How to Read the Gospel at Home for Beginners. How to read the Gospel correctly every day

Nika Kravchuk

Why read the Gospel every day?

The Gospel is the holy book of Christians, the good news about the coming of the Savior into the world. From it we learn how Christ lived on earth and what commandments he left to humanity. Passages from the Holy Scriptures are read during services. But this is sometimes too little to understand and live according to the commandments. The question arises: how to read the Gospel at home and why do it?

Every time you open it like the first

The Church teaches that a person can be saved by fulfilling the Gospel commandments. Is it possible to accomplish what you don’t know? It follows from this that the first step towards God is prayer and reading the Gospel.

This is a completely unique book. A skeptic will say: just think, four stories from different authors, despite the fact that three of them present practically the same plots in different ways - what’s new and unique in this? The peculiarity of the Gospel is that each time you open it differently. Many Christians have read it several times, but each time they pay attention to something new.

An experienced Orthodox Christian woman, a radio physicist by training, says: “Friends and fellow students say to me: what did you find in your religion? You are a smart person, a physicist by training. And I answer: you see, in our industry I have already reached the “ceiling”, and reading the Gospel, every time I discover something new for myself. Sometimes you sit and realize: I’ve been holding this book in my hands every day for 20 years. But it feels like I’ve never read this fragment before. There is such a depth here that you won’t reach the bottom even in your entire life.”

If a person regularly reads the Gospel and thinks about what he reads, then he simply cannot help but change.

How to read the Gospel at home?

There are no specific rules, but there are only individual recommendations, which indicate a respectful attitude towards the shrine. The gospel is the good news of God the Word. From the sacred pages, a person seems to be talking with God. Therefore, it is advisable to have a specific mindset and throw distracting thoughts out of your head. You can read a special prayer before reading the Holy Scriptures or turn to God so that you receive spiritual benefit from reading, and not vice versa - you sin by inattention, absent-mindedness and fussiness.

As a sign of reverence, it is customary to read the Gospel while standing. But if a person is tired during the day, is unable to stand, and is constantly thinking about how to lean on his elbow, then it would be better for him to sit down immediately.

It’s good if you have the opportunity to be alone, to communicate one-on-one with God, when no one and nothing distracts you. But it doesn't always work out that way.

How often and in what volumes should you read the Gospel?

It is advisable to do this every day. If you have a strong intention, ask your confessor for a blessing.

There are two optimal ways to discover Holy Scripture:

a chapter a day;
look in the church calendar which passage is being read today at the service, and read it.

The first method is more time-consuming, but it eliminates the possibility of misunderstanding the context of the Gospel story. The second is useful because if you read in the evening those fragments that will be heard at the Liturgy, then while you are in church a person will listen carefully to the reading of the Gospel.

Why use additional explanations?

To avoid misunderstandings, it is advisable to know the historical context and use interpretations. Look at the Protestants. They get acquainted with sacred texts every day, but each is accustomed to understanding the essence of what is written in their own way. This is where various heresies and schisms arise. Therefore, it is better for a person not to “create amateur activities”, but to take advantage of the centuries-tested experience of the church.

John Chrysostom;
Blessed Theophylact of Bulgaria;
Bishop Michael (Luzin);
Archbishop Averky (Taushev);
Professor Alexander Lopukhin.

Beginners may encounter the fact that the thoughts of John Chrysostom or Theophylact of Bulgaria will not seem entirely accessible to them. Therefore, first you can read the Law of God of Seraphim Slobodsky and the texts of the last three interpreters. Questions are also often asked about which language is best to read the Gospel. If you find Church Slavonic too difficult, read in your native language. Over time, you can study the language of the church and read different translations at the same time.

What to do when you don’t understand and it’s very difficult to read?

We must not stop. Understanding does not come immediately, but as a result of the efforts made. It is also necessary to pray that the God of the Word himself will reveal his good news to us.

Why is it difficult to read? Because demons are trying in different ways to distract you from the Holy Scriptures. They are afraid that you will accept it and live according to the commandments.

In “Fatherland” by Ignatius Brianchaninov there is a story about a certain disciple who had been reading the Gospel for a long time, but did not understand anything. One day he came to the teacher for advice: what to do? Do you need to read if you don’t understand or absorb anything?

To which the teacher replied: if you throw dirty laundry into a stream, then even without washing it will be cleaned (running water will act on it). If we throw the Divine Word into our heads, it will also purify our thoughts and enlighten our perception.

