90 Day Challenge

An Invitation to Centering Prayer --M. Basil Pennington

Tuesday February 16, 2010

“Our hearts are made for you, O Lord, and they will not rest until they rest in you.”

Lectio Divina
take the sacred text and call upon the holy spirit
for five minutes (or longer if you feel drawn) listen to the Lord speaking to you through the text, and respond
choose a word or phrase (perhaps one will have been “given” to you), and thank the Lord for being with you
rest/sit in the presence
you can use the phrase as your “word” in centering prayer
goal is to cultivate the “ears of the heart”

It’s funny because in the book he says that we need to let go of the “goal oriented approach” because it’s not about acquiring a skill, it’s about spending time with God.

Ephesians 4:1-3 (the message)
In light of all this, here’s what I want you to do. While I’m locked up here, a prisoner for the master, I want you to get out there and walk--better yet, run!--on the road God called you to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline--not with fits and starts, but steadily pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences.

Sigh. I really felt this passage in light of my recent mindset. I made lists of things I want to do in this life, goals I have, a road I feel is laid out before me. I have decided to be more mindful and intentional in how I spend my time. And I have been disciplined in many more things, like practicing and writing and reading and taking time for myself and praying and meditating etc. I just feel compelled to really be disciplined and make these practices last. To get better at them. To live purposefully and connectedly to God and those around me.

Key words I guess would be: “humility and discipline”