An ancient prayer for every day: "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner."These words have strengthened and comforted believers for centuries. The Jesus Prayer comes to us from the Eastern Christian tradition. In these pages, John Michael Talbot explores more of the roots of the prayer along with the theological and practical meaning of each word in the lives of believers today. Readers are invited to meditate on the twelve simple words that lie at the heart of the Christian East. Complete with historical context and exercises for self-reflection, this book shows how a single prayer could sustain the spiritual life of a civilization.Each chapter ends with a brief practice using the prayer.

John Michael Talbot is an award-winning Christian musician, writer, motivational speaker, and itinerant minister to churches and parishes around the world. An early pioneer of contemporary Christian music, he is recognized as one of Catholic music's most popular artists, with over four million albums sold. He is the author of numerous books, including Blessings of St. Benedict and Lessons from a Troubadour.