"I am with you always..."
We invite you to a few minutes of silence before we begin our prayer time together.
We invite you to a few minutes of silence before we begin our prayer time together.
Take a deep breath and breathe in the breath of God, knowing by faith that God breathes into us the breath of life.
CONTEMPLATIVE / SILENT PRAYER
Our Centering Prayer sit is 20 - 30 minutes sounded by the chime/chant. At the end of the Prayer sit, we will linger in silence a few minutes, then follow by praying together the Our Father.
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LECTIO DIVINA: Listening to the Word of God with the ears of our heart [See Chopping Wood (or Carrots) Under the Gaze of God for a discussion of Lectio Divina].
First reading & silent reflection: Reflect in silence.
LECTIO: The Ascension of the
Lord - Matthew 28: 16-20 The disciples went to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered
them. Jesus said to them "All power in heaven and on earth has been given
to Me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to
observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until
the end of the age."
Second reading & reflection: What word or phrase catches your attention? Share or pass.
Third reading & reflection: How does this word or phrase touch your life? Share or pass.
Fourth and last reading & silent reflection: How is God inviting you to grow? We will reflect in silence for a few moments before we move from Lectio Prayer to the teaching by Father Keating.
Teaching: By becoming a human
being, Christ annihilated the dichotomy between matter and spirit. In the
Person of the Divine-human Being, a continuum between the divine and human has
been established. The grace bestowed on us by the Ascension of Jesus is the
divinization of our humanity. Our individuality is permeated by the Spirit of
God through the grace of the Ascension, and more specifically through the grace
of Pentecost. Thus we, in Christ, are also annihilating the dichotomy between
matter and spirit. Our life is a mysterious interpenetration of material
experience, spiritual reality and the Divine Presence./Thus, in Colossians,
Paul does not hesitate to cry out with his triumphant faith in the Ascension:
"Christ is all and in all"---meaning now, not just in the future. At
this very moment we too have the grace to see Christ's light shining in our
hearts, to feel His absorbing Presence within us, and to perceive in every
created thing--even in the most disconcerting--the presence of His Life, Love
and Glory. The Mystery of Christ, Father Thomas Keating
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We now take some time to share our thoughts and reflections on our own spiritual journey and our prayer practice. Followed by brief prayers of intercession. Share or pass.
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Go in the name of Christ Jesus to love and serve the Lord. Thanks be to God!
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[This is an adapted format courtesy of Martha Johnston, Contemplative Outreach of Maryland and Washington, DC]
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