Therefore, the answer is clear: you need to read and cleanse yourself. It is also important to be aware of what Book you are holding in your hands. Some believers, with blessing, read the Gospel at home and pray. There are those who ask for their family and friends, read a chapter every day, doing it for a specific person.

There are even testimonies of those who did this for a long period (40 days, six months, a year), and then were surprised when people completely far from faith came to God. So reading the Gospel can be called a kind of prayer.

Take it for yourself and tell your friends!

Before reading the Gospel

It is worth starting this business by adhering to certain rules:

To get the most benefit, you should be honest about the training you receive. The study must be conducted in good faith and without prejudice. Try to understand what is being said first.
The main desire you should have is to understand what is written and discover the truth.
While reading, we may come across some passages that we cannot immediately understand. In this case, we should simply take note of them and return to them when we grow to understand them.
Reading can give us conflicting feelings. You shouldn't be afraid of this. You just discover new depths in yourself.
Reading should take place only after you have prepared to openly and without fear accept everything that will be discussed.

FAQ

It is necessary to understand that this book is the main one for all humanity, where life is found for the people themselves. There is a mention of Divine truths that will lead us to salvation. Moreover, it also contains the wisdom and power of the Lord. Symbolically, she is considered the voice of Christ himself. It is not only the Law of God, but also the Mystery of achieving salvation. During reading, the soul of a person unites with the Lord and resurrects in him.

How to read the Gospel at home - sitting or standing? According to custom, special reverence for Scripture allows for reading only while standing. But it is important to follow the principle that nothing distracts you and you should completely immerse yourself in the reading process. But it is worth noting that standing may not allow you to completely relax and try to understand the meaning. In church we must listen to it while standing, but at home we can sit down.

The next question asked is how to read the Gospel during Lent at home?

At this time, during church services, 3 books are read:

Genesis.
Prophet Isaiah.
Proverbs.

But at home they recommend reading all 4 Gospels on your own. Every Christian should know the Scriptures. If you have not yet read the Testaments, then you will have something to do during these 40 days. But even if you have mastered the entire Bible, it will not be superfluous to re-read it again.

Reading is recommended to be done daily in a calm environment. You must be completely focused on what is happening. It will be good if, after reading, you spend a little time reflecting on what you read. It would also be nice to draw a parallel with your own life.

Reading the Gospel word, which is mentioned for the granting of health and prosperity, always has a fruitful effect on a person’s life. The clergy always advise reading one chapter of this Scripture per day. But before you begin, you should ask the Lord for help. For this there is a special prayer before and after reading the Gospel at home. Remember that you should approach any text with full responsibility. Do not hold evil in your heart and approach only with good thoughts.

The most powerful thing Catholic parents can do for their children is teach them to pray. Depending on the child, this can be a simple or complex task. By teaching your children to pray, you...

Priest Andrei Chizhenko answers.

The famous Serbian canon law researcher Bishop Nikodim (Milash) wrote the following in his interpretation of the 19th canon of the VI Ecumenical Council: “St. Scripture is the word of God, revealing to people the will of God...” And Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov) said:

“...Read the Gospel with extreme reverence and attention. Do not consider anything in it unimportant or unworthy of consideration. Every iota of it emits a ray of life. Neglect of life is death.”

One author wrote about the Small Entrance at the Liturgy: “The Gospel is here a symbol of Christ. The Lord appeared into the world physically, in person. He comes out to preach, to His earthly ministry and is here among us. A terrible and majestic action is taking place - among us, visibly and palpably - God. The holy angels of heaven freeze in awe at this sight. And you, man, taste this great mystery and bow your head before it.”

Based on all of the above, you need to understand that the Holy Gospel is the main book of humanity, which contains life for people. It contains Divine truths that lead us to salvation. And it itself is the source of life - a word truly filled with the power and wisdom of the Lord.

The Gospel is the voice of Christ himself. In a symbolic and spiritual sense, when reading the Gospel, the Savior speaks to us. It is as if we are transported in time to the flowering plains of Galilee and become eyewitnesses of the incarnate God of the Word. And He speaks not only universally and timelessly, in general, but also specifically to each of us. The Gospel is not just a book. This is life for us, it is a spring of living water and a source of life. It is both the Law of God, given to humanity for salvation, and the Mystery of this salvation being accomplished. When reading the Gospel, the human soul unites with God and is resurrected in Him.

