"I am the bread of life."
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: John 6: 24-35.
When [the crowd] found him on the other side of the lake, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?”
Jesus [said to] them, “Do not
work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life,
which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set
his seal.” . . . Then they said to him, “What sign are you going to give us
then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing?
Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave
them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” . . .
Jesus said to them, ‘I am the
bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in
me will never be thirsty.”
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: God often invites us to rethink the judgments
we made in childhood and adolescence, or in the early years of our conversion,
that amounted to a rejection of the goodness of his gifts. He invites us to take
another look at our hesitations and to realize that our rigid attitudes were
based on our inability to handle events and relationships that were emotionally
traumatic. Now he asks us to accept the legitimate pleasures of life, the value
of friendship, the exercise of our talents, the loveliness of nature, the beauty
of art, the enjoyment of both activity and rest. God is a tremendous supporter
of creation, especially of all living beings. Jesus emphasized this when he
said, “I came that they might have life and have it to the full” (John 10:10).
The abundant life is divine union, which includes the capacity to use all things
as stepping stones to God rather than as ends in themselves. Thomas Keating, Invitation
to Love, 48
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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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