Beginning to Pray,
by Anthony Bloom
Paulist Press, 1970
Goodreads

Addressing God

On “the basic conditions for establishing prayer in connection with addressing God and being able to speak to Him” (p.95).

A relationship becomes personal and real when the other becomes unique in his own right.
When you have an I-Thou relationship with God (p.100).

Personal relationships also goes through names – important when we prayer for others.

“And unless we can find the right name for God, we have no free, real, joyful, open access to Him” (p.103).
It can even be a nickname.
It’s essential how you can personally call the Lord.

The book ends with two meditations:

The Mother of God

There are 2 types of her icon:

1. The Virgin holding the child.
   An image of the Incarnation, an assertion of the true and real motherhood of the Theotokos.
   She doesn’t look at Him, she is in contemplation.
   Her tenderness is expressed by the shyness of her hands.
   She doesn’t treat Him as a baby, but as the Incarnate Son of God.
2. Image of the Theotokos alone. With hands of anguish.
   And a mount and empty cross in a corner.
   The Incarnation would have been impossible without her personal surrender.

Staretz Silouan

A peasant, a man of utmost simplicity. He went to Mount Athos, because he had read that the Mother of God had promised she would stand and pray for those who served the Lord in these monasteries.
Example of his loving prayers for each of the young men working under him, and his contemplative prayer.

PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THESE NOTES
Any reflection on these quotes?