Pray Constantly


"Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thess. 5:16-18).

"And he prays 'constantly' (deeds of virtue or fulfilling the commandments are included as part of prayer) who unites prayer with the deeds required and the right deeds with prayer. For the only way we can accept the command to 'pray constantly' (1 Thess. 5:17) as referring to a real possibility is by saying that the entire life of the saint taken as a whole is a single great prayer. What is customarily called prayer is, then, a part of prayer."

-Origen

I once heard it told that a monk's work and all that they do during the day is their prayer. Origen takes this a bit further in saying that the entire life of a saint is one great prayer.

May we all strive this season of Lent to follow the example of the saints by making our lives a prayer to God, in hope that it will continue after the season has finished until the end of our lives! For that truly would be a wonderful gift to our Lord this Easter as we commemorate His resurrection and defeat over death brought on by our sins.