"My yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
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 11: 16-19; 25-30
At that time Jesus said, "All
things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son
except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to
whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all you that are weary and are
carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and
learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for
your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
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.
The genius of Jesus’ ministry is
that he reveals that God uses tragedy, suffering, pain, betrayal, and death
itself, not to wound you but, in fact, to bring you to God. So there are no
dead ends. Everything can be transmuted and everything can be used. . . .
Suffering is the only thing strong enough to destabilize the imperial ego. The
separate and sufficient self has to be led to the edge of its own resources so
it learns to call upon the Deeper Resource of who it truly is: the God Self,
the True Self, the Christ Self, the Buddha Self – use the word you want. It is
who we are in God and who God is in us. Once you are transplanted to that place
you are largely indestructible!
--Richard Rohr, A Spring Within Us: A Book of Daily Meditations, 121-122.
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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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