This spiritual prayer ascends to the very throne of God and is preserved in gold phials and, like a censer, wafts its fragrance before the Lord, as St. John the Theologian saw in Revelation: Four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints [Rev. 5.8]
This spiritual prayer is a light enlightening the soul of man and inflaming his heart with the fire of love for God. It is a chain uniting God to man, and man to God. O, incomparable grace of spiritual prayer! It puts man into the position of a constant converser with God. O, truly wonderful and most wonderful work! Bodily you have intercourse with men and with your mind you converse with God […]
And what more do you wish when, as I said, you are always with your mind before the face of God and constantly converse with Him – converse with God, without whom no man can be blessed, whether here or in the other life […]
Cf. Treasures of Athos Holy Mount
