May 2021
A Contemplative Exercise
for May
The following is a possible framework for the Witnessing of the Word. It
can be personalised, or altered: its purpose is to serve as an example of how
this Saying might be used primarily in the context of a Prayer Group, but it
may be used by individuals if so wished. It is not intended to be definitive.
In the context of a group: the periods of silence should be appropriate
for your group - probably not less than 5 minutes, or more than 15 minutes.
Saying for the month
“ I am going to send you what my Father promised….clothed
with power from on high”
Luke 24.49 (NIV)
A shorter version could be used for repetition:
“ I am going to send you what my Father promised"
To begin the exercise,
first spend a short while in relaxation and preparing to be still; become aware
of the sounds around you and put them aside; offer this time of prayer to God.
Say this introductory
invitation to prayer, then keep a further minute or two of silence:
"Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will
give you rest" Matthew 11.28
Introduction to the first silence - a preparation for listening with the
mind:
“I am going to send you what my Father promised….clothed with power from on high”
“I am going to send you what my Father promised”
These are some of the final words of Jesus recorded in St Luke’s Gospel. They are spoken at his last resurrection appearance before the final departure and Ascension to heaven. St Luke focuses on all the resurrection appearances taking place in Jerusalem, whereas the other Gospel writers either mention Galilee or record appearances there. There is so much of the element of mystery surrounding these appearances that it’s not surprising that the Gospel writers present us with quite different accounts.
The much-loved Emmaus road appearance is only recorded by St Luke and it leads directly into this final appearance. Cleopas and his companion have hurriedly returned to Jerusalem where they find ‘the eleven and their companions gathered together’ (v33). As they were recounting to the eleven their amazing experience of Jesus appearing and making himself known in the breaking of bread, Jesus is there and standing among them.
Jesus again opens their minds
to make connections with the Jewish scriptures: ‘Thus it is written that the
Messiah is to suffer and to rise again on the third day.’ He then gives them
the final commission that ‘repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be
proclaimed in his name to all the nations beginning from Jerusalem. You are
witnesses of these things.’
Having explained the scriptures and given the disciples a mandate, a commission, Jesus then reassures them that ‘I am going to send what my Father has promised.’ The first disciples would certainly have remembered some of Jesus’ earlier assurances of the Holy Spirit. ‘When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf.’ (John 15.26). And twice here Jesus says ‘from the Father’ - this is what the Father has promised would be sent.
The Holy Spirit is sent to the first disciples at Pentecost, but they are to ‘stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.’ The emphasis on waiting to receive and be clothed with the power of the Holy Spirit.
“I am going to send you what my Father promised….clothed
with power from on high”
“I am going to send you what my Father promised”
A time is now kept for
silence of the mind - between 5 and 15 minutes
The silence concludes with a short thanksgiving, and/or repeat the Saying:
Father, we thank you for the gift of your Word.
“I am going to send you what my Father promised….clothed
with power from on high”
“I am going to send you what my Father promised”
Introduction to the second silence - a preparation for listening with
the heart:
“I am going to send you what my Father promised….clothed
with power from on high”
“I am going to send you what my Father promised”
There is a beautiful and sublime dynamic in the way we relate to God and He/She to us. It is highlighted in these words of Jesus, spoken to the first disciples and true for our lives today. By saying that we will be given what the Father has promised, we are being told about the love of the Holy Trinity.
How do we approach God and to whom are we focusing our prayers? When we start each of our Fellowship contemplative exercises, we are focusing very much on Jesus in the words of invitation ‘Come to me… and I will refresh you.’ Then the saying we are contemplating may have a focus or emphasis on one of the persons of the Trinity. The names of the three persons of the Trinity we understand and apprehended as metaphors but of course they are much more because they are the names of the Persons of the Trinity. Our minds are limited and finite so we need to allow time to contemplate the meaning of the words. The essence of our faith is revealed in the Father who is in heaven, the Son who comes to us on earth and the Holy Spirit who is the life within and all around us, once described as the ‘Go-between God’ (J.V.Taylor).
Perhaps we also need to go
beyond and deeper than the words. John Chrysostom writing in the 4th
century said that we need to ‘hear the love between the lines.’ In this saying
we need to hear and perceive the love that is between the Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit.
‘I am going to send you what the Father has promised …clothed with power from on high.’ We are receiving none other than the dynamic love of the Holy Trinity. Sometimes the doctrine of the Trinity can seem like a piece of celestial mathematics but the New Testament is clear as we see in this month’s saying in this season, as we move from Easter to Pentecost, culminating with Trinity Sunday at the end of the month. The Holy Trinity, who is the very essence of love, lives in each one of us and hears our prayers as we intercede for the world and all people.
“I am going to send you what my Father promised….clothed
with power from on high”
“I am going to send you what my Father promised”
A time is now kept for
silence of the heart - between 5 and 15 minutes
Conclude the silence with a short thanksgiving and/or repeat the Saying:
Father, we thank you that your Word is alive and within us.
“I am going to send you what my Father promised….clothed
with power from on high”
“I am going to send you what my Father promised”
Introduction to the time of intercession – we use our will to reflect God’s Word outwards.
In our the time of
intercession, we hold in God’s presence any person or group of people or
concern for whom we wish to pray. We do not need to suggest solutions to problems,
find resolutions for difficult situations or ask for particular outcomes – we hold
the person or persons in the light of God’s presence and we act as a spotlight,
beaming the Word, which we have absorbed ourselves, on to them...
We can use the full Saying or the shortened version, as we feel comfortable:
Say the name of a person or a group of people, and after a short pause, repeat the saying:
All you, my people,
enduring a time of hardship in the pandemic ….
“I am going to send you what my Father
promised….clothed with power from on high”
or
“I am going to send you what my Father
promised”
Conclude the time of
intercession with words of thanksgiving:
Father,
we thank you that your Word has gone out through us to those for whom we pray.
Use the Fellowship Prayer
or another closing prayer to conclude your time of contemplative prayer.
Loving Heavenly Father, we thank you for all your
unsearchable riches which pour forth from you as light from the sun, in
boundless profusion and generosity, whether received, ignored or rejected. And
now we offer to you, in so far as we are able, as an emptiness to be filled
with your divine fullness, ourselves, our souls and bodies; all that we are,
all that we have and all that we do. Amen
You may wish to say
the Grace together before departing.
This month's exercise was contributed
by RF