On Prayer: The Spiritual Counsels of St. Paisios the Athonite - Volume 6
Part Two: The Struggle for Prayer - Chapter 3: So That the Heart Will Warm up to Prayer
“Geronta, how can I come to love the Panaghia?
“You should read the Theotokarion(*) every day. That will be of inordinate help to you, in coming to love the Panaghia(**). And then you will see that Panaghia… will give you great solace!”
“Geronta, [My Abbess] told me that I need to rouse myself. What can fire-up my zeal again?”
“Read one Canon from the Theotokarion every day, and you will see… You will acquire leventia(***)… If you cannot read the entire Canon, read the first troparion [hymn] from each ode, and the prosomia [special] hymns that are at the end of each Canon… The Theotokarion is most helpful. The heart warms up… it is moved… Even a single spiritual meaning from the Theotokarion is able to transform the soul.”
(*) - Theotokarion: A collection of 62 hymnological Canons dedicated to our Most Beloved Panaghia, compiled by St. Nikodemos of the Holy Mountain. Twelve of these Spirit-filled Canons have been translated into English by the Sisters of the Greek Orthodox Monastery of Theotokos the Life-giving Spring, in Dunlap, CA. The title of this very new book is: Selected Canons from the Theotokarion. I highly recommend it.
(**) - One can also reach out to our Most Beloved Panaghia by reading the Small Supplicatory Canon to the Theotokos, and/or many of the Akathists written to her. St. Paisius Orthodox Monastery in Safford, AZ, has published several beautiful Akathists to Panaghia, each having a unique outreach to her. For example: The Nurturer of Children, The Inexhaustible Cup, The Healer of Cancer, The Milk-giver.
(***) - leventia: A Greek word used to describe a character trait for someone that is not only courageous, but also gallant, upstanding and generous of heart.
Hymn from the Triodion
“At the filling-up of the measure of the Fast, O compassionate Lord, fill our hearts and minds with joy, through the entreaties of Thine Apostles, who sincerely loved Thee — the Saviour of our souls.” [Matins hymn in the 1st Plagal Tone, Thursday of the 6th week]