The Catalog of Good Deeds

A Baptismal Cross is not merely jewelry or a decoration for an Orthodox Christian, but rather the sign our belonging to Christ, Our King and God. The Cross is sacred symbol for Orthodox Christians and therefore should be taken care of accordingly.

How to choose a Baptismal Cross?

The Orthodox Church calls upon us not to treat the Cross as decoration, because the cross does not serve such a purpose. Therefore, one should not strive at all costs to purchase an expensive gold cross or studded with precious stones. Luxury and self pride is not the primary goal here.

Priests often advise against purchasing a cross without a special need. This means if you already have one it is not recommended to buy a lavish upgrade or just because you decided to get a new cross. That is something one would do with typical jewelry accessories: rings, earrings or bracelets. Only when your old cross has gotten worn out, then it may be necessary to change it and buy another one.

Consecration of the Baptismal Cross

Orthodox priests call upon the faithful not to consecrate the crosses themselves for any reason, even if they know the required prayers and what need to be done. Such consecration should only be performed by a priest. After all, there are certain prayers that are delegated specifically to the church clergy.

How to wear a cross?

Our ancestors never wore crosses over their clothes. Even shirts in Russia were sewn with a closed collar so that the cross would not fall out. So why should the cross be hidden under our clothes? First of all , because a cross should not be compared to beads or necklaces, which are worn over clothing to serve as a decoration. And, secondly, it is not customary to put one’s faith on display.

Only priests wear crossed over their clothes. But these crosses are not Baptismal, but referred to as pectoral. A priest’s pectoral cross is also hidden under his clothes just like a layperson’s.

Orthodox clergy does not recommend removing the cross without a special need. Our ancestors knew about this. In Russia, there were even special wooden crossed made for bath houses, so that one would never be without a cross. They would put them on instead of the metal crosses, when they went into the steam rooms. If for some reason you had to take off your cross, a person would then have to read a prayer before putting it back on again.

Also,one should not wear any amulets or zodiac sign pendants on the chain with a cross(or at all for that matter), as this is nothing more than superstition. And, therefore, also a sin.

Priests advise against carrying their Baptismal Crosses in a handbag, in their ears as a type of an earring or a bracelet. This is simply considered blasphemy.

What to do with a broken cross?

If your cross is damaged or for some reason has become defective, it should never be thrown out together with ordinary garbage. In fact it is important to remember that none of the consecrated and sacred objects should ever be disposed of in a regular manner, whether it is a bottle of Holy Water or a church calendar. Therefore, if the cross can still be repaired, it is entirely fine to take it to a regular repair shop. But if this is no longer possible, it is better to just give the cross to the church.

Translated by The Catalog of Good Deeds

“For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us”. (Romans 8:36-37)

The Holy and Supreme Apostles Peter and Paul had a full of dangers, adventures, sorrows and persecutions life in Christ. On this path, they faced many misfortunes; they were beaten up and imprisoned many times. More than once Apostle Paul was in the dungeons of various cities all over the Roman Empire. In spite of that he was constantly taking care of the churches he had established and to which he sent his famous letters. But still, their difficult but blessed apostolic ministry, full of grace and love, brought them a lot of joy, too.

However, as Apostle Paul writes in his second letter to Timothy, “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand” (2 timothy 4:6), the apostles reached the moment of their martyrdom. Our Lord Jesus Christ blessed them with the martyrdom crown on the same year, the same day and in the same city – Rome.

At that time, Apostle Peter was the head of the Christian community in Rome, while Paul was imprisoned in Rome for the second time. The death of the supreme apostles is not described in the Holy Scripture. The story of Apostle Luke ends at Apostle Paul’s first coming to Rome. But there is still some knowledge of what was going on at that time, preserved by the Roman community of Christians, who strived to keep the memory of their martyrs.

According to the information that came to our time, most likely Apostles Peter and Paul suffered in the year 67 AD in Rome, during the last years of the reign of cruel emperor Nero who began the persecutions of Christians all over the empire.

The story tells us that perhaps the apostles met each other on the day of their death. Apostle Paul was a Roman citizen and according to the Roman rule, Romans could not be executed inside the city walls for it was considered a sacred place. That is why the apostle was being brought to the place of his executions outside the city. It seems that somewhere on that way the meeting of Apostles Peter and Paul occurred. Apostle Peter decided to escape from Rome by the demand of Roman Christians, who wanted to save their teacher’s life, and met his brother on the apostolic ministry on his way from the city.

