If you’ve been following this blog for a while you are well aware that Paul’s command to the Thessalonians (5:17) to ‘pray without ceasing’ is one of my favorites; favorite in that it draws me into the heart of what faith is. The most popular unceasing prayer, Jesus Christ Son of the Living God have mercy on me, a sinner, is at the core of the prayer of Eastern Orthodox monks and was made popular in the book A Way of the Pilgrim.
Using this phrase is a challenge for someone like me who was brought up in a liberal Protestant tradition--we weren’t sinners, we just made occasional mistakes! But these days I’m okay with admitting I’m a sinner. Try as I might, I act wrong, I think wrong, I sin. I need God’s mercy.
On the other hand, I don’t like repeating over and over again that I am a sinner because it fills my unconscious with the negative, which doesn’t resonate with my positive disposition. My inclination is to dwell on God’s grace, on the Good News, not on my sins. And thus I have other ‘pray without ceasing’ phrases that I repeat.
Come, Holy Spirit, come.
Come, Lord Jesus.
Open my heart.
Breathe in God’s love, breathe out God’s love.
I don’t say these words out loud, I think them. In fact, even the phrase, pray without ceasing suffices. According to Russian monastic author Theophan the Recluse (1815-94), “Inner prayer means standing with the mind in the heart before God, either simply living in His presence, or expressing supplication, thanksgiving, and glorification.”
Using this phrase is a challenge for someone like me who was brought up in a liberal Protestant tradition--we weren’t sinners, we just made occasional mistakes! But these days I’m okay with admitting I’m a sinner. Try as I might, I act wrong, I think wrong, I sin. I need God’s mercy.
On the other hand, I don’t like repeating over and over again that I am a sinner because it fills my unconscious with the negative, which doesn’t resonate with my positive disposition. My inclination is to dwell on God’s grace, on the Good News, not on my sins. And thus I have other ‘pray without ceasing’ phrases that I repeat.
Come, Holy Spirit, come.
Come, Lord Jesus.
Open my heart.
Breathe in God’s love, breathe out God’s love.
I don’t say these words out loud, I think them. In fact, even the phrase, pray without ceasing suffices. According to Russian monastic author Theophan the Recluse (1815-94), “Inner prayer means standing with the mind in the heart before God, either simply living in His presence, or expressing supplication, thanksgiving, and glorification.”
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