The Jesus Prayer, simple, eloquent and powerful, will gradually, perhaps imperceptibly, lead you into the Presence of Jesus in your thoughts, from where it will descend into your heart. As it fills your heart, the reality of Christ within you deepens. It will become the prayer of your heart addressed to the Heart of God. It will become the means by which you empty yourself as your gift to God. It will evolve into continuous, habitual prayer.

Alice Herro writes from Brookfield, WI. She is a parishioner of St. George Church in Milwaukee, WI. This essay was originally published in Sophia (Summer 2008).