Pray, as Saint Gregory Palamas… all Christians must pray to God without ceasing. Not only without ceasing in church, but also without ceasing in every place and at all times, and especially in your heart.

Synaxarion
On November 14, we also commemorate our father among the saints Gregory Palamas, the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Thessaloniki, who flourished around 1340. Synaxis of the Family of St. Gregory Palamas, St. Constantius (the father), St. Kallis (mother), Saint Theodosius, Saint Epicharis Saint Theodota and Saint Makarios, his brothers
On this day we also commemorate the holy, glorious and all-lauded Apostle Philip, one of the first group of Twelve.
On this day the holy New Martyr Constantine of Hydra, but witnesed in Rhodes in the year 1800, died by hanging.
Saint Justinian the Emperor (565) and his wife St. Theodora (548)
On this day the holy Our righteous Father Euphemianos the Wonderworker, of Cyprus (12th century)[
On this day the holy Our righteous Father Philip of Irap Monastery, Novgorod (1527)
On this day the holy New Martyr Panteleimon the Youth, of Spetses, in Crete (1848)

Verses
The mind truly great and the Light’s bright herald
Is led by light’s Source to radiance never-setting.

Verse: Now is the truly great preacher of the Radiant Light,
Led by the Source of Light to the never-setting Light.

O most wise one, thy words and sacred writings are to those who draw near to them; a heavenly dew, honey from the rock, the bread of angels, nourishing food, and sweetness, O Gregory, thou fount of living water. (ODE V, Canon from the Triodion To Saint Gregory)

The vision of Saint Gregory Palamas
Saint Nikolai Velimirovič

St. Gregory Palamas learned much through heavenly revelations. After he had spent three years in stillness in a cell of the Great Lavra, it was necessary for him to go out among men and benefit them with his accumulated knowledge and experience. God revealed this necessity to him through an extraordinary vision: One day, as though in a light sleep, Gregory saw himself holding a vessel in his hand full to overflowing with milk. Gradually, the milk turned into wine which likewise spilled over the rim, and drenched his hands and garments. Then a radiant youth appeared and said: ”Why would you not give others of this wonderful drink that you are wasting so carelessly, or are you not aware that this is the gift of God’s grace?” To this Gregory replied: ”But if there is no one in our time who feels the need for such a drink, to whom shall I give it?” Then the youth said: ”Whether there are some or whether there are none thirsty for such a drink, you are obligated to fulfill your debt and not neglect the gift of God.” Gregory interpreted the milk as the common knowledge (of the masses) of moral life and conduct, and the wine as dogmatic teaching.

The second time Gregory secluded himself in a monastery he was writing his Principles of Orthodoxy. On the eve of the Feast of St. Anthony the Great, the monks summoned him to the all-night vigil service, but he remained at his work in the cell while all the brethren went to church. St. Anthony suddenly appeared to him and said: ‘‘Perfect stillness is good, but sometimes it is necessary to be with the brethren.” Convinced by this revelation, Gregory immediately went into church to the joy of all the monks.
The Prologue from Ohrid: Lives of Saints by Saint Nikolai Velimirovič
http://livingorthodoxfaith.blogspot.gr/2010/04/prologue-november-14-november-27.html

