"I've explained everything to you in detail. You're just misunderstanding. Do you know why? Because you separate yourself from the rest of the people. And this is completely wrong. Just as we love ourselves, we must love our neighbors in the same way. I love the whole world as much as I love myself. Therefore, I see no reason to say: "Lord, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us" and not "have mercy on me" [143]·. After all, I and the world are one! In the same way say you: "Have mercy on me."

Our voice should be full of supplication

"Turning to God, my child, we should not look like a sergeant giving orders to the militia, but a humble slave. We must plead, our voice must be full of supplication. Only then will he reach the Throne of God. And God, like a tenderly loving father, will fulfill our request and send down upon us Divine grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Feel the whole Church next to you

"When you pray, pray not only for yourself. When you say, "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me," feel next to you all your brotherhood, the entire Church in all corners of the earth, our militant, living Orthodox Church, as well as our triumphant, perfect Church. We are all one before God. And we, and those who will live after us, until the end of time."

We can unite

"Only by Divine grace can two people really make one whole. By praying, they can mysteriously unite, although in fact they will be kilometers apart. This unity brings great joy. We can be one if we live a mysterious life in Christ, without just saying words about love. Then the union takes place effortlessly, through the mysterious life in Christ, through love. He who loves sends "good

force." It flows abundantly, but softly, meekly, like the "rustle of leaves", as it is written in the Old Testament [144]. I am very glad that I found this word. You can learn to send 'good power' to another, and he will become closer to you, although he will not know why."

Private Instructions on Mental Prayer

One brother spent much time practicing the Jesus Prayer: "Lord, Jesus Christ, have mercy on me," following the instructions set forth by St. Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain [145] in the book "Invisible Warfare".

One day he came to the Church of St. Gerasim, where Father Porphyrius served at that time.

"Listen, my child," the Elder said to him, "stop practicing the Jesus Prayer from this book and do as I tell you now.

Leave the place of your heart, go to the inner center of your head and say right there: "Lord, Jesus Christ, Son and Word of the living God, have mercy on me," with great quietness, meekness and gentleness. Do not be frightened by the various images that the evil one will present to you. Slowly pronounce the words, delving into their meaning thoroughly. Imagine that your head looks like a bell, the tongue of which hits the inner surface of the skull with force while ringing. Then the external thoughts of the evil one cannot enter inside, being expelled, and you receive great benefit from this. Do not attach importance to the various images that you see, do not pounce on them in order to push them away, but peacefully and meekly continue to say the Jesus Prayer." Then the Elder himself said three times: "Lord, Jesus Christ, have mercy on me." But the way he did it, his voice, full of inexpressible sweetness, so struck the brother that he thought: "It is impossible that God should not have mercy on this man after such a prayer."

Of course, at first it was difficult for this brother to switch to the new way of prayer that Father Porphyrius had taught him. But he tried and did not give up trying to master it, hoping that someday he would succeed. In the annual journal of the Athonite Monastery of Gregoriate for 1978 and 1979, he read that there are eight types of the Jesus Prayer, and the one taught to him by the Elder was one of the highest.