Lectio Divina

The Bible is different from other books—we are invited, through its pages, into a personal, daily relationship with God. The purpose of the Bible, ultimately, is not to give us facts, interesting stories or moral rules. Through every passage, God is inviting us to know him the way we know a good friend, the way we know how apple pie tastes and the way we know what salty sea air smells like. He invites us to experience his presence as we read.

The practice of reading the Bible meditatively—searching to experience the God we are reading about—was the main way of read- ing the Bible for the first 1,500 years of the church. Rather than attempting to plow through large chunks of text (which is something that can only happen once people become literate and have the text in their hands), Christians would listen to small portions of the Bible and hold onto a word, a phrase, a verse and mull over it throughout the week. The nugget of truth they found there would be, for them, an invitation into life with God each day.

Lectio Divina by bbarczi on Scribd

Ignatian Meditation

This classical spiritual discipline, based on the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola, invites us to enter a gospel passage imaginatively, with all our senses, to find ourselves address by Jesus who asks: What do you want me to do for you? Our meditation text is in Mark 10.

Consenting to With-God Life (Psalm 23)

This prayer practice invites you to slowly meditate on Psalm 23 as a way of consenting to reality: a world where you are never alone and always cared for by the Divine Shepherd.

Psalm 23 - Consent by bbarczi on Scribd

Welcoming Prayer

The Welcoming Prayer is a meditation inviting us to become present to explore our experiences, without judgement or shame, and invite God to be in them with us. This prayer helps us let go of thoughts and feelings which support our programs for happiness - power and control, affection and esteem, and safety and security - which become compulsive and prevent the will from being open and present to what God is inviting. The three steps of the prayer are focus, welcome, and let go.

This meditation, recorded by Mindy Durias, runs for about 16 minutes and will introduce and guide you through this practice.

Slowing Down

This practice is about slowing our interior lives down to the pace of God’s Spirit. Rather than rushing ahead, we listen. Instead of multitasking, we linger. And as we do, our hearts quiet down and we begin to sense the direction and guidance of the Spirit. We start to see people and things we rushed past before. We loosen our grip on control, and allow God to interrupt us with his plans, in his times. And, above all, we learn to trust.

Slowing Down by bbarczi on Scribd