Meditation J 16,5-11

Stand in God’s presence. God is present here and now, looking upon you with love. 

Ask for the Grace: I will beg God our Lord that all my intentions and actions may be directed purely to the praise and service of His Divine Majesty.

Fixing a place, a picture for meditation:  Jesus stays with his disciples in the Upper Room all the time and prepares them for his departure and the coming of the Holy Spirit. See the Upper Room, look at Jesus and the disciples. Feel the atmosphere of this place, those moments of farewell to Jesus. Be in the upper room with the disciples and Jesus.

Ask for the fruit of meditation: for internal consent to the purification processes that bring me closer to Jesus

1. Purifying.

Jesus must go away so that the Holy Spirit can come to judge the world. This judgment does not consist in condemning the world, but in purifying it from sin, so that the world will become capable of more and more fruitfulness. Purifying itself is not an easy and painless process, but it leads to the reconciliation of the world.

Each of us is subjected to such a process of purification, so that integration will take place in us through the understanding and acceptance of our life story, the world of feelings, and the reception of reality. The purifying process will allow us to live in God’s fuller joy. Look inside yourself: what areas of yours need purification, what acceptance do you have for it? Let this process be, it will help you live in greater freedom, joy in God.

2. Where are you going?

Jesus tells disciples that no one asks him where he is going. It is puzzling that the students do not ask a question, as if they did not want to know, they were afraid to know. Getting to know the truth requires asking questions. Faith requires questions. Our life requires asking questions. How many misunderstandings in families are because we do not ask, just guess and expect others to guess too. They will not do it! It is worth to accept and accept.

Think what questions you carry in yourself, what answers do they need – from whom? What questions do you want to ask Jesus today? You have time now – ask …

3. Jesus will go to his Father in a moment. Save today with the Resurrected Christ, so you can … Maybe he needs your company.

Meditation: St Ignatius encourages in The Spiritual Exercises No. 2 … Because not so much knowledge, but internal feeling and the taste of things please and saturate the soul, that is, we stay where we feel interior movement … and nervously do not try to go on.

The final conversation: Spend a little time at the end, being with God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit….as you would with a good friend: sometimes talking, sometimes listening, sometimes being together in silence. Speak to God about your feelings. Remember that times when ‘nothing is happening’ can also be significant. When you’re ready, end your prayer by saying thank you or using words that are familiar, such as the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father)–whichever feels right and comfortable. (The Spiritual Exercises No.54)

/0 Comments/by

Meditation J 14, 27-31a

Stand in God’s presence. God is present here and now, looking upon you with love. 

Ask for the Grace: I will beg God our Lord that all my intentions and actions may be directed purely to the praise and service of His Divine Majesty

Fixing a place, a picture for meditation: Jesus is with his disciples. See the place where they are staying: maybe this is an apartment – how it looks, notice how and where Jesus and his disciples are in this room. Look at disciples. Jesus tells them about his departure. It does not have to be a happy message for them. Someone who is close to them, someone who they trust and who they love – now  leave them. They do not necessarily have to understand Jesus’ words, they may not know what the peace they get from him is. Be in this scene with the disciples and Jesus.

Ask for the fruit of meditation: for the experience of peace, which is the result of a living relationship with the risen Christ

1. Loss and new.

Jesus prepares disciples for his departure. He must leave because he loves his Father and fills His will to the end. But he will not leave the disciples alone, he will send them the Holy Spirit. They probably do not understand this, they do not know yet that this departure does not have to mean a loss, or only loss, but it is connected with obtaining something new.

It is similar in our lives. Many times we do not understand losses (different losses: existential, connected with human and material relations, or our patterns or even values) that we experience, maybe we can not even see the shadow of light that comes in these situations. Look at the losses you have experienced – what have you gained thanks to them? Talk to Jesus about it.

2. Peace.

Peace  I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Peace is one of the gifts of the resurrected Jesus. It does not mean an external peace, no conflicts or wars. Its meaning is associated with a sense of inner, deep safeness and certitude, that I am rooted in Christ. Peace is, therefore, sharing your gift of faith, life, joy resulting from your relationship with God.

What does the presence of Christ bring into your life, what gifts you receive from Him? What is your peace? Where do you find it? What peace do you give to others?

3. Understanding.

Disciples do not understand all of Jesus’ words, but he does not blame them. He explains and gives the right them to not understand. What do you not understand in your life or in matters concerning your faith? Talk to Jesus about it. Ask and wait for his answer.

Meditation: St Ignatius encourages in The Spiritual Exercises No. 2 … Because not so much knowledge, but internal feeling and the taste of things please and saturate the soul, that is, we stay where we feel interior movement … and nervously do not try to go on.

The final conversation: Spend a little time at the end, being with God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit….as you would with a good friend: sometimes talking, sometimes listening, sometimes being together in silence. Speak to God about your feelings. Remember that times when ‘nothing is happening’ can also be significant. When you’re ready, end your prayer by saying thank you or using words that are familiar, such as the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father)–whichever feels right and comfortable. (The Spiritual Exercises No.54)

/0 Comments/by

Meditation J 15,9-17

Stand in God’s presence. God is present here and now, looking upon you with love. 

