In the last issue of the article, I began sharing thoughts about prayer being essential not only for salvation, which indeed is achieved by acquiring the mind of Christ. The Apostle Paul exhorts all Christians to “pray without ceasing”. This task is great and is often one of the most difficult to pursue, precisely because prayer affords such great reward: peace, life, renewal, enlightenment, joy in the Holy Spirit, and ultimately our salvation. Our Lord asks each one of us: “Could you not watch with me one hour?” “Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation” and fall away from your spiritual life. “What I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”

In this context of prayer, watchfulness is the key to our inner life. It allows for a healthy distance from our thoughts and potential release from our passions. The Jesus Prayer is essential in helping us to build up a sense of watchfulness in our hearts and thoughts, enabling us to detach from them to some degree; for we are not our thoughts. St. Theophan tells us that the principle asceticism of the spiritual life is keeping our mind and heart from passionate movement and thought. The Jesus Prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me,” (our just the name Jesus, or Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me) is an essential tool of enabling us to overcome the deadly sinful movements of the mind and heart. The Jesus Prayer has become one of the most powerful prayers in the Eastern Church. This short prayer is a remedy and defense against every kind of darkness. St. Isaac the Syrian even says that the Name of Christ is light. When we use this light against the onslaught of temptations, we dispel their darkness.

Elder Zacharias explains that the easiest way to become the Temple of the Holy Spirit is through the invocation of the Name of Jesus Christ. In this way, we open the heart to the grace of God. However, Elder Sophrony reminds us that it is essential to love the One we invoke. And how do we love Him? The Lord tells us, as St. John shares in his Gospel: “If you love me, then keep my commandments.” Since these commandments exceed human measure, they can only be fulfilled with the power of prayer.

To which commandments is Jesus referring? Think about this! The Jesus commandments are how many? Do you know the answer to these questions?