Mutual Service in Manual Labor |
Shared Liturgical Prayer |
Meditational Scripture |
Prayer in the Heart |
Any combination of words from Scripture or from personal inspiration can be used, provided the petition has these characteristics.
It must be short. Let us say, roughly, between a fraction of a second to 4 or 5 seconds in length. From a single syllable up to say 20 words or so.
It must be addressed to Jesus, as God-Man, or to the Father; or to the "Lord" or "God"
without specific reference to Persons in the Trinity. That is, it must express the creatureliness,
sinfulness, meek or lowliness of the one praying.
It must express a trustful dependence upon God./p>
It must express, or at least imply, the Lordship, power, love, mercy and goodness
of the Father, the Son-Christ Jesus, the Holy Spirit or of "God."
You may compose your own prayer formula according to these principles. Or you may well choose a verse from Scripture or a traditional prayer. Examples of such prayers, proceeding from shorter to longer ones are:
God
Oh God
Lord God
Jesus
Love
Spirit
Mercy
Beloved
Lord Have Mercy
My Jesus Mercy
Spirit Of Love
Love, Give Me Love
I Am Yours And You Are Mine
Come, O Spirit, Come
Come Lord Jesus
In You I Trust, O Lord
Lord Save Me
Abba Father
[Each line of the Our Father taken separately]
Draw Me To You
I Seek Your Face, O Lord
O God, Come To My Assistance
O Lord, Make Haste To Help Me
Oh God, Be Merciful To Me A Sinner
Jesus, Remember Me In Your Kingdom
At the end of this list I added the traditional formula of the Jesus Prayer which has enjoyed tremendous popularity among the monks of the Orthodox Church:
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son Of God, Have Mercy On Me A Sinner
Choose a formula in great liberty of spirit. Stay with it until you feel led to vary it or substitute another.