A Daily Spiritual Seed
- resources for prayer and spiritual growth
- blogcast from http://dailyspiritualseed.blogspot.com (comments option open)
Annual Appeal Week
The first issue of "A Daily Spiritual Seed" was sent out in
April 1997 to a handful of people in my contacts list. At that
time, the Internet was relatively new, and the idea of using
this medium to provide spiritual growth resources was
questionable, at best. For one thing, it seemed
counter-intuitive that something as technologically
sophisticated as computers and networking could be compatible
with the values of silence and simplicity that are foundational
for prayer and meditation. That certainly can be a struggle, as
anyone who spends significant time on a computer each day can
attest. Since those early days (Netscape 2.0, Claris Home Page,
Eudora 3.1 -- ah, the memories!), the Internet has come into its
own and we can rightly assume that most people in the Northern
hemisphere and many more in the Southern have access at home or
in some public arena. We all know what you can find on the Internet -- pretty much anything you want to see or hear or consider, and not all of it good! I'm not so naive as to assume that anyone who gets on the net will somehow find their way to shalomplace.com or other Christian sites, but I'm of a strong conviction that such sites need to be present. Our material does come up in search results, sometimes unexpectedly so. We also need to be there for people who are sincerely seeking to grow in the Spirit, and are searching for other like-minded souls to share with.
The team at Heartland Center for Spirituality in Great Bend, KS decided way back in the fall of 1997 that ministry via the Internet was to be a priority for us -- not only in the interest of marketing, but also to provide enrichment and support options for Christian growth. That's what the web site at http://shalomplace.com is about; this newsletter is also part of that outreach.
Your support helps to make this happen. Let's keep a good thing going.
Phil St. Romain
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Message of the Day
There exists a hidden treasure, a treasure remaining unexploited and in no ways appreciated at its true worth, which is nevertheless that which is the greatest in heaven and earth: the Holy Spirit. The world of souls itself does not know him as it should. He is the Light of intellects and the Fire that enkindles hearts. If there is indifference, coldness, weakness and so many other evils which afflict the spiritual world and even my Church, it is because recourse is not had to the Holy Spirit.
- Concepcion Cabrera de Armida [19th-20th C.], “Spiritual Diary”
(How do you understand the Holy Spirit? How are you open to the ministry of the Spirit in your soul?)
Readings of the Day
- http://www.usccb.org/calendar/index.cfm?showLit=1&action=month
WIS 2:23–3:9; PS 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19; LK 17:7-10
R. (2a) I will bless the Lord at
all times.I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
The LORD has eyes for the just,
and ears for their cry.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
Reflection on the Scriptures
- from Praying the Daily Gospels, by Philip St. Romain
Luke 17:7-10 (Christian duty)
There
are many times when we feel that our ministries of service should
entitle us to extraordinary recognition. This temptation to
impress others with our goodness should be countered by an
admission that what we have done is not extraordinary but rather
our duty.What are some reasons why you fear reaching out? Resolve to work through at least one of these blocks to relationship.
What are some of the ways you can affirm your loved ones for their love "duties" which you have recently taken for granted?
Spiritual Reading
The Dialogue of Catherine of Siena (1347-80)
"A Treatise on Discretion"
How sin is more gravely punished after the Passion of Christ than before; and how God promises to do mercy to the world, and to the Holy Church, by means of the prayers and sufferings of His servants.
“Therefore I give My servants hunger and desire for My honor, and the salvation of souls, so that, constrained by their tears, I may mitigate the fury of My divine justice. Take, therefore, your tears and your sweat, drawn from the fountain of My divine love, and, with them, wash the face of My spouse.
“I promise you, that, by this means, her beauty will be restored to her, not by the knife nor by cruelty, but peacefully, by humble and continued prayer, by the sweat and the tears shed by the fiery desire of My servants, and thus will I fulfill your desire if you, on your part, endure much, casting the light of your patience into the darkness of perverse man, not fearing the world’s persecutions, for I will protect you, and My Providence shall never fail you in the slightest need.”
- Dictated by her to her secretaries while in a state of ecstacy. Completed in 1370.
Methods of Prayer and Reflection
Listed below are several traditional methods of prayer and reflection. As St. Frances de Sales noted, we learn to pray by praying, but it is also good to try different methods to see which seem to help facilitate connection with God. Indeed, the more we learn different methods, the better we can sense how the Spirit is moving us to pray for any given prayer time.
