{"title":"Art","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"misha-bear-black","title":"Misha Bear | Black Linen","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e10\" x 13\" hand-carved block print. Printed on 100% linen. Raw edges are sprayed with a no-fray treatment, but the print should be treated with care and framed or hung. Each print comes with a signed and numbered edition card that can be stored behind the print in a frame. \u003cb\u003eThis listing \u003cem\u003edoes not include\u003c\/em\u003e a frame. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLimited edition of 100. Shipped in a cardboard sleeve. \u003cbr\u003eMay require ironing before framing or hanging. \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eEach print is individually inked and pressed, so very slight variations do occur in texture.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e______\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMy children and I are enamored of St. Seraphim of Sarov. Here is the story of his dearest friend, a bear he named Misha: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eT\u003c\/strong\u003ehe life of the secluded desert-dweller, [St. Seraphim of Sarov] who had attained dispassion, was filled with unspeakable divine consolations with which God rewarded him. All creatures obeyed him. Animals from the woods streamed to his cell, and he fed them bread. He was asked where he was able to get enough food for them all. He answered that there was always enough food for them in the basket.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eO\u003c\/strong\u003ene day Matrona, one of the nuns, saw [Father Seraphim] sitting on a tree trunk in the company of a bear. Terrified, she let out a scream. The Staretz turned round and, seeing her, patted the animal and sent him away. Then he invited Matrona to come and sit beside him. ‘But’, Matrona relates, ‘hardly had we sat down when the animal returned from the wood and came and lay at the Staretz’ feet. I was as terrified as before, but when I saw Father Seraphim, quite unconcerned, treating the bear like a lamb, stroking him and giving him some bread, I calmed down. I looked at the father and was dazzled by the sight of his face which seemed to me full of light and like an angel’s. When I was wholly reassured the Staretz gave me a piece of bread and said: “You needn’t be the least afraid of him, he won’t hurt you.” So I held out the bread to the bear and, while he was eating it, it was such joy to be feeding him that I wanted to go on doing so. Seeing how much I was enjoying it, Father Seraphim said: “You remember the story of St Jerome feed­ing a lion in the desert? Well, here we’ve got a bear obeying us.” I exclaimed: “The sisters would die of fright if they saw such a sight!” “They won’t see it,” replied the Staretz. Then, “I’d be very sad if anyone killed him,” I went on. “Nobody will kill him and nobody except yourself will see him,” answered the father.’ Matrona was already rejoicing at the thought of telling the sisters about it but the Staretz, reading her thoughts, said to her, ‘No, my joy, you’re not to tell anyone until eleven years after my death. Then God will show you whom to tell.’\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAnd so it happened: a day came when, some years after the father’s death, Matrona went past an artist’s studio in the monastery; he was working on a portrait of the father in the forest on a tree trunk. `0,’ she said, ‘you really must paint the bear!’ What bear?’ asked the artist in surprise. Then Matrona told him the story and remembered the Staretz’ words. Eleven years had gone by.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/iconandlight.wordpress.com\/2021\/07\/18\/st-seraphim-of-sarov-and-the-bear-misha\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSource\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SISTER NETTLE","offers":[{"title":"Made to Order | March 2026","offer_id":43117723254918,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0244\/6291\/7696\/files\/4DC3A316-23C2-4620-9CF6-1D2CF4FBF4E5_3E09ACE1-E10E-4BBF-A502-ABBB3CC8F025-VSCO.jpg?v=1771085663"},{"product_id":"misha-bear-red","title":"Misha Bear | Red Linen","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e10\" x 13\" hand-carved block print. Printed on 100% linen. Raw edges are sprayed with a no-fray treatment, but the print should be treated with care and framed or hung. \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eEach print comes with a signed and numbered edition card that can be stored behind the print in a frame. \u003cb\u003eThis listing \u003cem\u003edoes not include\u003c\/em\u003e a frame.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLimited edition of 100. Shipped in a cardboard sleeve. \u003cbr\u003eMay require ironing before framing or hanging. \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eEach print is individually inked and pressed, so very slight variations do occur in texture.