"If a house is divided against itself... [it cannot] stand."
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: Mark 3: 20-35. The crowd came together again, so that
Jesus and his disciples could not even eat. . . . And the scribes who came down
from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts
out demons.” And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, “How can
Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom
cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be
able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he
cannot stand, but his end has come. But no one can enter a strong man’s house
and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the
house can be plundered.
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: When divine love overflows from the interior
life of the Trinity into our hearts, it immediately confronts our false selves,
and we experience conflict. A struggle arises between this pure goodness – sheer
giving – and the ingrained possessiveness, aggressiveness, and self-seeking
which are so characteristic of us in our present condition. Thus, at the very
heart of life is the challenge of sacrifice: dying to our present condition in
order to move to a higher level of life. This can only happen by letting go of
the false self. Suffering and death are not enemies, but doors leading to new
levels of knowledge and love. Unless we are willing to sacrifice what we have
now, we cannot grow. Thomas Keating, The Heart of the World, 19.
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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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