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St. Paisios on Mobilizing Prayer to Avert War and Heal the Heart
6:16
What the video says
The Elder emphasizes the critical need for fervent prayer to avert war and calamity, recounting a spiritual assurance to pray for restraint of a Turkish attack. He teaches that all people are brothers, but Orthodox Christians share a deeper spiritual bond, compelling us to pray for those suffering elsewhere. The Elder clarifies that prayer is not a mechanical guarantee of national salvation but an expression of heartfelt pain that invites God's intervention.
He calls for spiritual warriors, urges monastics to prioritize prayer above all tasks, and explains that passions block communion with God, which is restored by tuning the heart to love and humility.
Key moments
- The Elder reveals he has been mobilizing prayer from spring to autumn to avert war, and received spiritual assurance to pray fervently that the Turks be restrained from attacking on October 16th, thanking the Panagia for protection so far.
- He explains that all humans are brothers descended from Adam and Eve; Orthodox Christians are brothers in both flesh and spirit, while others are brothers only in flesh, so we must pray for them with greater pain.
- Regarding Greece's trials, the Elder says salvation does not depend on one's prayer rope, but persistent prayer shows pain for the homeland and seeks God's intervention.
- He calls for God to raise up spiritual men like Maccabees, because good must war against evil as lawlessness becomes law and sin becomes fashion, yet we should not fear because God will help.
- The Elder urges leaving everything aside to devote all strength to prayer, as the world is in turmoil; monastics especially must set aside urgent tasks and pray fervently.
- He reminds monastics that their purpose is the salvation of their souls and helping the world through prayer, encouraging them to strive as good monastics with prayer ropes and prostrations.
- Passions hinder prayer like rusted wires causing short circuits; one must guard against pride, egotism, self-will, and shamelessness, cleansing the heart to become a good conductor of grace.
- Using a radio analogy, he teaches that to communicate with God we must tune our transmitter to love and receiver to humility, laboring to acquire divine contact so the mind remains continually with God.
The post shares excerpts from St. Paisios the Athonite’s Spiritual Counsels on prayer, focusing on the Elder’s urgent call for fervent intercession to prevent war and calamity. He recounts a spiritual assurance to pray intensely that a Turkish attack be restrained, giving thanks to the Theotokos for protection. St. Paisios teaches that all people are brothers by descent from Adam and Eve, but Orthodox Christians share a deeper spiritual bond, compelling them to pray with greater pain for those suffering.
He clarifies that prayer is not a mechanical guarantee of national salvation but an expression of heartfelt sorrow that invites God’s intervention. The Elder calls for spiritual warriors like the Maccabees, urging monastics to prioritize prayer above all tasks because the world is in turmoil. He explains that passions — pride, self-will, shamelessness — act like rusted wires that short-circuit communion with God.
Using a radio analogy, he illustrates that to communicate with God we must tune our transmitter to love and our receiver to humility, laboring to acquire divine contact so the mind remains continually with God.
Main points
- The Elder mobilized prayer from spring to autumn to avert war, receiving assurance to pray fervently for restraint of a Turkish attack on October 16th.
- All humans are brothers in flesh; Orthodox Christians are brothers in both flesh and spirit, so we must pray for others with deeper pain.
- Prayer is not a mechanical guarantee of salvation but an expression of heartfelt pain that seeks God’s intervention.
- Monastics must set aside urgent tasks and devote all strength to prayer, as their purpose is the salvation of souls and helping the world.
- Passions block communion with God; the heart must be tuned to love (transmitter) and humility (receiver) to become a clear conductor of grace.