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e______\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMy children and I are enamored of St. Seraphim of Sarov. Here is the story of his dearest friend, a bear he named Misha: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eT\u003c\/strong\u003ehe life of the secluded desert-dweller, [St. Seraphim of Sarov] who had attained dispassion, was filled with unspeakable divine consolations with which God rewarded him. All creatures obeyed him. Animals from the woods streamed to his cell, and he fed them bread. He was asked where he was able to get enough food for them all. He answered that there was always enough food for them in the basket.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eO\u003c\/strong\u003ene day Matrona, one of the nuns, saw [Father Seraphim] sitting on a tree trunk in the company of a bear. Terrified, she let out a scream. The Staretz turned round and, seeing her, patted the animal and sent him away. Then he invited Matrona to come and sit beside him. ‘But’, Matrona relates, ‘hardly had we sat down when the animal returned from the wood and came and lay at the Staretz’ feet. I was as terrified as before, but when I saw Father Seraphim, quite unconcerned, treating the bear like a lamb, stroking him and giving him some bread, I calmed down. I looked at the father and was dazzled by the sight of his face which seemed to me full of light and like an angel’s. When I was wholly reassured the Staretz gave me a piece of bread and said: “You needn’t be the least afraid of him, he won’t hurt you.” So I held out the bread to the bear and, while he was eating it, it was such joy to be feeding him that I wanted to go on doing so. Seeing how much I was enjoying it, Father Seraphim said: “You remember the story of St Jerome feed­ing a lion in the desert? Well, here we’ve got a bear obeying us.” I exclaimed: “The sisters would die of fright if they saw such a sight!” “They won’t see it,” replied the Staretz. Then, “I’d be very sad if anyone killed him,” I went on. “Nobody will kill him and nobody except yourself will see him,” answered the father.’ Matrona was already rejoicing at the thought of telling the sisters about it but the Staretz, reading her thoughts, said to her, ‘No, my joy, you’re not to tell anyone until eleven years after my death. Then God will show you whom to tell.’\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAnd so it happened: a day came when, some years after the father’s death, Matrona went past an artist’s studio in the monastery; he was working on a portrait of the father in the forest on a tree trunk. `0,’ she said, ‘you really must paint the bear!’ What bear?’ asked the artist in surprise. Then Matrona told him the story and remembered the Staretz’ words. Eleven years had gone by.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/iconandlight.wordpress.com\/2021\/07\/18\/st-seraphim-of-sarov-and-the-bear-misha\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSource\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SISTER NETTLE","offers":[{"title":"Made to Order | March 2026","offer_id":43117722894470,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0244\/6291\/7696\/files\/828475F7-F025-4FC4-A8F1-54340419D5EC_E6493E6A-5CEC-4362-9CB6-2C548CC4FB1D-VSCO.jpg?v=1771085676"},{"product_id":"woman-at-the-well-fine-art-print","title":"Woman at the Well | Fine Art Print","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis fine art print is museum-quality, printed on a thick and long-lasting uncoated paper. Listing is for one (unframed) print.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe inspiration and story behind this piece can be found here: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/open.substack.com\/pub\/fredericamg\/p\/the-woman-at-the-well?r=2whhko\u0026amp;utm_campaign=post\u0026amp;utm_medium=web\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eLife and Death of the Woman at the Well\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSt. Photini, Equal to the Apostles, is remembered every year on March 20 and on the Fifth Sunday of Pascha (Easter). It’s quite an honor to have two observances, including a Sunday of your own. Here is one of the short hymns sung for Photini, which inspired me to create this artwork (and a portion of which is included on the print):\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll illumined by the Holy Spirit,\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou did drink with great and ardent longing\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOf the waters Christ Savior gave unto thee;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd with the streams of salvation you were refreshed,\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd abundantly gave then to all who thirst.