The Jesus Prayer: A Gift from the Fathers

by David Hester

"O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me." This prayer has been on the lips of Christians since the time of the Desert Fathers. What is its history? How do we make it our own? This booklet traces the development of the Jesus Prayer through the early centuries of the Church, and follows its progression through Mount Athos, the teachings of St. Gregory Palamas, and others, and discusses its modern revival in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Concludes with a brief discussion of how this prayer can be appropriated by the individual believer today.

Genres: Church

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[MyImpossibleList · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short read teaches us about the Jesus Prayer and its history. Here are some sections of the book that caught my attention:

♣ "Two ... factors are of primary importance: the practice of frequent repetition of short prayers, and the great respect in which the Name of Jesus [is] held" (p. 6).
♣ "... the whole man, body and soul, must ... gain self-control and be able to live in constant awareness of the presence of God" (p. 8).
♣ "Stand resolute, full intent on your prayer" (p. 9). *
♣ "Without interruption, whether asleep or awake, eating, drinking, or in company, let your heart inwardly and mentally at times be meditating on the psalms, at other times be repeating the prayer, 'Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me'" (p. 11-12). *
♣ "Try not to talk excessively in your prayer, in case your mind is distracted by the search for words" (p. 12). *
♣ "It is better to live poor and obedient than to be a solitary who has no control over his thoughts" (p. 12). *
♣ "... 'ceaselessly breathing Jesus Christ' is recommended as a constant daily activity" (p. 13).
♣ "Not only should we ourselves, in accordance with God's will, pray unceasingly in the Name of Jesus Christ, but we are bound to reveal it and teach it to others, to everyone in general, religious and secular, learned and simple, men, women, and children, and to inspire them all to prayer without ceasing" (p. 29). *

* means it was quoted in "The Jesus Prayer."

[Linda M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good little book about the Jesus Prayer. It details the develop of the Jesus prayer from the fourth century. It says that hesychasm, which is defined as the state of inner rest & silence, is achieved through the repeating the Jesus Prayer.

[Henry]

Fine book, very short