For more general information on the purpose of this class we recommend reading our vision statement.
Class Schedule
Coming up (Dec 6) : Holiness Tradition: historical examples and role models (Sergio)
Based on class feedback from our first (September 13) meeting we will be investigating the contemplative, holiness, and incarnational traditions first.
9/13/09
- Introducing the six traditions, self-assessment
- Homework: memorize six traditions with brief definition (worksheet)
- Review discussion about six traditions from last meeting: Which seem to be of most need to us? General agreement: Contemplative (keep focus on God), Holiness (living a godly life in an ungodly environment), Sacramental (not leaving behind our life with God when we engage in our daily activities). These will be the areas we will more closely at in the weeks to come.
- Discussion about the questions: "What could Peter have done in his life leading up to him walking on water towards Jesus, that would have helped him keep focused on Jesus and not loose his faith and sink?" (Matthew 14:22-36). In the framework of the six traditions, we could suggest learning to focus on God day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute (Contemplative Tradition). With the great, all powerful and loving God vividly before us, the waves will loose much of their intimidating impact on us.
- The six traditions are not ends in themselves, but they help us get ready to "perform" when God calls us.
- Homework: Review worksheet "The Four Archetypes" (see below). Do at least one of the exercises given
- Introducing the four "archetypes" of Jesus' humanity (Sergio)
- Contemplative Tradition: Introduction (Tony)
- Contemplative Tradition: Learning from the Desert Fathers and Mothers (Sergio)
- Contemplative Tradition: Exercises (Florence)
- Contemplative Tradition: Prayer Workshop (Sergio leads, please bring material from last weeks)
- Hearing from God - principles for discerning God's will, investigating motives, perceptions, means (Sergio)
- Hearing from God - conversational relationship with God (Sergio)
- Bible study Philippians 2:5, "In your relationships with one another, have the same attitude of mind Christ Jesus had." (Sergio)
- What are we, should we be, praying for? (Florence)
- Thanksgiving / In the world, but not from the world: Continued review/evaluation of role play, see above 11/15/09. (Sergio)
- Holiness Tradition: historical examples and role models (Sergio)
- Holiness Tradition: applications for us (Toni)
- Incarnational Tradition (Friederike)
- Christmas Celebration (together with Young Couples track)
Introduction
One can distinguish four ways in which the incarnate Christ came to the world of his time (see the section below on "The Four Archetypes"). As disciples of Christ we believe that through his disciples, Christ is still coming to the world in these ways. Even with the grace of God upon the disciples it takes a lot of guts and practice to follow in the way of the master. In fact, it takes all the faith we can muster and will challenge our determination to follow through. And yet, in the end, we will still sing "'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far, and Grace will lead me home."
How then can we be better prepared to do what Christ wants us to do?
During the course of this class we will approach this question as suggested in the Spiritual Formation Workbook (see above). We will engage in practical exercises to better prepare our hearts and minds. We will practice listening so that we might receive answers. We will strive for more balance in our daily lives so that we might not be locked up in our mundane pursuits when the master is calling. Six areas of our spiritual practice are recognized in particular. Proficiency in each of these six areas will help the Master find a disciple who is willing and ready:
- (Contemplative Tradition) The need for prayer, which corresponds to a contemplative life style
- (Holiness Tradition) The need for holiness, which corresponds to a virtuous lifestyle in thought, word, and action
- (Charismatic Tradition) The need for empowerment by the spirit of God, which corresponds to a charismatic life style exercising spiritual gifts through ministering and healing
- (Social Justice Tradition) The need for compassion, which corresponds to an action-filled lifestyle helping others less fortunate then I
- (Evangelical Tradition) The need for God's word as the essential food to live by, which corresponds to a listening lifestyle ready to share what is heard with anyone who is hungry for God
- (Incarnational Tradition) The need for incarnation, which corresponds to a holistic lifestyle showing forth God's presence in everything I am doing
If you want to be better prepared for a lesson, start with studying the Gospel readings suggested for each tradition, and if time allows do some research on the historical examples that are mentioned.
Exercise 1:
Estimate where you are in each area on the wheel spokes below. Place dots at those points; then connect the dots from spoke to spoke to form a ring around the hub. Are you a "well-rounded" person in this view?
Be thankful for what you have and look at your opportunities for growth. Do not be discouraged! It is very rare to find a person who is strong in all six areas. Hopefully this Spiritual Formation class will help you become stronger in areas that you previously saw as impossible. In our small groups we don’t all share the same strengths and weaknesses: let’s build upon each other’s strengths!The Four Archetypes
As mentioned in the introduction, we will distinguish four ways in which the incarnate Christ came to the world of his time. Of course there are other ways of doing this. But it has been proven helpful to make the following distinctions:
- Jesus Christ as my Savior/Warrior: he forgives my sins and sets me free
- Jesus Christ as my Teacher/Wise Man: he teaches me wisdom and guides me into truth
- Jesus Christ as my Lord/King: he lives at the center of my life
- Jesus Christ as my Friend/Lover: he understands and comforts me
Exercise 1: Observing the Four Archetypes in Jesus' Life
Take a look at the following Bible texts which are chosen just as some of many examples:
- Christ as Savior/Warrior (Matthew 27:14-34): "12-14But when the accusations rained down hot and heavy from the high priests and religious leaders, he said nothing. Pilate asked him, "Do you hear that long list of accusations? Aren't you going to say something?" Jesus kept silence—not a word from his mouth. The governor was impressed, really impressed... 32-34Along the way they came on a man from Cyrene named Simon and made him carry Jesus' cross. Arriving at Golgotha, the place they call "Skull Hill," they offered him a mild painkiller (a mixture of wine and myrrh), but when he tasted it he wouldn't drink it." (The Message). And Matthew 10:34"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword."