In Church iconography, there is an icon of the meeting of Apostles Peter and Paul, on which they are depicted hugging each other: “All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss” (1 Corinthians 16:20). We do not know how that event happened, neither we know what the holy apostles were talking about. Probably, that meeting was predestined for Apostle Peter, who might need spiritual strengthening before his martyrdom.

There is also another story about Apostle Peter. According to it, when the apostle was leaving Rome, he saw Lord Jesus Christ Himself, Who answered the well known question of Apostle Peter, “Where are you going, Lord?” with the following words: “I am going to Rome to be crucified again”. Those words put Peter to shame and he came back to Rome to be crucified for the Name of Christ. We do not know whether that happened for real or it is just a pious story explaining why Peter decided to came back for his execution. However, we can assume that the words of Paul influenced Peter, and the Lord Himself was talking through Paul.

Apostles Peter and Paul hugging each other

So, what did Paul said to Peter, when they hugged each other for the last time? “Now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:20-21)? Or maybe he said, “God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Galatians 6:14)? Could Apostle Paul remind Apostle Peter about the Lord’s words: “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels” (Luke 9:26) or “He who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 10:38-39)? Apostle Paul could also refer to the words of Prophet Isaiah: “He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:3-5).

So, the Church story did not keep the exact words of Apostle Paul, which he addressed to his brother in Christ before his martyrly death. It is unknown whether Apostle Peter met Christ heading to Rome or he met Christ in his living word from the mouth of Apostle Paul.

The crucifixion of Apostle Peter

We do not know about these things. But what we really know is that something happened to Apostle Peter on his way from Rome - something that made him come back and undergo a severe execution for calling Jesus from Nazareth the Messiah and God, Who had become a true human for us people and our salvation. Crucifixion was that execution – the execution that was foretold for the apostle by God Himself: “Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish” (John 21:18). Apostle Peter returned to the city, was captured and crucified. Since he did not think he was worthy to die in the same way as his Heavenly Teacher died, Peter asked to crucify himself with his head down, which was done. What concerns Apostle Paul, it is known that he was beheaded with a sword. The day we commemorate them is the day when the main apostles of Christ’s Church gave their lives for Him.

This is how great and holy Apostles Peter and Paul, who spread the Church all over the Roman Empire, preached Crucified Christ for all the peoples, who helped those who were seeking for the truth and supported those who believed, ended their earthly life. Apostles Peter and Paul are the pillars of the One and Holy Apostolic Church, who will support until the end of times with their own examples, their pious lives and prayers all the people believing in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

The beheading of Apostle Paul

What St. John Chrysostom says in his works:

I behold heaven and earth in contest today, for this present feast of the memory of the apostles, with the heavenly powers preciously praising their pained voice of teaching, through which was made known to the world the mystery, as Paul cries out: “So that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 3:10)”, while men on earth rush to rightly praise and show honor to the chiefs, through whom they have entered into salvation. For how was Peter great? How was Paul equal? Through their works and words they conquered all creation in the heavens and upon earth. For though the clay of their bodies was covered with wounds, they were found greater than the angels. What, therefore, shall I say towards those teachers of the creation above and below? I will not find a proper word to honor those who honored our people, who passed through the whole earth and sea, and uprooted the roots of sins, and sowed the seeds of piety in the hearts of disobedient men.

Peter, the teacher of the apostles; Paul, who is known to the world, and who partakes with the powers above. Peter, the bridle of the ungrateful Judeans; Paul, the entreaty for the nations. And I see the surpassing wisdom of the Master, for Peter was chosen from among fishermen, while Paul from the maker of tents, and He did this for our benefit. For he drowned the glory of the Judeans. Because of this, to the fisherman, the Lord said: “Go to the shore, and cast out your hook, and the first fish you find, open its mouth, and you will find a coin.” By sea, I take it to mean the lawless judgment of the Judeans. By hook, the crafted word of preaching. By fish, He symbolizes the law. Regarding the opening of its mouth, He speaks of its explanation. To find a coin in it, He means to spiritually examine it. While Paul was used as a tent-maker for the nations, that they who were naked, through the law and grace, might be clothed with the red covering that was dyed in the water and blood of the Master. Therefore, the Master cries to him: “Go forth, therefore, for I send you to the far away nations.”