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eO Great Martyr and true peer of the Apostles, Photini,\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEntreat Christ God to grant great mercy unto us.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SISTER NETTLE","offers":[{"title":"8 x 10","offer_id":43922615042182,"sku":null,"price":31.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0244\/6291\/7696\/files\/F8C8099C-6625-4AA3-922A-CDC4E9CA2724_4692A5E3-CE22-48A0-A50C-20D2532D2883-VSCO.jpg?v=1779294731"},{"product_id":"lord-have-mercy-blue-linen","title":"Lord Have Mercy | Blue Linen","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e8\" x 12\" hand-carved block print. Printed on 100% linen. Raw edges are sprayed with a no-fray treatment, but the print should be treated with care and framed or hung. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003eThis listing is for one linen print, and does not include frame unless selected in the drop down. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eShipped in a cardboard sleeve.\u003cbr\u003eMay require ironing before framing or hanging. Each print is individually inked and pressed, so very slight variations do occur in texture. The framed option will be ready to hang, but please note that this piece is a fabric print, and therefore will have some rippling and texture inside the frame. See photos for an example. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is a pre-order and all prints will ship by the end of June 2026.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e_______________\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe phrase \"Lord have mercy\" is used frequently during prayer and worship in the Eastern Orthodox tradition. What does \"mercy\" mean, though? Here's the context: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eOur worship services in the Orthodox Church are full of petitions to our Lord, asking for various things.  But do you know what is probably the most used and repeated petition in our services?   It is something that we say over and over and over…”Lord, Have Mercy.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe true meaning behind this short prayer often gets lost in English, because the word “mercy” takes on a connotation of “justice or acquittal.”  This is not the tenor of the prayer that we say in the Divine Liturgy.  We aren’t saying:  “Lord…don’t convict me and send me to the outer darkness!” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e The Greek word that is used for “mercy” comes from is “eleos”, which is the same root word as the word for “oil” which is used to sooth or to heal.  The Hebrew word for “mercy” comes from is “hesed” which means “steadfast love.”  In the Church, when we say “Lord have mercy”, we are literally saying over and over and over:  “Lord…soothe me…and show me your steadfast love!\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eEvery Divine Liturgy, the deacon comes out after the Gospel and exhorts all of us, “with all of our soul and with all of our mind” to ask God to continue to send down His Love to us….our country….our clergy… and to those who have gone before us.  We then repeat those words over and over and over:  “Lord have mercy…Lord have mercy…Lord have mercy…”.  “Show us your healing love O Lord”!  \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhat we ask for and receive more than any other petition in our worship is for the one gift that we truly can return to Him:  Love.  St. Paul in his epistle to the Colossians really puts it best when he said:  Above all things…all of the virtues that I just mentioned like kindness, humility, meekness…above all of them, put on love…which is the bond of perfection.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eYou want to become perfect in this life?  Learn to love God more than anything else in this world.  Returning the gift of Love to God (and to one another) is the reason we were created.  It is truly the most important thing that we can do with our life.  This is why St. Macarius in his morning prayer reminds us to get out of bed, and literally RUN to the Master who Loves Mankind, so that we can accomplish His Holy Work here in the paradise that we have been given. \u003c\/em\u003e\u003ca rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.st-marymagdalene.org\/parish-blog\/2021\/2\/2\/lord-have-mercy\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eSource\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"Lord have mercy\" is also a shortened form of what is known as the \"Jesus prayer.\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn order to enter more deeply into the life of prayer and to come to grips with St. Paul's challenge to pray unceasingly, the Orthodox Tradition offers the Jesus Prayer, which is sometimes called the prayer of the heart. The Jesus Prayer is offered as a means of concentration, as a focal point for our inner life. Though there are both longer and shorter versions, the most frequently used form of the Jesus Prayer is: \"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.