It is no coincidence that the word “evangelos” is translated from Greek as “good news.” This means that by the grace of the Holy Spirit, a new message of truth was revealed in the world: God came to Earth to save humanity, and “God became Man so that man could become God,” as St. Athanasius of Alexandria said in the 4th century. The Lord reconciled with the man, He healed him again and opened the way for him to the Kingdom of Heaven.

And by reading or listening to the Gospel, we stand on this heavenly vertical road and follow it to heaven. That's what the Gospel is.

Therefore, it is very important to read the New Testament every day. On the advice of the Holy Fathers, we need to include the reading of the Holy Gospel and the “Apostle” (the Acts of the Holy Apostles, the Council Epistles of the Apostles and the fourteen Epistles of the Holy Supreme Apostle Paul) in our cell (home) prayer rule. The following sequence is usually recommended: two chapters of the Apostle (some read one chapter) and one chapter of the Gospel per day.

In my opinion, based on personal experience, I would like to say that it is more convenient to read the Holy Scriptures in order, that is, from the first chapters to the last, and then return. Then a person will form a holistic picture of the Gospel narrative, a feeling and understanding of its continuity and cause-and-effect relationships.

It is also necessary that reading the Gospel should not be like reading fictional literature of the “leg by leg, sitting comfortably in a chair” type. Still, this should be a prayerful home liturgical act.

Archpriest Seraphim Slobodskoy in his book “The Law of God” recommends reading the Holy Scriptures while standing, crossing oneself once before reading and three times after.

There are special prayers said before and after reading the New Testament.

“Shine in our hearts, O Lord who loves mankind, the imperishable light of Your knowledge of God, and open our mental eyes, our understanding in Your gospel sermons, put fear in us and in Your blessed commandments, so that all carnal lusts may be trampled, we will pass through spiritual life, even to please Yours in both wisdom and action. For You are the enlightenment of our souls and bodies, O Christ our God, and we send up glory to You, with Your Originless Father and Your All-Holy, Good, and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen". It is read secretly by the priest during the Divine Liturgy before the reading of the Holy Gospel. It is also placed after the 11th kathisma of the Psalter.

Prayer of St. John Chrysostom: “Lord Jesus Christ, open the ears of my heart to hear Your word, and to understand and do Your will, as I am a stranger on earth: do not hide Your commandments from me, but open my eyes, that I may understand the wonders of Your law; tell me the unknown and secret wisdom of Yours. I trust in You, my God, may you enlighten my mind and meaning with the light of Your mind, not only to honor what is written, but also to create, so that I may not read the lives and words of the saints as a sin, but for renewal, and enlightenment, and for holiness, and for salvation of the soul, and an inheritance of eternal life. For You are the One who enlightens those who lie in darkness, and from You comes every good gift and every perfect gift. Amen".

The prayer of St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov), read before and after reading the Holy Scriptures: “Save, O Lord, and have mercy on Thy servants (names) in the words of the Divine Gospel, which are about the salvation of Thy servant. The thorns of all their sins have fallen, Lord, and may Thy grace dwell in them, scorching, cleansing, sanctifying the whole person in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen".

Regarding the latter, I will add from myself that it is also read with the addition of a chapter from the Holy Gospel in some kind of sorrow or trouble. I have learned from my own experience that it helps a lot. And the merciful Lord delivers from all kinds of situations and troubles. Some fathers recommend reading this prayer with the Gospel chapter every day.

This is “Conversations on the Gospel of Matthew” by St. John Chrysostom; interpretation of the Gospel of Blessed Theophylact of Bulgaria; “Interpretation of the Gospel” by B.I. Gladkov, highly appreciated by the holy righteous John of Kronstadt; works of Archbishop Averky (Taushev), Metropolitan Veniamin (Pushkar), Explanatory Bible of the Old and New Testaments by Alexander Lopukhin, other works.
Let us fall, brothers and sisters, with our hearts “hungering and thirsting for righteousness,” to the pure, life-giving spring of the Holy Scriptures. Without it, the soul is doomed to wither and spiritual death. With him she blossoms, like a flower of paradise, filled with verbal life-giving moisture, worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Priest Andrey Chizhenko

You can learn about the life of Jesus Christ from a number of works called the Gospel. It talks about the life of the son of God, about his deeds on earth. The New Testament of the Bible consists of four parts. But before reading one of the sections, the church recommends reading a prayer. You can read Scripture at home, the main thing is to believe in what you are reading.

