The Shepherd, March 2008
That is why the divine Apostle Paul, knowing better than we do the great benefit of prayer, commanded us to pray unceasingly. He would never have advised us to do something too difficult or impossible; for if we were incapable, it follows that we would necessarily appear to be disobedient and transgressors of his commandment, and thus we would be condemned. But what the Apostle meant in saying, “Pray without ceasing,” was that we should pray with our nous, which we can always do. For whether we are working with our hands, or walking, or sitting, or eating and drinking, we can always pray with our mind and do noetic prayer that is pleasing to God and true. We can work with our body and pray with our soul. The outer man performs all bodily functions, and the inner man is entirely devoted to the worship of God, and never ceases from this spiritual work of noetic prayer.
Our divine-human Lord Jesus Himself so commands us in the Holy Gospel, saying, “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father Who is in secret” (Mt. 6:6). The room of the soul is the body; the doors are our five senses. The soul enters its room when the mind does not wander to and fro among worldly things, but remains within our heart. And our senses close and remain closed when we do not allow them to cling to outward, sensible things. In this way our mind remains free from every worldly attachment; and through secret noetic prayer, you are united with God your Father. And then, as He says, “your Father Who sees you in secret will reward you openly.” God, Who knows what is secret, sees your noetic prayer and rewards it with great and manifest gifts; for this prayer is true and perfect prayer, and it fills the soul with Divine grace and spiritual gifts. It is like perfume: the tighter you stop the vessel, the more fragrant the vessel becomes. So too with prayer: the more you confine it within your heart, the more it fills you with Divine grace.
Blessed and fortunate are they who accustom themselves to this heavenly work, for they overcome every temptation of the wicked demons by it, just as David prevailed over the proud Goliath; they put out the inordinate desires of the flesh by it, as the Three Youths put out the flame of the furnace. By this noetic work of prayer, they calm the passions, as Daniel tamed the wild lions; by it they bring down into their hearts the dew of the Holy Spirit, as Elias brought down the rain on Mount Carmel. It is this noetic prayer that rises to the throne of God and is kept in the golden bowls, so that the Lord can be incensed with it, as John the Theologian says in Revelation, “and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints” (Rev. 5:8). This noetic prayer is a light that ever illumines a man’s soul and ignites his heart with the flames of the love of God. It is a chain that keeps God united with a man and joined together.
O, the incomparable grace of noetic prayer! This is what makes a man always talk with God. O truly marvelous and extraordinary phenomenon! You are physically with other people and noetically with God. Angels have no audible voice, but noetically they offer unceasing adoration to God. In this consists all their activity, and to this their whole life is consecrated. So too you, brother, when you enter your room and shut the door, i.e., when your mind does not scatter here and there but enters into your heart, and your senses are shut and not attached to the things of this world, and you always pray like this with your nous, then you become like the holy Angels, and your Father, Who sees the secret prayer that you offer Him in the depths of your heart, will openly give you great spiritual gifts in return. What could you want that is more or greater than this, when, as I said, you are noetically always with God and constantly talking with Him, Him without Whom none can ever be happy, neither here nor in the next life?
And finally, brother, whoever you may be, when you get hold of this and read it, I fervently entreat you, also remember to pray to God and say a “Lord have mercy” for the sinful soul of the man who laboured over this writing, and the one who paid for it to be published, for they are in great need of prayer, so that they may obtain God’s mercy on their souls, and you on yours. Amen. Amen.
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