Late last year I felt led to try to stay closer to the Desert Fathers and Mothers, those Christians from around the southeastern Mediterranean basin in the 3rd and 4th centuries. Their desire for union with God and a God-ly life led them to great renunciations, much prayer, focused attempts to uproot sin in their lives, and great charity towards others. My sense of them is that they’re on to something, on to the deep stuff, as strange as their stories and teachings can sound. My sense is that if I question, disagree, or don’t understand what they’re saying, the issue is with me, not them, and that I have much to learn. One thing I’ve learned from them is a simple, potent prayer.

So late last year I dusted off my copy of Thomas Merton’s The Wisdom of the Desert, and kept it nearby. The ‘sayings’ are simply laid out to read one or two a day. My spiritual director, Father James, suggested In the Heart of the Desert: The Spirituality of the Desert Fathers and Mothers by John Chryssavgis, and it is excellent. It describes not just the What and What They Said of these ancient disciples, but the Why and What They Were After. It’s not long nor hard to understand, and is indeed full of their sayings and stories.

One insight quoted in that book particularly has remained with me and informs how I pray, especially when there is a lot going on. Abba Macarius (aka Macarius the Great) was born around 300 in Egypt, and was widely known for his wisdom and sanctity. The monastery he founded and led still has monks in it, as it has since the 4th century.

One day a person asked Macarius how to pray. His answer is as beautiful as it is simple.

“There is no need at all to make long discourses. It is enough to stretch out one’s hands and to say: “Lord, as you will, and as you know, have mercy.” And if the conflict grows fiercer, just say: “Lord, help!” He knows very well what we need, and He shows us His mercy.”

“Lord…as you will…and as you know…have mercy”, just four ‘words’ that God will hear and knows how to answer. That’s an easy prayer to remember, and I think a wise one to pray often.

And when things are tough, “Lord, help!”