Pray Simply - St John Klimakos

Let there be no studied elegance
in the words of your prayer:
how often the simple and monotonous lispings of little children
make their father give in to them!

Do not launch out into long discourses
that fritter away your mind
in efforts for eloquence.
One word alone
spoken by the Publican
touched God's mercy;
a single word full of faith
saved the Good Thief.

Prolixity in prayer
often fills the mind with images and distracts it,
while often one single word
draws it into recollection.
- St John Klimakos