- Christ as Teacher/Wise Man (Matthew 5-7). Here an excerpt from the Master's Sermon on the Mount: "1Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2and he began to teach them saying: 3"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5Blessed are the meek, for hey will inherit the earth. 6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. 10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven..." (NIV)
- Christ as Lord/King (Matthew 8:23-27) "23-25Then he got in the boat, his disciples with him. The next thing they knew, they were in a severe storm. Waves were crashing into the boat—and he was sound asleep! They roused him, pleading, "Master, save us! We're going down!" 26Jesus reprimanded them. "Why are you such cowards, such faint-hearts?" Then he stood up and told the wind to be silent, the sea to quiet down: "Silence!" The sea became smooth as glass. 27The men rubbed their eyes, astonished. "What's going on here? Wind and sea come to heel at his command!" (The Message)
- Christ as Friend/Lover (Matthew 11:4-6.28-30) 4-6Jesus told them, "Go back and tell John what's going on: The blind see, The lame walk, Lepers are cleansed, The deaf hear, The dead are raised, The wretched of the earth learn that God is on their side. Is this what you were expecting? Then count yourselves most blessed!...28-30"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."
Exercise 2: Which archetypes can I observe in my life?
Take a look at your own experience compared to the four areas in Jesus' life that we looked at in exercise 1. In one way or another these archetypes will by "typical" for the disciples of the Master Jesus. Through those kinds of people God is on the move today and accomplishes what we pray for "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven..."
In which would you like to see yourself grow stronger?
Exercise 3: Which are my comfort zones?
(2.1) love to be at work, (2.2) feel comfortable with group of close friends, (2.3) enjoy playing sports, (2.4) cherish being at home in my garden or reading, (2.5) like to be with large groups of people.
Do you feel called to move outside your comfort zones in the fellowship of the Master?
Exercise 4: Which areas of Jesus’ life are you most familiar with?
(3.1) praying, (3.2) striving against sin, (3.3) ministering and healing in the power of the Spirit, (3.4) showing compassion, (3.5) proclaiming the good news and reading the Scriptures, (3.6) uniting the physical and the spiritual
The six types of activities (exercise 3.1-6) are reflected in six historical movements that emphasize a particular aspect of the life of Jesus: (1) contemplative, (2) holiness, (3) charismatic, (4) social justice, (5) evangelical, and (6) incarnational movements.
The usefulness of these activities is that they get us prepared for the time when it really counts, when God's will is to be done through us in a particular circumstance and in a manner that is typical for God (see the archetypes). Otherwise we might stumble into this circumstance with a blurry notion of God's will and a lack of self control to handle the situation in a godly manner. This is much like someone practicing a musical instrument to get prepared for the time of the performance. When Jesus walked on the water he was prepared to walk on the water. Peter was not. He got intimidated. Had he spent more time in prayer, he would have had a stronger sense of God's awesome power and not lost sight of it so easily...
Which of the six activities are you more/less familiar with? Where do you need to grow through practice?
Contemplative Tradition: Practicing the prayer-filled life
Contemplative: Spending time with God in prayer and meditation
Gospel reading: Mark 14:32-36
Exercises in the Contemplative Tradition:
(choose one to practice before the next meeting)
- Set aside five to ten minutes each day for prayer: Find a time in your schedule that is free of interruption, when you can turn your thoughts to God. You may want to read a Bible verse and meditate on it, or you may want to spend the time talking with God about your needs and concerns. The idea is simply to set aside your busy activities (or not start them) and turn your attention to God.
- Spend five to ten minutes each day in silence: Carve out a time that is free form interruption and use this time to be silent. Very close friends can communicate without words; try this with God. Enjoy God’s presence.
- Spend 30 minutes each day praying the “Devine Office”: The Liturgy of the Hours or Divine Office is the official set of daily prayers used for example by the Roman Catholic Church to be recited at the canonical hours by the clergy, religious orders, and laity. It consists primarily of psalms supplemented by hymns and readings. If you have a access to the web you can go to divineoffice.org (listen to podcast) or to www.universalis.com (reading on the web and download a year’s worth of reading).
- Read selection from a devotional book: Find a book on the spiritual life that interests you. It may be a devotional classic such as Oswald Chamber's My Utmost for His Highest. However, instead of reading what you select simply to understand it, read it “with God,” knowing that God is there in the room with you. Discover God in the reading.
- Pray the same prayer for ten minutes each day: There is a tradition in the Eastern Church called “hesychasm,” (Greek: quiet/solitude) which is the practice of repeating a simple prayer over and over: The idea is to focus your thoughts on God so that God can enter our heart. You might like to try the “hesychastic” prayer “Lord Jesus Chist, Son of God, have mercy on me,” or use a verse from a psalm – perhaps “Create in me a clean heart, O God” (Ps: 51:10).
- Write an original prayer: Take time to write a prayer as if it were a “letter to God.”. Beginning with “Dear God,” tell God your hopes and dreams, your worries, your needs. You may even want to confess your sins and ask for forgiveness. Most important, use the prayer to open the lines of communication between yourself and God. Do not write the prayer as though it would be read by others someday. Like a personal journal, keep your prayer confidential so that you have the freedom to be honest. Once you are done, read and pray it every day until our next gathering.
Enriching Your Prayer Life
Establish a regular place to pray — a personal holy space. On a small table beside my bedroom chair, I have placed a candle, a cross, and several other items that hold special meaning for me — including a small china box that reminds me of my church, the community of faith that formed me. When I sit in that chair, my mind and my spirit know why I am there; pattern and familiarity make paying attention to God seem right and comfortable.
Keep a prayer list. Write in a notebook or journal the names of people and situations that you want to bring before God. Refer to the list every week or so and give thanks for how God has been at work in these matters.
Make your monthly calendar into a call to prayer. Write the names of those you want to pray for on the day of each month that corresponds to their birthday. From time to time, send a note to the ones you are praying for, letting them know you have their names before you to remind you to bring them before God.
