NOTES for Luk 6:17-23

“...And He spent the night in prayer to God...” These words, which allow us to touch a little upon our Lord's experience, gave rise to the great and wonderful tradition of nighttime services. Indeed, let us consider what an “all-night vigil” means: it means staying awake and praying throughout the night. It is a pity that today it has been reduced to a service from six to eight in the evening. But we always have the opportunity to stay awake at home—and this is an astonishing experience. It is very difficult to explain to someone who has never experienced it. The main gifts of the night are silence and solitude; only in this silence can one discern the voice of God. The whole world is immersed in stillness, and space and time lose their meaning. Have you noticed how differently time flows at night? This is, of course, also an ascetic effort, because sometimes, especially after a hard day, it is difficult not to fall asleep, just as the disciples fell asleep in the garden of Gethsemane. One could endlessly list the reasons why nighttime is especially suited to prayer. The main thing, it seems, is the desire never to part from God, even for the few hours of unconsciousness during the night.