Meditation Mk 8,14-21
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: Imagine a boat on the lake. See how the boat looks like – its color, size, maybe if it sways. See how the lake looks like – its size, color, or the lake’s surface – is calm or there are waves. Jesus is in this boat with his disciples. There is also one loaf of bread. Disciples are worried that they forgot to take more bread. Jesus asks them, why they talk about the fact, that they have no bread. Listen to the whole conversation. Maybe you are in the boat with other participants of this event, maybe you are taking as an active part in the conversation.
Ask for the fruit of meditation: so that I would like and desire to see and get everything, what is the life-giving food for me
1. Bread and the leaven.
Disciples in the boat are talking about not having enough bread. They have taken only one loaf. All their attention is focused on the lack of bread. Could the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod not let them see Jesus – the only life-giving Bread? Although they are with Jesus and they listen to his teaching, it still seems, that their hearts are not open, their ears can’t hear, and their eyes can’t see, they can only see their own leaven. So how can they see their abundance? Why is it easier to see them lack than what they have?
See what is your leaven? What kind of lack do think about, which influence your life, and also spiritual life? Try to discover your resources. What do they lead you to, what do you gain from them?
2. And do you not remember…?
Why does Jesus ask a question to his disciples: do you remember …? Maybe because remembering shared experiences, the time spent together, conversations, mutual self-giving, sharing gifts, lead to growing relationships, bringing people closer together. However, if you are able to remember, you must first be with someone, allow yourself to experience each other and share your life. There must be situations, in which the presence of another person is experienced. This experience, even if it is sometimes difficult, leads to a growth towards the fullness of life in God. Being with God allows you to experience Heaven today.
What is your being with God, with other people? What memories do you have that bring you closer to God, to other people? Sometimes we may have a tendency to take care of what separates us in our relationships, but what separates does not come from God. So, look for what connects you in relationships with others, what connects you in relation to God. Maybe it turns out that the relationship you wrote down for loss is to be saved?
3. Do you still not understand?
This is another question, that Jesus asks his disciples. Is it not an expression of Jesus’ concern, his desire that his disciples understand what he gives them, his Love? What are you doing to understand Jesus? After all, the relationship with him is mutual. Not only you can expect understanding from Jesus, but also he from you.
Open your heart, eyes and ears and ask Jesus to help you understand what you do not understand or accept, what is difficult to understand to you. If you want, you can talk about it with Jesus.
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)
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