Prayer map #1: Make a “prayer map” of your neighborhood, with blocks to represent each home. Write in the names of your neighbors and their needs. During your prayer time, work your way around the neighborhood, praying for people by name. If you don’t know your neighbors, ask God to help you find ways to reach out to them. Update the map as you progress in building relationships, making friends with your neighbors to help them become friends of Christ.
Prayer map #2: Place a map of the world or a small globe where you can see it as you pray. (If you have children in your home, you might use a world-map area rug to help them intercede for the world’s needs as a part of bedtime prayer, directing them to stand on a different continent each day of the week.) Hold the map or globe and picture God lovingly reaching out to each area where there is trouble. Consider how God wants you to respond to the needs that come to mind.
Pray the news: Each day as you listen to or read news reports, list the people and problems mentioned. Spend time sitting quietly with God, holding the list in your hands. Offer the needs represented by the list to God, waiting to see how God may nudge you to respond.
Make prayer more than “just words” by combining prayer with action. Here are some possibilities:
Prayer walking. Walk regularly through your neighborhood or work area with the intention to notice people and needs, praying for them as you walk. Use cues — toys outside, pictures on desks — as clues to suggest how you might pray.
A prayer-shawl ministry. People in these ministries knit or crochet coverlets to be given to those in special need. While working, the one doing needlework prays for the person who will receive the prayer shawl. (Visit www.prayershawlministry.org for more information.) In my church, our prayer-shawl ministry provides these to persons grieving or undergoing medical treatment, as a sign of our congregation’s presence with them and prayers for them. A prayer shawl is a sort of visible hug that can comfort the one using it.
Find an activity that helps you focus your attention on God. This might be gardening, painting, writing in a journal, running. Some people find that moving or keeping physically busy allows them to put aside distractions that interfere when they try simply to sit quietly and pray. Colossians 3:17 tells us to do all that we do as “unto the Lord.” We can turn our daily actions into prayer.
(from http://www.upperroom.org/devotional/prayer.asp)
Prayer Quotes
Fall on your knees and grow there. There is no burden of the spirit but is lighter by kneeling under it. Prayer means not always talking to Him, but waiting before Him till the dust settles and the stream runs clear. - Frederick Brotherton ( F. B. ) Meyer
Spiritual reading is a regular, essential part of the life of prayer, and particularly is it the support of adoring prayer. It is important to increase our sense of God's richness and wonder by reading what his great lovers have said about him. - Evelyn Underhill
Joy is prayer - Joy is strength - Joy is love - Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls. God loves a cheerful giver. She gives most who gives with joy. The best way to show our gratitude to God and the people is to accept everything with joy. A joyful heart is the inevitable result of a heart burning with love. Never let anything so fill you with sorrow as to make you forget the joy of the Christ risen. - Mother Teresa
I draw prayer round me like a dark protective wall, withdraw inside it as one might into a convent cell and then step outside again, calmer and stronger and more collected again. - Etty Hillesum, "An Interrupted Life"
When a Christian shuns fellowship with other Christians, the devil smiles. When he stops studying the Bible, the devil laughs. When he stops praying, the devil shouts for joy. Corrie Ten Boom
Prayer is a choice. For us to pray to give thanks, or to voice our questions and doubts shows that we are choosing to leave an opening in our spirits. Without this opening, there is no vessel, no place into which God can breathe. - Joanna Laufer
The truth of the matter is, we all come to prayer with a tangled mass of motives altruistic and selfish, merciful and hateful, loving and bitter. Frankly, this side of eternity we will never unravel the good from the bad, the pure from the impure. God is big enough to receive us with all our mixture. That is what grace means, and not only are we saved by it, we live by it as well. And we pray by it. - Richard J. Foster
What is the reason that some believers are so much brighter and holier than others? I believe the difference in nineteen cases out of twenty, arises from different habits about private prayer. I believe that those who are not eminently holy pray little and those who are eminently holy pray much. - James Charles J. C. Ryle
Read and read again, and do not despair of help to understand the will and mind of God though you think they are fast locked up from you. Neither trouble your heads though you have not commentaries and exposition. Pray and read, read and pray; for a little from God is better than a great deal from people. - John Bunyan
Christian perfection consists in three things: praying heroically, working heroically, and suffering heroically. - Anthony Mary Claret
I do a great wrong in His sight, when I beseech Him that He will hear my prayer, which as I give utterance to it I do not hear myself. I entreat Him that He will think of me; but I regard neither myself nor Him. Nay, what is worse, turning over corrupt and evil thoughts in mine heart, I thrust a dreadful offensiveness into His presence. - Bernard of Clairvaux
The soul which has come into intimate contact with God in the silence of the prayer chamber is never out of conscious touch with the Father; the heart is always going out to Him in loving communion, and the moment the mind is released from the task upon which it is engaged, it returns as naturally to God as the bird does to its nest. What a beautiful conception of prayer we get if we regard it in this light. - Edward McKendree (E. M.) Bounds
Christianity must be practical. Two children were afraid they would be late for school. One said, ""Let's kneel down and pray to God that He may help us not to be late."" The other child offered a more practical solution: "No, let's run and pray at the same time." - Anonymous
Come, Lord Jesus, and abide in my heart. How grateful I am to realize that the answer to my prayer does not depend on me at all. As I quietly abide in You and let Your life flow into me, what freedom it is to know that the Father does not see my threadbare patience or insufficient trust, rather only Your patience, Lord, and Your confidence that the Father has everything in hand. In Your faith I thank You right now for a more glorious answer to my prayer than I can imagine. Amen. - Catherine Marshall
Prayer is reaching out after the unseen; fasting is letting go of all that is seen and temporal. Fasting helps express, deepen, confirm the resolution that we are ready to sacrifice anything, even ourselves to attain what we seek for the kingdom of God. - Andrew Murray