Prayer before and after reading the Gospel: how to read the Gospel correctly?

The Gospel is nothing more than Good News. By reading this sacred book, a person receives a unique opportunity to know God and love him. Therefore, while reading it, it becomes possible to free oneself from sin and suffer punishment for it.

In the gospel, it is possible to highlight several main provisions.

What surrounds us, including people, was created by the Creator - God.
God is holy and has no sins.
People must obey God since he is their creator.
For what has been done, a person will face eternal punishment.
It is possible to avoid punishment through good deeds.
Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The trusting relationship between Jesus Christ and humanity. Willingness to follow him under any circumstances.

How to read the gospel at home and when to read prayers?

The Gospel is not a simple book, but a sacred one. Therefore, in order to get the maximum benefit from it, you need to do it correctly. In order to pray before reading, you need to adhere to some basic rules.

Take this matter seriously. If you take a holy book, then you must sincerely believe what is written there. If you have an unbiased attitude to reading, proper results will not be obtained.
A person's desire to study the Bible. A person must want to read the holy book, otherwise he will not understand what is written there. The Gospel is holy scripture; the book is not fiction.

You can read the holy letter alone or in a group of people, but you definitely need to read the prayer. The prayer before reading the gospel can be addressed for your loved ones or relatives. It is worth noting that when picking up a holy book, it is worth reading at least one chapter. At the same time, you should not stop in the middle of the text. You need to read it completely, to the end!

Many who want to understand the gospel with all their hearts take notes on the essence of what they read, highlighting important points for themselves. According to church rules, the Gospel can only be read while standing. But at home, it is best to take a position that will allow you to escape from extraneous matters and immerse yourself in the essence of the Holy Scriptures. If a person listens to the gospel in the temple, then he should give up.

How to read the gospel correctly and when?

The Church recommends prayer daily. But in order for the study of the holy book to be successful, it is recommended ask your spiritual mentor for a blessing in church. The best ways to study the holy book for yourself can be:

Read a chapter a day every day.
Reading scripture according to the Orthodox calendar. Every day, look at what chapter is being read in church today, and study it.

The first method is optimal for those who do not know the basics of gospel history. But at the same time, it will take a lot of time to read one chapter. The second option is optimal for understanding scripture. The next time a person comes to church, he will carefully and consciously listen to what the clergyman says.

But so that there is no additional misunderstanding of what they are reading about. It is best to know the historical moments. The Church recommends reading additional Church literature that presents the correct interpretation of God's Scripture. It is recommended to read the following church explanations.

Interpreter from John Chrysostom.
Interpretation from Theophylact of Bulgaria.
It is recommended to read Bishop Mikhail Luzin, as well as Averky.
The explanation of Professor Alexander Lopukhin is authoritative.

After reading the first two authors, it may seem that the interpretation is unclear and inaccessible to the common person. The clergy suggest that you first read Seraphim of Slobodsky, and only after that begin to study Chrysostom and Bulgarian. To better understand the gospel, it is recommended that you study it in your own language. After all, Church Slavonic is sometimes considered difficult to understand.

How to correctly read the prayer before and after the Gospel at home and when?

In order to correctly understand what you read in the word of God It is recommended to read the prayer before and after reading. It is worth noting that the desired result will not come immediately. You will need to devote sufficient time to this issue. To better understand the gospel, you need to start living according to God's commandments.

Many people note that when reading the gospel, they do not realize what they are reading about, and they also do not always want to continue what they started. Church leaders note Ignatius Brianchaninov’s story about a student. He read the Gospel for a long time and did not understand what he was reading. Then he came to his teacher with questions about what to do if you read and don’t understand anything?! The teacher answered him that the word of God purifies a person’s thoughts and his life. Therefore, reading the Gospel is necessary for self-purification. In addition, it is important to be aware of what book you are holding in your hands. You need to pray before and after reading the holy book at home. When reading the gospel at home, it is best to ask for a blessing in church.

Many priests give some recommendations so that the effect of reading prayer and the Holy Scriptures can be enhanced. By applying simple rules, you will be able to achieve purification in a fairly short time and allow you to improve your life. The main thing in this is faith in what you read and faith in God. Let's look at the basic advice that the church offers.

