Welcome to this practice of the Prayer of the Heart,
Also known as the Jesus Prayer.
Settle into a position of prayer that feels right for you,
One that allows you to be both relaxed and attentive.
Whether seated,
Kneeling,
Or in stillness with hands open,
Find a posture you can hold for these next 20 minutes with presence and devotion.
As we begin,
Take a moment to set your intention.
This is sacred time.
Time to quiet the mind,
Time to open the heart,
And time to rest in God's presence.
We open with the words Christ himself gave us,
Anchoring ourselves in his presence.
Our Father,
Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
The power,
And the glory,
Forever and ever.
Amen.
We now enter into the rhythm of the Jesus Prayer.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy on me.
Let your breath guide the prayer.
With each inhale,
Breathe in the presence of Christ,
Filling yourself with the boundless love God has for you.
With each exhale,
Offer forth your own boundless love for God.
Inhale,
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God.
Exhale,
Have mercy on me.
There's no need to force anything.
Allow the words to settle into the heart,
Like a gentle wave,
Returning again and again to shore.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
As you breathe through this prayer,
Know that you are free to show up exactly as you are.
Bring your burdens before God,
Lay them at his feet.
Whatever you carry,
Worries,
Wounds,
Longings,
Let this be a moment of offering.
Asking for mercy is an act of surrender.
It is not just a plea for relief,
But a request for help in facing all that is before you.
With each repetition,
Open yourself to God's transformation,
To the grace that is shaping you to the fullest expression of your being.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of God,
Have mercy upon me.
Coming to an end of these 100 rounds,
Let the prayer dissolve into silence.
Rest in the stillness.
There is nothing to do,
Nothing to strive for,
Only the quiet awareness of God's presence.
Take a deep inhale,
Drawing in the peace of Christ,
And a slow exhale,
Releasing any remaining tension,
Surrendering fully to God.
Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be still.
Be.
This prayer does not end here.
Let it move with you throughout your day,
Woven into the rhythm of your breath and the stillness of your heart.
For as the scripture reminds us,
Rejoice evermore,
Pray without ceasing,
In everything give thanks,
For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
1 Thessalonians 5 verses 16 through 18.
May you walk forward in this presence,
Held in divine love throughout your day.
Amen.
