"The Jesus prayer", should you pray it?

zoidar said:

What are your thoughts of "the Jesus prayer"? It's a repetitive prayer. You repeat the words: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner". It can be done both in words and mind. Should you pray it, yes or no? Why, why not?

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Jesus’ prayer is John 17!!!!!

Hammster said:

It looks like mercy is just a placeholder for other things.

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I think we have a slightly different understanding of it, since you seem to regard mercy in a soteriological and eschatological dimension only, which is fine, but perhaps if you understand what we are praying for, which is essentially a quick summary of everything asked for in the Lord’s Prayer, since receiving our daily bread and forgiveness and the will of God being done are all merciful from our perspective, you might grasp the Jesus Prayer.

It is also a common practice to say the Lord’s Prayer. I follow the prayer rule in the Didache by praying the Lord’s Prayer thrice daily.

nalex1066 said:

Jesus’ prayer is John 17!!!!!

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Pretty much. And the point of saying it is to get closer to the ideal of praying without ceasing. And Hesychasts aim to actually achieve prayer without ceasing, the unceasing prayer of the heart.

The Liturgist said:

I think we have a slightly different understanding of it, since you seem to regard mercy in a soteriological and eschatological dimension only, which is fine, but perhaps if you understand what we are praying for, which is essentially a quick summary of everything asked for in the Lord’s Prayer, since receiving our daily bread and forgiveness and the will of God being done are all merciful from our perspective, you might grasp the Jesus Prayer.

It is also a common practice to say the Lord’s Prayer. I follow the prayer rule in the Didache by praying the Lord’s Prayer thrice daily.

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It's also the response in the Litanies after each petition.

Mark Quayle said:

I think you are missing the point @Hammster is trying to make.

God gives mercy unrequested. Very much so, as shown in Christ's life and sacrifice, and in God's choice of those particular "objects of his mercy" (Romans 9:22-24), and, particularly, in his work of regeneration of those he chose, quite without regard to any intrinsic (nor earned) virtue.

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Mercy is freely given by God without us asking for it; when we stop asking for it we forget we need it. The prayers are needed by us. Those who think they have a full measure of mercy for life are in error. We all sin daily, we need to repent daily, we need Divine Mercy daily; therefore we should not stop seeking and asking for it. As I mentioned above, the Psalms and the Lord's Prayer are prime example of us continually crying for mercy.

FenderTL5 said:

It's also the response in the Litanies after each petition.

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Unfortunately, reformed evangelical protestants don't often use liturgical prayers like the Litanies Sufferages and penitential rites..

MarkRohfrietsch said:

Mercy is freely given by God without us asking for it; when we stop asking for it we forget we need it. The prayers are needed by us. Those who think they have a full measure of mercy for life are in error. We all sin daily, we need to repent daily, we need Divine Mercy daily; therefore we should not stop seeking and asking for it. As I mentioned above, the Psalms and the Lord's Prayer are prime example of us continually crying for mercy.

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I'm not disagreeing with you. But you were disagreeing with @Hammster, whom I think you misunderstood. I have little doubt he asks God for mercy too, probably every day; but his point is —if I may paraphrase and lighten the point— that we have already had more mercy than we deserve, and, particularly, that we [redeemed] have all the mercy we need for salvation. That particular mercy is already in play—no need for the redeemed to ask.

When, by my own measure of my deeds and attitudes, I find myself more closely resembling the lost than the saved —yes, I cry out to God for mercy. But that cry is for steadfast obedience and faithfulness and fellowship —not for salvation.

Mark Quayle said:

I'm not disagreeing with you. But you were disagreeing with @Hammster, whom I think you misunderstood. I have little doubt he asks God for mercy too, probably every day; but his point is —if I may paraphrase and lighten the point— that we have already had more mercy than we deserve, and, particularly, that we [redeemed] have all the mercy we need for salvation. That particular mercy is already in play—no need for the redeemed to ask.

When, by my own measure of my deeds and attitudes, I find myself more closely resembling the lost than the saved —yes, I cry out to God for mercy. But that cry is for steadfast obedience and faithfulness and fellowship —not for salvation.

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I think you misunderstand me; yes, we have more than we deserve; but yes, we always need much, much more.

Hammster said:

I don’t need more.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
— Ephesians 3:20-21

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When you reach a point in your life when you find that you do (and that day will come); just remember "ask and you shall receive".

Hammster said:

I’ve lost two children. My wife is chronically ill. We’ve had trials upon trials. He has been faithful, and has provided more than we could ask for. Maybe the problem is that you haven’t suffered and haven’t seen Him as being faithful.

The mercy I’ve received was given at the cross. One and done.

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(((((((Hammster))))))

God is faithful.

MarkRohfrietsch said:

I think you misunderstand me; yes, we have more than we deserve; but yes, we always need much, much more.

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We certainly need more. But not for salvation. It is already done.

Hammster said:

I’ve lost two children. My wife is chronically ill. We’ve had trials upon trials. He has been faithful, and has provided more than we could ask for. Maybe the problem is that you haven’t suffered and haven’t seen Him as being faithful.

The mercy I’ve received was given at the cross. One and done.

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I am very sorry for your loss. I will also pray for your wife. I suffer an hereditary illness involving chronic pain and would greatly appreciate your prayers!

The Jesus Prayer is about having a universally applicable “arrow prayer” and was originally developed for use by those who were illiterate and who could not memorize the Psalms, before being adopted for general use by the laity, initially as “Kyrie eleison.” as opposed to being a denial of mercy, and there are other prayers that people use for this purpose. Actually within Orthodoxy there exists an entire class of prayers for thanksgiving, in addition to the Eucharist. In addition since I was a boy, when I am particularly happy I continually pray “Thank you dear Lord for all you have blessed us with.”

At any rate, I believe we should aim for maximum love and fellowship even if we cannot agree on the specific details of our daily prayers! I desire your friendship and offer mine in return, since we are both united in our faith in our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ.

By the way I would genuinely love to know about your approach to daily prayer and your views on what the main Sunday worship and other services should be like. I also wish you a blessed Feast of the Resurrection if you are celebrating Easter, or Pascha as we call it, on Sunday.

Mark Quayle said:

We certainly need more. But not for salvation. It is already done.

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Thank you Mark, this was the point I was trying to make. Well said.

Hammster said:

I’ve lost two children. My wife is chronically ill. We’ve had trials upon trials. He has been faithful, and has provided more than we could ask for. Maybe the problem is that you haven’t suffered and haven’t seen Him as being faithful.

The mercy I’ve received was given at the cross. One and done.

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Amen.

May our Lord in His mercy continue to strengthen and preserve you and your family, and may we be ever mindful of His sacrifice for us this Holy Week.

Why not? We need all the help we can get .

Mark Quayle said:

We certainly need more. But not for salvation. It is already done.

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Unless you lose it.

zoidar said:

What are your thoughts of "the Jesus prayer"? It's a repetitive prayer. You repeat the words: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner". It can be done both in words and mind. Should you pray it, yes or no? Why, why not?

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I like it but need to practice it more