Pray Without Ceasing

Reflection

St Paul tells the Thessalonians to “pray without ceasing,” and Orthodox Christians have long understood the Jesus Prayer as one way of taking him at his word. Because it is so short, it can be prayed almost anywhere: walking, washing up, waiting at a red light, lying awake. Many people use a prayer rope, a knotted cord called a komboskini in Greek and a chotki in Slavonic, moving one knot for each prayer, simply to help the mind stay with it. Begin small. Set aside a few quiet minutes once or twice a day, say the prayer slowly, and when your mind wanders, as it will, gently come back to the words without scolding yourself. Unceasing prayer is not something we produce by effort. It is a gift God gives, slowly, to those who keep returning.