George
Instagram
Why Orthodox Christians repeat 'Lord have mercy' many times
The speaker answers the question of why Orthodox Christians repeat 'Lord have mercy' many times in their services despite Christ's warning against empty repetitions in prayer. He points to the Gospel account of a blind man sitting by the road who shouted 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me' persistently, even when the crowd told him to be quiet, until Christ stopped and healed him.
The speaker explains that this persistent cry is what the repeated 'Lord have mercy' represents. It is not an empty word. In Greek, the phrase is 'Kyrie Eleison.' Many teachers connect the word for mercy, 'eleos,' to 'elaion,' the word for olive oil, which was used to heal wounds. Thus the prayer asks Christ to pour out his healing. Christ's warning was against praying with an empty heart, not against repeating prayers.
The repetition is not because God did not hear the first time, but because the human heart needs time to truly mean the words. The speaker notes that in services the prayer is said three, twelve, or forty times in a row. He encourages listeners to say it with the same persistence as the blind man when they hear it.
Key moments
- Christ told us not to pray with empty repetitions, yet Christians say "Lord have mercy" three, twelve, or forty times in a row.
- In the Gospel, a blind man by the road shouts "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me" repeatedly, even when told to be quiet, until Christ stops and heals him.
- That persistent cry is what "Lord have mercy" represents; it is not an empty word.
- In Greek, "Kyrie Eleison" means "Lord have mercy," and many teach that the Greek word for mercy (eleos) is connected to olive oil (elaion), which was used to heal wounds.
- When we say the prayer, we are asking Christ to pour his healing on us.
- Christ warned against praying with an empty heart, not against repeating prayers.
- We repeat the prayer not because God did not hear us the first time, but because our heart needs time to really mean it.
- Next time you hear "Lord have mercy" forty times in church, say it with the blind man.