The human nature itself longs for connection and intimacy, unceasingly searching until it finds its rest.

This intimacy is often found through family, friends, and romantic relationships, but even the friendliest of people will soon realize that this is not enough to satisfy one’s deepest desires. Some, not understanding the loneliness and isolation they feel, turn to other things and activities to fill this void: sex, drugs, alcohol, pornography, smoking. The list goes on and on. But there is no rest in these things either. We are searching for something more.

Created in the image of God, the human nature can only find its rest in the one who is Rest itself. “²⁸ Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” says Christ to the multitudes (Matthew 11:28-30). There is no peace apart from Christ, for He Himself is the Author of peace.

How does one go about attaining this peace? There is no answer apart from prayer and fasting. “But this kind goes not out but by prayer and fasting.” declares Christ to his disciples (Matthew 17:21).

But how do we learn to pray? One who tries to pray will find himself/herself quickly frustrated, feeling as if our own efforts are fruitless and God is not listening to us. However, God’s grace rests even in our inability to pray. “²⁶ Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us^[a] with groanings which cannot be uttered. ²⁷ Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is,because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” (Romans 8:26-27). We are given help by God to overcome our own lack of patience and inability to vocalize our desire for God. The saints intercede for us as well, prompting us to pray and entreating God unceasingly to have mercy on us.

The intercession of the saints cannot be discounted or underestimated. Unlike us, the saints are more fully in God’s presence, being constantly perfected by His love moment by moment. They are our unsleeping intercessors, praying for the life and the salvation of the entire world. They are, in a sense, much more alive than we ever could be on this earth. They too prompt us to pray and disregard our own laziness in order for us to become like Jesus Christ.

So let us then finish the race and live out the faith for the redemption and resurrection of all things. Through the prayers of the Theotokos, Savior save us.