God's silence is more than man's speech. God's negative is better than the world's affirmative. Have thy prayers been followed by a calm stillness? Well! Is not that God's voice - a voice that will suffice thee in the meantime till the full disclosure comes? Has He moved not from His place to help thee? Well, but His stillness makes thee still, and He has something better than help to give thee. - George Matheson
Accustom yourself gradually to carry Prayer into all your daily occupation -- speak, act, work in peace, as if you were in prayer, as indeed you ought to be. -François Fénelon
Prayer is not simply getting things from God, that is a most initial form of prayer; prayer is getting into perfect communion with God. If the Son of God is formed in us by regeneration, He will press forward in front of our common sense and change our attitude to the things about which we pray. - Oswald Chambers
It is an old custom of the servants of God to have some little prayer ready and to be frequently darting them up to Heaven during the day, lifting their minds to God out of the mire of this world. He who adopts this plan will get great fruits with little pains. - St. Philip Neri -
I am certainly unfit to advise anyone else on the devotional life. My own rules are (1) To make sure that, wherever else they may be placed, the main prayers should *not* be put 'last thing at night.' (2) To avoid introspection in prayers--I mean not to watch one's own mind to see if it is in the right frame, but always to turn the attention outwards to God. (3) Never, never to try to generate an emotion by will power. (4) To pray without words when I am able, but to fall back on words when tired or otherwise below par. - C.S. Lewis, Letter to Mrs. Ursula Roberts
Intensity is a law of prayer. God is found by those who seek Him with all their heart. Wrestling prayer prevails. The fervent effectual prayer of the righteous is of great force. - Samuel Chadwick
Religion is nothing if it be not the vital act by which the entire mind seeks to save itself by clinging to the principle from which it draws its life. This act is prayer, by which term I understand no vain exercise of words, no mere repetition of certain sacred formulae, but the very movement itself of the soul, putting itself in a personal relation of contact with the mysterious power of which it feels the presence--it may be before it even has a name by which to call it. Whenever this interior prayer is lacking, there is no religion; wherever, on the other hand, this prayer rises and stirs the soul, even in the absence of forms or doctrines, we have living religion. - William James, The Varieties of Religious Experiences
To pray is to listen to the One who calls you "my beloved daughter," "my beloved son," "my beloved child." To pray is to let that voice speak to the center of your being, to your guts, and let that voice resound in your whole being. - Henri J. M. Nouwen
The most eloquent prayer is the prayer through hands that heal and bless. The highest form of worship is the worship of unselfish Christian service. The greatest form of praise is the sound of consecrated feet seeking out the lost and helpless. - Billy Graham
Out of this (contemplative prayer) grows the love of our neighbours, for we now esteem them, and no longer judge them as we used to do, when we looked upon ourselves as exceedingly fervent, and upon others as not. Now we see nothing but our own need for God, which we keep so constantly before our eyes that we can look upon nothing else." - St. John of the Cross, ""The Dark Night of the Soul""
One must not think that a person who is suffering is not praying. He is offering up his sufferings to God, and many a time he is praying much more truly than one who goes away by himself and meditates his head off, and, if he has squeezed out a few tears, thinks that is prayer. St. Teresa of Avila
Prayer has mighty power to move mountains because the Holy Spirit is ready both to encourage our praying and to remove the mountains hindering us. Prayer has the power to change mountains into highways. - Wesley L. Duewel
Prayer and love are learned in the hour when prayer becomes impossible and the heart has turned to stone. - Thomas Merton
To pray is to let God into our lives. He knocks and seeks admittance, not only in the solemn hours of secret prayer. He knocks in the midst of your daily work, your daily struggles, your daily grind. That is when you need Him most. - Ole Kristian O. Hallesby
Breath Prayer: What I do (breathing in), I connect to You (breathing out) (By Sr. Joel Christoph, 9-27-99)
Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks. Then the doing of your work shall be no miracle, but you yourself shall be the miracle. - Phillips Brooks
I have now concentrated all my prayers into one, and that one prayer is this: that I may die to self, and live wholly to him. - Charles H. Spurgeon
A prayerless soul is a Christless soul. Prayer is the lisping of the believing infant, the shout of the fighting believer, the requiem of the dying saint falling asleep in Jesus. It is the breath, the watchword, the comfort, the strength, the honor of a Christian - Charles H. Spurgeon
The central significance of prayer is not in the things that happen as results, but in the deepening intimacy and unhurried communion with God at His central throne of control in order to discover a sense of God's need in order to call on God's help to meet that need. - Edward McKendree Bounds
You can draw near to God even though you cannot say a word. A prayer may be crystallised in a tear. A tear is enough water to float a desire to God. - Charles H. Spurgeon
You can read all the manuals on prayer and listen to other people pray, but until you begin to pray yourself you will never understand prayer. It's like riding a bicycle or swimming: You learn by doing. - Luis Palau
Prayer is the creator as well as the channel of devotion. The spirit of devotion is the spirit of prayer. Prayer and devotion are united as soul and body are united, as life and the heart are united. There is no real prayer without devotion, no devotion without prayer. E. M. Bounds, "Power through Prayer"
Prayer is the human response to the perpetual outpouring of love by which God lays siege to every soul. When our reply to God is most direct of all, it is called adoration. Adoration is the spontaneous yearning of the heart to worship, honour, magnify, and bless God. We ask nothing but to cherish him. We seek nothing but his exaltation. We focus on nothing but his goodness. Richard J. Foster
Often I have heard people say, "How good God is! We prayed that it would not rain for our church picnic, and look at the lovely weather!" Yes, God is good when He sends good weather. But God was also good when He allowed my sister, Betsie, to starve to death before my eyes in a German concentration camp. I remember one occasion when I was very discouraged there. Everything around us was dark, and there was darkness in my heart. I remember telling Betsie that I thought God had forgotten us. "No, Corrie," said Betsie, "He has not forgotten us. Remember His Word: "For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him." Corrie concludes, "There is an ocean of God's love available - there is plenty for everyone. May God grant you never to doubt that victorious love - whatever the circumstances." Corrie Ten Boom
