Jesus Prayer
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The Jesus Prayer, also called the Prayer of the Heart by some Church Fathers, is a short, simple prayer that has been widely used, taught and discussed throughout the history of Eastern Christianity. The exact words of the prayer have varied, from a simple form such as "Lord, have mercy" to the more common extended form: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner." It is, for the Eastern Orthodox, one of the most profound and mystical prayers and is often repeated endlessly as part of a personal ascetic practice. There have been a number of Roman Catholic texts on the subject, but its usage has never achieved the same degree of devotion as in the Eastern Church.
The prayer is most reflective of the lesson taught by the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee; in which the Pharisee demonstrates the improper way to pray by exclaiming, “Thank you Lord that I am not like the Publican”. While the Publican in humility prays correctly “Lord have mercy on me, the sinner” (Luke 18:10-14). And likewise in the Gospels, Peter crying out as he sank into the sea, "Lord, save me."
In the Orthodox tradition the prayer is said or prayed repeatedly, often with the aid of a prayer rope. It may be accompanied by prostrations and the sign of the cross. As such, it is used as a means of finding contrition and as a means of bringing about humility in the individual hence the words “the sinner” as if no other sinner existed but the person praying. Monastics often have long sessions praying this prayer many hundreds of times each night as part of their discipline, and through the guidance of an elder, its practitioner’s ultimate goal is to "internalize" the prayer, so that one is praying unceasingly there-by accomplishing Saint Paul's exhortation to the Thessalonians to "pray without ceasing". The use of the Jesus Prayer in this way is the subject of the Russian classic The Way of a Pilgrim, itself made a major subject of J.D. Salinger's novel, Franny and Zooey.
Fatima Prayer
The Fatima Prayer is a common version of the Jesus Prayer used by Roman Catholics. It is commonly used as a prayer of the Rosary, one of the most popular devotional practices in Roman Catholicism. It is prayed on the large beads which separate the five sets of ten smaller beads, called decades, upon each of which a Hail Mary is prayed. An Our Father and Glory Be to the Father are also commonly prayed on these large beads. While not part of the original Rosary, many Roman Catholics believe it to have been requested by the Blessed Virgin Mary during her apparition at Fatima, an alleged miracle deemed "worthy of belief" by the Church.
- "O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who have most need of your mercy."
- "Oh mi Jesu, dimitte nobis debita nostra, libera nos ab igne inferni, conduc in caelum omnes animas, praesertim illas quae maxime indigent misericordia tua."
External links
- The Jesus Prayer (http://www.goarch.org/en/ourfaith/articles/article7104.asp)
- The Jesus Prayer (http://www.religiousbook.net/Books/Complete_books/Jesus_prayer.html) Main principles of "Prayer of the Heart"