Lectio Divina Process
First, you choose a passage of Scripture that you will pray with. It might be the Gospel reading used in the liturgy of the day, or anything else you want. The process then follows these steps:
- Reading (lectio) After settling in
and quieting yourself,read the passage slowly, prayerfully.
Just let it sink in for a minute or two, then read it a second
time, paying closer attention to the words or phrases that
speak to you.
- Reflecting (meditatio) What do you
hear God saying to you in this passage? What words or phrases
caught your attention?
- Responding (oratio) What do you
want to say to God in response to what you've heard? Here you
can also voice your prayers of petition, remorse,
thanksgiving, praise, and so forth. If you sense God speaking
to you in your thoughts, feelings or imagination, you
respond as you would in any conversation.
- Resting (contemplatio) If, at any time, you feel drawn to simply rest in the awareness of God's loving presence, you let yourself do so. Remain in loving silence as long as you feel comfortable, perhaps using a simple word or phrase from the Scripture passage to help deepen your openness to rest in God (see Centering Prayer method, below)
Centering Prayer
(Works best after a period of Lectio Divina, as described above; two 20 minute periods a day are recommended.)
This term, centering prayer, is of recent origin, but the method is described in many places, most notably The Cloud of Unknowing .
1. Choose a sacred word as the symbol of your intention to consent to God's presence and action within. (This can be any word.)
2. Sitting comfortably and with eyes closed, settle briefly, and silently introduce the sacred word as the symbol of your consent to God's presence and action within.
3. When you become aware of thoughts, return ever-so-gently to the sacred word.
4. At the end of the prayer period, remain in silence with eyes closed for a couple of minutes.
Hesychast Prayer ("quiet" prayer)
(This form of contemplative practice was widely used by the fathers and mothers of the desert in the early days of Christianity and is still very popular in Eastern Christian churches. At least two 20 minute prayer periods are recommended.)
1. Sit quietly, with back straight and hands resting in the lap, palms up.
2. Lovingly introduce into your mind the prayer, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me." (Note: this may be shortened as the prayer proceeds).
3. Let this prayer move in synchrony with your breath, praying the first part with your inhalation, the second with exhalation.
4. When distracting thoughts attempt to break in, persist with the Jesus Prayer. Allow yourself to feel your emotions, however.
Practice of this prayer may lead to feelings of warmth in the heart and perception of inner light. Enjoy. . .
Praying With Scripture (Benedictine Approach)
1. Relax. Settle in. Be aware that God is here, now, loving you.
2. Read a short passage of Scripture as though God were speaking directly to you in it.
3. Choose a phrase from the passage that strikes you and repeat it slowly, prayerfully, non-analytically.
4. When your heart is full, express to God the needs and sentiments awakened by your meditation. When you're done, read another passage and repeat steps 3 and 4.
5. If, at any time, you feel moved to simply be present to God in loving silence, put the Scripture aside and rest in God.
Review of the Day
- from, Handbook for Spiritual Directees
Here is a practice used by many at the end of the day to see what lessons can be learned and how God was present and active through the day. Set aside fifteen to twenty minutes at the end of the day for prayer and review of your day. A suggested format is described below:.
1. Take a few moments of quiet. Breathe deeply. Ask God to help you see yourself as you truly were during the day.
2. Look back over your day - not to see what you did wrong but to honestly acknowledge what was going on with you and others.
* What happened? What did I do today?
* How did I feel? Why did I feel that way?
* Were my expectations and beliefs reasonable?
3. Affirm the healthy things you recognize.
4. Admit to yourself and God the unhealthy things. Ask God's forgiveness, believe it is yours, then decide if you need to apologize or make amends.
5. Use creative visualization to grow stronger. Honestly acknowledge the troubling situations of the day. See and feel yourself acting honestly and lovingly in these situations. Ask God for the grace to help you act in this new way.
6. Close with simple awareness of the sights and sounds around you, grateful for the good things in your life.
This process can be undertaken as a daily journal exercise or by prayerfully reviewing your day in your own mind. I like to take a walk before bedtime for examen. The important thing is to do it. It is a discipline, to be sure, but a very important one.
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