Reflections in the Holy Church tradition:

O Lord, You have taken up to eternal rest and to the enjoyment of Your blessings the two divinely inspired preachers, the leaders of the Apostles, for You have accepted their labors and deaths as a sweet-smelling sacrifice, for You alone know what lies in the hearts of men.

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None of us can tell the story of our lives without pointing to particular persons we have known and who have shaped us. In our families and friendships, people are not interchangeable, for we are all unique in our relationships with one another and with God. We play particular roles that are colored by our character, personal history, and distinctive blend of strengths and weaknesses. That is also how it is in the life of the Church. Particular people matter.

Today we celebrate two of the most glorious Saints of the Christian faith. They are both pillars of the Church, apostles, and martyrs whose unique personalities and experiences have made decisive and permanent contributions to the Body of Christ. Saint Peter was the head disciple whose confession, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” is the rock on which Christ, our true foundation, has built His Church. The gospels describe Peter’s presence at so many crucial moments in the ministry of the Lord, including at His arrest when Peter, who had so clearly confessed Him earlier and vowed never to abandon Him, denied Him three times. Of course, the risen Christ restored Peter by asking him three times if he loved Him and giving him the command to feed His sheep as a shepherd of the flock of Christians. And in the book of Acts, we see Peter boldly proclaiming the good news, performing miracles, and playing a key role in welcoming Gentiles into the Church. After serving as the first bishop of Antioch, where the disciples were first call0ed Christians, then he went to serve in Rome. Peter was crucified there upside down for his faith in Jesus Christ, for by Peter’s own request he was unworthy to die in the same way as His Savior.

That St. Paul plays a glorious role in the formation of the faith is obvious to anyone who knows the New Testament, for he wrote so much of it. He traveled for decades founding and supporting churches, especially among Gentiles. Paul himself was Jewish and had been a strict Pharisee who had persecuted Christians. But on the road to Damascus, the risen Lord appeared to Him in a blinding light and called him to repentance and the shocking ministry of bringing Gentiles into the Body of Christ through faith, not circumcision and obedience to the Old Testament law. Perhaps more than anyone else, Paul made clear that the Christian faith is not a sect of Judaism primarily for people of a particular ethnic and religious heritage, but instead good news for all people, regardless of their ancestry.

As today’s epistle passage reminds us, Paul’s ministry was not easy by any stretch of the imagination. He was beaten, imprisoned, humiliated, and ultimately martyred in Rome for his faith in Jesus Christ. He knew both the heights of spiritual ecstasy and the chronic challenge of a “thorn in the flesh” that God did not remove, despite his three-fold request. Whatever that thorn may have been, Paul learned through his sufferings the sufficiency of God’s strength for him. God’s “strength is made perfect in (Paul’s) weakness.“ As the apostle said of himself, “For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

When we study the lives of these two great saints, we do not see people who made no mistakes or who were rich, famous, or without problems. These were real human beings who fell short, repented, grew over time in their understanding, and faced such opposition that both suffered capital punishment at the hands of the pagan Romans. They gained absolutely no worldly advantages by their faithful ministry, but their selfless service strengthened the Church in ways too numerous to count. We are here today as Orthodox Christians because of what God did through them and so many other lesser known apostles, martyrs, and evangelists across the ages.

In order to celebrate worthily the feast day of Sts. Peter and Paul, we must go beyond praising them with our words. We must participate personally in the holiness so evident in them. In other words, we must become like them in a way appropriate to our particular calling and location. For just as God used a fisherman and a Pharisee with given sets of strengths and weaknesses to His glory, He intends to do likewise with each of us. The first century is long gone, but there is plenty of time left in the twenty-first century for us to hear and respond to the same risen Lord who called Peter to feed His sheep and Paul to become a missionary to the Gentiles. Like the Ephesians to whom Paul wrote, we too have become “fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone…” (Eph. 2:19-20)

Each generation is like a new story added to the building or a new branch growing on a tree. Even as we find our personal history in the previous generations of our families, we take our spiritual life from the living history of what the Holy Spirit has done through each generation in the life of the Church. We are called to make present in our day the same faithfulness that we see in those who have gone before us, but we do so as unique, unrepeatable persons called to grow in the divine likeness and to find the fullness of our identity through union with the Lord like an iron left in the fire. Just as a fisherman and a Pharisee became radiant with the divine energies through their repentance and steadfast dedication to Christ, the same can be true of us.

