لخّصلي

5. The Depth of his Devotion (A Man of Prayer) The secret of the blessing in the life of Saint Samaan the Tanner lay in the fact that he was a wonderful man of prayer.It was the lifestyle of the Lord Jesus in his humanity on earth, for the Scripture says: "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed." (Mk 1:35) It says also: "One of these days Jesus went out to a mountain to pray, and spent the night praying to God."(Lk 6:12) David also teaches us, saying, "But I am a man of prayer." (Ps 109:4) Likewise, Mary enjoyed sitting at Jesus' feet, "choosing what is better, which will not be taken away from her."(13)

Prayer is the secret of blessing in the life of the Saints, for it brings loving fellowship between the believer and his God.He said, "And at sunset I go out with the rest of the wage workers and eat just a little, so as to keep myself barely alive. Then I turn to prayer, and stand the whole night praying."For he showed in his secret conversation with the Pope that he spent long hours in prayer.Therefore, the good pleasure of the believer is to spend his time in the presence of God.(Lk 10:42).

5. The Depth of his Devotion (A Man of Prayer)
   The secret of the blessing in the life of Saint Samaan the Tanner lay in the fact that he was a wonderful man of prayer. For he showed in his secret conversation with the Pope that he spent long hours in prayer. He said, "And at sunset I go out with the rest of the wage workers and eat just a little, so as to keep myself barely alive. Then I turn to prayer, and stand the whole night praying." (13)

Prayer is the secret of blessing in the life of the Saints, for it brings loving fellowship between the believer and his God. Therefore, the good pleasure of the believer is to spend his time in the presence of God. It was the lifestyle of the Lord Jesus in his humanity on earth, for the Scripture says: "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed." (Mk 1:35) It says also: "One of these days Jesus went out to a mountain to pray, and spent the night praying to God." (Lk 6:12) David also teaches us, saying, "But I am a man of prayer." (Ps 109:4) Likewise, Mary enjoyed sitting at Jesus' feet, "choosing what is better, which will not be taken away from her." (Lk 10:42).

In fact, when the beauty of the Lord is revealed to the believer, he cannot bear to live without fixing his gaze upon that beauty, therefore David says, "One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple." (Ps 27:4)

In these terms, Saint Arsenius used to spend the whole night in prayer, just as Saint Samaan the Tanner was a man of prayer, for he enjoyed the depth of the fellowship with God.

My Lord Jesus, how I do need to start this blessed communion with You in the life of prayer, as my father Saints have live it! Please, my beloved Lord, make me love to sit with You and open my eyes to the wonder of the true communion and the transcendence of the spiritual blessings which I will enjoy in Your presence. Raise my soul up from its laziness, and revive it from its sleep of weakness to the blessed struggle of prayer. Amen.