Do you long to know how you may always experience deliverance from the sin of prayerlessness? Here you have the secret. Believe in the Son of God, give Him time in the inner chamber to reveal Himself in His ever present nearness, as the Eternal and Almighty One, the Eternal Love who watches over you.... It has not entered into the heart of man what God can do for those who love Him. - Andrew Murray
If you are rushed for time, sow time and you will reap time. Go to church and spend a quiet hour in prayer. You will have more time than ever and your work will get done. Sow time with the poor. Sit and listen to them, give them your time lavishly. You will reap time a hundredfold. - Dorothy Day
Faith is to the soul what life is to the body. Prayer is to faith what breath is to the body. How a person can live and not breathe is past my comprehension, and how a person can believe and not pray is past my comprehension too. - James Charles J. C. Ryle
We can do nothing, we say sometimes, we can only pray. That, we feel, is a terribly precarious second-best. So long as we can fuss and work and rush about, so long as we can lend a hand, we have some hope; but if we have to fall back upon God -- ah, then things must be critical indeed! ... A. J. Gossip
For our own prayer, the steps of Lection Divina can be summarized like this:
1. Lectio - "listening": we find a word or passage that speaks to us in a personal way
2. Meditatio - "ruminating": we take this word into our life context, know it "by heart"
3. Oratio - "answering": we accept this word as our call, we commit to put it to practice in faith
4. Contemplatio - "resting": we simply rest in God's presence and enjoy His loving embrace
The last and highest result of prayer is not the securing of this or that gift, the avoiding of this or that danger. The last and highest result of prayer is the knowledge of God -- the knowledge which is eternal life -- and by that knowledge, the transformation of human character, and of the world. - George John Blewett
Prayer unites the soul to God. Although the soul is like God in nature, it is often different from Him in condition because of a person's sin. Prayer then acts as a witness that the soul wills as God wills. It eases the conscience and prepares us for grace. - Julian of Norwich
Oh, how few find time for prayer! There is time for everything else, time to sleep and time to eat, time to read the newspaper and the novel, time to visit friends, time for everything else under the sun, but - no time for prayer, the most important of all things, the one great essential! - Oswald J. Smith
Here is the great secret of success. Work with all your might; but trust not in the least in your work. Pray with all your might for the blessing of God; but work, at the same time, with all diligence, with all patience, with all perseverance. Pray then, and work. Work and pray. And still again pray, and then work. And so on all the days of your life. The result will surely be, abundant blessing. Whether you see much fruit or little fruit, such kind of service will be blessed... - George Muller
If we would talk less and pray more about them, things would be better than they are in the world: at least, we should be better enabled to bear them. - John Owen
In recent times it has become fashionable in Christian spirituality to put great emphasis on service to our neighbour and to equate service with prayer. There is much truth in this idea, but it is a half-truth. There can be no substitute in the spiritual life for being alone with God. There must be that part of spirituality which is private and individual - secret between me and my God. It is that daily attempt to become increasingly aware of the presence and the action of God in our lives and to know the growing desire within us for some kind of closeness to him. - Basil Hume
God is always present, always available. At whatever moment in which one turns to him the prayer is received, is heard, is authenticated, for it is God who gives our prayer its value and its character, not our interior dispositions, not our fervor, not our lucidity. The prayer which is pronounced for God and accepted by him becomes, by that very fact, a true prayer. - Jacques Ellul (1912-1994), "Prayer and Modern Man"
Anyone can lead a ""prayer-life""--that is, the sort of reasonable devotional life to which each is called by God. This only involves making a suitable rule and making up your mind to keep it however boring this may be. - Evelyn Underhill (1875-1941), "The Letters of Evelyn Underhill"
Christian prayer rests upon the irreversible fact of the self-revelation of God in Jesus Christ and its confirmation in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Trinity is the basis of true prayer as well as its goal. Prayer, as biblical faith understands it, is made possible by the triune God and is directed to this God. - Donald G. Bloesch, "The Struggle of Prayer"
Historical example: Desert Fathers and Mothers (4th century)
(Some citations from Wikipedia and www.orthodox.cn)
The Desert Fathers and Mothers were Hermits, Ascetics and Monks who lived mainly in the desert of Egypt, beginning around the third century. The original desert hermits were Christians fleeing the chaos and persecution of the Roman Empire's Crisis of the Third Century. In Egypt, refugee communities formed at the edges of population centers, far enough away to be safe from Imperial scrutiny.
In 313, when Christianity was made legal in Egypt by Diocletian's successor Constantine I, a trickle of individuals, many of them young men, continued to live in these marginal areas. The solitude of these places attracted them because the privations of the desert were a means of learning self-discipline. Such self-discipline was modeled after the examples of Jesus' fasting in the desert and of his cousin John the Baptist (himself a desert hermit). These individuals believed that desert life would teach them to eschew the things of this world and allow them to follow God's call in a more deliberate and individual way.
During the fourth century, the empty areas around Egyptian cities continued to attract others from the world over, wishing to live in solitude. As the lifestyle developed, these men and women developed a reputation for holiness and wisdom. In its early form, each hermit followed more or less an individual spiritual program, perhaps learning some basic practices from other monks, but developing them into their own unique practice. Later monks, notably Anthony the Great, Pachomius and Shenouda the Archimandrite, developed a more regularized approach to desert life, and introduced some aspects of community living (especially common prayer and meals) that would eventually develop into cenobitic monasticism (community living).
Many individuals who spent part of their lives in the Egyptian desert went on to become important figures in the Church and society of the fourth and fifth century, among them Athanasius of Alexandria, John Chrysostom, John Cassian, and Augustine of Hippo. Through the work of these last two, the spirituality of the desert fathers, emphasizing an ascent to God through periods of purgation and illumination that led to unity with the Divine, deeply affected the spirituality of the Western Church and the Eastern Church.
