"[Jesus] humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death..."
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 Philippians 2: 5-11
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
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.
[I]n contemplative prayer . . .the experience of God’s presence
frees us from making ourself or our relationship with God the center of the
universe. The language of the mystics must not be taken literally when they
speak of emptiness or the void. Jesus practiced emptiness in becoming a human
being, emptying himself of his prerogatives and the natural consequences of his
divine dignity. The void does not mean void in the sense of a vacuum, but void
in the sense of attachment to our own activity. Our own reflections and acts of
will are necessary preliminaries to getting acquainted with Christ, but have to
be transcended if Christ is to share his most personal prayer to the Father,
which is characterized by total self-surrender.
--Thomas Keating, Intimacy with God, 40-41.
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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 Richard and Linda Hall, Contemplative Outreach of Maryland and Washington, DC]
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