Scripture also tells us to call on the name of the Lord if we wish to be saved, and that there is no other name besides that of Jesus by which we can be saved (see Romans 10:13 and Acts 4:12). In our tradition, the Jesus Prayer is one of the most popular and effective ways to call on the Lord’s name, that is, to pray. The earliest “standard” form of it is: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.” This kind of short (but continuous) prayer works well with, and can easily follow, the present-moment preparedness briefly outlined in the previous post.
The Jesus Prayer is not, however, some magic formula or incantation that produces a spiritual experience when you say it a sufficient number of times, trying to work yourself into a trance through the repetitions. It is supposed to be a means of opening the heart to the presence of Christ, inviting Him in, and entering the mystery of divine grace, mercy, and love. The words of the prayer are meant gradually to recede as we go deeper into silent communion, losing ourselves in the wordless interchange of love. The “eye of the soul” must be opened; the “place of the heart” must be discovered.
Prayer shouldn’t be limited to repeated invocations, though, even traditionally fruitful ones. When you talk to someone you love, you don’t endlessly repeat standard formulas. You engage in a spontaneous outpouring of the heart. Prayer should be understood and experienced as a dialogue with Someone you love. Not that you have to compose original or florid prose to present as an offering to God each day. But if you are only offering the lip-service of formulas—especially if they don’t reach your heart—then you will soon regard prayer as a boring and meaningless routine and will eventually abandon it altogether.
God will know (and you should know, too) if you are really opening your heart to Him and sharing your inner life. Share your struggles and failures, too. God is not interested in pious fluff. You need to be “real” with Him and to treat Him as least as personally as you would some human person. God wants your relationship with Him to be alive and life-giving, so don’t exclude Him from anything that matters in your life, be it joyful or painful, sacred or profane. You can’t hide anything from God anyway; you might as well invite Him to see what He already sees. At least that way there is room for communication and hence for enlightenment and healing.
I asked above if we need to say anything at all in prayer. The answer is yes and no. Jesus did tell us to say “Our Father,” and to ask if we wish to receive. Our liturgical prayer and our personal vocal prayer comprise the “saying” part of prayer. But if prayer really is a dialogue, and if Christ is the one who has the words of eternal life (see John 6:68), it makes eminent sense that we should spend the better part of our prayer time listening. We already know what we have to say, as we come with our load of requests and complaints, much of which is banal or tiresome. We ought to desire to place ourselves quietly before the Light of the world and the Spring of living water, to be illumined by divine wisdom and refreshed in the torrents of grace.
Perhaps it is difficult, especially in the beginning, simply to sit in silence and “wait for the stirring of the water” (see John 5:3-5), the movement of the Spirit of God. We may also not be able easily to distinguish the voice of the Lord from our own inner cacophony, or even from the prince of darkness who disguises himself as an angel of light (2Cor. 11:14). So if you want to listen to the voice of the Lord, pick up the Holy Gospel and you’ll be sure to hear it! It is often helpful to bring a phrase or verse from Scripture into your silent prayer, so as to have some spiritual food as well as a means to keep your mind from searching for something else to satisfy its insatiable appetite.
The fruit of the Spirit, which can also be said to be the fruit of prayer, is primarily the work of God. Without the Lord we can do nothing—contrary to what new-age promoters of self-induced “spiritual experience” might say. But if we are not actively engaged in seeking the Lord, giving sufficient time and effort to relishing his word and opening our hearts to his presence, the fruit will never mature. Prayer is seeking, listening, being-with, loving—it is silencing the soul so as to hear the harmonies of Heaven. Prayer may also entail struggle, warfare, dryness and emptiness, but these latter experiences are, in a mysteriously providential way, in the service of the former. We may need to be purified from attachments and selfishness and our own inadequate ideas and images of God, so we may be led through some “dark nights” that leave us feeling abandoned or bewildered. Trust in God and patience go a long way here, as we come to realize the cost (and benefits) of fidelity and perseverance. Nothing of great value is ever attained without sacrifice and dedication, and union with God is valuable beyond all calculation.
It is imperative to persevere in giving the time, effort, attention, and wholehearted gift of self to prayer. Don’t worry if you don’t seem to “get it right” in the beginning, or even after much effort. Don’t be discouraged if the desired fruits are apparently not ripening. Don’t attempt in desperation to sample all the latest fads in spirituality just to generate some sort of paranormal sensation. And whatever you do, don’t give up! Pray by praying; you will eventually pray well if you pray much. The more you pray, the more you’ll want to pray. The more you pray, the more you will see things clearly, experience inner purification, grow in love for God and neighbor, and find peace within yourself.
Just do it. No excuses. God knows we don’t know how to pray as we ought. That’s why He has given us his Spirit. Ask, and you shall receive. Listen, and you will learn. Give your heart to the Lord, for He has already given his to you. In the silence of your soul you will discover prayer rising like incense from the glowing coal of your heart, kindled by the Spirit of God.