***

Does the Lord’s command about ceaseless prayer that men ought always to pray (Luke 18:1), apply only to monks or to all Christians in general? If it applied only to monks, the Apostle Paul would not have written to the Christians in Thessalonica to pray without ceasing (I Thessalonians 5:17). The Apostle repeats the Lord’s command, word for word, and issues it to all Christians without distinction, whether monks or laymen. St. Gregory Palamas lived a life of asceticism for some time as a young hieromonk in a monastery in Beroea. The elder Job, a well-known ascetic whom everyone respected, lived in that monastery. It happened that, in elder Job’s presence, St. Gregory quoted the Apostle’s words, asserting that ceaseless prayer is the obligation of every Christian and not just for monks. However, elder Job replied that ceaseless prayer is the obligation of the monk only, and not for every Christian. Gregory, as the younger of the two, yielded and withdrew in silence. When Job returned to his cell and stood at prayer, an angel in great heavenly glory appeared to him and said: ”O Elder, do not doubt the truthfulness of Gregory’s words; he spoke correctly and you should think likewise and pass it on to others.” Thus, both the Apostle and the angel confirmed the commandment that all Christians must pray to God without ceasing. Not only without ceasing in church, but also without ceasing in every place and at all times, and especially in your heart. For if God does not for a moment tire of giving us good things, how can we tire of thanking Him for these good things? When He thinks of us without ceasing, why do we not think of Him without ceasing?
http://livingorthodoxfaith.blogspot.gr/2010/04/prologue-november-16-november-29.html

***

Saint Sophrony (Sakharov) of Essex

What can I do to inherit eternal life?

And I was given the answer:

“Pray, as Saint Gregory Palamas, who cried for many years, “Lord, Enlighten my darkness,” and he was heard.

“Pray in the words of the Ecclesiastical Ode “Enlighten, O Giver of Light, and me the sinner with Your light inaccessible”, and strengthen your faith, remembering that the Church does not pray for things that cannot be done.”

Then, that Man, in excluding the possibility that such a prayer would remain without the above answer, closed his argument as follows:

” When your soul knew this light, then, when it happened to lose it, you will burn for it, and mimicking the Saint Simeon the New Theologian will seek and will I cry unto them:

— Come, O true light!

— Come, O eternal life!

— Come, O raising of the fallen!

— Come, O rising of those who lie down!

— Come, O resurrection of the dead!

— Come, All-Holy King.

— Come, and dwell in us

and live continually, inseparably within me,

and you reign in us

ever and unto the ages of ages.

***

St.Constantius Palamas, St. Gregory’s father, given to unceasing noetic prayer and was counted worthy to perform miracles.

“Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1 Thess. 5:16-18)

My brethren, all Christians, small and great, should always pray, using the noetic prayer, “Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me”; St. Gregory Palamas said the following: “Let no one think that it is the duty only of clergy and monastics to pray with ceasing and not of laypeople. No, absolutely not; it is the duty of all Christians to remain always in prayer.” Using the Jesus prayer (Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner) “… this we can always do if we wish. For when we sit down to work with our hands, when we walk, when we eat, etc. we can always pray mentally as this is pleasing to God. Let us work with the body and pray with the soul.”

As an example of someone like this, let us take St. Gregory’s father, that amazing Constantine Palamas.

This man was an official of the imperial court, and was called the father and teacher of the Emperor Andronikos (II Palaiologos, 1282–1328),. He was daily occupied with imperial affairs, in addition to those his own house, since he was very wealthy and owned a large estate and servants, and had a wife and children. Nevertheless, he was so inseparable from God and so given to unceasing noetic prayer, that most of the time he would forget what it was the Emperor and the officials of the palace were discussing with him about imperial matters, and he would ask about the same things several times. Often the other officials, not knowing the reason for this, would become agitated and reproach him for forgetting so quickly, and for disturbing the Emperor with his repeated questions. But the Emperor, who knew the cause, would defend him, saying, “Lucky Constantine has his own concerns, and they do not permit him to pay attention to what we are saying on matters temporal and vain. But the nous of this blessed man is fixed on what is true and heavenly, and thus he forgets what is mundane. All of his attention is focused on the prayer and on God.”

