For the Orthodox, the prayer par
excellence is the Jesus Prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on
me a sinner” (or, in its shorter form, “Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me”).
From New Testament times, the Orthodox have believed that the power of God is
present in the Name of Jesus. When the Apostle Peter healed a crippled man at
the Beautiful Gate of the Temple, he was questioned by the High Priest: By what power or by what
name did you do this? (Acts 4:7). St. Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit,
answered: Be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the
Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Whom you crucified, Whom God raised from the
dead, by Him this man is standing before you well (Acts 4:10).
Our Lord Himself, comforting His
disciples before His passion and death, told them that Whatever you ask in My Name,
I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; if you ask anything
in My Name, I will do it (John 14:13-14). Truly, truly, I say to you, if you
ask anything of the Father, He will give it to you in My Name. Hitherto you
have asked nothing in My Name; ask and you will receive, that your joy may be
full (John 16:23-24).
Later, in the era immediately
following the time of the Apostles, St. Ignatius of Antioch (who had known St.
John the Evangelist), when he was being led into the arena in Rome to suffer
martyrdom by wild beasts, when he was asked by the soldiers guarding him why he
kept repeating the name Jesus unceasingly, replied that It was written in his
heart.
Thus, praying this prayer — in the
Name of Jesus Christ — has been a vital part of the Orthodox spiritual
tradition from earliest times and has been especially treasured by monastics
since the 4th Century. In the Service for the Tonsuring of a Monk, when he is
given the Prayer Rope (Komvoschoinlon — Chotki), the Abbot says, as it is
handed over: “Take, brother, the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God,
for continual prayer to Jesus; for you must always have the Name of the Lord
Jesus in mind, in heart, and on your lips, ever saying: 'Lord Jesus Christ, Son
of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'“
However, while especially practiced
and popularized by monastics, praying in the Name of Jesus is every bit the
privilege of all Christians. As the Prayerbook says, “At work and at rest, at
home and on journeys, alone or among other people, always and everywhere repeat
in your mind and heart the sweet name of the Lord Jesus Christ, saying: 'Lord
Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'“ In our busy lives,
however, how can an ordinary Orthodox Christian practice this unceasing Prayer
of Jesus?
In our daily affairs, there are many
things that we do out of habit. At the beginning of the day, for example, we
wash, we dress, we have breakfast, and so on. As we go on our way to work,
there is usually much free time. During the working day, whether at home doing
housework, or at the factory, shop or office, there are many idle moments or
moments of repetitious work. Even in such recreational activities as hiking,
jogging, or whatever, there are many opportunities to engage in prayer. And
what better time to do good, to unceasingly call on the Name of Jesus, can
there be than at times such as these? Even the most monotonous task can be transformed
into a sweet and joyful experience!
Even if we are in a crowd, at work,
at a family gathering, in situations that demand all our thought and attention,
it is possible to say the Prayer of Jesus, perhaps not for long, continuous
blocks of time, but from time to time. As Archbishop Paul, Primate of the
Orthodox Church of Finland and a Valaam Monk states: “If we get into the habit
of reciting the Name of Jesus in this way even for half a minute at a time —
and it is possible to arrange such a pause for oneself in almost any work —
remembrance of God's presence will remain as an undercurrent in our soul.” [This and other passages herein are taken
from The Faith We Hold, by Archbishop Paul, p.85-86.]
The Jesus Prayer, then, is a prayer
of amazing versatility; it is a prayer for beginners and equally a prayer that
leads to the deepest mysteries of the contemplative life. For some, there comes
a time when the Jesus Prayer “enters into the heart,” so to speak, which is why
it is also called The Prayer of the Heart. At this point, the Jesus Prayer is
no longer recited by means of a deliberate effort, but repeats itself
spontaneously, continuing even when one talks or writes, is present in one's
dreams and wakes him up in the morning.
According to St. Isaac the Syrian,
when
the Spirit takes its dwelling-place in a man he does not cease to pray, because
the Spirit will constantly pray in him. Then, neither when he sleeps, nor when
he is awake, will prayer be cut off from his soul; but when he eats and when he
drinks, when he lies down and when he does any work, even when he is immersed
in sleep, the perfumes of prayer will breathe in his heart spontaneously
[Mystical Treatises].
Thus, both to those who recite this
prayer ceaselessly and to those who are only occasional users of it, the Jesus
Prayer is found to be a great source of joy and reassurance.