But what do lay people say?  “We are involved in so many matters and cares of the world.  How can we possibly pray without ceasing?”  My answer to them is that God has not commanded us to do anything impossible; but He has commanded us to do all those things that we are able to do.  Therefore this too can be accomplished by anyone who diligently seeks the salvation of his soul.  For if it were impossible, it would be so for all lay people, and there would never have been so many in the world who did accomplish it.  As an example of someone like this, let us take St. Gregory’s father, that amazing Constantine Palamas.

 

This man was an official of the imperial court, and was called the father and teacher of the Emperor Andronikos.  He was daily occupied with imperial affairs, in addition to those his own house, since he was very wealthy and owned a large estate and servants, and had a wife and children.  Nevertheless, he was so inseparable from God and so given to unceasing noetic prayer, that most of the time he would forget what it was the Emperor and the officials of the palace were discussing with him about imperial matters, and he would ask about the same things several times.  Often the other officials, not knowing the reason for this, would become agitated and reproach him for forgetting so quickly, and for disturbing the Emperor with his repeated questions.  But the Emperor, who knew the cause, would defend him, saying, “Fortunate Constantine has his own concerns, and they do not permit him to pay attention to what we are saying on matters temporal and vain.  But the nous of this blessed man is fixed on what is true and heavenly, and thus he forgets what is mundane.  All of his attention is focused on the prayer and on God.”

 

Thus, as the most holy Patriarch Philotheos relates, Constantine was admired and loved by the Emperor and all the magnates and officials of the Empire.  Likewise, he was loved by God, and the venerable one was even counted worthy to perform miracles.  The holy Philotheos tells us in his biography of St. Gregory (Constantine’s son), that he took his whole family once on a boat to a place above Galatas, to pay a visit to a hermit who lived in stillness there, and get his blessing.  On the way, he asked his servants if they had any food to take to that Abba, so that they might eat with him.  The servants said that in the rush they had forgotten to bring any.  The blessed man was somewhat addened, but said nothing.  As they continued on in the boat, he simply put his hand into the sea, and with silent and noetic prayer he asked God, the Master of the sea, to let him catch something.  After a short time (how wonderful are Thy works, O Christ King, by which Thou marvelously glorifiest Thy servants!), he brought up his hand from the sea holding a large bass-fish.  Tossing it into the boat in front of his servants, he said, “Look here how our Lord provided for his servant, the Abba, and has sent him something to eat.”  Do you see, my brethren, with what sort of glory Jesus Christ glorifies those servants who are always with Him and who constantly invoke His sweetest name?

 

Then there was that righteous and holy Evdokimos.  Wasn’t he also in Constantinople, and in the imperial court and involved in state affairs?  Didn’t he keep company with the Emperor and the palace officials, with so many cares and distractions?  And for all that, noetic prayer was always inseparable from him, as related in his biography by St. Symeon the Translator.  Thus, even though this thrice-blessed man dwelt in the world among worldly things, he nevertheless lived an angelic, supramundane life.  And God, who gives the rewards, counted him worthy to have a blessed and divine end.  There were also many, countless others who were in the world and yet were given entirely to this noetic and saving prayer, as we read in the histories.

 

So, my dear fellow Christians, I beg you, as did once the divine Chrysostom, for the sake of the salvation of your souls, do not neglect this important work of prayer.  Imitate those whom we mentioned, and follow their example as far as possible.  And though it seem difficult in the beginning, be certain and assured, as if from the person of God Almighty, that this very name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we invoke it constantly every day, will make all the difficulties easier.  And in the course of time, once we are accustomed to it and it is sweet to say, then we will know from experience that it is not impossible nor difficult, but possible and easy.