Prayer is communication with, talking with, God. It is a great bond with both God and other members of the Church.

There is no spiritual life without prayer. The soul of the Christian consists in the gift of prayer. Prayer is essential, and it is the test of everything. If your prayer is perfect, everything else will be perfect and right.

To pray means to stand before God and talk to Him with all your mind and thought. Prayer is what motivated the thought of the church fathers, so let us see what some of the church fathers say about prayer:

St. Hippolytus of Rome: "All believers, men and women alike, upon rising in the morning, are to wash their hands and pray to God before they go to work...Pray again when you retire."

St. Augustine: "Prayer rises to heaven and immediately God's mercy descends upon the earth."

St. Macarius of Egypt: "How easy it is to say, 'My Lord Jesus, have mercy on me! I bless You, my Lord Jesus, help me!'"

St. Ambrose: "In prayer...let your door stand open to receive Him, unlock your soul to Him, offer Him a welcome in your mind, and then you will see the riches of simplicity, the treasures of peace, joy, and grace."

St. Cyril of Jerusalem: "Take courage, toil, and strive zealously, for nothing will be lost. Every prayer you make, every Psalm you sing is recorded, every aim, every fast is recorded."

By: Fr. Mikhail E. Mikhail, D. Min.