This lecture series explores praying as an expression of love for God. In this series Father Maximos, with his distinctive pedagogical mastery, distills the teaching on concentrated prayer of St. Maximos the Confessor and of Elder Aimilianos of Simonopetra, and provides numerous helps to overcoming obstacles in prayer.  This offering includes a bonus lecture entitled The Personality of the Mother of God: What Kind of Person Was She?  by Father Calinic Berger.