A Challenge to the priests and deacons in the cafe

joasia · Post by **joasia** » Fri 29 July 2005 6:45 pm

Fathers bless.

With deepest sincerity I ask a favour, from a laywoman to the clergy.

There have been many discussions of jurisdiction and conflicts amongst Orthodox synods. I have become completely saturated with the different positions, to the point that I can't think straight about it, anymore.

I think that it's time to unite our hearts and bring our concerns before God, Himself. I know that each clergy prays for the preservation of Orthodoxy within their regular prayers, personal and in church.

What I want to ask, is if all the clergy can arrange a certain time amongst each other, to set a time of prayer, specific to asking God to have mercy on us and guide the hierarchs to do the right thing for the Orthodox faith and to bring unity in truth. Raise your hearts in unity of prayer, at the same time, to Christ.

All the clergy here, have their personal views on who is right and who is wrong...who did one thing and who didn't do something else. I ask that you put that aside and pray only for unity of truth.

I know I may sound like a silly little girl, but what I feel is that with all your hearts united in prayer, at a certain moment, God will see that the clergy are making a true effort of faith, instead of endlessly debating about it here. And He will have mercy on us. These are serious times of spiritual conflict and it requires serious spiritual effort. And if you can include other clergy who do not participate here(and bishops!), that would be great.

I ask the clergy because I trust that the prayers of men who have been ordained are very powerful, when they pray with all their hearts for the sake of the Orthodox faith.

In Christ,

Joanna

尼古拉前执事 · Post by **尼古拉前执事** » Tue 2 August 2005 9:58 pm

Joanna, we actually do pray for the unity of the Faithful at least one a week in the cycle of services, although it wouldnot be a bad idea to do it more often.

joasia · Post by **joasia** » Tue 2 August 2005 11:20 pm

Fr. Nicholas,

I am aware that there is the general prayer for the unity of the faith in the services. I also pray for it, from my prayer book(not the same prayer, I'm sure):

....And first, remember Thy Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, which Thou has provided through Thy precious Blood, and establish, and strengthen, and expand, increase, pacify and keep Her unconquerable by the gates of hades; calm the dissensions of the churches, quench the raging of the nations, and quickly destroy and uproot the rising of heresy, and bring them to nought by the power of Thy Holy Spirit.

I was thinking more about having the clergy pray at the same moment, not in a service, because services are scheduled at different times, but a personal appeal, from the clergy, in your personal prayers. Raising your hearts together, in heart-felt prayer. A union of prayer, like that, God cannot ignore, because it is made with total conviction of faith that He will answer it.

Couldn't a time be arranged, at night(since many work in the day), for a few minutes of prayer? Perhaps pick a certain prayer or prayer rule(I don't know what prayers the clergy say).

And to take it a little further, even laymen can participate. The beauty of this plan is that we can do it from our homes. We don't have to rush off somewhere. Maybe just prostration, for a starter. But, something in unison.

Think about it...the world has organized Rock concerts for the starving nations. That takes alot of preparations. But, all I ask is a few minutes of prostrations, at the least.

I ask the laity too. But, I feel that it's so important for the clergy to participate, most of all, because they are the vessels of the Holy Spirit.

My faith, in Christ, always

Joanna

Priest Siluan · Post by **Priest Siluan** » Wed 3 August 2005 9:24 pm

It is not really bad idea. But we should cling to the prayers of the divine services, there we pray for the unit in the Faith, I think that in the divine services it is all the necessary one to this respect. The Holy Father that composed the services has noticed of all the questions, I believe that we should pray conscientiously on prayers of the services and in our prayers at the home. Simply to pray with all our heart.

Fr Siluan