"Why are you afraid? Have you . . . no faith?"
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: 35-41. When evening had come, Jesus said to his
disciples, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd behind,
they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him.
A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was
already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they
woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then
the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, “Why are you
afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great awe and said
to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
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: Jesus transforms [the disciples’] weak faith
into a strong living faith. But only at the price of a crisis, at the price of
death to [their] own desires and judgment. The physical presence of the Master
which [the disciples] wanted, and which [they] thought [they] needed, had first
to be taken away. In our own spiritual growing-up process we cannot escape the
crisis of faith. This incident clearly teaches us that it is not merely a rebuke
when Jesus seems to . . . remove the props which we feel are so necessary for
us. It is rather a call to new growth, to the transformation of our weakness. It
is a call to new union with him. Thomas Keating, Crisis of Faith, 23.
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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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