We may think, however, that we are simply too sinful to achieve such spiritual heights. We know that we fall short and may be ashamed even to think of becoming like these great saints. Remember for just a moment, however, that Peter denied Christ three times at His arrest and Paul persecuted Christians to the point of death. If they can repent, follow Jesus Christ faithfully, and have such exalted roles in the life of the Church, who are we to excuse ourselves from whatever God wants of us in our families, our parish, our work, or whatever it might be? In all likelihood, we will live and serve in obscurity and face obstacles much smaller than the brutal persecution these great saints endured.

As well, we may be tempted to think that they were so much stronger than we are. Remember that St. Paul found God’s strength precisely in his weakness, in his infirmities and pains that opened his life to the gracious power of God. St. Peter must have felt weak when the Lord said “Get behind me, Satan” to him when he tried to explain to Christ that He would not be rejected and killed. And could there be any greater moment of weakness than when the disciple who boasted that he would never abandon the Savior did so at his arrest by denying Him three times?

Our moments of weakness are probably less dramatic, but they are no less real. We find it hard to do the basics of the Christian life: forgive our enemies; pray each day and fast regularly; attend the Divine Liturgy and other services of the Church whenever possible; take Confession on a regular basis and especially when we have a guilty conscience about a grave sin; give generously to the poor; visit the sick and lonely; and guard our hearts and minds from the moral decay that permeates our culture.

When we are aware of our weaknesses, we are in the perfect place to follow in the way of the fisherman and the Pharisee who in humble repentance found a strength that makes up what is lacking, heals infirmities, and even conquers sin and death. Let us not use a false sense of humility to excuse ourselves from true discipleship as we celebrate the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. Instead, we must follow their example as the unique people we are, with all our strengths, failings, and peculiarities, for from the very beginning of the faith, that is the only way that anyone has become a saint.

By Fr. Philip LeMasters

Source: http://easternchristianinsights.blogspot.com/2014/06/there-is-hope-for-us-all-homily-for.html

Thirty-six years ago, I was blessed to marry a wonderful man. My husband, Jim, and I have two grown children and two beautiful grandchildren. The world is a different place than it was when we married. And tips about raising children in today’s world are invaluable.

There are many challenges facing today’s children. Video games, constantly changing technology, bullying, competition for grades, and status in sports are all part of life. In raising my children and grandchildren, I’ve observed a few things. I’d like to share some of what I’ve learned.

1. Good old-fashioned play is wonderful. Kids do not need everything that beeps, talks, or makes noise. Building blocks, play kitchens, and books are inspiring ways to foster imagination. Take your children to safe playgrounds and areas where they can interact with others and release energy. Alternately, allow them quiet time to play and learn on their own.

2. Rest and sleep are important. I’m not in favor of television or computers in the bedroom. Good sleep habits are developed at a young age, and a bedtime routine with quiet time, reading or prayer, is something that should be encouraged.

3. Jesus is our friend. I loved to read Bible stories to my grandson from a young age. I wish I had read more of them to my own children. Teach children to love Jesus in their hearts and embrace the stories of His unconditional love.

4. Believe in helping others. I love to see parents bringing their young children to our ministry’s community breakfasts. Children as young as 5 or 6 can assist with serving, clean up, or welcoming. When you support ministries and bring your children, you are teaching them good stewardship.

5. Set an example. If you want your children to treat others as they wish to be treated, you must practice this yourself. If they are going to mimic us (and they will), we need to exemplify mature, honest, and responsible behavior. Attending church and supporting ministries sends the message that these things are important. If we are disengaged, our children will be as well.

6. Accept our flaws and imperfections. Only God is perfect. We should not have unreasonable standards for ourselves or our children. Projecting our own insecurities and unfulfilled aspirations onto children and teens can cause emotional problems later. Let your child’s own interests emerge, and help them develop the confidence to fulfill their dreams. Provide guidance and pay attention when they are stressed. Allow them to make mistakes and learn from them, not feel guilt or shame when failing.

7. Teach healthy boundaries. Children should not be free to set their own bedtimes and generally make decisions that belong to their parents. If you need assistance with boundaries, consider counseling or meeting with your spiritual adviser for guidance.

