The Jesus Prayer

“Have mercy on me!” 

The Jesus Prayer Mark 10:46-52

There is a tradition in the Orthodox Church of praying a simple prayer known as the Jesus Prayer. It goes like this: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner”; inhale during the first and third phrases, and exhale during the second and fourth phrases. The prayer is repeated many times in one session. Sometimes this also includes a shortening of the prayer to a few words repeated over and over, such as, “Jesus, have mercy,” or even simply, “Jesus.”

The prayer’s roots seem to be found in Luke 18:9-14, a parable in which the prayers of a Pharisee and tax collector are contrasted. The Pharisee’s prayer is flamboyant and self-centered, whereas the tax collector’s prayer is humble and requests the mercy of God.

How similar this is to the prayer of Bartimaeus in Mark 10:46-52. Bartimaeus is one of the few people Jesus healed whose name we know. He was blind, but he recognized whom he should turn to for help. Bartimaeus cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Though hushed by others, he pressed on. “Have mercy on me!” “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “My Rabbi, . . . I want to see!”

Jesus did not heal everyone he encountered who was in need (Mark 6:5). The reasons for this are not always apparent. Bartimaeus was in need of healing, asked for mercy, and received both. But God was not under any obligation to heal Bartimaeus. There is no surefire solution to ensure healing from God. Yet, recognizing that Jesus is the one who can heal and humbly acknowledging that we need his mercy is the starting place for allowing God’s power to move in our lives—in whatever form that may take.MARK 10:47 10:47