Sunday August 20: Transformed through Encounter

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  • Sunday August 20: Transformed through Encounter
    • Posted by pbegeman on August 18, 2023 at 2:30 pm #137213

      To Practice

      • Slowly re-read these passages aloud in the manner of Lectio Divina, hearing and feeling them in your body and senses.  Gaze upon the image. What speaks to your heart?  What is being called forth?
      • Remember a time in your life when you experienced benevolence from someone when you felt unappreciated or attacked. What does that benevolence feel like in your body now? Practice sinking into this felt benevolence each day. Once this is easy and pleasant to feel, you may imagine sending this benevolence to someone who challenges you now. You may also wish to use the Welcoming Prayer practice with any sensations or emotional triggers you are experiencing.

      If you would like to re-read the full email reflection, you may do so here: https://mailchi.mp/coutreach/word-of-the-week-aug20

    • Posted by Susan Kenney on August 20, 2023 at 10:09 am #137247

      “Turn to where the light is shining “: seven years ago, the Franciscan friars left our parish. The new pastor, a diocesan priest, did his best to erase all signs of a Franciscan presence. At the time I was getting some acupressure treatments, and I would complain bitterly to the woman giving the treatments. Her only response: “Just take your light into that church.”  And so I did, even when everything seemed dark. A new pastor arrived a year ago, and I am watching him become increasingly open to the charism of Francis and Clare. There certainly was no “cheap grace” here, but watching thus transformation of pastor and parishioners has made it worth paying the price.

    • Posted by Thomas Lloyd on August 20, 2023 at 9:05 pm #137254

      Wow, another awesome reading on the power of Faith. I love this story. We are all familiar with dogs running under the table to eat the scraps dropping accidentally or deliberately to the floor. Jesus has captured each of us in our own daily experience. We are not the masters sitting at the table as in our daily experience. Rather I am the dog looking for the scraps. All the great spiritual mentors advise us to have this humility before the presence of God in our lives. Like this pagan, we better agree with Jesus as to our status. Certainly, as a sinner, I know my status, but I also know that all my requests will be granted, perhaps not in a way I expect.

      A little parable. My mother was left a widow with four kids and no money. For the 9 months my father was home dying of cancer, my mother prayed for his life. So at one point in my life I asked my mother how she felt about that unanswered prayer? My mother’s Irish faith was unshakeable. She said “Every prayer I ever prayed after that was answered.” She raised four successful children, with poverty level income, and we all graduated college with post graduate degrees. I guess all her prayers were answered. It is amazing what Faith can do!

    • Posted by Adeline Behm on August 26, 2023 at 4:07 pm #137322

      Lectio Divina this week, what some consider as Jesus’ response being rather abrasive, is a source of deep grace for me. Sometimes Jesus has to do that for people like me, whose egoic tap root is quite deep, more deeper than I could ever imagine. My  unconscious hurting of  others behavior needed to be further exposed. The Welcome prayer, now a daily companion, is a great gift from the Indwelling Spirit,  the poking at the scabs of selfishness, indifference, too-me centered. Some times my cry for courage to accept with humility my self-centered attitude and behavior resulting in  wounding others, comes from a depth I had sealed off.

    • Posted by linda rhead on August 27, 2023 at 10:48 am #137324

      What speaks to my heart with this reflection are very practical ways to deepen my practice of loving those who irritate me, my enemies. Bless those who humiliate me. “Inwardly surrender to the Power that is mightier than we are.” Hold my silence, bless in love – this work will take a lifetime! <3 linda

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