Pilgrimage to Easter: Day 13

Meditation for Monday 22 February: Feast day of the Chair of Peter
... from the readings of the day:

Tend the flock of God in your midst,
overseeing not by constraint but willingly,
as God would have it, not for shameful profit but eagerly.
1 Peter 5:2

When I went to Rome as our leader
I started a tradition that will last.
Rome was the centre of the world
and I was leader of our Church there. 

Jesus called me his rock - and I really

tried to be. But my failures are well-known.

My fear led me to say I didn't know him.

My self-doubt led me to sink into the waves.

I'm not a learned man: I'm good at fishing.

I try to be a good man. I try to support Jesus.

I try to love and support my people.

I try to set a standard for others who will

follow me in the chair of my cathedral.

I pray that my failures will allow them to make 

the human mistakes too - and be forgiven, 

and to use their sorrow to grow stronger in Christ.

Suggestions for meditation

Always begin by offering your time to God and asking for the grace to grow closer: something like "My loving God, I love you with my whole heart and above all things. I give you this time as I reach out to you, and ask that you guide me now, and each day, closer to you".

The exact words of the prayer are not important but you do need a firm intention to open yourself to God's input.

Read the mediation over slowly a couple of times.

Listen for the personal message for you. There will always be one word or phrase that will reach into your heart. Think of it as the personal meaning God has for you alone!

If you would prefer a more authoritative reading to focus your meditation, try this from one of today's readings, Matthew 16:13-17

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”  

They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 

Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 

Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church.

Focus on a significant word or phrase in this passage or the meditation for a few moments.

What word of phrase jumps out to speak to you?

Why? Try to put yourself into those words. Maybe imagine Jesus speaking, and reply.

Then spend 5, or 10, or 15 minutes with your word from Jesus, or the word CHRIST.

You need a clear intention to empty your mind of random thoughts (you won't be entirely successful but you need the intention).

You might want to begin the meditation using the breathing exercise I suggest in We have two minds.

After a minute or two focused on your breathing, move your focus to the word/s you have chosen.

Each time your attention moves away from the word/s, push the distraction gently aside and return to the word ("without the intervention of analytical thought" as The Cloud of Unknowing puts it).

You may need a countdown clock.

At the end thank God, and return to your day.

Pilgrimage to Easter: Day 4

Meditation for Saturday 13 February

... from the readings of the day:

Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him.

Luke 5:27

Jesus called ordinary flawed people like me,
people touched by sin and disapproval. 
His message was not for the career religious 
(who he always seems to disapprove of). 
It was for us. The ordinary. 

We are called to ...

... intimacy
   Called to be intimate with our Creator
     to know and love God 
     more than we know about God. 

... listen
   Called to hear the Spirit in our lives: 

     we are called to learn to listen.

     The Spirit is always with us.

... joy

   We are called to be people of joy

     and people who share joy.

     Not people of anger or judgment.

... heal

   Jesus is our inspiration, 
     teaching us to

     love, forgive, heal, reach out.

... share

   We are called to party, 
     to share food and company

     and joy and all our blessings.

... bless

   We are light: called to bless ourselves, 
     others, and each thing in Creation. 
     We see God everywhere.

Suggestions for meditation

Always begin by offering your time to God and asking for the grace to grow closer: something like "My loving God, I love you with my whole heart and above all things. I give you this time when I am reaching out to you and ask that you guide me each day closer to you".

The exact words of the prayer are not important but you do need a firm intention to open yourself to God's input.

Read the mediation over slowly a couple of times.

Listen for the personal message for you. There will always be one word or phrase that will reach into your heart. Think of it as the personal meaning God has for you alone!

If you would prefer a more authoritative reading to focus your meditation, try this from one of today's readings, Luke 5:27-32

Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him.  

Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were at table with them. 

The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”  

Jesus said to them in reply, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”

Focus on a significant word or phrase in this passage or the meditation for a few moments.

What word of phrase jumps out to speak to you?

Why? Try to put yourself into those words. Maybe imagine Jesus speaking, and reply.

Then spend 5, or 10, or 15 minutes with your word from Jesus, or the word LOVE. 

You need a clear intention to empty your mind of random thoughts (you won't be entirely successful but you need the intention). 

You might want to begin the meditation using the breathing exercise I suggest in We have two minds. 

After a minute or two focused on your breathing, move your focus to the word/s you have chosen. 

Each time your attention moves away from the word/s, push the distraction gently aside and return to the word ("without the intervention of analytical thought" as The Cloud of Unknowing puts it).

You may need a countdown clock.

At the end thank God, and return to your day.

Meditation: Broken, 2

Unless the perfect blossom blushed with pink

shrivels and dies I have no apple, crisp, 
sharp yet sweet juice running down my chin.