8. Practice forgiveness. The words “I’m sorry” should be a part of daily life. There is no shame in apologizing; actually it is cleansing. Confessions of dishonesty should be met with love and acceptance, not scolding or anger. Jesus preached forgiveness and we should remember that we are only human.

Being a good parent is a difficult job. The internet has created both good and bad sources of information on everything including parenting. Keep Jesus in your heart, and ask for help when you need it. A family grounded in faith can weather many storms.

Source: http://myocn.net/raising-children-todays-world/

In a small, humble village in Kosovo, a great event in the life of the Church took place on Sunday, May 20. On this day, the first Divine Liturgy glorifying the memory of the newly-canonized St. Bosiljka the Martyr of Pasjane was held, with the local bishop, His Grace Teodosije of Raška-Prizren, along with many priests, monks, nuns, and a multitude of the faithful in attendance. At the most recent Holy Synod meeting in Belgrade, Martyr Bosiljka, who has been venerated by the local faithful for many years, was finally officially canonized. With great joy, the faithful for the first time sang the troparion and kontakion to the saint they had for many decades venerated locally, and her holy presence and protection were strongly felt by all.

The Holy Martyr Bosiljka lived in the mid-nineteenth century in the village of Pasjane, near the town of Gnjilane, in eastern Kosovo. Her family was poor, and she lived an average peasant life, helping her family harvest their crops and tend to the farm animals. Due to the Ottoman oppression of Christians, the village no longer had a church, but Bosiljka’s family was known for their piety. She often walked about eleven miles each way to Draganac Monastery, a refuge for local Christians hidden in the mountains, in order to pray and receive the Holy Mysteries.

When Bosiljka was seventeen years old, however, her quiet life in the village was to come to an end as she would respond with faith and courage to a higher calling. One year, her family decided to go into the town of Gnjilane, where there was still a functioning Orthodox parish, for the feast of St. Elijah. Unfortunately, as often happened under Ottoman rule at the time, a Muslim Albanian saw the beauty of young Bosiljka, and charmed by her innocence begged her to convert to Islam and be his wife. Bosiljka rebuked his advances, and to his requests that she become a Muslim and promises of many gifts she said that she needed no other faith than that of Christ and that nothing is more beautiful than Him.

The Muslim was very offended that a young girl would act with such boldness towards him, and so he kidnapped her and took her to his home. He tried starving her into submission, but to no avail. Bosiljka remained firm that Christ was all she required, and that no torture or deprivation could take her from Him and His love. The Muslim then took her to speak with another previously-Orthodox Christian Serbian woman who had converted to Islam, who tried to convince her to accept Islam for the sake of her own life and for the safety of her family. Young Bosiljka responded again that she needed no faith other than that of the Orthodox, and that as for a husband—she already had one. Curious, the Muslim Serbian woman asked her who this husband is, to which Bosiljka said, “Christ, of course! He is my bridegroom, I belong to Him alone, and I will not renounce Him or my Holy Faith, unlike you, whom I pity.”

The Muslim Serb responded, “Don’t be so stubborn, convert and save your soul!” to which Bosiljka firmly responded, “That’s not how you save your soul, but rather, how you lose it.”

Frustrated, the Muslim Serbian woman returned Bosiljka to the Albanian Muslim who had fallen in love with her, who again tried to convince her to convert and marry him. Failing utterly, further tortures awaited Bosiljka, which she bore with bravery, strength, and great faith in Christ. They held her face above a chimney to choke her with the smoke, then threw hot coals on her. To this, Bosiljka’s only response was “Kill me, all you can do is kill my body, but I will remain an Orthodox Christian, I will remain with Christ, I will remain pure, and this you cannot take from me!”

Humiliated at his inability to make the seventeen-year-old girl change her mind, the Albanian Muslim tied Bosiljka to a horse and dragged her to the edge of the town, where he and several of his friends slowly cut the martyr into pieces while she was yet living, as they screamed “Death to the filthy Serb!” The whole time, Bosiljka is said to have just repeated the words “God, grant me to endure to the end, don’t let me give in, help me to endure to the end!” Her final words were “This is not my death, this is not my end, rather, this is the beginning of my eternal life. It is you, rather, who have died for eternity.” And thus, she gave up her soul to Christ her Bridegroom, after many tortures, showing much courage and giving a great witness to the love and truth of Christ.

