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Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center
Preparation - Praying
We prepare by praying. Praying is an ancient form of spiritual discipline practised in many religions to intensify our awareness of God.
The idea of praying is to bring us closer to Holy God, and teach us self-control and dedication to Him.
The purpose of praying is
transformation. As such
praying should always be focused towards making life simpler not more complicated.
It is important to pray for the right
reasons--because praying helps us to break free of our dependence on
material things; because praying helps us to focus on the true Bread of
Life, Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ; because when we deprive ourselves a little
we have more resources to help others.
All of us have
our own "demons" of one kind or another--anger, greed, gossip, neglect of our families, abuse of our bodies through drugs or
alcohol or overeating or overwork, laziness, spiritual indifference, pride, vanity, disobedience, and so on. These things
can be cast out by prayer and fasting, which bring us closer to Holy God and strengthen our faith so that we can overcome our
sinful habits. Of course, we cannot expect to be perfect immediately, so we must not try a regime of prayer and fasting that
is too strenuous. That will lead to failure, which will just reinforce the power of our "demons."
We should all set aside a time every day--for some it will be first thing in the morning, for some it might be just before
going to bed--when we lift up our hearts to the Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ. We should acknowledge Holy God's glory and power, Holy God's great love and
mercy. We should thank Holy God for our blessings of life, health, family, friends, prosperity, etc. And we should ask Holy God to
take care of us in our needs and to take care of others who are sick or suffering or in need. But beyond that, we should
pray at any time and at all times during the day. The Jesus Prayer is common. This prayer is
recited over and over again until in the back of our consciousness it begins "to pray itself". The Jesus Prayer is simple:
"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."
Web Site Home - Theology Home - Hierarchy Home - Locations Home - Education Home -
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Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center
Martha Liles
Web URL address: Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center or https://www.mliles.com/melkite/
E-mail: mliles@mliles.com or mliles@mliles.com
Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center is
an unofficial Melkite Greek Catholic Web site and has not been reviewed or
approved by any Melkite clergy person.
Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center contains a range of World Wide Web sites on Melkite faith, belief, practice, history, etc. Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center
does not endorse any World Wide Web site nor takes any responsibility for the contents of any World Wide Web site. Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center
offers these links with the understanding that Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center can not vouch for
any of the contents on each site. Listing a site does not indicate acceptance nor endorsement of the doctrines / ideas / theology of the
World Wide Web site. Please remember that Web sites will change their content and their location. It is the user's responsibility to decide whether
or not the content on a particular World Wide Web site is appropriate.
Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center is
dedicated to my cousins: Bucky (Richard C. Liles), Shirley (Shirley Jean Liles Buck), and Donna (Donna Bertha Liles Campbell). Bucky fell asleep in
the Lord on Dec. 12, 2000, Shirley fell asleep in the Lord on Nov. 8, 2001, and Donna fell asleep in the Lord on March 9, 2020.
O God of all spirits and of all flesh, who have destroyed death, overcome the devil, and given life to the world: grant, O Lord, to the souls of your servants
Bucky and Shirley, who has departed from this life, that it may rest in a place of light, in a place of happiness, in a place of peace, where there is no pain, no
grief, no sighing. And since You are a gracious God and the Lover of Mankind, forgive him/her every sin he/she has committed by thought, or word, or deed, for
there is not a man who lives and does not sin : You alone are without sin, your righteousness is everlasting, and your word is true. You are the Resurrection and
the Life, and the repose of your departed servants Bucky and Shirley. O Christ our God, and we send up glory to You, together with your eternal Father and your
all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and always and for ages upon ages. Amen.
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Last Updated: Wednesday, June 03, 2020, 19:38:40, CDT
The current date and time is: Thursday, November 21, 2024, 03:53:39, CST or Thursday, November 21, 2024, 09:53:39, GMT
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