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Is it "Jesus Christ, Son of God have mercy
on us!" I'm reading "The Way of the Pilgrim",
and got to the translation, the reason I ask,
I felt like I've known that one for quite awhile and say it often.. Every free moment to be exact...I had a dream once that I saw an old Benedictine who said pray an Our Father every fifteen minutes....Like the Pilgrim, I'd been asking about continuous prayer too. How can you, with work,kids...
a wife... Christ is Risen
Secco

Dear Brother Secco, what a wonderful question you pose!

The Lord has told us to 'pray always'. Some of our ancestors developed their own processes to do this. "The Way of the Pilgrim" proposes the 'Jesus Prayer' as one model. This is wonderful, but I believe most efficacacious in a monastic environment. The idea is to keep saying this prayer as often as one can.

In a monastery, there is a substantial amount of time devoted to prayer. For those of us who must earn a paycheck, we don't have this luxury. We've got to produce either spreadsheets or reports or whatever and we've got to fill out the lists of picking up laundry, going to the supermarket, and paying the bills. (I'll pass over in silence the laundry, the bathroom, changing the linen, vacuuming, preparing meals, doing the dishes, etc.)

Trying to keep the Jesus Prayer going 24/7 is really impossible in the world. If one wishes to try, then GREAT! But for many of us, it is the intermittent prayer that is possible.

Without becoming too personal, I have a paralyzed mother with partial dementia in a nursing home, a Nazi-boss, a close personal friend with a botched Lasik surgery who is afraid of 'blindness' whom I talk to at least once a day, a friend whose mom is dying of cancer, a friend with lupus who can no longer hold a glass or fork, two friends with AIDS, a friend with cancer, my godmother with cardiac palpitations and medication problems, and personal health issues.

My prayer: "Lord, in Your mercy...."

I say this every time one of these concerns pops into my mind.

When good things pop into my mind and are doing well, I pray: "Lord, thank you...."

I only give thanks; and when things are hard, I just ask God: "Lord, have mercy..."

Maybe I'm off the mark, but this pattern of prayer seems most appropriate. I'm not asking the Lord for anything, just asking Him to do what He thinks is good for me and for the suffering one. When things go well, I just say: "Thank You, Lord."

I don't feel comfortable using other forms of prayer, just the ones that seem appropriate to me and to the person who is in need of my prayers. In this way, I don't put demands on God, because I know that God knows what is needed. My role is to thank God for the wonders that He has given to me and to those who are in need of my prayers.

Blessings to All!

[This message has been edited by Dr John (edited 06-12-2001).]

"Glory Be To Jesus Christ!"

Dear Secco,

There are variations on the Jesus Prayer. The most common is "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have mercy on me a sinner. This is the one I found in the translation of the "Way of the Pilgrim" that I have. I also found this in "Living the Jesus Prayer" by Irma Zaleski. It can be shortened, but I don't see why anyone would want to.
This prayer is a summary of the Gospel. It is a confession of faith in the truth of our salvation. As we say this prayer, we are made aware of the Trinity. We acknowledge Jesus Christ as our Lord. We recognize the Father since Christ is the Son of God, and we are able to be aware of this because the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit leads us to the recognition of Jesus as savior.
By praying this prayer we also acknowledge that we are sinners, and we need God's help to overcome our weaknesses. By asking God to have mercy on us we commit an act of repentance.
The "Jesus Prayer" shows that God loves us, and has sent His Son to show us how to live our lives.

Yours in Christ
simeon

Brothers, I should elaborate. For me, God
is in,around, always near me...I am talking
almost constantly, silently or...He talks too
Its a Dialogue....I guess. Most times I feel
like I have two sets of "eyes"...His and mine. We "commune" as much as I want...
I think The Pilgrim sought an answer to a longing we all have...Communion eternally with God our Father, Our Brother,our Creator...My desire used to and still does take the form of me trying to be Him...
I know my true desire is to know Him...
Like the adopted son or daughter seeks the answer to the question: "Who is my father?"
I have demands here though, I have little ones of my own, and a very loving wife...
Together may we seek Him! Secco

Dear Secco,

And like the Pilgrim, you too are being called and drawn to the Jesus Prayer, to pray always in the Name of the Lord Jesus!

