You're whose son?

During the writing of my master's thesis I focused my thoughts around the story of Jesus as recorded by Matthew. One of the key questions to the book is "Whose son is the Christ?" Throughout the book Matthew presents thoughts and evidence pointing to Jesus being the Son of God. At the end of the book, Matthew presents his answer through a highly unlikely source for a Jewish writer - a Roman soldier. Here is what he writes:

⁵⁴ When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:54)

What his disciples struggled to get, what his opponents refused to accept, what sounded incredulous to any who heard it was now stated openly by a soldier - Jesus was the Son of God. This is why this phrase is so central to the Jesus prayer.

By praying to Jesus, the Son of God, we are not just praying to another person, or another deity.  We are praying to the very image of the invisible God. Jesus says this himself - Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. (John 14:9). For Matthew, calling Jesus Son of God, means equating him to God.

When I pray the Jesus prayer to Jesus, the Son of God, I believe I am praying to the second person of the Trinity - the very essence and representation of all that God is. Furthermore, the Father gives His Son all authority. Therefore, praying to Jesus means I am praying to One who is in complete control of this world, my life and all that happens in it. Who better to call on each day?

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.