Exercise 1: Read the text below and then share for a few minutes your thoughts on the life of men and women similar to Saint Antony
St Antony, Abbot (251 - 356): Following the death of his parents when he was about 20, Anthony insured that his sister completed her education, then he sold his house, furniture, and the land he owned, gave the proceeds to the poor, joined the anchorites who lived nearby, and moved into an empty sepulchre. At age 35 he went out into the wilderness to begin a life of penitence, living in absolute poverty, praying, meditating, and supporting himself by manual work. Anthony barricaded the place for solitude, but admirers and would-be students broke in. He miraculously healed people, and agreed to be the spiritual counselor of others. His recommendation was to base life on the Gospel. Word spread, and so many disciples arrived that Anthony founded two monasteries on the Nile. He suffered many temptations, both physical and spiritual, but he overcame them. Disciples gathered round him, attracted by his wisdom, moderation, and holiness. He gave support to the victims of the persecutions of Diocletian, and helping St Athanasius in his fight against the Arians. He lived to be over a hundred years old, and died in 356.
Exercise 2: “Without contemplation, without the intimate, silent, secret pursuit of truth through love, our action loses itself in the world and becomes dangerous (Thomas Merton)”. Share how you understand this statement and what you think about it.
Exercise 3: When Saint Anthony went into the desert to face himself and God, he did not find in himself a poor self-image. He found demons (John Garvey) – Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1). – What could it mean to “find demons” within oneself? Can you share some of your “desert” experience, the struggles within, and how you overcome those?
Hearing from God
(Literature: Dallas Willard, Hearing God. Ideas below quoted from this book.)
What MOTIVES make us seek God’s will?
- Example motives: own comfort, safety, eternal judgment... What are yours?
- Discuss the following statement: When we love someone, of course we want to please them. We don’t want this only to avoid trouble or gain favor; it is our way of being with them…When we love and our love is returned we don’t want to order the lover about; instead the beloved desires that the lover understand what is needed so that no orders are necessary. And so it is in our union with God, a person both loving and beloved. He does not delight in having to always explain what his will is; he enjoys it when we understand and act upon his will. Our highest calling and opportunity in life is to love him with all our being.
- How does the picture of love as a way of “being with” fit into what you have experienced in your life?
- Our loving communion with God provides the appropriate context for communications between us and him (see next section)
What FORM OF COMMUNICATION do we expect from God?
- How does it work out in your experience? Bible verses? Inner voices? External signs? …
- Any successful attempt on our part to hear God’s voice has a lot to do with the relationship of our personal experience to the contents of the Bible and, by extension, to the lives of the saints and heroes of the faith throughout the ages.
- Activity: Read Acts 14:1-15. How do you feel about what Paul was doing? Discuss the following statement: If we are really to understand the Bible record, we must enter into our study of it on the assumption that the experiences recorded there are basically of the same type as ours would have been if we had been there.
- Note: The kind of experience that Biblical characters (including Jesus Christ) had, can be understood in terms of our own experience because because they were all human beings. See Hebrews 4:15
- For discussion: If we do not know and are not taught how to understand the experience of biblical characters in terms of their own experience, then communion with God and receiving guiding communication with God are not possible. Discuss.
- Activity: Imagine what it would be like if you were one of the main characters in the following stories: Moses standing by the bush (Exodus 3:2) – Little Samuel lying in his darkened room (1 Samuel 3:3-7) – Elisha under inspiration from the minstrel (2 Kings 3:15) – Ananias receiving his vision about Paul (Acts 9:11) Peter oh the rooftop (Acts 10:10). We must pray for the faith and for the experiences that would enable us to believe that such things could happen to us.
How do we PERCEIVE God’s will for us?
- Examples for how we perceive God’s will: As coming from a friend, buddy, whip-lasher
- Read Matthew 24:14-30 (Parable of the Talents). Discuss the following statement: “The worthless slave abused his lord by taking him to be interested only in getting his own back, while the lord for his part was really interested in sharing his life and goods with others”
- Discuss the idea that one of God’s main tasks is to see to it that no one gets away with anything. Brainstorm other examples of motives, images, concepts that you may have observed that would “brutalize” God.
- We are to be God’s friends and fellow workers according to 2 Chronicles 20:7, John 15:13-15 and 1 Corinthians 3:9. Can you see these qualities in the “good and trustworthy” slaves? Discuss.
Holiness Tradition: Practicing the virtuous life
Holiness: Having pure thoughts, words, and actions, and overcoming temptation
Gospel reading: Matthew 4:1-11
Exercises in the Holiness Tradition:
(choose one to practice before the next meeting)
- Pray for the Holy Spirit to purify your heart and mind; then listen: In bringing about change, God works from the inside out and he works via the Holy Spirit. Set aside a substantial amount of time (say, one hour) for a deep and heartfelt prayer. During that time, ask God to purify your heart and mind through the power of the Holy Spirit. The key to the effectiveness of your prayer will be your willingness to surrender control of your life to God. Ask God to search your heart to see if there is any hidden evil in your life or any activity that God wants you to quit. Then listen. When you have a sense of what God wants to free you from, pray that the spirit will purge that sin – even the desire for it – from your life. Holiness is born in prayers like these.
- Respond to temptation with the word of God: Jesus overcame the devil’s temptations by holding fast to God’s commandments. Memorize those three responses (Deuteronomy 8:3, 6:16, 6:13), and when you are tempted by the enemy to (1) gratify selfish desires, (2) doubt God’s power, or (3) seek wealth, power, or fame, respond to the temptation with the corresponding verse of Scripture. Jesus used the power of God through Scripture to defeat the devil, and so can we.
- Try a twenty-four hour partial fast: Jesus fasted in the wilderness to gain spiritual strength. When we fast, we are saying no to the uncontrolled appetites of our body and thereby gaining mastery over them. The practice of fasting also reveals hidden traits – anger, selfishness, inability to delay gratification, laziness, and so on – which can become areas for change (and growth) in the future. A simple way to begin is to fast from lunch to lunch, skipping dinner and breakfast in between. After eating lunch on the first day, do not eat a full meal until lunch on the second day. During the twenty-four hours drink plenty of water, and at mealtimes drink a glass of fruit juice if you want. Remember, in the fasting you are “feasting” upon God.
