“Prayer is the necessary preparation for receiving spiritual gifts from God.” “Only longing and prayer make room for God in our hearts.” “God cannot give us spiritual gifts excepting through prayer.” “It is only as we are immersed in the spiritual world that we can understand spiritual things.” “There are beautiful birds in the air, and twinkling stars in the heavens, but if you desire pearls you must plunge down into the depths of the ocean to find them. There are many beautiful things in the worldaround us, but pearls can only be discovered in the depths of the sea; if we wish to posses spiritual pearls we must plunge into the depths, that is, we must pray, we must sink down into the secret depths of contemplation and prayer. Then we shall perceive precious pearls.””

“”The Cross is like the fruit of the walnut-tree. The outer rind is bitter, but the kernel is refreshing and strengthening. From the outside the Cross has neither beauty nor goodness; its essence is only revealed to those who bear it. They find a kernel of spiritual sweetness and inward peace.” “During an earthquake it sometimes happens that fresh springs break out in dry places which water and quicken the land so that plants can grow. In the same way the shattering experiences of suffering can cause the living water to well up in a human heart.” “A newborn child has to cry, for only in this way will his lungs expand. A doctor once told me of a child who could not breathe when it was born. In order to make it breathe the doctor gave it a slight blow. The mother must have thought the doctor cruel. But he was really doing the kindest thing possible. As with newborn children the lungs are contracted,”

“you may enter into the joy of your Lord.” “While I was in Tibet I saw a Buddhist, a monk, who had lived for five or six years in a cave. When he went into the cave he had good eyesight. But because he stayed so long in the darkness his eyes grew weaker and weaker, and at last he became quite blind. It is just the same with us. If we do not use the blessings which we have received from God for His Glory, we are in danger of losing them for ever.” “When I was in Palestine I stood by the Jordan and said to myself,” This fresh water is always flowing into the Dead Sea, and yet the Sea remains dead, because it has no outlet’ …. Even so there are individual Christians and Christian communities and churches which are dead because the living waters of the Gospel are always flowing into them, but”

“”The essence of prayer does not consist in asking God for something but in opening our hearts to God, in speaking with Him, and living with Him in perpetual communion. Prayer is continual abandonment to God.” “Prayer does not mean asking God for all kinds of things we want, it is rather”

“Prayer is the desire to possess God Himself, the Source of all Life.” “The true spirit of prayer does not consist in asking for blessings, but in receiving Him who is the giver of all blessing, and in living a life of fellowship with Him.” “Prayer is not a kind of begging for favours; it is rather breathing and living in God.” “A little child often”

The most wonderful experience the Sadhu has ever had of this peace was on that occasion when he was thrown into a well which was full of dead bodies. “The physical suffering was great, but in spirit I was happy. I began to pray to God, and His joy flowed into my heart to such an extent that I forgot the gruesome place I was in. A wonderful peace filled my heart, so lovely that I cannot describe it.” “Never have I experienced greater blessedness in the peace of Jesus, received through prayer, than during those very days. Christ’s peace turned that deep well into the Gate of Heaven.” “How was it possible to have the peace of Cod in the pitch-dark night, in the midst of corpses and dead men’s bones? Joy like this, peace like this, comes from. nothing in this world. God alone can give it. While I was sitting therein the well I reflected that I never felt this kind of happiness while I lived in the house of my parents in comfort and luxury. Whence, then came this overflowing joy in that terrible den? I saw then more clearly than ever, that Jesus is alive, and that”