The Jesus Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.

Properly speaking, the Holy Fathers call the prayer which goes thus: "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me," the Prayer of Jesus. St. John of the Ladder says of the hesychasts (monastics who practiced this inner prayer in its fullest intensity) that "one of them chants, and devotes the greater part of his time to this chanting, and the others continue in prayer." By "chanting" here we must understand the prayerful recitation of the Psalms, (this practice is continued to this day in the reading of the kathisma in church) for in those days they did not have the other forms of prayers used now (composed prayers from the prayerbook), and by "prayer" we must understand that Prayer of Jesus.

The Prayer of Jesus comes in two forms, oral and mental. The ascetic (spiritual athlete) changes from oral prayer to mental himself according to the circumstance, when oral prayer is attentive. The essential requirements for this prayer are: attention, holding the mind within the words of the prayer, being extremely unhurried in pronouncing it and contrition of spirit. Although these things are necessary for every prayer, they are more easily safeguarded and are more necessary in the practice of the Jesus Prayer. In the Prayer of Jesus, the mind is concentrated on one thought: the thought of the sinner being forgiven by Jesus. The activity appears to be the driest of all, but practice in it will show it to be the most fruitful of all spiritual activities. Power and worth are granted it by the all-powerful, all-Holy Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore from ancient times those who were zealous for salvation and experienced in the spiritual life - through God's inspiration and without relinquishing their ascetic struggle - discovered another way to warm the heart, which they have handed on for the use of others. This appears simpler and easier, but is in fact no less difficult to carry out. This short cut to the achievement of our aim is the whole-hearted practice of inner prayer to our Lord and Savior. This is how it should be performed: stand with your mind and attention in your heart, being very sure that the Lord is near and listening, and call to Him with fervor: "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me." Do this constantly in church and at home, traveling, working, at table, and in bed - in a word, from the time that you open your eyes till the time that you shut them. This will be exactly like holding an object in the sun, because this is to hold yourself before the face of the Lord, who is the Sun of the spiritual world. At the beginning, you must give up an allotted part of your time, night and morning, exclusively to this prayer. Then you will find that the prayer begins to bear fruit, as it lays hold of the heart and becomes deeply rooted in it.

St. Theophan the Recluse (+1894)

Just as snow will not produce a flame, or water a fire, or the thorn bush a fig, so a person's heart will not be free from demonic thoughts, words, and actions until it has first purified itself inwardly, uniting watchfulness with the Jesus Prayer, attaining humility and stillness of soul, and eagerly pressing forward on its path. But in its lack of spiritual understanding, the inattentive soul will be devoid of every good and perfect thought, and barren and stupid as the mule. The soul's true peace lies in the gentle name of Jesus and in its emptying itself of impassioned thoughts...When combined with watchfulness and deep understanding, the Jesus Prayer will erase from our heart even those thoughts rooted there against our will.

St. Hesychios of Jerusalem (5th C)

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