Lk 4,31-37

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: Synagogue at Capernaum. See the place where people are standing, where they are sitting, where is the place to chair. Maybe you are there.

Ask for the fruit of meditation: that I may always seek God in my life

1. …and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority.

The word of Jesus is full of power and his teaching is astonishing. It is interesting that what Jesus says amazes people. What might amaze them about Jesus’ teaching? How do people gathered in the Synagogue feel the power of Jesus’ words? Think about what Jesus amazes you? Why? What causes the word that God addresses to you in the readings of the liturgy of the day, in silence, through other people, various events?

Following this question, let us notice that not only Jesus’ words but all words we say have some kind of power. They evoke specific feelings in those who hear them. Words can give you hope, they make you feel accepted, loved, rejected, hurt, they can evoke anger, emotion, joy, etc. What importance do you attach to the words you say? How do you take care of understanding what you say?

2. Be quiet! Come out of him!

After these words of Jesus, the Evil Spirit throws the man with the spirit of unclean demon into the center and comes out of him without doing him any harm. See the advantage of Jesus over the Evil Spirit who obeys Jesus. It can be said that if we are close to Jesus, in a constant relationship with him, the Evil Spirit will not hurt us. Jesus has tremendous power to protect people who want to live their lives with God. This does not rule out our weakness or our sinfulness. So it is important for each of us to focus our attention on Jesus, to look for God in our lives, because He gives us strength and life. Ask yourself: who are you looking for in your everyday life: the Evil Spirit or God? goods, empowerments, peace or bad, what hurts you?

3. St. Ignatius of Loyola says: seek and find God in everything.

In what, in whom and where do you seek and finde God in your everyday life?

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)