The Jesus Prayer is a simple and effective way of praying continually. Developed by the early Christian monks beginning in the third century, it has been practiced ever since. There are different forms, but the basic prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me” can be repeated gently as we go about our daily lives. As the prayer becomes engrained as a habit, it can help us stay deeply connected to God in all times and circumstances.

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All forms of private prayer presuppose that we are also regularly involved in corporate prayer. Praying with others is an essential part of spiritual growth and a key component of Christ-centered living. It is not a dry obligation imposed on us by God, but rather a life-giving way for God to bless us and use us to bless others.

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Centering prayer (a modern title for an ancient practice) is about being with God in silence, without use of words or images. We use a prayer word to indicate our intention to be with God whenever distracting thoughts or feelings arise. This way of contemplative prayer connects us with our deepest self, which is where we are one with Christ and one with God. 

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We often approach the Bible intellectually and analytically, but the primary way the earliest Christian monks used the Bible was as a tool for prayer. The simple method they used was called lectio divina, which is Latin for “holy reading.” This is a way of reading Scripture that doesn’t try to analyze it but lets the words sink in and become prayer within us. Anyone can do this – it requires no education or experience – and for centuries it has been a meaningful and fruitful way of praying.

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Prayer is not a religious obligation imposed on us by God, but an invitation to intimacy with God. The fullness of God already dwells within us, and God rejoices in any effort we make to connect. All we need to connect – all we need to pray – is intention. If we intend to draw close to God, if we intend to connect with the divine Presence, then we are praying.

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When Jesus talks about relieving us of heavy burdens, the greatest burden of all is self-justification, the need to make ourselves feel like we are fundamentally okay. We are precious just because we exist, and we do not need to justify ourselves to God or anyone else. That means we can abandon the onerous burden of constantly comparing ourselves to others. 

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We are both spiritual beings and embodied creatures, a reality described in Genesis and perfectly revealed in Jesus Christ. We want to embrace the world as both spiritual and physical beings, which means being agents of mercy and love in a creation which is both beautiful and limited. It is our privilege to be Christ and manifest God in the midst of creation.

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At baptism, we promise to “put our whole trust in Christ’s grace and love.” Faith is not a head trip: while we certainly want to be as intelligent as possible as we think about our experience of God, the essence of faith is not intellectual – the essence of faith is trust. We actively trust in Christ when we choose love over fear and hope over despair. Doing that makes us happier and offers a much needed witness in our world.

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Jesus tells us that the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. This could seem to be impossible, especially since we can’t just manufacture feelings of love. The key to loving God genuinely and wholeheartedly is allowing ourselves to be loved by God. The more we experience God's love for us, the more we will naturally love God in return.

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In giving us the Holy Spirit, God gives us God’s very self. God is a generous giver, and through the Holy Spirit the fullness of the Holy Trinity lives and moves in us. To access that we need only desire it: the very act of asking opens us up to the gift that has already been given to us. That gift, God’s presence within us, is an unending source of love, life, and renewal. 

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