Prayer is certainly another important component in our Lenten arsenal. As Christians we must always strive to be in constant communion with God and this is partly accomplished through the act of prayer: being mindful of God, praising God, entreating God, and offering Him thanksgiving. During Great Lent, however, it is a time to increase our prayer-life and to deepen its meaning. The simplest way this can be accomplished is to add the Lenten Prayer of St. Ephraim to our private morning and evening prayers. It is also good and profitable to set aside certain times of the day for a short, brief prayer or to silently say the Jesus Prayer routinely throughout the course of the entire day: “O Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me a sinner.”