How to correctly read prayers for yourself and for loved ones and when?

The gospel is an integral part of the basis of the life of a Christian person. There is a lot of spiritual literature that the church recommends. But the first source and basis, is the word of God, which should constantly sound in a person’s heart. That is why it is necessary to read the Gospel and prayers every day and without fail.

Even in ancient times, a tradition of reading the gospel appeared. It may be different. People perceive the holy book differently and everyone chooses for themselves how best to say the prayer and how best to read the holy book. Some people begin to read the sacred words a chapter a day. Others, on the contrary, read only passages that sound in the Divine, following the church year.

After prayer, many recommend reading three chapters of the New Testament and one chapter of the Gospel a day. Some people still practice reading two chapters from the Apostle, and then praying. In addition, the main rule of a Christian is to read the psalter. You need to read one kathisma per day or one of the parts. At the same time, you need to read not depending on the needs of the human heart. Each of us can find a few minutes to read one or more chapters of Holy Scripture.

Prayer in a person’s life and when to read it?

In addition, the priests insist that a person's life should be spent reading. Seraphim of Sarov, argued that the human mind should revolve around scripture. That is, everything that a person reads is deposited on an unconscious level. The Bible can be reread several times daily and with each reading a new meaning will be revealed.

If a person begins the day with prayer and reading scripture, then during the day he will definitely put into practice what was conveyed to his heart. In order to receive spiritual benefit, you will need to constantly remember what you have read. And also make every effort to implement in life what was said by God.

It is necessary to pray before and after any task. In the prayer word you can find prayers that must be said before starting to read the holy book. But if this is not possible, then you can ask God for a blessing in your own words. In addition, it is worth asking him for understanding and help in any other matters. And especially in the awareness and understanding of holy scripture.

In addition, the church insists that a righteous person read the Old Testament daily. Despite the fact that the Old and Old Testaments are quite difficult to read. They can be accepted and understood with special interpretations. You can find out which interpretations are best for you from your church mentor. Ignorance of the Old Testament as a basis makes it impossible to understand what is being said in the New Testament.

A person can be offered different ways to read the Old Testament. The simplest one is reading from start to finish. You need to do this calmly and not dwell on any details. Especially when it comes to the history of the Jewish people. If it is possible to skip this part, then it will be optimal for you. But despite this, you will need to study the old part of the holy book completely.

You must decide for yourself whether you need constant daily reading of the Old Testament. It is worth noting that it is advisable to read it from beginning to end. Because there is a lot of useful and edifying stuff there. In addition, a person can learn a lot of instructive things from this. Many Christians admire what is written in the old part of the holy book.

It is worth noting that before each reading of the Old and New Testaments it is recommended to read a prayer. The main thing in this is that between the Old and New Testaments a line can be drawn between the soul of man and God. At the same time, there are wonderful images that can help a person take the right path and explain to him what he should not do.

The Old Testament is an instructive part of life in which you can find your own special meaning. But over time, a person becomes uninterested in this part of the old book. At the same time, a Christian can draw a lot of useful things from it. The Old Testament has a positive effect on each of us.

Prayers, reading a holy book- this is what a believer should do every day. Therefore, before you take the true path and plunge into this issue, it is recommended to come to church and ask for a blessing from a mentor. He will help and also give advice on what to do in a given situation, and will also direct you on the right path. Be sure to read a prayer before and after reading the gospel so that your understanding of the scripture goes better.

Hegumen Paisiy (Savosin) answers

Reading the Gospel

Why do we often hear that it is very important to read every day. What about the Gospel? So, you need to read both? Should I pray before and after reading?

Yes, of course, the Gospel really needs to be read every day, even just a few lines. After all, this is the word of God to us. Every conversation presupposes reciprocity. We turn to God with requests and thanks. And He addresses them and answers. And each time, despite the fact that we may have read His Gospel many times, the answer will be somewhat different. The Lord is always new.

Regarding prayer before and after reading... For example, at the Liturgy there is a “special” secret prayer read by the priest before reading the Gospel, but at the all-night vigil there is none. Simply “and may we be counted worthy to hear the Holy Gospel...”, etc. However, these are also prayers, albeit brief ones.

Attention and reverence are our “main pass” to the words of the Gospel. But prayer before reading is also useful, if we need to motivate ourselves to this attention. It can consist of several words (even simply: “Lord, bless”, “Lord, give understanding,” etc.) or several sentences - there is no general rule.

