Liturgy - Week 5: Wednesday

St. John Climacus

Let your prayer be completely simple. For both the publican and the prodigal son were reconciled to God by a single phrase. And what does this phrase say? 'Lord, have mercy on me.' Do you see how short this prayer is? Do you see how easy it is to remember? Yet it has a wealth of meaning and an abundance of depth. A single phrase brought about the justification of the publican, the acceptance of the thief, the forgiveness of the sinful woman, the conversion of the Apostle, the salvation of the martyr, the patience of the patriarchs, the goodness of the prophets, and the faith of the apostles.