Sootoro of Friday

What is stressed in this office is the reality of those things that are unseen - primarily the efficacy of prayer and the harm of demons contrary to the ideas of modernity.
To access the office, click here.

Often, especially in the very empirical nature of modernity, we tend not to think of that which we do not see physically. Demons are reduced to figurative explanations and prayer to something is only for self-edification; but such explanations make Scripture and Christian theology dishonest at best. A rejection of demons (and, by extension for consistency, angels) denounces non-visible realities because of the difficulty in believing in that which we've never experienced physically - but if the Word of God has them so prevalently mentioned, and we can believe in the non-physical reality of God it seems rejection of prayer and demons are for our own convenience and comfort.

The first of the relevant portions from the office that reflect these ideas are the qolo on prayer of the just:

Great is the power of prayer when it is the just who pray. Moses prayed and, by his prayer, Amalek succumbed to Israel. David prayed and he killed the giant. Joshua, Son of Nun, stayed the sun and moon. In this age, there are no just ones that will pray; may the bones of the holy ones be intercessors on behalf of sinners that You may pardon them their debts. Hallelujah and hallelujah.

It is through the prayer of the just that things are wrought. The great miracles of Elijah, a typos of Christ Himself, come about when he asks for it similar - an example is Elijah calling on the Lord to consume his offerings with fire to shame the worshippers of Ba'al, which is what the Syriacs base their epiclesis on:

Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.’

1 Kings 18:37 

The second theme is the threat of Satan:

I ask You, Lord – forgive the soul that death corrupted, and the Evil One has captured that every day she will perform his desires. Good Physician, heal the sick one who asks You for the companions of the Iniquitous, Hateful One are corruptors of her beauty.

The Evil One has hid snares for me and has caught me in his wiliness. Good Lord, break them and I shall be Yours. Ever does the sea batter me to kill me; may I be drawn to the harbor of life in You from its tempests.
 

The pure soul is the image of divinity, which demons wiped out by hateful iniquity that they did to it. The Accuser subjugated me by his yoke that I should labor with him. Lord of Truth, give me freedom that I may be Yours.

The threat of Satan and his minions is real and ever-present but can easily be overcome by the power of God through the efficacy of prayer.

Our Lord, accept our service, our prayers, come to our aid and have mercy on us!