   Perfect and broken, both: 
   perfect because made by God to grow;

   broken because I have forgotten that 
   without death there is no life.

Unless the caterpillar eats its fill
is buried and dies, there is no glory 
of fragile flight, splendour suspended on breath of air.

   Perfect and broken, both: 
   perfect because made by God to grow;

   broken because I have forgotten that 
   without struggle there is no life.

Unless the egg so delicate and of the clearest blue
cracks and opens
I have no song outside my window to greet the dawn.

   Perfect and broken, both: 
   perfect because made by God to grow;

   broken because I have forgotten that 
   without destruction there is no life.

Unless the hydrogen gathers and explodes; unless plates groan in glacial grind, I have no place to stand in wonder of creation.

   Perfect and broken, both: 
   perfect because made by God to grow;

   broken because I have forgotten that 
   without tension there is no life.

Unless my perfect skin, tanned and glowing
becomes spotted and creased, I learn nothing 
from my mistakes, and wisdom fails on Earth.

   Perfect and broken, both: 
   perfect because made by God to grow;

   broken because I have forgotten that 
   without decay there is no life.

Suggestions for meditation

Always begin by offering your time to God: something like "My loving God, I love you with my whole heart and above all things. I give you this time when I am reaching out to you" and then a few moments reminding yourself of some of the blessings God has given you - the clear signs of God's love for you. The exact words of the prayer are not important but you do need a firm intention to open yourself to God's input.

Read the mediation over slowly a couple of times.

Listen for the personal message for you. There will always be one word or phrase that will reach into your heart. Think of it as the personal meaning God has for you alone!

If you would prefer a more authoritative reading to focus your meditation try John 12:24

I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain. But if it dies, it produces much grain and yields a harvest. 

Focus on this passage or the meditation slowly a couple of times.

What word of phrase jumps out to speak to you?

Why? Try to put yourself into those words. Maybe imagine Jesus speaking, and reply.

Then spend 5, or 10, or 20 minutes with your word from Jesus, or the word CHANGE or the word GROW. 

You need a clear intention to empty your mind of random thoughts (you won't be entirely successful but you need the intention). 

You might want to begin the meditation using the breathing exercise I suggest in We have two minds. 

After a minute or two focused on your breathing, move your focus to the word/s you have chosen. 

Each time your attention moves away from the word/s, push the distraction gently aside and return to the word ("without the intervention of analytical thought" as The Cloud of Unknowing puts it).

You may need a countdown clock.

At the end thank God, and return to your day.

Meditation: Broken, 1

There is a crack in everything: that's how the light gets in!

Leonard Cohen 1993

The potter made the most beautiful pot,
flawed in the kiln;
but still a pot,
still perfect in the memory of the maker.

Made first to be a work of art - 
an object of wonder
striking awe in its perfection
a reminder of the perfection in each of us.

Made to be displayed, not used,
too perfect for human use.
Now, flawed, but useful still
because of the space enclosed within.

And it works as a pot. Perfectly. Still 
remembering the potter's dream
of perfect form and design and decoration
but now more: useful as well as beautiful,

just as full of awe, just as perfect,
just as full of beauty, but now also 
in daily use. Dusty, worn by handling, yes, 
but still perfect and loved and full of wonder.

Suggestions for meditation

Always begin by offering your time to God: something like "My loving God, I love you with my whole heart and above all things. I give you this time when I am reaching out to you" and then a few moments reminding yourself of some of the blessings God has given you - the clear signs of God's love for you. The exact words of the prayer are not important but you do need a firm intention to open yourself to God's input.

Read the mediation over slowly a couple of times.

Listen for the personal message for you. There will always be one word or phrase that will reach into your heart. Think of it as the personal meaning God has for you alone!

If you would prefer a more authoritative reading to focus your meditation try Isaiah 64,8-9

Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay,

you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.

Do not be angry beyond measure, Lord;

do not remember our sins forever.

Oh, look on us, we pray, for we are all your people.

10 
Focus on this passage or the meditation slowly a couple of times.

What word of phrase jumps out to speak to you?

Why? Try to put yourself into those words. Maybe imagine Jesus speaking, and reply.

Then spend 5, or 10, or 20 minutes with your word from Jesus, or the word CREATOR or the word LOVE. 

You need a clear intention to empty your mind of random thoughts (you won't be entirely successful but you need the intention). 

You might want to begin the meditation using the breathing exercise I suggest in We have two minds. 

After a minute or two focused on your breathing, move your focus to the word/s you have chosen. 

Each time your attention moves away from the word/s, push the distraction gently aside and return to the word ("without the intervention of analytical thought" as The Cloud of Unknowing puts it).

You may need a countdown clock.

At the end thank God, and return to your day.