With these two little prayers, all Christians are saved... ( Elder Ephraim of Arizona )

The Holy Fathers were illumined and left us these little prayers. A few words:

 “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on us” and “Most Holy Theotokos, save us”. 

We don’t need to read encyclopedias, nor many books. With these two little prayers, all Christians are saved.

Elder Ephraim of Arizona 

The noetic prayer ( Elder Ephraim of Arizona )

 

In these last days, when the breath of the Antichrist pollutes land and sea and every breath of life, God fans the activity of noetic prayer in the bosom and heart of the Church like a refreshing dew of grace, like the breeze heard by the Prophet Elias (3 Kings 19:12), as an antidote for the health and salvation of soul and body in the days that are upon us and those to come.

 Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Everything is reduced to ashes when it comes near the fire of the Jesus prayer. ( Elder Ephraim of Arizona )

My children, I beg you, for the love of God, do not stop saying the prayer of our Christ, not even for a moment. Your lips should continuously murmur the name of Jesus Who destroys the devil and all his plots. Cry out incessantly to our Christ, and at once He will hasten wholeheartedly to help us. Just as iron cannot be grabbed or even approached when it is red-hot, the same thing happens with the soul of him who says the prayer with the fervor of Christ. The demons do not approach it—and how could they? For if they draw near it, they will be burned by the divine fire which the divine name contains. 

Whoever prays is enlightened, and whoever does not pray is darkened. Prayer is the provider of divine light. This is why everyone who prays well becomes all radiant, and the Spirit of God dwells in him. If despondency, indifference, listlessness, etc., approach us, let us pray with fear, pain, and great noetic vigilance, and we will immediately experience the miracle of consolation and joy by the grace of God. It is not possible for a person who prays to hold a grudge against someone or to refuse to forgive him for any fault whatsoever. 

Everything is reduced to ashes when it comes near the fire of the Jesus prayer. So, my children, struggle in the salvific and sanctifying prayer of our Christ, so that you may become radiant and holy. Pray also for me, the indolent sinner, so that God may be merciful on the multitude of my sins, as well as on my countless liabilities.

Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Do not worry about the imperfection and dryness of your prayer ( Elder Ephraim of Arizona )

The name of Jesus Christ, which we invoke in prayer, contains within it self-existing and self-acting restorative power. 

So do not worry about the imperfection and dryness of your prayer, but with perseverance await the fruit of the repeated invocation of the Divine Name.


Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Pray with the Jesus prayer... ( Elder Ephraim of Arizona )

We live in this vain world, but it must not attract and engross our heart so as to deaden its spiritual stamina and separate it from its Maker and God. Therefore, we ought to pray constantly, my child, in order to communicate ceaselessly with our Christ and draw spiritual strength from Him, so that we may face every demonic attack victoriously.

 

 Pray with the Jesus prayer, and He, the wonder-working Lord, first of all will forgive us the multitude of our sins, and secondly, by His grace will help us defeat the flesh, the world, and the devil—our three great enemies. Moreover, prayer is the provider of joy and peace in God. Consider how much we need joy of soul and especially divine joy. Therefore, let us see to it that at all costs we take advantage of all our spare time and utilize it for prayer.

Elder Ephraim of Arizona

The name of Jesus Christ, which we invoke in prayer ( Elder Ephraim of Arizona )

The name of Jesus Christ, which we invoke in prayer, contains within it self-existing and self-acting restorative power. So do not worry about the imperfection and dryness of your prayer, but with perseverance await the fruit of the repeated invocation of the Divine Name.

Elder Ephraim of Arizona

The prayer fortifies them in their spiritual struggle....

I know thousands of souls in the world , throughout the whole world, I would say, who compel themselves in the prayer with wondrous results. The prayer fortifies them in their spiritual struggle; it enlightens them inwardly, and they confess thoroughly and sincerely. Distressed by the thoughts and temptations which the demons rouse against those who say the prayer, they run with longing to the immaculate Mysteries. Then, they run back to the struggle with thoughts and passions, and then, back again to the Mysteries—they can no longer do without the prayer.

Elder Ephraim of Arizona

The prayer is breath......

The prayer is breath. When a person breathes, he is alive, and he attends to his whole life. Whoever begins to say the prayer, also begins to correct his whole life, with his spiritual father as a guide. Just as the rising sun awakens, illuminates, and gives life to creation, so also when Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, rises by means of the prayer in man’s nous and heart, He awakens him to do the works of light and of the day without evening.

Elder Ephraim of Arizona

My brother, keep praying with your mouth until divine grace enlightens you to pray also with your heart.

 

My brother, keep praying with your mouth until divine grace enlightens you to pray also with your heart. Then a celebration and festival will take place within you in a wondrous way, and you will no longer pray with your mouth, but with the attention which works in the heart.

