Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59;   Ps 31: 3-4, 6, 8, 16-17;   Mt 10:17-22

R  Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety.
You are my rock and my fortress;
for your name's sake you will lead and guide me.

Into your hands I commend my spirit;
you will redeem me, O Lord, O faithful God.
I will rejoice and be glad because of your mercy.

Rescue me from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors.
Let your face shine upon your servant;
save me in your kindness.







Matthew 10: 17-22 (Stephen's martyrdom)

Recent studies have shown that the placement of this feast day in the Church's liturgical calendar has little to do with its proximity to Christmas. Yet Stephen's martyrdom reminds us that crucifixion is the price paid for incarnation. Today's gospel emphasizes this truth; it also promises glory for those who, like Stephen, are faithful to the end. 

• In what ways do you die for Christ each day? How do these deaths to self allow the incarnation to happen in your life?
   
• Do you believe that you, at this point in your life, would he willing to die for your faith? Why? Why not? 
  
  
• Pray for the grace to be willing to suffer for the sake of love. 

(From Praying the Daily Gospels, by Philip St. Romain)

Attentive Living (pt. 2)

Dropping the past does not mean that we forget it but that we quit acting in compensation for past hurts. Past hurts keep part of our attention in the past and cause us to anxiously project negative possibilities into the future (and thus, perhaps, bring them to pass). We can never fully surrender into the now of life as long as such past hurts weigh us down. We can know occasional moments of freedom from self-concern, and that can spur us onward. Living fully in the present requires complete healing of the past, however. A simple discipline, then, is to strive to be here now in love. Each moment presents a new and unique intersection between vertical and horizontal time, which the spiritual nature of human consciousness is privileged to experience. The present moment is where life is really happening; if we are not here, then we miss life. We can live in the now-moment only when our attitude is that of being-in-love. Otherwise we approach the moment with defenses and expectations that turn our experience of time into a linear or chairotic experience. By love I mean that we must be open to receiving what the moment has to offer and willing to give in return what is required of us. It is natural and unavoidable for us to bring to each moment our expectations of what we would like to have happen; but we must hold these expectations lightly and be willing to surrender them if the needs of love so require. Only those who love in this manner can experience eternal life. Is this not the essence of the good news?

(From: Reflecting on the Serenity Prayer, by Philip St. Romain)

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.

Lectio Divina Process

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)

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.

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. . .

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.

Review of the Day

- from, Handbook for Spiritual Directees 

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.