It is good to be a lover of services, but not to go to church just out of habit

As for the holy services of our Church, they are not despised by those who replace them with mental prayer. The holy services are written with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. In them, you can find wisdom, the dogmas of our faith. Through them God is glorified. It is a garden of spiritual delight. But, unfortunately, this garden, for most people, is locked.

It is good to be lovers of services, but not to go to church only out of habit. That is, not to like only to read, sing, and spend a few hours pleasantly, but to seek to understand and delight in the divine words. Otherwise, we too will hear: “Do you understand what you are reading?” (Acts 8:30).

God sent Philip to the Ethiopian to interpret the scriptures, but to us He sends the Holy Spirit Himself, when the mind is cleansed by unceasing prayer.

Once, a very pious monk came to Burazeri and said to me:

– Elder, I am not against prayer, but I do not agree with Your Holiness, because you give more importance to mental prayer and neglect most of the services.

– But who told you that we despise the holy services?

– Well, if not, at least shorten them. At our monastery, we have from six to eight hours of common service, except for Sundays, holidays, vigils, and other times, in which we glorify God.

– You said it right, glorification of God. However, I want you to answer me honestly. When you sit in church, do you understand what is being read and sung, or does your mind wander here and there?

– Well, to be honest, my mind often wanders elsewhere.

Then, I said to him jokingly:

– So, you are also one of those about whom the prophet says: “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me” (Matthew 15:8). Do you want me to tell you how we do the services? First, we keep vigil in the cells, saying the prayer, so that our minds are enlightened. Then we open the Pentecostar, the Minaean, and read from them. You feel such spiritual sweetness, such joy and humility, that your heart is warmed by divine love, and, leaving the book, you throw yourself face down on the ground and weep incessantly.

Now that I have become involved with the common and widespread, I no longer have the same feelings that I had every day when I was alone. I don't know much about books, because I only went to four classes. But when your mind opens up, you understand the texts in books written in ancient Greek better than the teachers. Try to warm yourself up with prayer first and then you will see the difference. I have seen this in many monks whom I confess.

The Monk Joseph Dionysius