Praying the Jesus Prayer

by Frederica Mathewes-Green

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me."

This very simple prayer was developed in the deserts of Egypt and Palestine during the early centuries of Christian faith, and has been practiced in the Eastern Orthodox Church ever since. It is a prayer inspired by St. Paul's exhortation to "pray constantly" (I Thessalonians 5:17), and its purpose is to tune one's inner attention to the presence of the Lord.

This series of "little books" is designed to enable you to grasp the meaning of one ancient method of Christian prayer in a relatively short amount of time. In Praying the Jesus Prayer, one of today's most respected voices on Orthodoxy in America introduces you to:
- The history and meaning of this popular but rarely understood method of talking to God
- What it means to really pray with both heart and mind
- How to get started incorporating the Jesus Prayer into your life.

Frederica Mathewes-Green has been interviewed in The New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, Newsweek, and Time, among other publications, and is the author of eight books, including The Illumined Heart and The Jesus Prayer.

Genres: Prayer, Spirituality, Christian, Theology, Religion, Nonfiction, Christianity

53 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2011

Reviews

[Sujit Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Praying the Jesus Prayer by Khouria Frederica Mathewes-Green is a short handbook that is part of the "Ancient Spiritual Disciplines' Series. Khouria Mathewes-Green's writing is always very uplifting. Her prose is simple yet deep; clear yet profound. Her writings are a great addition to wealth of writings on spiritual life. This book is a quick read and a must have for anyone interested in the spiritual life.

[Mackenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short but several parts were very convicting

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good introduction to the Jesus Prayer. Mathewes-Green keeps the focus on prayer on union with Jesus (rather than rout repetition), gives a solid biblical and theological background of the prayer, and offers practical suggestions for incorporating the prayer more into your life. This is a brief guide that can be read in one sitting but says a lot that is worth mulling over.

[Elise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful introductory book on the Jesus Prayer. Highly recommended.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

“So pray at all times, or at least all the times you think of it. You can ‘pray constantly’ apart from the Jesus Prayer, too. Sometimes we have more specific things to pray about, things we need to name; if so, it is right to converse with the Lord freely about everything on our mind, simply, like a child. It is all right to pray for help in finding a parking place. If it concerns us, it concerns him.

But over the years, our concerns become less anxious and self-centered, and we are able to loosen our grip on what we think we need to have. Priorities shift. If it concerns him, it will concern us. The Jesus Prayer provides a way to maintain a fluid connection through the day, as we listen to hear his will.”

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short and deceptively easy book about how to incorporate the "Jesus Prayer" into your daily life ("Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner").

Ms. Matthewes-Green is a well-known author who writes from the Eastern Orthodox Christian perspective. Her writing style is easy and compassionate, and it is clear she writes from experience.

I encourage anyone who is interested in this particular prayer practice to read this book. Very informative and understandable.

[Sara Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always a Blessing

Frederica Matthews’s-Green is always, always, always a rich encouraging blessing. I am particularly blessed by the honesty of her own struggles as mine are almost exactly the same in thought and deed. She is an experience of practical humility and I am so grateful.

[Connie Backus-yoder · Rating 5 out of 5]

I copied down most of the books she suggested.

[Trevor Dailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good introduction and primer to the Jesus Prayer. As a Protestant, I was never left in the dust or confused too greatly. Would recommend.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, but excellent read. Full of information! I really love her style of writing. This gave me a good foundation for the Jesus Prayer and is prompting me to seek spiritual guidance!

[Val Finnell, MD, MPH · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second time reading this short primer on the Jesus Prayer. The book is divided into three chapters. Chapter 1 is on History, Scripture, and the Meaning of Mercy. Chapter 2 deals with the heart, mind, and the nous. The final chapter gives some pointers on getting started in practicing the Prayer. At 61 pages, inclusive of bibliography and notes, this small book is a good introduction to Eastern Orthodox spirituality and ascetical practice.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars to the 1st half of the book. I did not enjoy the second half, the Q & A part, as much but that might be because I am Orthodox and I felt a lot of it was for non-Orthodox who might not be comfortable with some of the language/ideas of the religion.
All in all, a good read.

[Mark McPherson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as another reviewer stated "Wonderful introductory book on the Jesus Prayer." More than that, this book changed how I pray, and how I pray now (which is 90% Jesus Prayer) is educating my heart on how I should see God and myself. So I'm genuinely grateful for this book.