Jesus Prayer

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Light1111

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Hello to all!

In the thread “Does God answer prayer?” someone mentioned the idea of “praying without ceasing.” This reminded me of something I read about years ago – I believe it’s simply called “The Jesus Prayer.” I wish I could remember it precisely, but it’s a very short sentence, 4 or 5 words long, and one attempts to get used to saying the prayer all of the time, so that even when they are engaged in tasks, having a conversation, etc., underlying their conscious preoccupations, they are also silently uttering “The Jesus Prayer,” till it becomes one with their heart beat, and it’s the same as “praying without ceasing.” If memory serves, the idea is that by praying without ceasing, the message of the prayer becomes so much a part of the person that all their actions gradually move toward peaceful ones, as the prayer integrates with their soul.

Are any members familiar with this? Does anyone know what the prayer is?
 
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God have mercy on me a sinner. OR

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

I believe that the idea of repeating the prayer often so as to it become a part of our very being, comes out of the book, “The Way of the Pilgrim, And the Pilgrim Continues His Way,”

In this book, a Russian Peasant becomes intrigued with the scripture instruction, “pray unceasingly,” He can’t understand how this is possible, so he sets out on a quest to walk across Russia and consult with the Spiritual masters of the Orthodox Church and learn what it means. He stops at one monastery after another asking how to pray unceasingly. From the very first stop till the end, he is instructed to recite the Jesus Prayer, using his Rosary Beads. One Abbot tells him to say the prayer 5,000 times a day.

The Pilgrim doesn’t understand the logic, but obeys. He is also instructed in other spiritual aspects such as reading the Philokalia in addition to Scripture, how to make a good confession and praying always as being in the presence of God.

Anyway, over time, the Pilgrim becomes aware that the Jesus Prayer is constantly being said within himself, even as he does meaningless task. He begins to understand that praying unceasingly is the conscious awareness of God, present at all time within. In time he is given the gift of “Contemplation.”

Its a very good book.

Jim
 
It’s a wonderful, amazing devotion that is easily incorporated into your spiritual life – it can truly become part of you and, in my experience, brings great peace.

I love (LOVE) the translation by Helen Bacovcin – available on Amazon in book and Kindle formats. The book is charming, engaging, and the spiritual advice is rooted in solid theology.

You’ll probably hear from some people on CAF that it’s “dangerous” to attempt this prayer method without a spiritual director – which, in my opinion, is just nuts. All you’re doing is calling on the Name of Jesus… which is certainly accessible to everyone.

I highly recommend it – God bless you.
 
Light1111 said:
Hello to all!

In the thread “Does God answer prayer?” someone mentioned the idea of “praying without ceasing.” This reminded me of something I read about years ago – I believe it’s simply called “The Jesus Prayer.” I wish I could remember it precisely, but it’s a very short sentence, 4 or 5 words long, and one attempts to get used to saying the prayer all of the time, so that even when they are engaged in tasks, having a conversation, etc., underlying their conscious preoccupations, they are also silently uttering “The Jesus Prayer,” till it becomes one with their heart beat, and it’s the same as “praying without ceasing.” If memory serves, the idea is that by praying without ceasing, the message of the prayer becomes so much a part of the person that all their actions gradually move toward peaceful ones, as the prayer integrates with their soul.

Are any members familiar with this? Does anyone know what the prayer is?
Click to expand...
*Dear Light111,

The way it was explained to me to pray it is this way,
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,
Have mercy on me, a sinner,
Click to expand...
I have only heard of a pattern of breathing to follow as you pray. As you say “Lord Jesus Christ”, one should breath in and as you exhale you say “Son of the God.” When you say “have mercy on me” breath in again and exhale with “a sinner.” The reason behind this, if my memory serves me well, is that you breath in Jesus Christ and His Divine Mercy and you exhale your recognition and acknowledgment of who He is and what you are.

I hope and pray this helps and maybe others can clarify more about this.
*
 
This form of prayer is, I think, sometimes called an Aspiration or an ejaculatory prayer.

There are others, in addition to the beautiful Jesus prayer. Many psalms are such that they can be said as an aspiration…almost like an aspiration, a breath.

Aspirations are wonderful ways to maintain a presence of God throughout the day and in so doing they are great ways to develop and maintain and strengthen an interior life with God.

Praying without ceasing.

“My Lord and my God”
“My God and my All”
“Blessed be God” (any of the Divine Praises, for example)
“We adore you O God and we praise you”
“Come Holy Spirit”
“Stay with me, Lord”

“Lord, Make this my prayer” (where the “this” could be anything…a phone call, a meeting, a greeting, a test, a drive, anything).

Aspirations help us to convert any human activity into an encounter with God.

They help me often.
 
An interesting book on the Jesus Prayer is “Praying the Jesus Prayer Together,” by an Anglican bishop and a monk. It’s about praying the prayer for and with other people, and I found it fascinating and touching. And sad, because one of the authors dies, but also really uplifting.
 
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