Elder Ephraim of Arizona

When you have carnal warfare, be very careful with filthy fantasies, which produce dirty thoughts.

When you have carnal warfare, be very careful with filthy fantasies, which produce dirty thoughts. Stop and expel fantasies as soon as they come. Immediately say the prayer with pain of soul and at once will be delivered from the warfare.

Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Compel yourselves in the Jesus prayer; this will become everything for you—food and drink and clothing and light and consolation and spiritual life.

Compel yourselves in the Jesus prayer; this will become everything for you—food and drink and clothing and light and consolation and spiritual life. This prayer becomes everything for him who possesses it. Without it, the emptiness of the soul cannot be satisfied. Do you want to love Christ? Long for the prayer and embrace humility, and then you will realize that the kingdom of God is within us. Do not let evil thoughts rule over you; drive them out immediately with the prayer. Oh, this prayer—what miracles it performs! Cry out the prayer, and your guardian angel will send you spiritual fragrance! The angels greatly rejoice when a person prays with the prayer of our sweetest Jesus. May Jesus be the delight of your soul.

Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Do not stop saying the prayer of our Christ ....

My children, I beg you, for the love of God, do not stop saying the prayer of our Christ, not even for a moment. Your lips should continuously murmur the name of Jesus Who destroys the devil and all his plots. Cry out incessantly to our Christ, and at once He will hasten wholeheartedly to help us. Just as iron cannot be grabbed or even approached when it is red-hot, the same thing happens with the soul of him who says the prayer with the fervor of Christ. The demons do not approach it—and how could they? For if they draw near it, they will be burned by the divine fire which the divine name contains. Whoever prays is enlightened, and whoever does not pray is darkened. Prayer is the provider of divine light. This is why everyone who prays well becomes all radiant, and the Spirit of God dwells in him. If despondency, indifference, listlessness, etc., approach us, let us pray with fear, pain, and great noetic vigilance, and we will immediately experience the miracle of consolation and joy by the grace of God. It is not possible for a person who prays to hold a grudge against someone or to refuse to forgive him for any fault whatsoever. Everything is reduced to ashes when it comes near the fire of the Jesus prayer. So, my children, struggle in the salvific and sanctifying prayer of our Christ, so that you may become radiant and holy. Pray also for me, the indolent sinner, so that God may be merciful on the multitude of my sins, as well as on my countless liabilities.

Elder Ephraim of Arizona

What is more beautiful than prayer!

Cry out the name of God; He is ready to help everyone who asks. Do not forget the prayer; man’s entire being is sanctified by the prayer. It is the only thing which those who do not struggle to the point of shedding blood are unable to do. What is more beautiful than prayer! 

Whoever prays is enlightened and comes to know the will of God. And how does he know it? When he prays well, of course. And when does he pray well? When he sends his prayers to God with all the right ingredients. And what are the ingredients that make prayer savory? 

Humility, tears, self-reproach, simplicity, and especially obedience with love. Prayer sheds light, and this light shows the right path which God wills. The prayer should be said without flagging; by praying thus you will remain invulnerable on all sides. 

When you find yourselves in a state of passionate thoughts, resume the prayer eagerly and assiduously, and immediately you will find relief. Hold on to the Jesus prayer steadfastly.


Elder Ephraim of Arizona

The weapon of prayer

My child, with the weapon of prayer in your hands, fight for the divine battlements. Whoever struggles is crowned, not with olive branches, but with the unfading crown of eternal glory in the heavenly Jerusalem! This struggle is worth it because the glory it brings remains unfading and eternal, whereas the glory of athletes who struggle for transient things is ephemeral and vain! Therefore, we must struggle by making sacrifices and bearing privations, so that the holy name of God may be also glorified by us worthless ones.


Elder Ephraim of Arizona

Be very careful to bear in mind your sins and passions

May the grace of CHRIST be with you, within your soul, my child, to enlighten and increase your love for HIM, so that you may be kept near HIM and not be swept away by the current of worldliness and fall away from GOD and lose your immortal soul, which is more than the entire world. 

The amount of grace that came to you is small; the saints, though, had much grace. In order to increase it, you must humble yourself. If you become proud it will leave, and then you will weep. 

So be very careful to bear in mind your sins and passions, so that vainglory will not sprout in you and drive away the JESUS Prayer.

Elder Ephraim

Compel yourselves in the Jesus Prayer

Compel yourselves in the Jesus Prayer: this will become everything to you -- food and drink and clothing and light and consolation and spiritual life. This prayer becomes everything for him who possesses it. Without it, the emptiness of the soul cannot be satisfied. 

Do you want to love Christ? Long for the Prayer and embrace humility, and then you will realize that the Kingdom of God is within us.

Elder Ephraim of Arizona