Ask for the Grace: I will beg God our Lord that all my intentions and actions may be directed purely to the praise and service of His Divine Majesty.

Fixing a place, a picture for meditation: Jesus is with his disciples. See the place: maybe they are in a room – how does it look like: what are furniture, what are colorful on the wall;  maybe  it is a beautiful weather and their conversation takes place outdoors, in a meadow, among greenery. Look at the disciples, their attitude, listening them. Look at Jesus – how he speaks, whether he gesticulates, what his voice is, what he is wearing. Jesus is talking about love, listen to this conversation. Maybe you’re there too …

Ask for the fruit of meditation:  for the experience of God’s love

1. … abide in my love.

These are the words of Jesus. We can ask a question, maybe a little provocative, why should I abide in Jesus’ love? Is it only because it is written or because of my fear if I do not last, that I will certainly be condemned, or is there another reason, perhaps because of my love for him? In everyday life we are staying with someone we know, with whom we have a strong bond, then this lasting does not become a compulsion and a burden, and we are his slaves, but it is our decision, our conscious choice (although it is not synonymous with a constant feeling of pleasant mental state). How is your relationship with Jesus? What is your motivation to abide in Jezus love ?

2. … I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. 

I think you have friends, at least one and I’m not talking about Jesus or Mary, but about alive people, you can see and touch. How does your relationship look like? What do your meetings look like? What do you give each other? What are you talking about?

In this passage Jesus calls you a friend because he gave you all to know. Look how it is amazing! Does not being a friend influence the way we perceive our relationship with him? Is it not that we would like Jesus to arrange everything for us and ensure health, prosperity and many other matters? But can we than talk about a friendship? Should we look for it in friendship? Now, in this context, review your relationship with Jesus, as your friend.

3. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another. 

St. Ignatius Loyola says that love is shown more in deeds than in words. Now notice these gestures of love that you get from other people (for example, someone made you tea, gave your time to talk to you …) and thank for them and for the people you meet on your way. God is coming to you through them.

Meditation: St Ignatius encourages in The Spiritual Exercises No. 2 … Because not so much knowledge, but internal feeling and the taste of things please and saturate the soul, that is, we stay where we feel interior movement … and nervously do not try to go on.

The final conversation: Spend a little time at the end, being with God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit….as you would with a good friend: sometimes talking, sometimes listening, sometimes being together in silence. Speak to God about your feelings. Remember that times when ‘nothing is happening’ can also be significant. When you’re ready, end your prayer by saying thank you or using words that are familiar, such as the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father)–whichever feels right and comfortable. (The Spiritual Exercises No.54)

/0 Comments/by

Meditation J 6,30-35

Stand in God’s presence. God is present here and now, looking upon you with love. 

Ask for the Grace: I will beg God our Lord that all my intentions and actions may be directed purely to the praise and service of His Divine Majesty

Fixing a place, a picture for meditation: Capernaum, a settlement of several thousand inhabitants on the Sea of Galilee. Residents engaged in fishing, agriculture and trade. So you can see boats, fishing nets, trade stands, somewhere in the distance people working in the field. People from Tiberias come to this town to get Jesus. They are looking for him. They make a conversation with Jesus, ask questions – listen. Find yourself in this scene, maybe you also want to participate in this conversation.

Ask for the fruit of meditation: I ask for my desire  to trust Jesus more

  1. Signs.

People who were looking for Jesus probably expected his signs greater than those which the Israelites received from Moses. So they ask: what more Jesus can give them than bread from heaven. These signs are to convince them to believe in God.

It is worth considering why they need probably bigger signs to believe. What is it about them that the very presence of Jesus is an insufficient sign for them to believe. So what are their expectations and what do them allow to satisfy expectations to believe in God.

We also look at each other: what signs do I need and why, to enter into a deeper relationship with God? People who live with each other, connect their ties, communicate their presence through different signs, which maybe it is sometimes easier to see than those that come from God. What signs can I see from God who is alive, present all the time and through which he communicates with me?

2. Spiritual food.

Jesus speaks of himself as the Bread of Life, which everyone can enjoy. What is your spiritual food in your everyday life, what gives you strength to live (maybe some concrete prayer, maybe silence, maybe a conversation, maybe some book or walk …)?

3. Encounter.

Imagine that Jesus asks you: what should I do to help you to be in a closer relationship with me? What will you answer?

Meditation: St Ignatius encourages in The Spiritual Exercises No. 2 … Because not so much knowledge, but internal feeling and the taste of things please and saturate the soul, that is, we stay where we feel interior movement … and nervously do not try to go on.

The final conversation: Spend a little time at the end, being with God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit….as you would with a good friend: sometimes talking, sometimes listening, sometimes being together in silence. Speak to God about your feelings. Remember that times when ‘nothing is happening’ can also be significant. When you’re ready, end your prayer by saying thank you or using words that are familiar, such as the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father)–whichever feels right and comfortable. (The Spiritual Exercises No.54)

/0 Comments/by