"...and they shall name him 'Emmanuel.'"
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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First reading & silent reflection: Reflect in silence.
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LECTIO: from Matthew 1: 18-25
Now the birth of Jesus the
Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph,
but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy
Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to
public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved
to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph,
son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child
conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to
name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place
to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Look, the
virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which
means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of
the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations
with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.
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:
[Mary] brought the Word of God into the world, or
rather, let Him come into the world through her. It is not so much what we do
but what we are that allows Christ to live in the world. When the
presence of God emerges from our inmost being into our faculties, whether we
walk down the street or drink a cup of soup, divine life is pouring into the
world. The effectiveness of every action depends on the source from which it
springs. If it is coming out of the false self, it is severely limited. If it is
coming out of a person who is immersed in God, it is extremely effective. The
contemplative state, like the vocation of Our Lady, brings Christ into the
world.
~Thomas Keating, Open Mind, Open Heart, 62-63.
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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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