Thus, as the most holy Patriarch Philotheos relates, Constantine was admired and loved by the Emperor and all the magnates and officials of the Empire. Likewise, he was loved by God, and the venerable one was even counted worthy to perform miracles. The holy Philotheos tells us in his biography of St. Gregory (Constantine’s son), that he took his whole family once on a boat to a place above Galatas, to pay a visit to a hermit who lived in stillness there, and get his blessing. On the way, he asked his servants if they had any food to take to that Abba, so that they might eat with him. The servants said that in the rush they had forgotten to bring any. The blessed man was saddened a bit, but said nothing. As they continued on in the boat, he simply put his hand into the sea, and with silent and noetic prayer he asked God, the Master of the sea, to let him catch something. After a short time (how wonderful are your works, O Christ King, by which you marvelously glorify Your servants!), he brought up his hand from the sea holding a large bass-fish. Tossing it into the boat in front of his servants, he said, “Look here how our Lord provided for his servant the Abba and has sent him something to eat.” Do you see, my brethren, with what sort of glory Jesus Christ glorifies those servants who are always with Him and who constantly invoke His sweetest name?…

Blessed and lucky are they who accustom themselves to this heavenly work, for they overcome every temptation of the wicked demons by it, like 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, like Daniel tamed the wild lions; by it they bring down into their hearts the dew of the Holy Spirit, like Elias brought down the rain on Mount Carmel… Amen. Amen.

By St. Nikodemos of the Holy Mountain ,Taken from “The Life of St. Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonica, the Wonderworker” – http://www.orthodoxheritage.org/MOM%2001%202006.htm

Troparion St Gregory Palamas
— Tone 8

O light of Orthodoxy, teacher of the Church, its confirmation, O ideal of monks and invincible champion of theologians, O wonder-working Gregory, glory of Thessalonica and preacher of grace, always intercede before the Lord that our souls may be saved.

St Gregory of Palamas, Troparion,
Tone VIII —

O wonderworker Gregory, instructor in Or­thodoxy, adornment of holy hierarchs, invin­cible champion of theologians, great boast of Thessalonica, preacher of grace: entreat Christ God, that our souls be saved.

Holy Apostle Philip, Troparion,
Tone III —

O holy apostle Philip/ entreat the merciful God// that He grant to our souls remission of transgressions.

Or this troparion, in the same tone —

The whole world is splendidly adorned;/ Ethiopia doth dance,/ graced as with a crown, having been enlightened by thee,/ and she doth radiantly celebrate thy memory, O divinely eloquent Philip,/ for thou didst teach all to believe in Christ/ and didst fittingly finish the course of the Gospel;/ wherefore, the land of Ethiopia doth boldly entreat God.// Beseech Him to grant us great mercy.

Apolytikion of ST Constantine of Hydra
― Tone 1

Constantine of Hydra, the most-precious shield, the boast of Neomartyrs, who contested on Rhodes, in hymns and spiritual odes, let us providently honor him O bretheren who suffered for Christ, and received death by hanging. Therefore he rules together with Christ, and he grants abundant healings greater in number than the sand to all who flee to him.

Apolytikion of ST Euphemianos
― Tone 1

The luminary of the venerable ones and the boast of Lysi, let us sing praises to Euphemianos the divinely-inspired; you spread your faith, and through asceticism and intense prayer, you ardently flew your nous to the chambers of glory, as we cry out: Glory to Christ Who glorified you, glory to Him Who crowned you, glory to Him Who performs healings through you to the faithful.

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Building our Own House Churches: On the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple. St. Luke Archbishop of Simferopol

Entrance of the Theotokos into the Holy of Holies
Feast of the Hesychastic monasticism

Commemorated on November 21

Magnify, O my soul, her who hath been led into the temple of the
Lord and been blessed by the hands of the priest.

In his homily for the Feast of Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple, St. Gregory Palamas calls Christian:

Today the Ever-Virgin Mary, like a Treasure of God, is stored in the Holy of Holies, so that in due time, (as it later came to pass) She would serve for the enrichment of, and an ornament for, all the world. Therefore, Christ God also glorifies His Mother, both before birth, and also after birth.

Now, brethren, let us remove ourselves from earthly to celestial things. Let us change our path from the flesh to the spirit. Let us change our desire from temporal things to those that endure. Let us scorn fleshly delights, which serve as allurements for the soul and soon pass away. Let us desire spiritual gifts, which remain undiminished. Let us turn our reason and our attention from earthly concerns and raise them to the inaccessible places of Heaven, to the Holy of Holies, where the Mother of God now resides.