Her family was able to retrieve her earthly remains from the Turkish authorities, and they buried them in the ruins of the ancient village church. Several decades later, when the Tanzimat Reforms were enacted in the Ottoman Empire and Christians could once again build churches, the village of Pasjane restored their church and enshrined Bosiljka’s holy relics within a stone column in the church. Placing relics within a stone column or foundation to protect them had become common in Ottoman Serbia, as too often the Turks or Albanians had desecrated relics that had been left out in the open. In this way many relics, including those of Holy Martyr Bosiljka, have been preserved to the present day.

And so the life of a teenage girl from a small village in Kosovo, who otherwise would probably have been long since forgotten, has entered into eternity, and has come to warm our hearts today. Holy Martyr Bosiljka, along with many other New Martyrs of the Turkish Yoke, was an average person: She was not a nun, nor a great ascetic, nor a theologian; her village did not even have a church during her lifetime. And yet, when it was asked of her, she gave her life for Christ, and that with much pain and suffering. Her life cries out to us through the centuries as a witness to the great love and power of Christ, of the great glories awaiting those who are faithful to Him, and to the reality that every person can be a saint. It is not only monks and nuns who are called to sanctity, but all Christians—from a seventeen-year-old girl, as in the case of Bosiljka, to bakers, gardeners, and shopkeepers, as in the case of other martyrs of the Ottoman Yoke. The life of this girl from a small village in Kosovo proclaims to all of us, throughout the world, throughout time, that we can all be holy, and that not only is this a possibility, but it is what is required of us.

By Monk Sophronios (Copan)

Source: http://orthochristian.com/113285.html

As someone who studies motherhood and theology and who has five children myself, fellow Orthodox mothers often ask me if I can point them to prayers for mothers for their children, since few of our prayer books include prayers on this subject. While I do have a few prayers I pass on, I also recommend that they read Saint John Chrysostom’s thoughts on prayer and motherhood.

Saint John of the fourth century is a frequent source for reflection on family life in the twenty-first. His reverence for family rings clear across the centuries, and this is true especially in his appreciation for motherhood. Saint John elevated motherhood to something beyond the mundane, daily care of children and into the realm of spiritual significance. Directing his remarks at mothers, he said, “I mean, the children being born, provided they receive proper care and are brought up to virtue by your attention, prove a basis and occasion of complete salvation for you; and in addition to your own virtuous acts you will receive a great reward for your care of them.” (Homily on Hannah, Old Testament Homilies by Robert Hill) Thus Chrysostom saw motherhood as a salvific opportunity, as a vocation that can lead to the heavenly reward.

Saint John was particularly moved by the vision of motherhood he saw in Hannah, the mother of Prophet Samuel in the Old Testament (1 Samuel 1-2). He admired the power of Hannah’s spontaneous prayer when she visited the temple eager to have a child. He wrote of the intensity of the prayer she prayed in her quest for motherhood and in her later dedication of her child to the Lord.

In praising Hannah’s spontaneous prayer, Saint John contrasted it with more typical, less mindful prayer: “I mean, while we all pray, we do not all do it before the Lord: when the body is lying on the ground and the mouth is babbling on, and the mind wandering through all parts of the house and the market place, how will such people be in a position to claim that they prayed before the Lord?” (Homily on Hannah, Old Testament Homilies by Robert Hill)

In short, Hannah provides the model for all types of prayer, not just a mother’s prayer. Most prayer is half-hearted, barely present, whereas Hannah’s prayer is fully present, felt in her body and her soul. Yet, Saint John also saw a special role for prayer by mothers. His specific instruction to mothers is that they should consecrate their children through prayer. As a mother and a theologian, I find this to be an important reminder of the importance of my prayers for my own children.

Though the Orthodox Church lacks many composed prayers for mothers, and though the addition of such prayers would be welcome, Hannah’s tale shows that mothers have taken prayers for their children into their own hands for millennia—and that the Church has celebrated this initiative. This is why I point mothers to Saint John: he reminds us that our spontaneous prayers as mothers are powerful on their own. Whatever words we choose, it is our sacred responsibility as mothers to bless and consecrate our children by praying for them.

Source: http://blogs.goarch.org/blog/-/blogs/the-power-of-a-mother-s-prayer?_33_redirect=%2Fmarriage-and-family

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