Dr. John, that blessed man, carries his Crosses with the Name of Jesus as his guide and as a way to call down an Epiclesis on all those around him.

Forgive me, but it seems that you are already well into the "Prayer of the Heart" and unceasing prayer.

Lev Gillet, the "Monk of the Eastern Church" used just the Name "Jesus" and said over everyone he met on the bus, at home etc.

The Jesus Prayer is for everyone, anywhere.

We should have formal times in which we exercise ourselves in it and then invoke the Name, the Shekinah of the Lord, at other times.

But getting back to your dream.

Did you know that God revealed His Will for constant prayer in just the same manner to others?

The Angel who spoke to St Pachomios in the Desert counselled prayer at the beginning of each hour of the night and day.

Eastern monks used to say 12 Psalms at the beginning of each hour.

There is also a prayer rule that prescribes 100 Jesus Prayer (a "hundredth") at each hour and three hundred at 3:00 pm when our Lord died on the Cross.

The Old Believers prescribe seven "hundredths" a day as a formal rule. This is good and will help us as we pray the Prayer throughout the day.

I also find the Old Believer practice of making the Sign of the Cross as an excellent way to focus our mind on the prayer, especially during the day when there are so many distractions.

To ground ourselves in constant prayer, we should say the Prayer while we are still in bed, when we get up, before any other prayers we say, as a prayer of intercession over those in need (have mercy on me a sinner and on ___), and so on.

You are already on the road, friend. It is for you to teach me.

Alex

JMJ

I wise old (82 now) priest once told me when I was in the process of converting to the Catholic faith, to say "Deo Gratias" (Thanks be to God) everytime something bad happened. He said to start saying it when good things happen when you get in the habit of saying it when bad things happen. It really helps put things in perspective.

Just a few thoughts,
Joe Zollars

The Jesus Prayer is wonderful, as is the prayer advice on this thread, but I�ve never met a born Orthodox layman/woman for whom the Jesus Prayer or the četki were a part of his or her prayer life. (Yet so much literature on our Church says it�s central to our piety!) In our Russian Church, the beads are part of the monastic habit, worn on the monk�s or nun�s left wrist (technically the recent convert lay custom of so doing is a mistake). I sometimes hold them that way but only in my prayer corner at home. One man I know told me his father, a 1917-era Russian exile and a priest, never owned a prayer rope! I love my 50-bead set (got at a fine local Ukrainian Catholic store), which can double as a Rosary (which how I use it!).

A Russian monk told me the custom of how laymen sometimes are given the beads/rope. If one�s duchovnyj otec (spiritual father) decided one should use it, he would give one to the person secretly. A man would walk out of the altar with it kind of hidden in his hand. I�m not putting down using them in public, since I also like seeing Latin Catholics holding Rosaries, but simply am describing the actual Russian Orthodox tradition about their use.

Serge

<a href="http://oldworldrus.com">Old World Rus�</a>

Getting back to Secco�s original question, to pray without ceasing, all you have to do is remember that prayer is simply raising your mind and heart to God, even for a second. Scattering these moments throughout your day, consecrating those times with the Jesus Prayer (in one of its several forms) or some other short prayer you know by heart, that comes from the heart, like �Most holy Mother of God, save us�, the Rejoice, O Virgin Mother of God/Hail Mary, the Angelus (a little longer) or some other short prayer, is a very doable way of going about it for those of us �in the world�. (Time was, in the Roman Catholic tradition, such very short prayers were called �ejaculations�, a term more likely to get giggles today than understanding!)

Serge

<a href="http://oldworldrus.com">Old World Rus�</a>

Yes, I can respect the exclusivity reserved for the monastics in the constant use or carrying around of the "cotki". I sometimes take it out with me and wear it or grasp it. However, I honestly am tempted with pride in displaying it for show when I'm not praying. It's not difficult to find yourself stroking your ego instead of lifting up your heart and soul to God. And of course, there are always times when the prayer rope transforms into a set of Muslim prayer beads in my hand.