- Practice these two disciplines for “taming the tongue”: What we say reveals what is in our hearts. That is why Jesus said that it is not what goes into the mouth but what comes out that defiles a person (Matt. 15:11). In other words, what we say makes us “unclean.” James also reminds us of the power of words (James 3:5-12). Like fire they can refine or destroy. The following disciplines will help you monitor the things you say and gain some control over the awesome power of the tongue. (A) Go a day without saying anything negative: In the morning ask the Holy Spirit to “set a guard over your mouth” (Psalm 141:3), preventing you from saying anything negative. Be ruthless about this! Do not let even the slightest hint of criticism or judgment come out of your mouth. You may find yourself in situations that call for an honest appraisal; for example, you may be asked what you think about something. Be honest, but do not be critical. Instead, search for ways to be positive about everything around you and be ready to give compliments as often as you can. (B) Go a day without saying anything that is dishonest: Jesus said of Nathaniel that he was a person without “deceit”. What a compliment. Deceit is dishonesty, double-talk, falsehood, shading the truth, manipulating words, and the like. Pray that the Spirit will make your heart pure and honest and alert you to anything that is less than forthright. Do not manipulate your words; let your “yes” be “yes” and your “no be “no”. Note: In both of these activities you will find a great sense of release. Our negative words hurt not only others but ourselves as well: they affect our spirit.
Historical example: John Wesley's "Holy Club", Methodist (18th century)
Charismatic tradition: Practicing the spirit-empowered life
Charismatic: Welcoming the Holy Spirit while nurturing and exercising my spiritual gifts
Gospel reading: John 14:15-17, 25-26; 15:26-27; 16:7-15
Exercises in the Charismatic Tradition:
(choose one to practice before the next meeting):
- Yield to the work of the spirit: Spend one hour in prayer this week specifically asking for the Spirit to begin working in your life ina new and powerful way.Remember, you are seeking God. Make no demands; have no expectations. Your only task is to surrender yourself to God, to open the door so that the Spirit can come in and begin changing the way you think and live. This may lead to a time of confession.
- Nurture the fruit of the Spirit: Galatians 5:22 lists nine virtues called the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. They are listed in contrast with the "works of the flesh": fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, and so on (Gal. 5:19-21). Paul says we are responsible for living by the spirit, which helps the fruit grow (Gal 5:25). Set aside 15 minutes a day to meditate on the fruit of the Spirit. Ask God to show you which virtue needs to be more evident in your life. Then ask the Holy Spirit to begin working in your mind and heart, knowing that change will come through sustained communion with God.
- Discover your spiritual gifts: 1.Corinthians 12:8-10 lists nine gifts of the Spirit: wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, discernment, speaking in tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. Explore these gifts through prayer, asking God to guide you to a gift (or perhaps more than one) that may be neglected and needs to be stirred up in your life or the life of your church fellowship (1 Tim 4:14). Read the Scriptures that refer to spiritual gifts (Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12-14:25, Ephesians 4:11-13). Recommended reading: Donald Gee's book Concerning Spiritual Gifts.
- Read the Scriptures with the Holy Spirit:
(see the section on "Lectio Divina") - Listen to the Advocate when making decisions: One of the most important and basic ministries of the Holy Spirit is to provide guidance (Rom 8:14, Gal 5:25). Do you need to make an important decision? Seek the Spirit to help you: take your concern to God in prayer. Ask God to give you direction, insight, leading. That direction may take the form of an intuitive sense; it may be a friend's advice that you sense comes from God, or it may be a door of opportunity opening or closing. In all decisions test the Spirit by examining the Scriptures. The Spirit of God will lead you according to the principles and commandments found in the Bible.
Historical example: Beginning of the "Quaker" movement led by George Fox (17th century)
Social Justice Tradition: Practicing the compassionate life
Social Justice: Helping others less fortunate than I
Gospel reading: Matthew 25:31-46
Exercises in the Social Justice Tradition:
(choose one to practice before the next meeting)
- Write a kind, encouraging letter: This may seem like a small task, but it can work miracles. Take time to write a letter that tells someone how important he or she is to you. We seldom let people know how much they are appreciated. Or perhaps you know someone who is struggling with something. Write a letter that tells him or her that you care and that you are available to talk or listen. "Anxiety weighs down the human heart, but a good word cheers it up" (Proverbs 12:25).
- Volunteer to help at a local food bank or soup kitchen: Relief efforts and service organizations always need helping hands. Find out where you can help, call and volunteer to help in any area (like stocking shelves, serving food, cleaning, clerical work). A few hours of your time will be greatly appreciated.
- Guard the reputation of another person: Although you cannot see it, a person's reputation is valuable, and you can guard and protect it by refusing to gossip or backbite. Paul urged Titus "to speak evil of no one" (Titus 3:2a). By refusing to take part in discussions that focus on half-truths or fault-finding, you can contribute to the death of a rumor or criticism. If people you are talking with start to say things that are gossipy or critical of someone, smile and gently say, "We don't know that's really true, do we?" or "That doesn't sound like him/her at all." Then simply change the subject. Your gentle demeanor and response in protecting another person's valuable reputation can help others become aware of the harmful nature of their words.
- Look for an injustice and address it: If you open your eyes, you will begin to see areas in your home, workplace, community, and church that support injustice. As a first step, examine yourself to make sure that you are not looking for a speck in your neighbor's eye and overlooking the two-by-bour in your own (Matt 7:3-5). In other words, ask yourself, "Am I doing something that oppresses someone else?" Look for ways you might be taking advantage of someone, abusing that person's kindness, or stifling his or her growth. After a thorough self-examination you will be more able to look at thi injustice around you. - You should always avoid advising people on a problem or condemning them for their actions, but if you are true to the task of addressing injustice, you will-at some point-need to voice your concern... The goal is not to hurt people but to see justice reign (Thy kingdom come)
- Take a stand: Is there racism, sexism, or some other form of discrimination in a club or a business or a community or an institution that you need to address? If so, discuss with the Spiritual Formation Group what your response should be. If your action involves some form of civil disobedience, engage in it peacefully, prayerfully, and compassionately. Be sure that the other members of the group support you with prayer and other appropriate actions.