***

Building our Own House Churches: On the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple
St. Luke Archbishop of Simferopol

The life of the All-Holy, All-Pure, and All-Blessed Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, who was the All-Pure Temple of the Savior, who was higher than all the Cherubim and Seraphim, could not have begun as does the life of an ordinary person: it needed to have been marked by a glorious beginning to her life. And the Lord God placed into the hearts of her holy parents, Joachim and Anna, the presentiment that their All-Pure Child, their only daughter, was being prepared by God for an extraordinary path, a path enormously loftier than people’s ordinary paths. And guided by this presentiment, they dedicated the All-Holy Virgin Mary to God even before her nativity: they made a vow to God that she would serve Him.

But how? In what form could she serve God?

You know that the ministers of God were chosen by command of God Himself only from the tribe of Levi and, of course, they were all men; women could not be ministers of God.

Nonetheless, the All-Holy Theotokos was designated by God Himself for the very loftiest form of ministry to Him.

When the little Mary grew to the age of three, then her parents, the holy and blessed Joachim and Anna, decided to bring her to the Temple in Jerusalem, in order to raise her under the shadow of this Temple.

They gave a vow, and it was necessary to fulfill it. And they led her, accompanied by a choir of young girls carrying burning candles, to Jerusalem, to the Lord’s Temple. And in an astonishing manner, when they approached the Temple, the three-year old babe Mary escaped from the hands of those holding her fast and quickly, quickly ran up the all the high steps to the Temple.

The great high priest Zacharias took her into his arms and performed something extraordinary, something that had never before been done: he not only led her into God’s Temple, but led her into the Holy of Holies, where there once had stood the Ark of the Covenant and into which only the high priest, and no one else, had the right to enter once a year. The blessed Zacharias led the babe Mary into the Holy of Holies and gave her permission, when she wanted to, even if every day, to enter here to pray.Thus was the childhood of her, who would become the All-Pure Temple of the Savior, observed. Let us leave her, the Holiest of the Holy, to pray in the Lord’s Temple… Let us turn our thoughts to our own children.

All of you, fathers and mothers, have heard the astounding question of the Apostle Paul: “Know ye not that ye are the temples of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). Do you not know that you and your children are intended to serve God in spirit and truth, in works of love and righteousness?

If so, if all are intended to become living temples of God, then does not that require all of us to dedicate ourselves to God from our very earliest years of childhood and youth? Oh yes, oh yes – it goes without saying that this is required. But how can we fulfill this requirement?

This is an extremely difficult question, and I would like, if not to explain it to you, then at least to turn your attention to the importance and difficulty of this essential deed.

All of us receive sanctification in God’s Temple; we are sanctified in it by great and glorious Mysteries that bring us close to God, to the Lord Jesus Christ, making us even into temples of the Holy Spirit.

In God’s Temple, at the divine services, we hear the great words of the Mystery of the Bloodless Sacrifice; we hear the chanting and reading of the Church, and receive great, very important, and very profound sanctification.

But without the sanctification of the Mysteries of the divine services of the Church, can we become temples of the Spirit of God?

But you know that, by God’s allowance, this has become impossible for many Christians, for the divine services have ceased in many churches; for many people, especially peasants, live far, far away from churches in which the divine services and Mysteries continue to be celebrated.

This is very, very hard for us, especially for those who do not have the opportunity to hear the divine services, to be sanctified by the great mysteries of the Church.

This is very hard, but do we really need to give in to hopelessness? Do we really have no opportunity to raise our children in such a way that they would become temples of God and abodes of the Holy Spirit? No, God has not abandoned us, for we know from Holy Scripture that we can raise our children in our own house churches, about which the Apostle Paul speaks at length in his great epistles.

I should like to draw your attention to these words “house churches.” Completing his First Epistle to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul conveys greetings from his friends Aquila and Priscilla and their house churches. They had their own house church.

