On Prayer~Saint Paisios the Athonite

Spiritual Counsels VI

In the previous five volumes of the series, The Spiritual Counsels of Elder Paisios, there are many references to the subject of prayer, since the Elder held prayer to be his primary work throughout the course of his perfection as a monk. However, even in his communication with people, both monks and laity, he always aimed at helping them to entrust their life to God through prayer. This volume, published with the blessing of our Chief-Shepherd, His Eminence Nicodemos, Metropolitan of Kassandreia, comprises counsels of the Elder, which are specifically on the subject of prayer.
For Elder Paisios, prayer is the immeasurable potential which God has given us in order to communicate with Him, and ask for His help. The Elder actually felt pain when he observed people suffering as they struggled “with their limited human capabilities”, when they could have asked for help from God, Who “would have sent not simply divine help, but a whole variety of divine assistance; and then, of course, His help would not be called simply divine help, but a miracle of God”. It was why he had insisted that we understand prayer to be a necessity and earnestly sought to help those who had not learned to pray ‘to make a start in order to get their heart working on prayer”. He also strengthened those who had acquired the good habit of praying to pray with even more philotimo and greater fervour. To everyone, however, he emphasized repentance and humility as the main prerequisites for communication with God.

(From the prologue)