They have no regard for love; no care for the widow, or the orphan, or the oppressed; of the bond, or of the free; of the hungry, or of the thirsty. They abstain from  thanksgiving and prayer  since they do not confess the thanksgiving to be the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ, which suffered for our sins, and which the Father, of His goodness, raised up again.

And when he has concluded the  prayers and thanksgivings , all the people present express their assent by saying Amen.

Now, that  prayers and giving of thanks , when offered by worthy men, are the only perfect and well-pleasing sacrifices to God, I also admit.

For it behooves us to make an oblation to God, and in all things to be found grateful to God our Maker, in a pure mind, and in faith without hypocrisy, in well-grounded hope, in fervent love, offering the first-fruits of His own created things. And the Church alone offers this pure oblation to the Creator, offering to Him, with giving of thanks , [the things taken] from His creation.

…thus is it, therefore, also His will that we, too, should offer a gift at the altar, frequently and without intermission. The altar, then, is in heaven (for towards that place are  our prayers and oblations directed); …

The altar, then, that is with us here, the terrestrial one, is the congregation of those who devote themselves  to prayers , having as it were one common voice and one mind.

But always tracing up to God the grave enjoyment of all things, he offers the first-fruits of food, and drink, and ointments to the Giver of all,  acknowledging his thanks  in the gift and in the use of them by the Word given to him.

…

Now  thanksgiving and request  for the conversion of our neighbours is the function of the Gnostic; as also the Lord  prayed, giving thanks  for the accomplishment of His ministry, praying that as many as possible might attain to knowledge; that in the saved, by salvation, through knowledge, God might be glorified, and He who is alone good and alone Saviour might be acknowledged through the Son from age to age. But also faith, that one will receive, is a species of prayer gnostically laid up in store.

And  the form of his prayer is thanksgiving  for the past, for the present, and for the future as already through faith present.

These types signified that a man, once a sinner, but afterwards purified from the stains thereof by the word of God, was bound to offer unto God in the temple a gift, even  prayer and thanksgiving  in the church through Christ Jesus, who is the universal priest of the Father.

And to the Word Himself shall  we also pray  and make intercessions,  and offer thanksgivings  and supplications to Him, if we have the capacity of distinguishing between the proper use and abuse of prayer.

But we give thanks to the Creator of all, and, along  with thanksgiving and prayer  for the blessings we have received, we also eat the bread presented to us; and this bread becomes by prayer a sacred body, which sanctifies those who sincerely partake of it.

And when we meet together with the brethren in one place, and celebrate divine sacrifices with God’s priest, we ought to be mindful of modesty and discipline — not to throw abroad  our prayers  indiscriminately, with unsubdued voices, nor to cast to God with tumultuous wordiness a petition that ought to be commended to God by modesty; for God is the hearer, not of the voice, but of the heart.

Since we are to pray and give thanks to God for ever, let us not cease in this life also to  pray and give thanks .

…instead of the sacrifices which then were, offer now  prayers and petitions and thanksgivings . Then were first fruits and tithes and part-offerings and gifts; but to-day the oblations which are offered through the bishops to the Lord God…

For we ought to  sacrifice to God in word ; inasmuch as God is the Word, as He Himself confessed. Therefore the chief ceremonial in the worship of God is praise from the mouth of a just man directed towards God. That this, however, may be accepted by God, there is need of humility, and fear, and devotion in the greatest degree, lest any one should chance to place confidence in his integrity and innocence, and thus incur the charge of pride and arrogance, and by this deed lose the recompense of his virtue. But that he may obtain the favour of God, and be free from every stain, let him always implore the mercy of God, and  pray  for nothing else but pardon for his sins, even though he has none. If he desires anything else, there is no need of expressing it in word to one who knows what we wish; if anything good shall happen to him,  let him give thanks ; if any evil, let him make amends, and let him confess that the evil has happened to him on account of his faults; and even in evils let him nothing less  give thanks , and make amends in good things, that he may be the same at all times, and be firm, and unchangeable, and unshaken.

…who has guided us from false superstitions to the true religion — a blessing which exceeds and transcends all His other gifts; who has raised our thoughts to heaven from brutish statues formed of the vilest clay, and has caused us to hold converse in  thanksgiving and prayer  with the Lord of the universe.

So, then, we sacrifice and offer incense: On the one hand when we celebrate the Memorial of His great Sacrifice according to the Mysteries He delivered to us, and bring to God  the thanksgiving  for our salvation  with  holy hymns and  prayers  ; while on the other we consecrate ourselves to Him alone and to the Word His High Priest, devoted to Him in body and soul.

Now I will explain to you  the occasions for prayer. For there is petition, thanksgiving, and praise . In petition, one seeks mercy for one’s sins. In thanksgiving you give thanks to your Father in heaven, and in praise you praise him for his works. When you face adversity, offer petition. When you are provided for from his good things, give thanks to the Giver. And when [your] mind is joyful, offer up praise.

Sins are washed away in water, and prayer speaks with majesty. Observe, my friend, that sacrifices and offerings have been rejected, and that  prayer has been chosen  instead”

For what else is the feast [of Easter], but the constant worship of God, and the recognition of godliness, and unceasing prayers from the whole heart with agreement? So Paul wishing us to be ever in this disposition, commands, saying, ‘Rejoice evermore;  pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks .’

For what is so fitting for the feast [of Easter], a turning from wickedness, and a pure conversation, and  prayer offered  without ceasing to God,  with thanksgiving ? Therefore let us, my brethren, looking forward to celebrate the eternal joy in heaven, keep the feast here also, rejoicing at all times,  praying incessantly, and in everything giving thanks  to the Lord.

Now the gift to God is every one’s  prayer and thanksgiving . If, therefore, you have anything against your brother, or he has anything against you, neither will your prayers be heard, nor will your thanksgivings be accepted, by reason of that hidden anger. But it is your duty, brethren, to pray continually.