Part Three: Chapter 9 - “Unconditional Love” pgs 114-128
1. Choose one of the five passages in the listening exercise. Find a quiet space and sit with the passage for 10-15 minutes. In the first three minutes, ask “what is being said in this passage?” In the next three minutes, ask yourself “what word or phrase stands out for me and what might God be saying to me through it?” In the last three minutes, stay with that word; repeat it gently, return to it if your mind starts to wander away. Listen for a response that arises from within you to the word (it could be a question, a feeling, an insight, etc). Stay with that feeling or insight and try not to think - just be with it. You can end the time with a short prayer or “Our Father”. Share with the group what happened. (Note: this type of prayer is known as Lectio Divina)
OR
2. Consider the invitation to “step courageously into the shoes of the one whose heart is filled with love for each person” and to “gently open yourself to compassion for those who you fear”.
What do you notice about your response to this invitation? Is it easy or difficult? How does it compare to stepping into either of the brother’s shoes (as we have been asked to do earlier in the book)?
After writing of the people in your life and ways you will try to embrace them, how do you feel? Any inspirations or insights?
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June 2nd, 2009 @ 2:48 pm
As I “listen” to Chapter 9’s Scripture verses, I am knowing that following Jesus means that I must love (my enemies), do good (to those who hate me), bless (those who curse me), and pray (for those who treat me badly). To think or feel or behave contrary to these admonitions is to ignore and defy the gift of Unconditional Love from God, my Father, and to deprive myself of the blessings God bestows. I need to pray that I will receive the grace to want to will what is the will of God for my life. Jesus has told us that we are the light of the world. This is possible only when we choose to follow Our Lord’s teachings. I must take seriously the Beatitudes and their message. If I am to choose one word for my focus it is “pray” — prayer as “the only necessary thing.”
May 28th, 2009 @ 3:58 am
The scripture I meditated on is “I call you friends because I have made known to you everything I have learned from the Father.” The reason this one popped out at me was because it is a place in the Bible where Jesus identifies himself as a “learning person.” Don’t have a concordance handy but am wondering how many times “learned” appears in the Bible and how often it is written in conjunction with attributes of God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I’m glad Jesus was/is a learning man, I’m glad Jesus says he has made known to us everything he has learned from the Father, is that what is written on our hearts and our hearts become our consciences?, I’m glad we are friends. The best teacher/student relationship is one of trust, one of friendship. To me, this is a bit of scripture that would always lead us away from thoughts of death or suicide because of Jesus learning man us learning people our friendship in that relationship is the most hopeful, the thing most filled with possibilities and opportunities. After the Father and the two prodigal sons were reconciled, don’t you suppose there was much more teaching to go on in the new-found trust and friendship?