Message of 7-6-11
Published: Sun, 07/03/11
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
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MESSAGE OF THE DAY
God is our true Friend, who always gives us the counsel and comfort
we need. Our danger lies in resisting Him; so it is essential that
we acquire the habit of hearkening to His voice, of keeping silence
within, and listening so as to lose nothing of what He says to us.
We know well enough how to keep outward silence, and to hush our
spoken words, but we know little of interior silence. It consists
in hushing our idle, restless, wandering imagination, in quieting
the promptings of our worldly minds, and in suppressing the crowd
of unprofitable thoughts which excite and disturb the soul.
- François Fénelon (1651-1715), "Selections from Fénelon"
(Inner listening . . . How can you tell when it is God who speaks?)
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LECTIONARY READINGS FOR THE DAY
http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/
Gn 41:55-57; 42:5-7a, 17-24a; Ps. 33:2-3, 10-11, 18-19; Mt
10:1-7
R. (22) Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
Sing to him a new song;
pluck the strings skillfully, with shouts of gladness.
The LORD brings to nought the plans of nations;
he foils the designs of peoples.
But the plan of the LORD stands forever;
the design of his heart, through all generations.
But see, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
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MEDITATION ON THE GOSPEL
from "Praying the Daily Gospels," by Philip St. Romain:
- http://www.liguori.org/productdetails.cfm?PC=6614
- Matthew 10:1-7 (Jesus commissions the Twelve)
An old proverb says it is much easier for ten people to do the work
of ten than for one person to try to do the work of ten. In
choosing and commissioning disciples, Jesus multiplies his
influence many times. His Spirit continues to support us in this
model of ministry.
- Do you feel your community supports you and your ministerial
endeavors? Do you need more support? How could you receive it?
- As you preview the events planned for your day, hear Jesus
saying, The reign of God is at hand.' Let these words deepen your
anticipation to love this day.
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SPIRITUAL READING
At the Master's Feet
- by Sadhu Sundar Singh
Christ speaks:
3. A certain king on his deathbed spoke to a faithful servant of
his as follows: "It has been my custom when setting out on a
journey to send you before me to announce me and make preparations
for my reception. I am going to the land of the dead. Go,
therefore, and inform them that I am about to join them." At first
the honest servant did not understand what his lord meant, but as
soon as he saw that his meaning was that he should die and thus
precede him to the land of the dead, the faithful fellow, without a
moment's hesitation or doubt, plunged a sword into his heart, and
thus entered the country of the dead, there to await his lord. Thus
it is the duty of those who serve Me, who am the Lord of Life and
the King of kings (Acts iii.15; Rev. xix.16), to carry the gospel
of salvation to those who are dead in sin, and to be ready even to
give their lives for Me, who came to earth for their salvation and
will come yet once more (Rev. ii.10).
- Part 1, Section 1
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METHODS OF PRAYER AND REFLECTION
Listed below are several traditional methods of prayer and
reflection. As St. Frances de Sales noted, we learn to pray by
praying, but it is also good to try different methods to see which
seem to help facilitate connection with God. Indeed, the more we
learn different methods, the better we can sense how the Spirit is
moving us to pray for any given prayer time.
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Lectio Divina Process
- http://heartlandspirituality.org/vocations/prayer.html
First, you choose a passage of Scripture that you will pray with.
It might be the Gospel reading used in the liturgy of the day, or
anything else you want. The process then follows these steps:
* Reading (lectio) After settling in and quieting yourself,
read the passage slowly, prayerfully. Just let it sink in for a
minute or two, then read it a second time, paying closer attention
to the words or phrases that speak to you.
* Reflecting (meditatio) What do you hear God saying to you in
this passage? What words or phrases caught your attention?
* Responding (oratio) What do you want to say to God in
response to what you've heard? Here you can also voice your prayers
of petition, remorse, thanksgiving, praise, and so forth. If you
sense God speaking to you in your thoughts, feelings or
imagination, you respond as you would in any conversation.
* Resting (contemplatio) If, at any time, you feel drawn to
simply rest in the awareness of God's loving presence, you let
yourself do so. Remain in loving silence as long as you feel
comfortable, perhaps using a simple word or phrase from the
Scripture passage to help deepen your openness to rest in God (see
Centering Prayer method, below)
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Centering Prayer
(Works best after a period of Lectio Divina, as described above;
two 20 minute periods a day are recommended.)
This term, centering prayer, is of recent origin, but the method is
described in many places, most notably "The Cloud of Unknowing."
1. Choose a sacred word as the symbol of your intention to consent
to God's presence and action within. (This can be any word.)
2. Sitting comfortably and with eyes closed, settle briefly, and
silently introduce the sacred word as the symbol of your consent to
God's presence and action within.
3. When you become aware of thoughts, return ever-so-gently to the
sacred word.
4. At the end of the prayer period, remain in silence with eyes
closed for a couple of minutes.
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Hesychast Prayer ("quiet" prayer)
(This form of contemplative practice was widely used by the
fathers and mothers of the desert in the early days of Christianity
and is still very popular in Eastern Christian churches. At least
two 20 minute prayer periods are recommended.)
1. Sit quietly, with back straight and hands resting in the lap,
palms up.
2. Lovingly introduce into your mind the prayer, "Lord Jesus
Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me." (Note: this may be shortened
as the prayer proceeds).
3. Let this prayer move in synchrony with your breath, praying the
first part with your inhalation, the second with exhalation.
4. When distracting thoughts attempt to break in, persist with the
Jesus Prayer. Allow yourself to feel your emotions, however.
Practice of this prayer may lead to feelings of warmth in the heart
and perception of inner light. Enjoy. . .
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Praying With Scripture (Benedictine Approach)
1. Relax. Settle in. Be aware that God is here, now, loving you.
2. Read a short passage of Scripture as though God were speaking
directly to you in it.
3. Choose a phrase from the passage that strikes you and repeat it
slowly, prayerfully, non-analytically.
4. When your heart is full, express to God the needs and sentiments
awakened by your meditation. When you're done, read another passage
and repeat steps 3 and 4.
5. If, at any time, you feel moved to simply be present to God in
loving silence, put the Scripture aside and rest in God.
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Review of the Day
- from, "Handbook for Spiritual Directees"
http://shalomplace.com/view/hndbk-lite.pdf
Here is a practice used by many at the end of the day to see what
lessons can be learned and how God was present and active through
the day. Set aside fifteen to twenty minutes at the end of the
day for prayer and review of your day. A suggested format is
described below:.
1. Take a few moments of quiet. Breathe deeply. Ask God to help you
see yourself as you truly were during the day.
2. Look back over your day - not to see what you did wrong but to
honestly acknowledge what was going on with you and others.
* What happened? What did I do today?
* How did I feel? Why did I feel that way?
* Were my expectations and beliefs reasonable?
3. Affirm the healthy things you recognize.
4. Admit to yourself and God the unhealthy things. Ask God's
forgiveness, believe it is yours, then decide if you need to
apologize or make amends.
5. Use creative visualization to grow stronger. Honestly
acknowledge the troubling situations of the day. See and feel
yourself acting honestly and lovingly in these situations. Ask God
for the grace to help you act in this new way.
6. Close with simple awareness of the sights and sounds around you,
grateful for the good things in your life.
This process can be undertaken as a daily journal exercise or by
prayerfully reviewing your day in your own mind. I like to take a
walk before bedtime for examen. The important thing is to do it. It
is a discipline, to be sure, but a very important one.
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A collection of additional spiritual exercises can be found in our
Handbook for Spiritual Directees.
- see http://shalomplace.com/view/hndbk-lite.pdf
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