Nazareth House Apostolate Blog: The 99 Intercessions of the Prayer Rope ©

"Is any among you afflicted?

let him pray," - James 5:13

The personalized, incarnational, salvific Name of the IAM is Jesus. He absorbs all the pain by becoming that pain - IAM. My Elder has wonderfully stated: "We approach the fullness of our union in Christ on earth when we begin to realize that in Christ we too are those who are like us in our pain right now. And in Christ we can cry out as them before the Father, right now, as we are! Not for them - that's caring. Not with them - that's compassion. But as them. That's Love." For whatever the hideous deeds done in His Name or in spite of His Name over the centuries, enough men and women in Christ's wake still drank deeply of His Spirit, of His Presence (IAM) Personalized (Jesus), thus opening to humanity an immense reservoir of mercy. In the following we ask for this mercy ninety-nine times, as the Father presents Jesus (33 times); as the Spirit presents Jesus (33 times); and as Jesus presents Himself IAM (33 times); thus saying "IAM Jesus" ninety-nine times for all of humanity, for all time.

When you begin, take the Prayer Rope in your left hand, with your forefinger and thumb on the tassel, which can be seen as a symbol of Pentecost, the outpouring of the the Spirit (St. Simeon Skete's Prayer Rope has a red tassel), and then asking the Holy Spirit to pray within you. Next, holding the Trinity Bead ask that "Christ, being lifted up on the Cross, might draw you to and through Himself into the communion of the Trinity." After that, make the sign of the cross with right hand saying "In the Name of the FAther and the Son and the Holy Spirit, One God" as your left hand/fingers take a hold of the first bead, launch into the 99 Intercession of the Jesus Prayer. Note: it is suggested to say the intro prayers of the Jesus Prayer Office and close with their closing prayers. You can also add this Intercession to the place within the Jesus Prayer Office where the Intercessions are made.

(proceed as so: "Lord Jesus Christ Son of God have mercy on your church, Lord Jesus Christ Son of God have mercy on those who insist on being "right", Lord Jesus Christ Son of God have mercy on civil authorities...)

Lord Jesus Christ Son of God have mercy on:

...your church
...those who insist on being "right"
...civil authorities
...those who dislike us (me)
...those who love us (me)
...our parents
...the broken
...the elderly
...religious
...the defenseless
...the powerless
...youth
...schools
...those with addictions
...marriages
...families
...those who are with child
...widows and orphans
...the condemned
...those who are kind
...laity
...Bishops and clergy
...those who do not know You
...those who journey
...the imprisoned
...those in despair
...the poor
...those stripped of dignity
...those who ridicule Christianity
...those who aren't given a second chance
...the hidden
...the hungry
...those in spiritual darkness
...the sick
...the disabled
...the ill-favored
...the lonely
...those having to make a decision
...the ignored
...the despised
...the confused
...the ridiculed
...the outsider
...the weary
...those new to this country
...the confident
...those who need control
...the wronged
...those who are far from the church
...the beauty hidden in each person
...the wounded
...the suspected
...those assaulted
...the belittled
...those mocked
...the accused
...the rejected
...the forgotten
...those in sadness
...those perishing
...those who are afraid
...the untouched
....the abandoned
...those in misery
...those who trust in themselves
...those left behind
...the powerful
...the comfortable
...the afflicted
...our indifference
...those trapped in their intellects
...those who feel no need for mercy
...world leaders
...victims of human trafficking
...those hurt by 'religion'
...the stranger we saw yesterday
...the uncaring
...those who trust in their riches
...those in mental darkness
...those who extend hospitality
...those facing death
...those who use God
...those who do not practice their faith
...the proud/secure
...those who feel trapped
...those who have lost hope
...those living in time of war
...those who've had to flee
...those who embrace the system
...those who make and maintain denominations
...the abused
...those who want to end their life
...my heart
...my labors
...me to be the person You've always longed for
...me to love
...me to forgive
...me to trust
...Lord Jesus Christ Son of God have mercy on me a sinner!

There is something beautiful and right about - "God so loved the world" and in these intercessions we are invited to love what God does. Those who have no one else to pray for them, know that they are being prayed for at the skete.

These are the beads that Seraphim used in Africa to pray the 99 Intercessions.

As you can see in the next picture, Seraphim is standing by his dearest friend, Pa Amadu Barrie, Waliullah, the Sufi Saint of West Africa whose epic program was to pray daily for Peace, Love and Unity throughout the entire world.

These two men both prayed together during the war in Sierra Leone -Seraphim praying the 99 Names of Jesus, Pa Amadu praying the 99 Names of Allah. In next week's blog post Seraphim will share the 100 Names of Jesus.

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

The 99 Intercessions of the Prayer Rope ©