our heart, and the "door" we close is a focus that leads us inward. Even if we have not yet experienced this depth of prayer, we should strive for it.  

Finding the Door to the Heart 

The holy fathers give varied advice on reaching the heart, tailored to individuals and situations. For all, however, a safe and effective approach is found in the guidance of St. John of the Ladder, affirmed by St. Ignatius Brianchaninov: enclose the mind within the words of prayer. This means focusing the mind on each word as we pray, whether during the Jesus Prayer, psalms, canons, or liturgical texts, and understanding the words at the very moment we speak or read them. Such prayer keeps the mind attentive and guards it against distraction. 

We must avoid boasting and repent of proud thoughts, while striving to soberly assess our state of prayer. Ideally, an experienced guide or spiritual father can help us with this discernment. This need for guidance applies not only to new converts but also to those who have been in the Church for years, regardless of their position. A well-known example is Archpriest Vasily Serebrennikov, who, though a respected Moscow priest, learned deeper concepts of prayer from the elder Hierodeacon Ephraim of Glinsk Hermitage. 

If, however, God has not provided a spiritual mentor, we can still understand our state to some degree. For example, if our mind is often distracted by thoughts, then we do not have unceasing prayer. If we do not feel prayer in our heart, then even if we mentally recite the words, our prayer has not become "self-propelling." 

Noetic prayer—the prayer of the mind within the heart—is indeed a gift of grace, yet it is something we are encouraged to pursue. While certain artificial methods exist to achieve this, the holy fathers warn that such techniques are dangerous without the guidance of an experienced spiritual father. It is also essential to recognise that if we are still working to concentrate our mind within the heart, our prayer is verbal, not yet noetic. Even if we say it silently, verbal prayer is still a recitation of words in the mind. This verbal level is the first measure of prayer—though small, it is still true prayer. Without this, there is no prayer at all. 

VERBAL PRAYER 
Verbal prayer, whether spoken aloud or recited mentally, can accompany any level of prayer, from the most elementary to the most profound. At one extreme, it may be no prayer at all if we simply say the words aloud or read through them while our mind is distracted elsewhere; at best, this can be an exercise to awaken our spiritually dormant souls. At the other extreme, spoken prayer can accompany the highest levels of grace-filled communion with God. Surely, when St. Basil the Great recited prayers during the Divine Liturgy, he did not merely say them with his lips! 

SILENTLY OR ALOUD? 
The combination of inner and verbal prayer isn’t mandatory but can be beneficial. Those with a spiritual guide should simply follow his direction. Otherwise, one should pray in whatever manner best helps the mind stay attentive. If silent prayer fosters greater focus, pray silently. If saying the words aloud supports concentration, combine inner and verbal prayer. 
St. John Climacus speaks to this, saying: “If we are not alone during prayer, let us resort to inner prayer. If there are no ‘ministers of praise’ with us” (i.e., no one nearby, so there is no temptation to display piety), “we may adjust our outward form to support our state of prayer. For those who are imperfect, the mind often conforms to the body” (The Ladder of Divine Ascent 28:23). 

PRAYER WITHOUT ATTENTION IS NOT WITHOUT VALUE 
As the holy fathers have taught, “What the soul is to the body, attention is to prayer.” They often described prayer without attention as lifeless. Yet, even the simplest, most distracted verbal prayer can still benefit the soul, provided the person praying is not proud of it. On the other hand, someone who has attained a degree of success in prayer but succumbs to proud thoughts about it, neglecting to repent and struggle against such pride, will soon lose this gift of grace. 

Even scattered, superficial prayer—if offered with humility and an awareness of one’s weaknesses—is not without value. This kind of prayer still opens the heart toward God, and even the intention to pray has meaning. But, of course, we should aim to pray with mindful attention, understanding what we are asking for. When I say, “Lord, have mercy,” I am asking Him for mercy. I may feel nothing as I say these words, and my heart may be still. But if it were entirely unresponsive, I wouldn’t even stand before the icon. God hears even such a prayer, and over time, prayer offered faithfully will deepen, even if the heart remains quiet and the mind struggles to focus. It is better to pray, even distractedly and verbally, than not to pray at all. According to the holy fathers, such prayer will gradually draw the mind’s attention and may lead to a deeper level of verbal prayer. 

One last note on the value of verbal prayer, even if distracted: at times of severe temptation, when anxious thoughts grip the soul and the mind cannot concentrate, it may be helpful—if circumstances allow—to pray aloud. Speaking the prayer audibly often draws our attention back to the words, calms the mind, and opens the heart to God.     Fr. Ghassan Haddad