There are different examples of these prayers from the holy fathers. For example, Rev. Ephraim the Syrian: “First pray to God, saying: “Lord, open the ears and eyes of my heart, so that I may hear Your words and do Your will” (Ps. 119:18). “I hope, my God, that You will enlighten my heart” - always pray to God so that your mind will be enlightened and the power of His words will be revealed to you. Many, relying on their own understanding, fell into error and, “professing to be wise, became fools” (Rom. 1:22).” Or here is St. Isaac the Syrian: “Do not approach the words of the sacraments contained in the Divine Scripture without prayer and asking for help from God, but say: “Grant me, Lord, to receive the feeling of the power contained in them.” Consider prayer as the key to the true meaning of what is said in the Divine Scriptures.”

There is also a prayer to St. John Chrysostom and others.

Here are the words of St. Parthenius of Kiev-Pechersk: “Reading the Psalter tames passions, and reading the Gospel burns the thorns of our sins: for the word of God is a burning fire. Once, over the course of forty days, I was reading the Gospel about the salvation of a soul who had done good to me, and then I saw in a dream a field covered with thorns. Suddenly fire falls from heaven, the thorns are scorched, and the field remains clear. Perplexed about this vision, I hear a voice: the thorns covering the field are the sins of the soul that did you good; the fire that burned him is the Word of God, what you say for her.”

There is also a well-known prayer, as Hieromonk Job (Gumerov) writes, compiled by Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov): “Save, Lord, and have mercy on Your servants (names) with the words of the Divine Gospel, which are about the salvation of Your servant. The thorns of all their sins have fallen, Lord, and may Thy grace dwell in them, scorching, cleansing, sanctifying the whole person in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen".

Regarding precisely the forty days of reading, what can I say? This number is symbolic, i.e. meaningful. For example, the Lord Jesus Christ fasted for forty days in the desert. But, of course, it cannot be said that if someone prayed for someone for less than forty days, then his prayer is “invalid.” Every attentive prayer is valid, whether a person prays for one day or forty.

What does the words “Search the Scriptures” mean in the Gospel?

Saint Gregory the Theologian, speaking about the works of St. Basil the Great on the interpretation of Scripture testifies: “I am convinced not to stop at one letter (of Scripture), and to look not only at the surface, but to stretch further, from one depth to enter a new depth, calling upon the abyss of the abyss and acquiring light with light, until I reach the highest meaning "

But the Apostle Peter says: “No prophecy in Scripture can be solved by oneself. For prophecy was never uttered by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke it, being moved by the Holy Spirit.” And St. Ignatius Brianchaninov explains that since we do not have the Holy Spirit in this fullness, we must turn to those who have or had it - to the holy fathers, to their works interpreting the Holy Scriptures.

But you also need to assimilate the word of Scripture through your experience, and this helps to deepen your understanding. Because, as the same St. says. Ignatius, “there is a lot of deadness in every book,” and it comes to life when we assimilate it through experience. For example, it is written in the Gospel that “blessed are the poor in spirit,” “blessed are the meek.” And we will understand the power of these words when we try to implement this in practice.

Are there any special features of reading the Gospel during fasting days?

We are talking, one must think, about a personal, private reading of the Gospel. No, I don’t think that it is required to read it in any special way on days of fasting. Just as it is good to maintain consistency in the rule of prayer, so it is in the reading of Scripture. In the “Alphabetical Patericon,” one of the Egyptian venerable fathers says that he would like for a person to have a prayer rule that is small, but constantly followed, than large and quickly abandoned. We can find similar instructions in St. Ignatius, St. Seraphim, St. Optina elders. That is, we need to find our own measure of how much we can read, and stick to this measure.

Yes, you can! There is a photograph: the holy righteous John of Kronstadt, sitting on the deck of a sailing ship, reading the Gospel. And here is another example - the ancient Egyptian reverend fathers, walking somewhere in the desert, read by heart some books of the Holy Scriptures as they went, at will. Just watch, don’t miss your stop.

In the Psalter there is a prayer by Ephraim the Syrian “Lord and Master of my life...” Should it be read at any time besides Lent?

This prayer is a mandatory church-wide and church-wide prayer during the period of Great Lent. On other fasts and on other days of the year, it can be read by a Christian at will, if desired.

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