THE JESUS PRAYER
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner (Luke 18/9-14).”
The substance of this prayer is twofold as a petition and as an adoration. The petition and adoration need to be considered in the realm of trinitarian theology in that it is inspired by the Holy Spirit, directed to glorify God the Father, through Jesus Christ who redeems us.
This is the Lord expounding on reconciliation through grace. We, the sinners, are to be forgiven in this divine parable. The second passage in Luke 18 deals with a blind man begging by the roadside. Here we learn of his persistence and repetition which reveal his determination and seriousness. In the blind man it seems that we can hear the beginning of the eucharistic rites:
Kyrie eleison
Christe eleison
Kyrie eleison
Lord, have mercy!
Christ, have mercy!
Lord, have mercy!
The Desert Fathers and Mothers said these words as well as today we know that there is interest and practice of the Jesus Prayer in many parts of the world. Through its use, there have been good consequences in which there is greater freedom and depth in prayer than known before. It is not necessary to expand the prayer with non-scriptural, empty phrases. The Lord warns us to avoid the practice of the Pharisees with a multiplication of religious words repeated in the sight of others.