What we today know as the Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner,” is based on the tax collector’s prayer in our gospel. According to tradition, it comes to us from a Russian pilgrim of yore who, on his journeys, prayed the prayer so continuously that it became a part of his very breath, the balm of Divine Presence from deep within. Through the centuries, pray-ers have found it to be a comfort, a refuge when other words won’t come, the perfect cry for help in the darkness of despair.

I remember Madeleine L’Engle sharing what a treasure it had been for her in a shattering experience in her life. She had flown to California for a speaking engagement. The cab taking her from the airport was involved in a major accident, and she was rushed unconscious to the hospital where she was operated on for massive, life-threatening injuries. It took a while for her family to be notified and to rally round her. In those fearful, lonely, pain-filled, medicated days, she said the only thing that kept her going was the Jesus Prayer, trusting in the Beloved’s presence to bring her through her confusion and distress.

Folks who use the Jesus Prayer regularly, or even often, find it tends to shorten itself with the repetition—maybe it becomes simply “Jesus, mercy”. Some people find it a helpful prayer to use with a knotted prayer rope or an Anglican rosary. Others may use it as a breath prayer as they walk or struggle through rush-hour traffic. Like all our prayers, it is individual and fits itself into our hearts with use. If you’re not currently using it as a spiritual practice, try it in some way for thirty days and notice what happens. I suspect you will be surprised to discover how God uses it in your life.