When we are praying we are just like a child, who wandering in the garden and gathering flowers mixed with weeds brings them home to his father. His mother greets him, throws away the weed choosing only the beautiful flowers and arranges them as pretty as she can. Only after this, the father can receive the children’s flowers. Jesus acts in a similar way with some of our prayers to the Father. He throws away useless requests, and the ones in truth and Spirit, which are good and liked by God, He arranges them in a beautiful bouquet and puts them on His altar, in front of His throne.

(Translation from Protosinghel Nicodim Măndiță, Învățături despre rugăciune, Editura Agapis, București, 2008, p. 29)