"You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
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.
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LECTIO: Mathew 22:34-10. Which commandment
in the law is the greatest? Jesus answered, "You shall love the Lord,
your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your
mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like
it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
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: The movement established by introducing the sacred word as symbol
of our intention to be open to God's presence and action brings us little by
little to the spiritual level of our being, or, to use another analogy, to a
general attentiveness to the river of consciousness itself rather than to what
is passing along the surface of the river. The sacred word is simply the symbol
of our intentionality. There is no special word, therefore, that is better than
another, except that some words should be avoided because they spark an
association of ideas and the tendency to think about other matters. In
this prayer we are developing the capacity to wait upon God with loving
attentiveness. The loving character is expressed by fidelity to the
practice and patience while doing it. Intimacy with
God, 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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