The Adventure of Prayer

Transcription

1 Learning to Pray To fall in love with God is the greatest of all romances. To seek him the greatest adventure. To find him the greatest human achievement. -St. Augustine

2 The Adventure of Prayer

3 As the deer longs for the waterbrooks, so longs my soul for you, O God. Psalm 42:1 Contemplative Prayer: Thirst for God

4 Contemplative Prayer Fr. Gregory: Prayer is becoming sensitive and responsive to God.

5 Our Image of God

6 "You shall not make for yourself an idol Exodus 20:4a

7 God always making the first move in love God freely gives God is dynamic Prayer opens us to God s giving, God s moving in our lives and in the world

8 God s Ultimate Revelation Contemplative Prayer : In this moment, be with Christ.

9 Seven Things to Unlearn about Prayer 1) Prayer is not just verbal : Silence 2) Prayer is not only mental : Emotions 3) Prayer is not polite : Honest 4) Prayer is not only peaceful : Difficult 5) Prayer is not a technique : Desire 6) Prayer is not a luxury : Staple 7) Prayer is not an obligation : You are Lov

10 Carving out Time 5 minutes? 10 minutes? 40 minutes?

11 Contemplative Prayer In this very moment, be with God. How?

12 Contemplative Prayer Breathe Breathe Breathe

13 Contemplative Prayer In this very moment, be with Christ. The Jesus Prayer

14 Contemplative Prayer Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me. Lord Jesus, have mercy.

15 Contemplative Prayer A verse from Scripture Be still, and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10 Abide in me, and I in you. John 15:4 Those who wait for the Lord shall

16 Contemplative Prayer Centering Prayer Using a single word or phrase Abba Open Here I am

17 Contemplative Prayer What is supposed to happen? Gradual process of transformation deeper than the conscious mind.

18 Dealing with the thoughts that come up Listening in can be transformative in itself. Do not try to stop them. Acknowledge and come back. Acknowledge and come back.

19 Summary

20 Contemplative Prayer Part II We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade, the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him. He walks everywhere incognito. And the incognito is not always easy to penetrate. The real labor is to remember to attend. In fact to come awake. Still more to remain awake. -C.S. Lewis

21 Contemplative Prayer We ve all had contemplative experiences. We can practice this. In this moment, be with God.

22 Contemplative Prayer Daily life can feel fragmented. Wholeness from God.

23 1. Place Contemplative Prayer 2. Breath and Body One way 3. Be honest with God 4. Using a word or phrase, (The Jesus Prayer, a scripture verse, Trust ) be in God s presence. 5. As thoughts arise, lightly acknowledge the thought and come back to God. Repeat. 6. End with thanksgiving

24 Contemplative Prayer Methods Praying with Scripture Provides structure. A component piece or stand-alone.

25 Lectio Divina Prayer involves listening. God speaks through Scripture Looking for a divine word or phrase. What is it saying to you, this day?

26 Lectio Divina 1. Settle down, pray that your heart may be open. 2. Begin reading. When a par- ticular word or phrase or sentence strikes you, put the Bible down. 3. Chew on this phrase. Repeat it. What feelings come from it? 4. Express to God what impressions the words have on you OR stay in loving silence.

27 Lectio Divina O LORD, you have searched me and known me. 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. 3 You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before a word is on my tongue, O LORD, you know it completely. 5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it. 7 Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? Psalm 139:1-7

28 Prayer of the Imagination God speaks through our imagination. Ignatian Method

29 Prayer of the Imagination 1. Read the passage several times. 2. Place yourself in the scene. Which character are you? What do you hear, see, smell, feel? 3. Let the experience unfold. 4. How does this touch your life? What do you want to express to God from this experience?

30 Praying with the Imagination NRS Mark 8:22 They came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to Jesus and begged him to touch him. 23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village; and when he had put saliva on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, "Can you see anything?" 24 And the man looked up and said, "I can see people, but they look like trees, walking." 25 Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he looked intently and his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.

31 Prayer Beads, Icons, Meditative walks More

32 Contemplative Prayer Books for Further Study Bouergault, Cynthia. Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening, Cowley Publications, She studied under Thomas Keating and offers a rigorous explanation of Centering Prayer compared to other kinds of meditation. Keating, Thomas. Open Mind, Open Heart. The Continuum Publishing Group, 1986, One of the great modern classics of spirituality and Center Prayer in particular. Taylor, Brian. Becoming Christ. Transformation through Contemplation An Episcopal priest, Taylor covers a variety of practices from icons to lectio divina to The Jesus Prayer.