Prayer doesn’t have to be long or complicated to be real. One of the oldest and simplest ways to pray, treasured in the Orthodox Church and also commended in the Catholic tradition, is the Jesus Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
It grew from the prayers of the blind man and the tax collector in the Gospels, and from Saint Paul’s encouragement to “pray without ceasing.” Monks of the early Church repeated it through the day, and it became known far beyond the monasteries through books like The Way of a Pilgrim. The Catechism of the Catholic Church speaks of it too, in its teaching on calling on the holy name of Jesus (paragraphs 2667 and 2668).
A simple way to begin
- Find a quiet place and sit comfortably, with your back straight and your hands resting.
- Breathe slowly for a minute and let your body settle.
- Pray the words slowly, silently or under your breath. Some people pray the first half (“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God”) while breathing in, and the second half (“have mercy on me, a sinner”) while breathing out.
- When your mind wanders, and it will, gently return to the words without scolding yourself.
- Begin with five minutes and let the time grow naturally.
Prayer through the day
Over time, the prayer can travel with you: while washing dishes, walking in the garden, or waiting in line. A prayer rope or rosary can help you keep a gentle rhythm and count without thinking about numbers.
If you’d like to go deeper, a priest or spiritual director can guide you. In future posts we’ll explore praying with icons and sacred art, Lectio Divina, and quiet morning prayer.
