When I think about the spirituality of the Christian East, I immediately think about the Transfiguration of Our Lord. This event in the life of Jesus always reminds me that the task of this earthly life is Personal Transformation. In saying this I also realize that the word metanoia sums up the spiritual effort of any Eastern Christian. Indeed Personal Transformation is only achieved when I change the way I think and live, using Jesus as model for the way I live. This frequently means rooting out of my life   societal values and embracing the values of God’s Kingdom as seen in the teachings of Jesus. I believe that it means reaching out to God.

In all significant relationships, people feel the need to reach out to the other. They reach out to those they care about in little rituals such as exchanging valentines and birthday gifts. They reach out in intense and heart-to-heart conversations. On occasions they pass beyond the intensity of words and communicate soul to soul, perhaps in silence or only in an embrace. In the same way, people yearn to be in contact with God, to feel God’s presence, and so they reach out to God. Reaching out to God – by simple rituals, by words, by silence – is what we call prayer. This is our response to God Who is continually reaching out to us in the daily events of our lives.

So one of the means we have available to us to determine whether we are truly serious about our spiritual lives, is to assess our daily lives and see whether we are convinced that prayer is necessary. Why? Because prayer is, by the example of Jesus, the true foundation of the Christian spiritual journey.

While a person can, without prayer, get to know him or herself and acknowledge the existence of a Supreme Being. But without prayer the person cannot grow in a personal relationship with God.

Personal Transformation can only take place when we develop a personal relationship with God – when we allow God to become real in our lives.
Take time to assess your relationship with God!