Entering the time of prayer:
I begin, once again, by taking a step back from the hustle and bustle of my usual thoughts and my usual day. It can help to first take a deep breath and then, bit by bit, breath by breath, to let go of all the busyness. This is a time for God; everything else can wait. I close my eyes; I breathe again and open myself more and more to that place of stillness within me. I seek God’s presence that is always there. I feel God’s loving gaze on me. I let it fill me as I open my heart and my mind to this time of prayer.
First thoughts:
Consolation is a great gift and is at the heart of all that is good in our life. We have all experienced it in some form or another – that feeling of deep peace and happiness, the sense of wholeness and joy. But of course, we also experience consolation as a contrast to more difficult and challenging time. Spiritual consolation, as the name suggests, is a gift from God and that means that God notices, and responds, not only to our hopes and dreams, but also to our needs. With the gentle embrace of consolation, God has the ability to be near, to give warmth, to restore hope and, perhaps in new and unexpected ways, to open up the future.
Today’s Bible Text: Isaiah 35:3-4:
Strengthen the weak hands,
and make firm the feeble knees.
Say to those who are of a fearful heart,
“Be strong, do not fear!
Here is your God, who will come and save you.”
I read the scripture passage slowly, I repeat it again and let the words fill my heart. What is the word or image that touches me most? How does it make me feel?
Some questions for reflection:
Part of God’s task for the prophets is to give renewed strength and courage, often to people who have become so caught up in the moment that they cannot see or feel God’s presence or invitation in their lives.
- Do I know people who are struggling in the face of all that is going on in the world around us? Would they be comforted with the words: ‘God is coming!’?
- And me? In what ways do I feel myself growing weaker, or more anxious. Am I consoled by the words: ‘God is coming!’?
- In what ways is God already present in my life, or in the lives of friends or loved ones? Am I able, right now, to let God come closer still?
Bringing our time of prayer to an end:
I close this time of prayer by speaking openly and freely to God about what I have experienced. I ask God to help me understand it better. I show my love and gratitude with a small gesture, perhaps by making a sign of the cross, bowing my head, or by saying an Our Father or Glory Be.
Noticing the fruits of the prayer:
After my prayer I look back for a moment. I ask myself, what was it like? What touched me the most? What was challenging or difficult? What gave me feelings of warmth or peace of strength? I write down some keywords to record and remember, so that the things that are most important are not lost. I hold on to one positive and life-giving word or image in particular and hold it close to my heart as I make my way, with God, through the rest of the day.
