A crowd of people gathered two Sundays ago at St. Teresa's to begin a week of guided prayer. The taster afternoon took those who sacrificed their Sunday afternoon naps (namely me) through two common methods of praying with Scripture: lectio divina* and Ignatian comtemplation**. While I am somewhat familiar with lectio, I have not really practised Ignatian contemplation much, so I was quite keen to try.
Plus, the week would help get me back on track with a more structured prayer time.
Consequently, I met with my personal prayer guide Peter*** who helped facilitate and direct my efforts at our daily meetings. I was literally blown away by how powerful Ignatian contemplation could be.
By giving the Lord time and space to enter my life this way, His presence took on an extraordinary dimension of reality. I could feel the warm tenderness of His love, witness the power of His actions, hear the healing tones of His voice, inhale the sweetness of life’s sufferings and taste the joy of communion. The answers I was seeking gained ineffable clarity. The hurts I was experiencing evaporated like smoke. The unrest in my heart transposed into a sense of deep, inner peace.
The week ended with a closing last Saturday afternoon and I am inspired to incorporate the Ignatian way into my prayer time from now on. My other take-away from the week of guided prayer is the importance of staying close to Him through prayer. Giving us, JC and myself, the opportunity to engage in deep, meaningful conversations. Such a simple formula for peace of mind and a true sense of self. One I must make effort to remember and put into practice. As St. Paul reminded the Colossians:
"…continue faithful on a sure and firm foundation and do not allow yourself to be shaken from the hope you gained when you heard the gospel…”
* Lectio divina means sacred reading and is a four-step method of praying Scripture where you read (lectio), reflect (meditatio), respond (oratio) and rest (contemplatio) in the Word of God to discern why and how a particular passage of Scripture is pertinent to your life and to call forth a response from you.
** Practised by St. Ignatius of Loyola, this form of contemplative prayer engages all five senses as you situate yourself in the presence of God in the passage and use your imagination to make the scene come alive and real during the allotted time of prayer.
*** Peter is part of Sojourners’ Companions, a group of men and women who will journey with pilgrims on a week of guided prayer. For more on them: www.catholic.org.sg/sojourners
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