Lord, have mercy.
This is a very simple prayer. It is a powerful prayer. With these few words, you can call upon the Creator and Master of the Universe to ask Him to pour out His Grace upon you. Through this prayer, humbly ask God to forgive your sins, purify your heart, heal your souls, and help you in everything by His Power. Whenever you pray these words, whether alone or in a service of the Church, speak with God with focused attention from your heart.
Another valuable prayer from the Treasury of the Church is the Jesus Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.
You may choose to use a bit longer form:
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Pray the Jesus Prayer prayer with your heart wherever you go. Also, pray this prayer during times of private prayer in silence with focused attention. These are not empty words, but communication with the Living God Himself, who loves you and desires for you to experience the fullness of salvation.
To help maintain your focus and to keep track of the number of times you pray the Jesus Prayer, you may use an Orthodox prayer rope (komboskini). Run your thumb across the knots of a prayer rope, one knot for each time you say the prayer. The rope is not necessary, of course, but helpful. As a weapon increases the effectiveness of a warrior, the prayer rope may enhance your effectiveness in prayer by helping you pray with greater focus and more often.
If you carry the prayer rope with you, be discreet and private. Do not show it off publically as an outward sign of your religiousness. Use the prayer rope to cultivate humility and attract the Divine Grace, not to attract the attention of others.
Use the prayer rope to pray for yourself and others. Instead of saying, “have mercy on me,” you may ask God to have mercy on someone else by name. If praying for someone else, omit the words, a sinner.
Consider the prayer rope as a training device to improve your health and increase your strength, as well as a sword in spiritual battle.
As always, remain under the guidance and care of your Priest with regard to your work in prayer.
Read: Psalm 50 (51); Romans 10.12-13; Philippians 2.5-11; Matthew 6.7; 23.5; Luke 18.9-14; 35-43; 1 Thessalonians 5.16-24; 1 John 4.13-18
Text copyright © 2018 by Fr. Symeon D. S. Kees / Photo of prayer ropes copyright © 2018 by Fr. Symeon D. S. Kees