In the Epistle to Philemon, the Apostle greets him with “the church in thy house” and their friends (Philemon 1:2). He also had a house church. Similar greetings to “house churches” are found in the epistles of the great Apostle to the Romans and the Colossians. They also had house churches.

What is a “house church” and what did the Apostle himself understand by these words? A “house church” is a strong Christian family.

I will first say what a “house church” was in ancient times, and will allow you to ponder deeply over what, at least to a small extent, a house church could be in our times.

He understood the very profound significance of the Christian family; he understood that the family, not only in a Christian state, but also in all other states far from Christianity, was of very great significance. He understood that the family is the primary unit that lies at the foundation of everything that takes places in the state and in society. Society itself and the state itself depend in great part on how individual families live, and on the goals that they have in their life.

If this primary unit is perfect, if it is pure, if it places before itself important and profound moral and spiritual goals, then society and the state will reflect these qualities of its primary unit: the family.

What was the house church in the times of the Apostle Paul, in these ancient times?

It was built along the lines of our dioceses, which are predominated, led, and guided by the bishop, who is called to the great mystery of the priesthood.

He directs the entire spiritual life of his diocese, taking care that the great commandments of our Lord Jesus Christ be realized and implemented in his diocese.

In ancient times, the meaning and significance of the father of the family was similar to the role the bishop was to play in his diocese.

He was to direct the entire spiritual life of his family; he was, to whatever small degree, to fulfill the duties that the bishop fulfilled in his diocese; he was, to a greater or lesser extent, to be the bishop of his family.

The mother of the family was to be like the ancient deaconesses. These were deeply devout women who were assigned by bishops to prepare women for the Mystery of Baptism. By frequent and long conversations, they prepared women for the Mystery of Baptism; they explained the profound and great significance of this Mystery; and served at its performance over women. Moreover, they took care of feeding the hungry and strangers and of clothing the needy. They served everyone who was in need of deeds of mercy; they were the directors and first performers of these deeds.

Thus, all mothers and wives were to have been like the deaconesses in the house churches. Upon them lay the extremely important responsibility of teaching the Law of God and the commandments of Christ to their children and to all members of their family.

Today the state schools, as you know, do not teach the Law of God.

May all mothers today remember their most important and primary responsibility of enlightening their children with the light of Christ’s truth.

If the All-Holy and All-Pure Mother of God, already from the age of three, was dedicated to God; if she always breathed the incense of the people’s prayers in the Temple of Jerusalem; if she breathed the incense of the censer, then would not our children always be in need of this?

Do not our children need to breathe the incense of the censer, the incense of the people’s prayers?

In the ancient years of the Russian Church, the whole people understood this well, and children were brought up in a Christian and ecclesial spirit. Russian children, like the little All-Holy Theotokos, also breathed the incense of the people’s prayers and the smoke of the censer.

Thus it was, but thus it is no longer. Where is all this now? Do you now know how today the majority of Russian people have left all this behind, how they do not want to know anything about this, how they have no need of the Church, and have no need of the aroma of the censer’s incense?

Nonetheless, the Lord God has preserved a remnant, a considerable remnant: the churches are full of worshippers; and you, the small flock of Christ entrusted to me by God, eagerly listen to the word of God, and you fill our holy church. That means that not all is lost; that means that what the Apostle Paul says about house churches remains in force for us.

And you, too, and not only the ancient Christians, can perform the tasks that lay on the house churches.

I know, I know, how busy you are; how burdened you all are with social work, with working in factories, with jobs – not only husbands are busy, but so too are wives, the mothers of families. I know how difficult it is for them to fulfill their job responsibilities, and their family responsibilities, and their responsibilities akin to the ancient deaconesses: the responsibilities of mothers raising their children. I know, I know – and you know.

But if this work is difficult, then do we really need to conclude that one need not strive to fulfill it?!