\" This prayer, in its simplicity and clarity, is rooted in the Scriptures and the new life granted by the Holy Spirit. It is first and foremost a prayer of the Spirit because of the fact that the prayer addresses Jesus as Lord, Christ and Son of God; and as St. Paul tells us, \"no one can say 'Jesus is Lord' except by the Holy Spirit\" (1 Cor. 12:3). \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.goarch.org\/-\/the-jesus-prayer\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eSource\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SISTER NETTLE","offers":[{"title":"No Frame \/ Pre-Order | June 2026","offer_id":43981880131718,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Add Frame | Natural Oak \/ Pre-Order | June 2026","offer_id":43981880164486,"sku":null,"price":78.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Add Frame | Rich Walnut \/ Pre-Order | June 2026","offer_id":43981880197254,"sku":null,"price":78.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0244\/6291\/7696\/files\/1BC9E5D9-E974-47B2-92AC-023D9D321D9D_AE1403DD-0A46-43B3-9265-98D6EBB261E0-VSCO_3.jpg?v=1779295323"},{"product_id":"lord-have-mercy-mini-art-print","title":"Misha Bear | Mini Art Print","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis mini art print is printed on hemp paper measuring 7.1 \" x 5.5\". Wonderful for hanging up directly on the wall using gentle wall putty, or framing if you so choose. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eListing is for one print, shipped in a flat padded mailer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e___\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMy children and I are enamored of St. Seraphim of Sarov. Here is the story of his dearest friend, a bear he named Misha: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eT\u003c\/strong\u003ehe life of the secluded desert-dweller, [St. Seraphim of Sarov] who had attained dispassion, was filled with unspeakable divine consolations with which God rewarded him. All creatures obeyed him. Animals from the woods streamed to his cell, and he fed them bread. He was asked where he was able to get enough food for them all. He answered that there was always enough food for them in the basket.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eO\u003c\/strong\u003ene day Matrona, one of the nuns, saw [Father Seraphim] sitting on a tree trunk in the company of a bear. Terrified, she let out a scream. The Staretz turned round and, seeing her, patted the animal and sent him away. Then he invited Matrona to come and sit beside him. ‘But’, Matrona relates, ‘hardly had we sat down when the animal returned from the wood and came and lay at the Staretz’ feet. I was as terrified as before, but when I saw Father Seraphim, quite unconcerned, treating the bear like a lamb, stroking him and giving him some bread, I calmed down. I looked at the father and was dazzled by the sight of his face which seemed to me full of light and like an angel’s. When I was wholly reassured the Staretz gave me a piece of bread and said: “You needn’t be the least afraid of him, he won’t hurt you.” So I held out the bread to the bear and, while he was eating it, it was such joy to be feeding him that I wanted to go on doing so. Seeing how much I was enjoying it, Father Seraphim said: “You remember the story of St Jerome feed­ing a lion in the desert? Well, here we’ve got a bear obeying us.” I exclaimed: “The sisters would die of fright if they saw such a sight!” “They won’t see it,” replied the Staretz. Then, “I’d be very sad if anyone killed him,” I went on. “Nobody will kill him and nobody except yourself will see him,” answered the father.’ Matrona was already rejoicing at the thought of telling the sisters about it but the Staretz, reading her thoughts, said to her, ‘No, my joy, you’re not to tell anyone until eleven years after my death. Then God will show you whom to tell.’\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAnd so it happened: a day came when, some years after the father’s death, Matrona went past an artist’s studio in the monastery; he was working on a portrait of the father in the forest on a tree trunk. `0,’ she said, ‘you really must paint the bear!’ What bear?’ asked the artist in surprise. Then Matrona told him the story and remembered the Staretz’ words. Eleven years had gone by.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/iconandlight.wordpress.com\/2021\/07\/18\/st-seraphim-of-sarov-and-the-bear-misha\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSource\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SISTER NETTLE","offers":[{"title":"7 x 5.5","offer_id":43994009075846,"sku":null,"price":6.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0244\/6291\/7696\/files\/B04D3C8C-FF2A-46E3-8087-213358AB9F16_C35368D0-6D3B-4EC9-8A07-7ECBAD9664BC-VSCO_1.jpg?v=1779294677"},{"product_id":"lord-have-mercy-mini-art-print-1","title":"Lord Have Mercy | Mini Art Print","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis mini art print is printed on high-quality paper with a subtle sheen, measuring 5.5” x 8.5”.  