Train yourself on personal prayers, beside the ritual ones

[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III



Train yourself on personal prayers, beside the ritual ones.
The prayer in which you talk openly to God and reveal all that is in your heart. There is nothing wrong in saying to Him, ‘Lord, I love You but I feel that I love other matters in the world which hinder me from You. Whenever I try to remove them from my heart, I find myself weak before You. I know that, “Whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (Jas 4:4). Therefore, grant me Lord to love You with the perfect love and with Your strength, save me from any love that is against Your love.’


Don’t let your prayer be just mere chosen and well selected phrases. Let it be in plain words that spring from your heart, without artificiality... Let your prayer express your condition and feelings with an open heart... Beware that you do not make your prayer just a routine.