Before all other deeds, remember about this great deed: that your children, innocent and pure children, take into their pure hearts the Law of God, the commandments of Christ, at least from the small amount of instruction that they can receive from you.

You have not yet forgotten the Law of God, so teach, teach your children, and then your family will become your house church. And the light of Christ from this house church will spread invisibly for you beyond the boundaries of your family.

The Light of Christ, His Divine Truth, will invisibly flow into the hearts and minds of all those who have dealings with you. It could be that the influence of your house church will go beyond its boundaries.

Then the eternal blessing of our Lord and God Jesus Christ, His Beginningless Father, and the All-Holy Spirit will be upon you.
Amen.
1957
Translated from the Russian.
https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Luka_Vojno-Jasenetskij/propovedi/2_26

***

The Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos is celebrated with the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom which is conducted on the morning of the Feast and preceded by a Matins (Orthros) service. A Great Vespers is conducted on the evening before the day of the Feast. Scripture readings for the Feast are the following: At Vespers: Exodus 40:1-5, 9-10, 16, 34-35; I Kings 7:51, 8:1, 3-4, 6-7, 9-11; Ezekiel 43:27—44:4. At the Matins: Luke 1:39-49, 56. At the Divine Liturgy: Hebrews 9:1-7; Luke 10:38-42; 11:27-28.

Apolytikion Entrance of the Theotokos in the Fourth Tone

Today is the prelude of God’s pleasure and the proclamation of man’s salvation. The Virgin is clearly made manifest in the temple of God and foretells Christ to all. Let us also cry out to her with mighty voice, “Hail, fulfillment of the Creator’s dispensation.”

Kontakion. Fourth Tone
Thou Who wast raised up

THE sacred treasury of God’s holy glory, * the greatly precious bridal chamber and Virgin, * the Saviour’s most pure temple, free of stain and undefiled, * into the house of the Lord * on this day is brought forward * and bringeth with herself the grace * of the Most Divine Spirit; * her do God’s Angels hymn with songs of praise, * for she is truly the heavenly tabernacle.

Tone IV:
Spec. Mel.: “As one valiant among the martyrs …”:

Into the Holy of holies * is the holy and immaculate one * led by the Holy Spirit; *
and she is fed by a holy angel, * in that she is the most holy temple * of our holy God,
* Who hath sanctified all things by her entry * and hath deified the nature of mortal
men * which had fallen. Twice

Aposticha, these stichera, in Tone V:
Spec. Mel.: “Rejoice, O Life-bearing Tree …”:

O grace divinely manifest! With gladness Anna leadeth to the temple of God the
pure Ever-virgin given her by grace, and she calleth maidens to go before her, bearing
lamps and saying: “Go forth, my child! Be thou an offering and incense of sweet
savor unto Him Who gave thee to us! Enter into the impassable precincts and learn
the mysteries! And prepare thyself to be the gladsome and beauteous dwelling-place
of Jesus, Who bestoweth upon the world great mercy!”

Glory …, Now & ever …, the composition of Leo Magister, in Tone II:

Today the most immaculate Virgin is brought to the temple, to the habitation of
God, the King of all, the Nourisher of our whole life. Today the most pure and holy
one, is led to the Holy of holies like a heifer three years of age. Let us cry out unto her
like the angel: “Rejoice, thou who alone art blessed among women!”

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE, § 54 [LK. 1O: 38-42, 11: 27-28]

Now it came to pass, as they went, that He entered into a certain village; and a
certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister
called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard His word. But Martha was
cumbered about much serving, and came to Him, and said, Lord, dost Thou not care
that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me. And
Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled
about many things: but one thing is needful; and Mary hath chosen that good part,
which shall not be taken away from her. And it came to pass, as He spoke these
things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto Him,
Blessed is the womb that bare Thee, and the paps which Thou hast sucked. But He
said, Yea, rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

St.Constantius Palamas, St. Gregory’s father, given to unceasing noetic prayer and was counted worthy to perform miracles.

