Have you put God on the hold button on your phone? You are juggling life's priorities and jamming them into the precious seconds. God comes off hold in those anxious bullet prayers when we ask for the light to turn green a little faster but the rest of the time, we are deaf to his presence. We are beginning to realize just how tired we are. Our lives may be filled but are they fulfilled? We are yearning for more.
Many are discovering yoga and tai chi in a search for harmony and balance. However, deep in our Christian faith is a rich tradition of contemplative prayer that changes the lives of those who invite God to break into their day.
In the 1970s, Benedictine monk John Main re-introduced daily Christian Meditation to laity in Montreal, to still the spirit and body through the use of a sacred word such as "Maranatha" or "Come Lord." To simply be with God in the quiet and open our heart centre is following Psalm 46, "Be still and know that I am God."
About the same time, Thomas Keating introduced Centering Prayer. Sitting comfortably, close your eyes, breathe deeply, feel the beat of your heart and repeat a sacred word such as "peace" or "shalom." This is a symbol of God's presence and a reminder to return to this word when our mind wanders.
Origen in the 3rd century began the tradition that came to be known as lectio divina that focuses the heart through repeated meditative readings of a passage. Our heart is touched by a particular phrase and awakened. And the Jesus Prayer dating from the 3rd century, also called the Prayer of the Heart, can be repeated as a means of concentrating our inner spirit: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, Have mercy on me, a sinner." This prayper expresses our deep need for God.
Walking meditation, or body prayer, has much appeal. You can turn your walking into a time of breathing deeply and repeating the Jesus prayer in harmony with your footsteps. The labyrinth at St. Paul's in the West End also leads us to contemplate as we walk in God's holy presence.
Prayer is life. "Seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." (Matthew 7:7) By entering into God's presence daily in the stillness of contemplative prayer, we begin to see the face of God in the calm, find healing of deep wounds, gain greater wisdom through God's lessons for us in the experiences of our day and find new life in the Spirit. On this prayer journey, you will discover the Kingdom of God within you and re-discover your true self.
Find a quiet place each day to be still, feel the presence of God in your heart and be refreshed.
Contemplative Mini-Retreats
Email: cmretreats@uniserve.com
St. John's Women's Silent Retreat,
August 19-21,2005
Email: stjohnnv@telus.net
Sounds of Silence - Christian meditation and study group
Email: ikers@shaw.ca
Retreats in the Diocese (see Retreat page on this site)
Contemplative Outreach Vancouver
Email: avboyd@shaw.ca
St. Paul's Labyrinth
www.stpaulsanglican.bc.ca/labyrinth
General information