The Jesus Prayer derives from the Eastern Orthodox church, the eastern branch of the Catholic Church that split off in 1054.
The Jesus Prayer is the form of invocation used by those practicing mental prayer, also called the “prayer of the heart.” The words of the prayer most usually said are “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.” The choice of this particular verse has a theological and spiritual meaning.
This short prayer is a combination of that early Christian practice and the prayer offered by the publican in the Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee (Luke 18:9-14). It is perhaps the most popular prayer among Eastern Christians, both Orthodox and Catholic, who recite it using prayer ropes that are similar to Western rosaries.
As St. Paul writes in Philippians 2, "At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord." Very early on, Christians came to understand that the very name of Jesus had great power, and the recitation of His Name was itself a form of prayer. St. Paul urges us to "pray without ceasing," and this prayer is one of the best ways to start doing so.
Come hear more about it and learn how to practice it, Sunday, March 15, 10am