BEING AND BECOMING PRAYERFUL (13)

BEING AND BECOMING PRAYERFUL (13)

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.

(Psalm 46:10)

Be in your prayer space, follow the usual steps and settle into silence.

Sit still…..Relax…….Do not rush………

Take a couple of gentle, slow and deep breaths…becoming aware of your breath going in and out… stay focused on this breath of life……

Settle into silence, into peacefulness, into profound silence, into pure joy. Keep listening in such quietness and serenity. Come to that place, that space within, that place of deep silence and Solitude; to just being here and now without having to accomplish something.

Now I invite you to consecrate this day and all that come with this day….in your own way, in humble, simple, may be even inadequate words………..

Now from the depth of your heart begin to wish your mind well…..

Our last meditation was on being attentive to the deepest desires of our hearts – desire for, forgiveness, healing, peace, harmony, integrity, wholeness, holiness and everything that can bring our wills into harmony with the will of God. We want to continue to nurture this desire. This meditation again is another opportunity to dwell in God’s presence and hunger and thirst for His will and purpose for us.

Take a few deep breaths right now…slow and gentle!

Breathe in God’s Way and breathe out my way – God’s way in, My way out.

You may not be happy about it right now, but in the bigger picture of life, you’ll be glad you chose to surrender to God.

Pray from your heart……

O God, this morning I have come into the quietness and stillness of your presence, to begin the day, so that out of this moment, I may take with me a quiet serenity, which will last me through the rough and smooth of this day’s life. Many hours of the day are waiting to be filled a hundred ways with a hundred prayers. But, right now, at this very moment, I am at peace. You have blessed and Graced my day. I walk with you, God. I sit with you, God. I run with you, God. Thank you for the morning…Thank you for stillness….Thank you for blessing and grace…..Thank you for peacefulness…..Thank you for just being, for me, God…..Thank you. Amen

Begin to speak in your heart…..

Bless the Lord O my soul….Let all that is within me give God praise……

Bless the Lord O my soul……….Let me never forget your blessings……

Now from the depth of your heart begin to wish your mind well……….

May my heart be pure that I may see you………………

May my heart be humble that I may surrender to your will………

May my heart be gracious that I may serve you…………….

May my heart be noble that I may reflect you……………..

May my heart be trusting that I may be safe in you………….

Keep repeating these words in your heart for a few moments

May my heart be hopeful that I may be free in you…………

May my heart be loving that I may abide in you…………….

May my heart be compassionate that I may be present to others in compassion………

May my heart be poor, empty and spacious that I may offer you space to work your plan in me and for me and with me………………

May my heart be caring, sensitive, compassionate that I may live in solidarity with those who suffer and are in need of healing………

Keep repeating these words in your heart for a few moments

May my heart be gentle, lowly, meek that I may be welcoming, hospitable and others may find comfort in my presence……….

May my heart be hungry and thirsty that I may desire everything virtuous, noble, true and good; that I may hunger and thirst for you and your wisdom…….

May my heart be understanding, merciful, forgiving that I may be forgiving; that compassion may be my way of life………….

May my heart be Pure that I may have a single, undivided heart; that my motivations may be pure and transparent………..

May my heart be peaceful that I may abide in your peace; that I may be a channel of peace for others…………….

May my heart be full of love that there is no space for anything else……

May my heart be full of you that I may live and move in you, from you, for you,

with you…..…..

Keep repeating these words in your heart for a few moments

Now take a moment……Bless your morning……let the morning bless you……

Morning is a sacrament………….

    of new beginnings….so new and untried…so unique…never to return….…

    of hope…..offering new opportunities…new possibilities…never to return……

Welcome the morning! Receive the gift that she is! Be ready to be faithful to the possibilities that she brings!

Take another moment. Bless your world. Let your world bless you.

Every day that we wake up is a good day. Every breath that we take is filled with hope for a better day. Every word that we speak is a chance to change what is bad into something good.

Now I invite you to consecrate this day and all that come with this day….in your own way, in humble, simple, may be even inadequate words………..

Don’t ask God for what you think is good;

Ask Him for what He thinks is good for you.

The God to whom we pray is a God of love, who is more ready to answer than we are ready to pray. We do not have to force His Gifts and His Grace out of Him. We do not come to a God who has to be coaxed, or pestered, or battered into answering our prayer. We come to the ONE who simply wills to give. We, actually, come into the presence of the ONE who has already GIVEN. We come with desire in our hearts and words on our lips: “Thy will be done.”

GOD IS PERFECT AND PERFECT WISDOM.

WE DO NOT PRAY IN ORDER TO CHANGE HIS WILL,

BUT TO BRING OUR WILLS INTO HARMONY WITH HIS.

(William Temple)

Fr. Gus Tharappel,msfs