Berwick Thought for the Week article: Pray without Ceasing
Well, dare we hope that the tide has turned in Gaza, that peace negotiations may not falter? That some kind of reconciliation can be found between the two sides?
The divisions are of course very deep-rooted, healing will take generations. Let’s hope and pray – because that might be the only thing that will work. So how could we go about it?
I will offer a contribution from the Orthodox Church, and widely known beyond, known as the Jesus Prayer. Here are the words: ‘Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.’
This prayer has a number of advantages.
First, the words are chosen from the Gospel, see for instance Matthew 9.27, Luke 17.13, etc.
Secondly, it is short prayer but it can even be reduced to ‘Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy,’ which also widens the call for God’s mercy on others than oneself.
Thirdly, one can pray this with a particular intention; you offer up the thing or person you are praying for whilst repeating those words from the Gospel. The intention comes from the heart, of course, and prayer must always be from the heart.
Fourthly, it can be memorised and prayed at anytime, anywhere, and continued after any interruption.
Many people use it constantly where it makes its home in their heart, to the point where it seems to pray itself. In this way, our life gradually becomes prayer.
When sick people were brought to Jesus for healing he would sometimes ask them, Well, what do you want? Verbalising the need intensifies the desire.
Sometimes we all need to make that little test before we pray. If everyone who called themselves Christian constantly offered up this prayer, what enormous and wonderful things might the Lord bestow – often without our knowledge.