Synaxis of the Family of St. Gregory Palamas,
St. Constantius (the father), St. Kalloni-Kallis (mother), Saint Theodosius, Saint Epicharis, Saint Theodota and Saint Makarios, his brothers

Commemorated on November 14 or and December 18

Saint Gregory Palamas, constantly prayed: “Lord, Enlighten my darkness, Enlighten my darkness…!” “Most-Holy Theotokos, Enlighten my darkness, Enlighten my darkness…!”

‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God’.
“Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1 Thess. 5:16-18)

My brethren, all Christians, small and great, should always pray, using the noetic prayer, “Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me”;St. Gregory Palamas said the following: “Let no one think that it is the duty only of clergy and monastics to pray with ceasing and not of laypeople. No, absolutely not; it is the duty of all Christians to remain always in prayer.” Using the Jesus prayer (Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner) “… this we can always do if we wish. For when we sit down to work with our hands, when we walk, when we eat, etc. we can always pray mentally as this is pleasing to God. Let us work with the body and pray with the soul.”

As an example of someone like this, let us take St. Gregory’s father, that amazing Constantine Palamas.

This man was an official of the imperial court, and was called the father and teacher of the Emperor Andronikos (II Palaiologos ,1282–1328),. He was daily occupied with imperial affairs, in addition to those his own house, since he was very wealthy and owned a large estate and servants, and had a wife and children. Nevertheless, he was so inseparable from God and so given to unceasing noetic prayer, that most of the time he would forget what it was the Emperor and the officials of the palace were discussing with him about imperial matters, and he would ask about the same things several times. Often the other officials, not knowing the reason for this, would become agitated and reproach him for forgetting so quickly, and for disturbing the Emperor with his repeated questions. But the Emperor, who knew the cause, would defend him, saying, “Lucky Constantine has his own concerns, and they do not permit him to pay attention to what we are saying on matters temporal and vain. But the nous of this blessed man is fixed on what is true and heavenly, and thus he forgets what is mundane. All of his attention is focused on the prayer and on God.”

Thus, as the most holy Patriarch Philotheos relates, Constantine was admired and loved by the Emperor and all the magnates and officials of the Empire. Likewise, he was loved by God, and the venerable one was even counted worthy to perform miracles. The holy Philotheos tells us in his biography of St. Gregory (Constantine’s son), that he took his whole family once on a boat to a place above Galatas, to pay a visit to a hermit who lived in stillness there, and get his blessing. On the way, he asked his servants if they had any food to take to that Abba, so that they might eat with him. The servants said that in the rush they had forgotten to bring any. The blessed man was saddened a bit, but said nothing. As they continued on in the boat, he simply put his hand into the sea, and with silent and noetic prayer he asked God, the Master of the sea, to let him catch something. After a short time (how wonderful are your works, O Christ King, by which you marvelously glorify Your servants!), he brought up his hand from the sea holding a large bass-fish. Tossing it into the boat in front of his servants, he said, “Look here how our Lord provided for his servant the Abba and has sent him something to eat.” Do you see, my brethren, with what sort of glory Jesus Christ glorifies those servants who are always with Him and who constantly invoke His sweetest name?…

Blessed and lucky are they who accustom themselves to this heavenly work, for they overcome every temptation of the wicked demons by it, like 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, like Daniel tamed the wild lions; by it they bring down into their hearts the dew of the Holy Spirit, like Elias brought down the rain on Mount Carmel… Amen. Amen.

By St. Nikodemos of the Holy Mountain ,Taken from “The Life of St. Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonica, the Wonderworker” – http://www.orthodoxheritage.org/MOM%2001%202006.htm

Kontakion to Saint Gregory Palamas (Tone 8)

Holy and divine instrument of wisdom,
joyful trumpet of theology,
together we sing your praises, O God-inspired Gregory.
Since you now stand before the Original Mind, guide our minds to Him, O Father,
so that we may sing to you: “Rejoice, preacher of grace.”