"The Kingdom of God...is like a mustard seed."
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 4: 26-34. Jesus said, “With what can we compare the
kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed,
which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet
when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs and puts
forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”
With many such parables he spoke
the word to them as they were able to hear it.
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: What matters most is fidelity to the daily
practice of a contemplative form of prayer such as Centering Prayer. This
gradually exposes us to the unconscious at a rate that we can handle and places
us under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Divine Love then prepares us to
receive the maximum that God can possibly communicate of his inner light.
Besides the dark side of the unconscious, there are all kinds of other awesome
energies – for example, natural talents, the fruits of the Spirit, the seven
gifts of the Spirit, and the divine indwelling itself – that we haven’t
experienced yet and that are waiting to be discovered. Thomas Keating, The
Heart of the World, 20.
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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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