Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Many of you have heard me say how fond I am of the Jesus Prayer. It is a simple sentence, composed of a few words, which can be repeated prayerfully throughout the day to keep us grounded and centered in God. But more than that, it is an expression of our faith, an acknowledgment of who Jesus is, and a reminder of our own status. Some commentators have said that it contains the whole of the Gospel. Certainly, if you begin to consider each of the phrases, instead of a simple prayer, you will find a profoundly wise and moving one.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
This lovely prayer can be prayed by anyone at any time—at a stop light, walking down the street, when we wake in the middle of the night, when we are anxious or worried. In the Eastern Church, it is called the Prayer of the Heart, because when we truly pray it, not just repeat the words mindlessly, it brings our mind and heart before God. It is great to pray it with prayerbeads or a prayer rope—a good way to get our body also involved in the prayer. There are always prayerbeads on the table at the church entrance if you would like to take a set and try it out.
This Sunday’s Gospel lesson contains the words that are the basis for the Jesus Prayer. The haughty Pharisee is in the Temple, supposedly praying, but actually congratulating himself on being so much better than the people around him. Notice, he makes sure to stand alone. Maybe he wants people see him there in all his self-righteousness. Or maybe he doesn’t want to get too close to the less-than-perfect people who are also in the Temple. Is he afraid that they will rub off on him?
Meanwhile, the despised tax collector stands in an inconspicuous location. Hanging his head, and beating his breast in shame, he refuses even to look up toward God. He prays, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” In all humility, he confesses his faults and begs for much-needed mercy. He seems to be all too aware of the precarious state of his soul and doesn’t even attempt to hide the fact that he is a sinner. Jesus assures his followers that it is the humble sinner who receives forgiveness and is made right with God, rather than the puffed-up, prideful Pharisee.
What a wonderful model for us! Acknowledge Jesus as God, our leader and our Lord. Be clear about our need for the mercy that comes to us through Christ’s life, death and resurrection. And never, ever make any mistake about the fact that we are sinners.