Where I come from, and all Mediterraneans can attest to this, the "masbahah" isn't just for Muslim prayer, and holding onto it becomes a habit. Christians and Muslims find themselves moving from bead to bead, sometimes to ease stress, most times just indulging in a hobby and habitual practice. Of course if I'm not careful enough, I'll find myself twirling my prayer rope around in circles above my head, the next time I'm invited to a communal gathering and start joining in the "dabkeh" (our traditional folkdances).

In IC XC
Samer

Rusnak, I enjoy your website! Thanks for the
information on the Russian Orthodox! I have always been facinated. The Rosary, "by decade" or a simple chaplet...are also part of my devotional life.
Samer, I'd like to hear more about Christians and Muslims, and your Mediterreanean background..I liked the paralell. I enjoy reading all of your posts...Dr. John, you are like a Job or
Melchizadek. I include your intentions, and
everyone here...I'm not sure I'd bear your
crosses. I'm still mourning my youth.
My God and My All, Secco

Dear Serge,

The Old Believer laity, however, appear to be totally dedicated to the use of the Jesus Prayer and the Lestovka.

I have been receiving information from Russian and Ukraine, together with photos, concerning the Old Believers, and everyone in the processions carry a Lestovka on their elbow.

The "Son of the Church" prescribes 100 Jesus Prayers by the laity morning and night for all laity.

Of course, the Old Believers only use the Jesus Prayer in making the Sign of the Cross, rather than the Trinitarian invocation.

It is also prescribed for laity to use instead of the Priest's acclamations in the Reader's Service typikon.

I don't see much wrong with the zeal that expresses itself in laity wearing prayer ropes or lestovkas.

Converts are always among the most zealous, and I say, "more power to them!"

Alex

Dear Serge,

You could well imagine the consternation my friends and I experienced in Catholic college when a priest, during a sermon, recommended that we begin "ejaculating" as soon as possible . . .

Alex

Dear Samer,

You've raised a very special issue with me!

It was John Wesley who promoted the use of a (simple hand-tied) prayer rope to help focus one's attention on prayer.

The work that I do is a bet stressful and for years I have carried a rope with some knots that I pull and yank on when I am thinking or when I walk about to give occupation to nervous fingers.

I find it relaxing and helpful. I think this is what a prayer rope or worry beads can do for us as well.

Also, I learned that people in the Middle East have carried knots and tassels with them for ages for a blessing as religiously significant objects.

Worry beads are wonderful, aren't they?

Alex




[This message has been edited by Orthodox Catholic (edited 06-15-2001).]

Let me just say that my discovery of prayer ropes and the Jesus Prayer have been a treasure for me.

I first learned about them from reading "The Way of a Pilgrim." After that, my curiosity led me here where I have learned so much more.

I have gotten the occasional strange stare in church when everybody is praying a rosary and I'm sitting there with a bright red rope Perhaps they too should see what the Christian East has to offer them (as far as devotions go).

I plan on raising my son in the Tridentine Roman Catholic Church; but you better believe he's going to have a prayer rope AND have a copy of the Holy Communion Akathist as well.


Discovering Christianity's "other lung" has truly enriched my spiritual life.

Columcille

Dear Columcille,

Reading your inspiring post makes ME breathe all that more easy . . .

Speaking of the Irish, there was an Irish devotion of invoking the Name of Jesus (very much like the Jesus Prayer) on a cord of 33 knots or beads.

The "Celtic Rosary" was a group of 50 or 150 knots on a cord, whose ends were not joined together. There was a Cross at one end and a tassel at the other.

Of course, the West has its Litany of the Name of Jesus and the Jesus Psalter.

I have also found what is called the "Old Form" of the Dominican Rosary where the Hail Mary is NOT used, but, instead, a form of the Jesus Prayer that relates to the fifteen mysteries e.g. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Who e.g. was crowned with thords, have mercy on us.

God bless,

Alex