"Surely it is God who saves me."
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: from Canticle 9 (Isaiah 12: 2-6)
Surely, it is God who saves me; *
I will trust in God
and not be afraid.
For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure
defense, *
and God will be my
Savior.
Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing
*
from the springs of
salvation.
And on that day you shall say, *
Give thanks to the
Lord and call upon God’s Name;
Make God’s deeds known among the peoples; *
see that they
remember that God’s Name is exalted.
Sing the praises of the Lord, for God has
done great things, *
and this is known in
all the world.
Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy,
for the great one in the midst of you is the Holy One of Israel.
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 or another contemplative guide.
Teaching:
God delights in creation and loves each of us with a
personal love. Prayer, therefore, is God’s desire to breathe in me, to be the
spirit of my life, to draw me into the fullness of life. When I pray—when I
breathe with God—I become part of the intimacy of God’s life. The Franciscan
theologian, Saint Bonaventure [c. 1217–1274], wrote in his Soliloquy,
“[God] is the One who is closer to you than you are to yourself.” [2] Prayer is
recognizing the intimate in-dwelling of God in our lives, the One who remains
faithful in love even when the world around us may fall apart.
~Ilia Delio
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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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