The Prayer of the Heart - A sort of repost

 Over the last few days, I have been reading a book about Orthodox Spirituality. It's not so much theology as biography.

Whilst reading, I was taken back to my love of 'The Prayer of the Name' otherwise known as 'The Jesus Prayer' and its centrality in Orthodox contemplation.

I don't recall when I first encountered the prayer or when it was introduced into my own personal piety, but if I were to guess, I would suggest that I have been calling on the Name in this form for over 30 years.

Over the last few days, I have returned to intentionally praying the prayer with the pattern of my breathing, sat inside. I experimented praying it walking and found myself aware that in some small way I was joining in the prayer of all that is, longing for mercy, redemption, and wholeness.

'Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me (a sinner)' 1

Yesterday as I prayed I found myself becoming frustrated that my heart wasn't focussed on the words of the prayer as they have been received, but that I was responding to Jesus in another way, in song.

In my heart rose up this beautiful version of the prayer composed by John Taverner and sung by Bjork.


Today as I said the rosary at noon, instead of focussing on the mysteries, before each decade, I simply called on the Name in silence over and over and over. Later as as I walked, this welled up inside of me


I realise that the prayer is important to me. I find its simple formulary very helpful. Its repetitive nature allows me to repeat it often so that it becomes rhymical with footsteps, breathing, heartbeat. It allows my whole being to become prayer.

When I began writing this blog, in the very early days of it, I wrote a post about the prayer of the Name and its importance for me. I enclose it below as these last few days have reinforced for me how important it still is.


~~~

Footnote:

1 There are some who say that the prayer originally ended with the words, '... on me...' and the words '... a sinner...' were added later. 

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