The Jesus Prayer
A few years ago I encountered an ancient prayer while exploring Eastern Christianity, and I continue to delve into it today. I would like to share this living artifact of faith that continues to change and teach me.
The Jesus Prayer is simple, and there are a few different ways of praying it:
"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner."
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.”
"Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me."
Or any other variant that bears this concise formula—addressing the Son of God by his name and asking for his mercy.
BACKGROUND
This prayer is an ancient prayer dating back anywhere between the 5th and 7th centuries, surviving most prominently in Eastern Christian traditions like the Eastern Orthodox, Eastern Catholic, and Coptic Orthodox Churches. Such traditions take the prayer very seriously, with some forms of monasticism demanding repetition of the prayer every waking moment. They cite a verse in St. Paul's first epistle to the Thessalonians (5:17), to "pray without ceasing," as explanation for such devoted use of the prayer. The prayer is used in some Western traditions, but it is by no means a prayer that is commonly used or even commonly known in the Christian West. The closest thing the Christian West might have is the phrase “Lord have mercy.”
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
-1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
MEANING
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.”
The spiritual meaning found in the Jesus Prayer is insurmountable. Each word of the prayer is a unique confession of faith that synergizes perfectly with each other word of the prayer:
"Lord" - A confession that Jesus is the ruler of all creation and a title of utmost reverence.
"Jesus" - A confession of the humanity of the Savior. Jesus is the human name of the Incarnate God who was begotten into humanity to save humanity. It is the name bestowed upon him by his dear mother Mary, by humanity.
"Christ" - A confession that Jesus is the anointed Messiah, the savior of all.
"Son of God" - A confession that Jesus is the second person of the Holy Trinity, proclaiming that he is begotten of God the Father. In praying to the Son by addressing him as such, we pray to the Father; and in praying at all, we pray in the Holy Spirit.
"Have mercy on me" - After having confessed the identity of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, we finally confess that we are in dire need for His loving mercy. We do not ask to be spared from suffering, but that we might finally become dependent on Christ as our source of life and model for what it truly means to be human, an image of Christ. Salvation is not a singular moment in time, it is a lifelong commitment—therefore, constantly praying for his mercy is a continual response to God's call to be holy.
PRACTICE
The way the prayer is prayed in any case is like that of the Eastern monastics: intentional repetition. Its shortness provides accessibility and memorability, while its heaviness (so long as we tie ourselves to its weight) serves as an anchor that binds us into perpetual dialogue with the merciful Son of God. It is therefore always met with a discipline of focus and repetition, wherein the practitioner prays it with their mind fixated solely on the words as they are said over and over. Such tireless remembrance is intended to eventually change something in us that makes us more mindful of our dependence on God. Naturally as we repeat something enough, we become more like that thing. In the case of the Jesus Prayer, the more we recite it the more likely it is to actually transform us.
It is not intended to be a vain, passive, mindless act as we go about our day, nor is it a mere "mantra" whose sound and utterance causes any mystical changes or effects—although treating it as such is a very real danger. This is precisely why explicit focus on the words themselves is so emphasized, lest the practitioner becomes spiritually deluded by expecting something other than reinforcing dependence on God. Eastern traditions even advise the counsel of a spiritual guide to refine use of the prayer so as to avoid such delusions and instead cultivate faith solely in Jesus. Only consequently may we see tangible effects of joy and healing, but we are never to expect such things. Reliance on the Lord is the only thing we can count on when we repeat the Jesus Prayer.
It is traditionally prayed during designated prayer times, however it may also be prayed as it suddenly comes to mind or in response to certain fleeting moments such as temptation, danger, or a moment of heavy emotion. More emphasis is placed on setting times aside to pray it, but every moment is nevertheless appropriate. The whole point of the practice is to manifest a continual response to God’s call for us to be dependent on Him evermore.
I implore you to practice this prayer, to set time aside in your daily routine, and to pray it slowly and intentionally while disallowing the mind to wander elsewhere. We confess dependence on God, but manifesting such dependence can be hard for some. I hope this prayer can help, I know it has and continues to help me and a few others with whom I have shared it.
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.”
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.”
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.”
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.”
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.”
AUTHOR: ALEC LEITNER
Alec Leitner is a Spring Arbor University graduate with a latent desire to wander the planet with his wife, Olivia. He has a love for language, mythology, and all manner of games, such as The Legend of Zelda and Dungeons & Dragons. He is enamored by Eastern traditions of Christianity and is always looking to learn, experience, and share what they bring to Christian living.
