Sunday, July 27: Source of All That Is and That Shall Be

To Practice:

• In the manner of Lectio Divina, prayerfully re-read these passages to help engage more of your senses and feel the vibrations in your body. Or listen to the audio recording. Gaze at the image. What do you receive for your journey now?
• This audio recording includes 20 minutes of Centering Prayer and then Fr. Thomas praying The Lord’s Prayer at the conclusion.

If you wish, you may re-read the full email reflection here: https://mailchi.mp/coutreach/2025_word-of-the-week-july27

I love this version of the Lord’s Prayer adopted by the Anglican Church of New Zealand. It was composed by a beloved friend Rev’d James England Cotter (1942 – 2014 RIP), known as Jim.

Jim Cotter was a student and eventually the Chaplain at Caius College, Cambridge.He described himself as a wordsmith, and he wrote books and poetry, translated the psalms and gave us his beautiful Morning and Evening Prayer. He had a prophet’s mind but never made great claims for his work. Noone was more surprised than Jim when his translation of The Lord’s Prayer turned up in the Church of New Zealand!

Thank you for reading, and God bless you Jim.

 

Interesting! Thank you sharing this, Melanie. – Pamela

We wait patiently; in silence, openness, and quiet attentiveness; motionless within and without. We surrender to the attraction to be still, to be loved, just to be.” As I begin this week I sit at the very bottom ( at least in my current perception) consenting to the surrender  of the attraction……at best i am willing. (barely willing).

I have been practicing the centering prayer about 2 months now.  I recently received the newsletter with the Welcoming prayer video. I thought the prayer was a good idea but wondered what was the foundation under it.  Then I started reading An Invitation to Love and it all came together!  I am so thankful for all the insights and instructions from centering prayer and Fr. Keating.  May he rest in peace.  I am also thankful to know there are so many that also embrace this way of prayer.

Peace to you,

Millie

Welcome to this “way of prayer,” Millie, where openings continue to happen like the one you describe above. And as Fr. Thomas said, “ordinary life becomes shot through with extraordinary love.” May it be so for you as your journey continues. – Pamela

We wait patiently; in silence, openness, and quiet attentiveness; motionless within and without. We surrender to the attraction to be still, to be loved, just to be.” As I begin this week I sit at the very bottom ( at least in my current perception) consenting to the surrender  of the attraction……at best i am willing. (barely willing).

I lived through a very difficult situation ( the thorn Paul Talks about) this week; grateful for the image. The blue  sky with fluffy white clouds. My attraction to these clouds/sky/wind go way back to my first awareness of being alive. How many times have  they comforted me, encouraged me, gave me the strength to go way I would rather not go; touched my inner most soul-ness! The gentle ripping of the summer fields. Growing up on the bald prairie. So NO thorn removal. YES to the enough-ness of God’s GRACE and Mercy.

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