Prayer

When you meditate, be like a mountain

Immovably set in silence

Its thoughts are rooted in eternity

Do not do anything, just sit, be.

And  you will reap the fruit flowing from your prayer.

When you meditate, be like a flower

always directed towards the sun.

Its stalk, like a spine, is always straight.

Be open, ready to accept everything without fear

And you will not lack light on your way.

When you meditate, be like an ocean

always immovable in its depth. Its waves come and go.

Be calm in your heart and evil thoughts will go away by themselves.

When you meditate,  remember your breath:

Thanks to it man has come alive.

It comes from God and it returns to God.

When you meditate, be like a bird

singing without a rest in front of the Creator,

Its song rises like the smoke of incense.

Let your prayer be like the coo of the dove.

And you will never succumb to discouragement.

When you meditate, be like Abraham

giving his son as an offering.

It was a sign that he was ready to sacrifice everything.

You, too, leave everything,

And in your loneliness God will be with you.

When you meditate,

it is Jesus praying to you to the Father in the spirit.

You are carried by the flame of his love. Be like a river, serving to all, and time will come, you will change into Love.

Every mountain teaches us the sense of eternity

Every flower, when it fades, teaches us the sense of fleetingness.

The ocean teaches us how to retain peace among adversity,

and Love always teaches us love.

Fr. Seraphion of Mount Athos

tadapted by Fr. Jan Berersa OSB.