"He was transfigured before them..."
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 17: 1-9
Six days later, Jesus took with him
Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by
themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the
sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses
and Elijah, talking with him. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for
us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one
for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright
cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, “This is my Son, the
Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” When the disciples heard
this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. But Jesus came and
touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” And when they looked up,
they saw no one except Jesus himself alone. As they were coming down the
mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son
of Man has been raised from the dead.”
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:
The apostles . . . are paradigms of the developing
consciousness of those who are growing in faith. . . . At first they are
overjoyed by the sensible consolation that floods their bodies and minds in the
presence of the vision of Christ’s glory. Then the implications of this new
world with its demands dawns upon them, and they are terrified. At the end of
the vision, they experience the reassurance of Jesus’ presence and touch. This
presence vastly surpasses the ephemeral sweetness of their initial taste of
sensible consolation. Their exterior and interior senses are quieted by the
awesomeness of the Mystery manifested by the voice out of the cloud. Once their
senses have calmed and integrated into the spiritual experience which their
intuitive faculties had perceived, peace is established throughout their whole
being, and they are prepared to respond to the guidance of the Spirit.
--Thomas Keating, The Mystery of Christ, 44.
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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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