Jesus Prayer

​Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior, have mercy on me, a sinner.

During a public discussion on spiritual growth and drawing closer to God, I mentioned that the “Jesus Prayer” was a good and valuable tool. I was asked, “What is the Jesus Prayer-- and how and why should I do it?”

What is it?

Athanasius I of Alexandria (c. 296–298 – 2 May 373) was one of the great Church Fathers of our Christian heritage. Also called Athanasius the Great and Athanasius the Confessor, he was a stalwart defender of the faith and spiritual seeker whose influence includes being a contributing author of our Nicene Creed. During his episcopate, at a time of deep spiritual seeking, he traveled to the north Egyptian desert and met a hermit named Anthony. Later, Athanasius would write a biography about Anthony and describe the practices of the desert monks through which the church was forever changed. One of those practices was the repetition of simple prayers, referred to as “arrow prayers,” said hundreds or thousands of times a day, to fill the mind and open the spirit.

From the many versions of Arrow Prayers came a standard prayer widely adopted and used in the monastic movement, known as the “Jesus Prayer.” As people like Athanasius sought out guidance from spiritual directors, the Jesus Prayer became standard practice in city parish and country village alike. To this day, it is a regular practice throughout the Orthodox Church and has been rediscovered by the churches of the west.  

The Jesus Prayer is as profound as it is simple:
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior, have mercy on me, a sinner.

The prayer was formed by observing key passages of scripture and melding their intention into a single sentence. For instance, Matthew 6:7-8 refers to keeping prayer simple, straightforward, and honest, “And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”  Philippians 2:9 reminds us that the name of Jesus is preeminent in our prayer life, “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name.” And 1 John 1:8 admonishes us to be truthful in our innermost being and honest before God of who we are: “if we say we have no sin in us, we are deceiving ourselves and refusing to admit the truth.” Through reflection and meditation of Holy Scripture, the Jesus Prayer was formulated as a faithful recitation that connects us to our Lord and to ourselves through the direct intervention and facilitation of the Holy Spirit.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior, have mercy on me, a sinner.

How do I do it?

In practice, the prayer has two important purposes. The first is worship, as with all prayer. The second is discipline, to help our soul gain control over our overactive brains and create stillness so that the Holy Spirit can work through us and help us live a more holy life.

Like any prayer, the Jesus Prayer can be a part of a larger practice of observance and devotion. It is one component, one arrow in the quiver of prayer if you will; a meditation and reflection through which we are brought low and lifted up by God. Still, as a single part of the larger practice, the recitation of the Jesus Prayer should hold a special place in the devotional process.

While a dedicated time, place, and posture are preferable and always advantageous for closer union with God, making the Jesus Prayer a constant part of your daily everything is a goal. While it is not a mantra, the Prayer is repeated daily until it becomes a habit in which you are repeating it without trying. Even if at first unaware of the saying the prayer, the Holy Spirit will awaken you because you have opened your spirit in humble devotion and supplication.

Why do it?

Once you have decided to adopt the practice of the Jesus Prayer and have struggled through the stages of prayer, “lips and mind to heart and spirit,” the Prayer (as well as other prayers) will take on the new life of Christ within. Through the Holy Spirit spiritual peace, calm and divine awareness will become a way of seeing the world. Light in the darkness of the pressures and disappointments of the day and grace in the face of current offenses and past pains will permeate your waking and sleeping life. The scourge of frenetic “should-dos and have-tos” is replaced with the joy of service and the peace which passes all understanding.

The power of this prayer and this prayer form cannot be underestimated. The Jesus Prayer has been a hallowed and effective pathway to spiritual union with Christ for almost two thousand years. We are blessed by the devotion of those who came before us, as a core part of the spiritual practice of the early monks and hermits we have received an Arrow that flies straight and true.

By understanding and practicing the message of the Jesus Prayer, we make the prayer a part of who we are. In this way, we are empowered by God’s grace and guidance. We also develop a more consistent awareness of God and a willingness to feel His presence in our lives.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior, have mercy on me, a sinner.
 
In His Love,
Fr. Bill+