Wonderful for hanging up directly on the wall using gentle wall putty, or framing if you so choose. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eListing is for one print, shipped in a flat padded mailer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e_______________\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe phrase \"Lord have mercy\" is used frequently during prayer and worship in the Eastern Orthodox tradition. What does \"mercy\" mean, though? Here's the context: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eOur worship services in the Orthodox Church are full of petitions to our Lord, asking for various things.  But do you know what is probably the most used and repeated petition in our services?   It is something that we say over and over and over…”Lord, Have Mercy.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe true meaning behind this short prayer often gets lost in English, because the word “mercy” takes on a connotation of “justice or acquittal.”  This is not the tenor of the prayer that we say in the Divine Liturgy.  We aren’t saying:  “Lord…don’t convict me and send me to the outer darkness!” \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e The Greek word that is used for “mercy” comes from is “eleos”, which is the same root word as the word for “oil” which is used to sooth or to heal.  The Hebrew word for “mercy” comes from is “hesed” which means “steadfast love.”  In the Church, when we say “Lord have mercy”, we are literally saying over and over and over:  “Lord…soothe me…and show me your steadfast love!\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eEvery Divine Liturgy, the deacon comes out after the Gospel and exhorts all of us, “with all of our soul and with all of our mind” to ask God to continue to send down His Love to us….our country….our clergy… and to those who have gone before us.  We then repeat those words over and over and over:  “Lord have mercy…Lord have mercy…Lord have mercy…”.  “Show us your healing love O Lord”!  \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhat we ask for and receive more than any other petition in our worship is for the one gift that we truly can return to Him:  Love.  St. Paul in his epistle to the Colossians really puts it best when he said:  Above all things…all of the virtues that I just mentioned like kindness, humility, meekness…above all of them, put on love…which is the bond of perfection.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eYou want to become perfect in this life?  Learn to love God more than anything else in this world.  Returning the gift of Love to God (and to one another) is the reason we were created.  It is truly the most important thing that we can do with our life.  This is why St. Macarius in his morning prayer reminds us to get out of bed, and literally RUN to the Master who Loves Mankind, so that we can accomplish His Holy Work here in the paradise that we have been given. \u003c\/em\u003e\u003ca rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.st-marymagdalene.org\/parish-blog\/2021\/2\/2\/lord-have-mercy\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eSource\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"Lord have mercy\" is also a shortened form of what is known as the \"Jesus prayer.\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn order to enter more deeply into the life of prayer and to come to grips with St. Paul's challenge to pray unceasingly, the Orthodox Tradition offers the Jesus Prayer, which is sometimes called the prayer of the heart. The Jesus Prayer is offered as a means of concentration, as a focal point for our inner life. Though there are both longer and shorter versions, the most frequently used form of the Jesus Prayer is: \"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.\" This prayer, in its simplicity and clarity, is rooted in the Scriptures and the new life granted by the Holy Spirit. It is first and foremost a prayer of the Spirit because of the fact that the prayer addresses Jesus as Lord, Christ and Son of God; and as St. Paul tells us, \"no one can say 'Jesus is Lord' except by the Holy Spirit\" (1 Cor. 12:3). \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.goarch.org\/-\/the-jesus-prayer\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eSource\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SISTER NETTLE","offers":[{"title":"5.5” x 8.5”","offer_id":43999344754822,"sku":null,"price":11.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0244\/6291\/7696\/files\/999D7FF5-AE2F-4917-AD37-B0F1757F359F_4B83A8C3-B77E-438B-931C-0B6DB72A9835-VSCO_1.jpg?v=1779294618"}],"url":"https:\/\/sisternettle.com\/collections\/art-1.oembed","provider":"SISTER NETTLE","version":"1.0","type":"link"}