Pilgrimage to Easter: Day 37

Meditation for Thursday 17 March
... from the readings of the day:

Yahweh brought his people out with joy, God's chosen ones with shouts of triumph.

Psalm 105:43

Psalm 105 
God keeps promises through all of history 

Yahweh brought his people out with joy, 
God's chosen ones with shouts of triumph.

Our Lord plants us here, waits the ages for the 
sapling to grow, then grafts to us the root of 
covenant, a seal of holiness, and waits again ...

Yahweh brought his people out with joy, 
God's chosen ones with shouts of triumph.

The Lord watches the small tree flourish, providing 
water, manure, carefully pruning wayward branches,
tenderly loving us, forgiving us, cherishing us.

Yahweh brought his people out with joy, 
God's chosen ones with shouts of triumph.

Serve the Lord at all times remembering the good 
things God has given, the miracles won, the many,
many times our God has forgiven us when we asked.

Yahweh brought his people out with joy, 
God's chosen ones with shouts of triumph.

The Lord knows us and watches the ages as we grow 
to our God. Our God holds us, our world, our whole 
universe in being, but still waits patiently, for us.

Yahweh brought his people out with joy, 
God's chosen ones with shouts of triumph.

Our Father loves the work of his hands, remembering 
his promises, waiting a thousand generations as we 
thrive and grow, patiently waiting for us to bloom.

Yahweh brought his people out with joy, 
God's chosen ones with shouts of triumph.

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, Psalm 105:4-9

R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought,
his portents, and the judgments he has uttered.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.

You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.

He remembers forever his covenant
which he made binding for a thousand generations –
Which he entered into with Abraham
and by his oath to Isaac.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.

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

Is there a word or phrase that 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 PROMISE or COVENANT.

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 31

Meditation for Friday 11 March
... from the readings of the day:

They knew not the hidden counsels of God;
neither did they count on a recompense of holiness.

Wisdom 2:1

Make your eyes see the sparkle enfolding every thing, every one.

Like Jesus, we too, are from two places. We each have our birth registered in the books of the world.
But as well, each one is also conceived, born, formed
in a different plane: we are each a child of God.

Make your eyes see the shine cloaking every thing, every one.

We are taught human ways by parents, teachers,
and world - but as well, the map of our lives is 
drawn for God to bring us up in the ways of Spirit. 
We are free to choose, but the deep in us hears the call.

Make your eyes see the shine wrapping around every thing, every one.

Even the bad things are charged with holiness: God's grace slipping around the edges to sanctify.
Human greed, power, control, fear - all misdirections,
sparkle with holiness arcing out to ground us.

Make your eyes see the shine enfolding every thing, every one.

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, John 7:25-29

Some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said,
“Is he not the one they are trying to kill?
And look, he is speaking openly and they say nothing to him.
Could the authorities have realized that he is the Christ?
But we know where he is from.
When the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from.”
So Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said,
“You know me and also know where I am from.
Yet I did not come on my own,
but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true.
I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.”
So they tried to arrest him.

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

Is there a word of phrase that 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 HOLY or CREATION.

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.