Historical example: Dorothy Day, 20th Century, New York, USA
Evangelical Tradition: Practicing the word-centered life
Evangelical: Sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ and reading the Scriptures
Gospel reading: Luke 4:16-20a; 42-44
Exercises in the Evangelical Tradition:
(choose one to practice before the next meeting)
- Memorize a word of scripture: Select a verse unfamiliar to you from a favorite translation. You may want to pick one of these verses - Galatians 2:20, Romans 5:1, John 3:16, Psalm 1:1, Ephesians 2:8 - or you may want to choose some other verse. Memorizing Scripture allows God's word to take root in your thought-life and in your inner heart. It is easier to memorize a verse one phrase at a time than all at once. Keep adding phrases and saying the verse to yourself throughout the day until you are able to repeat it from memory.
- Read one of the shorter books of the Bible out loud: The Gospels, even Paul's letters were read aloud to the early Christians in their gathered communities. Read for example Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Timothy, Thessalonians, Titus. Imagine how the Christians listening to those words for the first time felt and responded.
- Meditate on a verse or brief passage about Jesus Christ: For example John 1:1, John 1:14, Hebrews 1:1-2, 1 John 1:1-3. Take twenty minutes or so to read the verse or passage slowly and carefully. Pause after each sentence and reflect on it. Ask questions: What does this sentence mean? What is God telling me about himself? about Jesus Christ? about me? about others? If a particular word or phrase stands out, spend additional time reflecting on it.
- Imagine yourself as one of Jesus' brothers: Read John 7:1-8. You have known Jesus since you were born; he is your older brother. You grew up in the same house and worked together in the carpentry shop. But he is acting crazy, going around the countryside healing people and preaching to crowds and making outlandish claims. Yet Yesus wants to keep out of the public eye. How do his actions make you feel? Do you feel ashamed? proud? angry? jealous? willing to side with his enemies? Do you share some of the same doubt Jesus' brothers did? If so, ask Jesus to help you overcome it.
- Look for an opportunity to tell someone about your faith: Prayer precedes these opportunities, so begin by praying that God will bring you into contact with someone who needs to hear about Jesus. Ask God to let you know in some way who is the right person and when is the right time. When that person asks how you are doing, or how things are going, gently begin speaking about the central place faith in Jesus Christ has in your life. Do not speak in a way that makes the person feel he or she is being judged or manipulated. Simply express what has happened to you and let that word go forth simply and honestly.
- Proclaim the Gospel by your actions: St. Francis reminds us, "Always preach Christ; use words when necessary." During the next few days let you actions speak for you, but before beginning, pray for the insight to see your life as others see it. Then as you come into contact with people, pay particular attention to your actions and what they are conveying. The fruit of the spirit (love, joy, peace, and so on) witness to the power of God. When people see these qualities in your life, they will instinctively want to know what makes you "different." By the end of this exercise you should be able to pick out areas in your life that speak well of Christ and areas that need correcting.
Historical example: Billy Graham (20th century)
Incarnational Tradition: Practicing the sacramental life
Incarnational: Unifying the sacred secular areas of my life while showing forth God's presence
(Moravians, 18th century)
Gospel reading: Luke 13:10-17
Exercises in the Incarnational Tradition
(choose one to practice before the next meeting):
- Take an inventory of your life: List on a piece of paper all of the activities that you are involved in, such as work, church, clubs, housework, parenting, hobbies, sports. Be very specific; if you belong to two clubs, for example, list both. Now, on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 1 representing the least effective), decide how well you bring the presence of God into each activity. Do not be discouraged if the results are disappointing. Even for people who have been practicing the disciplines for quite a while, change takes time. Pray, asking God to help you show forth his presence in those areas that have lower scores. Then, as you participate in the activities, imagine God working through you.
- Remove the barrier that keeps God outside: As you sit in a chair, imagine that you have an extra layer of skin (or even full-body armor) that keeps God's Spirit out of the innermost parts of your being. Hold this image in your mind for a moment. Then destry or rip off the barrier and invite the Spirit of God to penetrate you, to overwhelm you with his love, to take up permanent residence in your body, to make you a "tabernacle." Continue sitting quietly until you feel that the work is complete, expressing your gratitude when it is done.
- Do your work in honor of God: In our culture we do things to honor famous people - roasts, awards, ceremonies, parades. Choose a day this week to do your work in honor of God. When you go to work, drive your car in a manner that brings respect to God. As you answer the telephone, give the conversation and its results to God. While planting a tree, thank God for the beauty of his creation. Conduct your staff meeting as if God were visibly present - an audience of One - observing everything that you do.
- Read a book by Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, or Solzhenitsyn: Fyodor Dostoevsky, Leo Tolstoy, and Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn masterfully wove their Christian faith into their literary works. Dostoevsky writes about a Christ-figure, Prince Mishkin, in The Idiot. Tolstoy's War and Peace and Anna Karenina engage us in the great struggles of human souls from war to peace and love. The contemporary writer Solshenitsyn integrates his faith into the warp and woof of One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich and Cancer Ward. If you feel a little overwhelmed by Dostoevsky's and Tolstoy's writings, take more than one week to read one of their books, or read One Day.
- Receive the sacrament of Communion or Eucharist: On Sunday attend a church that will be serving Communion. Prepare to receive the sacrament by taking a mental inventory of ways God has helped you bring his presence into your family, workplace, and social contacts during the past six days. Then receive the Eucharist joyfully, knowing that Jesus Christ is truly present to you and longs to strengthen you an dteach you daily. Say a prayer of thanksgiving for his presence in your life and ask him to be with you during the coming week.
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