The Jesus Prayer

Many religious cultures use litanies as a method of praying. The word "litany" literally means, "petition" - or "rogation" in Latin. Litanies are made to be repeated; single or like phrases recited, sometimes chanted over and over again ("re-petition") so that the person praying is caught up in the prayer itself. During the recitation of the Divine Praises, for example, the celebrant says, "Blessed be the name of Jesus," which is echoed by the faithful.

The Orthodox call this "prayer of the heart" - prayer that fills the entire consciousness; spontaneously offered by the whole being and not forced by only the lips or the intellect. If recited continually and with perseverance and recollection, the heart and intellect become one and the prayer in a sense offers itself. The constant repetition of the name Jesus or "Invocation of the Name" is now known as simply, The Jesus Prayer.

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner" - this drawn from the publican's prayer from the parable in Luke's gospel (Lk18:13). The Catechism (CCC:2667) has this to say about the prayer: "By it the heart is opened to human wretchedness and the Savior's mercy."

We could do well by acknowledging our human weakness in imitation of the faith and humility of blind Bartimaeus as he similarly called out, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!" and when asked what he wished, replied simply: "Lord, that I may see." (Mk 10:46-52)

Bowing Head at Hearing the Holy Name

The custom of bowing the head at the mention of His Name was formally written into law at the Second Council of Lyons, A.D. 1274, convened by Pope Gregory X:

"Those who assemble in church should extol with an act of special reverence that Name which is above every Name, than which no other under Heaven has been given to people, in which believers must be saved, the Name, that is, of Jesus Christ, Who will save His people from their sins. Each should fulfill in himself that which is written for all, that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow; whenever that glorious Name is recalled, especially during the sacred Mysteries of the Mass, everyone should bow the knees of his heart, which he can do even by a bow of his head."

the Holy Name of Jesus - Indulgence

From Apostolic times, the Church has professed that "at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2:10). Through the particular efforts of St. Bernardine of Siena, devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus was promoted through the inscription of the monogram of the Holy Name (IHS) and the addition of the name Jesus to the Hail Mary. In 1597, Pope Sixtus V first granted an indulgence for the uttering of the phrase used so often by the present Holy Father and included among the pious invocations of the current Enchiridion Indulgentiarum. "Praised be Jesus Christ!"

Prayer Petitions to most Holy name

O Divine Jesus, Thou hast promised that anything we ask of the Eternal Father in Thy name shall be granted.

O Eternal Father, in the name of Jesus, for the love of Jesus, in fulfillment of this promise, and because Jesus has said it, grant us our petitions for the sake of Jesus, Thy Divine Son. Amen.

Source: The Prayer Book by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954

Open thou, O Lord, my mouth to bless thy holy Name!