Jesuit Prayer Training Course
“May we experience each day as a sacred mystery woven around the heart of love.”
[John ODonogue]
St Ignatius of Loyolo lived from 1491 – 1548. He had an extravagant sense of God’s love and generosity (magis = the more). He gives a world view rather than a set of rules. He is apostolic rather than monastic: a call to engage with the world rather than to withdraw from the world. The purpose of prayer is to transform us into contemplatives in action. The vision is an optimistic vision of a world shot through with Divine love. We find God in all things, nothing excluded. God is part of all: the glory and the gutter, the good and the bad and the messy. It is holistic and inclusive. Nice perspective. Many people lose hope and need to see God in all things. The Jesuit motto is: Expanding the horizons of hope. God is self-revealing and self-communicating and he wants to reveal himself to us.
The world is charged with the grandeur of God.
It will flame out, like shining from shook foil.
[Gerald Manley Hopkins]
“The way of Ignatius is about finding freedom: the freedom to become the person you are meant to be, to love and to accept love, to make good decisions, and to experience the beauty of creation and the mystery of God’s love. The Ignatian goal of finding God in all things means that every part of our lives can lead us to God. We can find God – and God can find us – in the real world of work, love, suffering, decisions, prayer and friendship.” [The Jesuit Guide to (almost) Everything by James Martin SJ]
I toil and you bless my work.
I walk and you bless my paths.
I suffer and you bless my tears.
[St John Vianney]
[John ODonogue]
St Ignatius of Loyolo lived from 1491 – 1548. He had an extravagant sense of God’s love and generosity (magis = the more). He gives a world view rather than a set of rules. He is apostolic rather than monastic: a call to engage with the world rather than to withdraw from the world. The purpose of prayer is to transform us into contemplatives in action. The vision is an optimistic vision of a world shot through with Divine love. We find God in all things, nothing excluded. God is part of all: the glory and the gutter, the good and the bad and the messy. It is holistic and inclusive. Nice perspective. Many people lose hope and need to see God in all things. The Jesuit motto is: Expanding the horizons of hope. God is self-revealing and self-communicating and he wants to reveal himself to us.
The world is charged with the grandeur of God.
It will flame out, like shining from shook foil.
[Gerald Manley Hopkins]
“The way of Ignatius is about finding freedom: the freedom to become the person you are meant to be, to love and to accept love, to make good decisions, and to experience the beauty of creation and the mystery of God’s love. The Ignatian goal of finding God in all things means that every part of our lives can lead us to God. We can find God – and God can find us – in the real world of work, love, suffering, decisions, prayer and friendship.” [The Jesuit Guide to (almost) Everything by James Martin SJ]
I toil and you bless my work.
I walk and you bless my paths.
I suffer and you bless my tears.
[St John Vianney]
O Holy One,
source of all goodness, truth and beauty.
I long to see Your face
and lose myself in Your gaze.
You blessed me with life and free will,
and placed within my reach everything I need.
Help me uphold the spirit of Your creation,
that all may celebrate
the beauty and love You offer.
Blessed are You, O Creator of all existence,
masterful are the works of Your hands.
[Contemporary Psalm by Roy DeLeon, OblSB]
This is the confidence we have in him,
that if we ask anything according to His will,
He hears us. [1 John 5:14]
source of all goodness, truth and beauty.
I long to see Your face
and lose myself in Your gaze.
You blessed me with life and free will,
and placed within my reach everything I need.
Help me uphold the spirit of Your creation,
that all may celebrate
the beauty and love You offer.
Blessed are You, O Creator of all existence,
masterful are the works of Your hands.
[Contemporary Psalm by Roy DeLeon, OblSB]
This is the confidence we have in him,
that if we ask anything according to His will,
He hears us. [1 John 5:14]
WHAT IS PRAYER?
It is difficult to come up with a definition of prayer because it includes so many aspects eg: conversation, communion, connection (silent and verbal), meaningful presence, relationship, faith, hope, love etc. Our group came up with the following definition: “God and myself entering into meaningful presence which includes dialogue and silent connection.”
Some other definitions include: “Prayer is bringing everything I know about myself to everything I know about God.” and “Prayer is any time that I am more than ordinarily aware of God.” The heart of prayer lies in awareness of God. We can go through the motions without praying. Formal prayers are helpful but not if they are merely mechanical. We think God cares where, when, how we pray. It doesn’t matter. A heartfelt connection is much more important than where, when, how.
True prayer comes from God. As you begin your prayer journey, it is something that you do. Then God comes in. Then prayer happens and I was there. Prayer is much bigger than what I do. [Falling Upwards by Richard Rohr]
Much was covered on this Prayer Training course, including many wonderful prayer techniques which have to be experienced and not read about. So I will share a little about cultivating a prayer framework, which is practical and helpful.
It is difficult to come up with a definition of prayer because it includes so many aspects eg: conversation, communion, connection (silent and verbal), meaningful presence, relationship, faith, hope, love etc. Our group came up with the following definition: “God and myself entering into meaningful presence which includes dialogue and silent connection.”
Some other definitions include: “Prayer is bringing everything I know about myself to everything I know about God.” and “Prayer is any time that I am more than ordinarily aware of God.” The heart of prayer lies in awareness of God. We can go through the motions without praying. Formal prayers are helpful but not if they are merely mechanical. We think God cares where, when, how we pray. It doesn’t matter. A heartfelt connection is much more important than where, when, how.
True prayer comes from God. As you begin your prayer journey, it is something that you do. Then God comes in. Then prayer happens and I was there. Prayer is much bigger than what I do. [Falling Upwards by Richard Rohr]
Much was covered on this Prayer Training course, including many wonderful prayer techniques which have to be experienced and not read about. So I will share a little about cultivating a prayer framework, which is practical and helpful.
Blessed are You, source of my being.
Praise to You for Your gift of life.
Through Your love, I was born,
because of Your love, I live,
and into Your love, I will die.
You are love and compassion, O God.
Yet despite my forgetful nature,
You call me back tirelessly,
into Your gracious and steadfast love.
[Contemporary Psalm by Roy DeLeon, OblSB]
Do not be anxious about anything,
but in everything by prayer,
present your requests to God.
[Philippians 4:6]
Praise to You for Your gift of life.
Through Your love, I was born,
because of Your love, I live,
and into Your love, I will die.
You are love and compassion, O God.
Yet despite my forgetful nature,
You call me back tirelessly,
into Your gracious and steadfast love.
[Contemporary Psalm by Roy DeLeon, OblSB]
Do not be anxious about anything,
but in everything by prayer,
present your requests to God.
[Philippians 4:6]
FRAMEWORK FOR ENTERING INTO PRAYER:
PREPARE: Get yourself ready for prayer. When you were dating, you took time to get ready to meet the beloved.
TIME: Make a time commitment eg half hour, one hour. Be faithful to your time of prayer and God will lead you to a deeper and more mature relationship with Him that transcends the ups and downs, consolations and desolations in your prayer life.
SPACE: Prayer is sacred space where you can let yourself be open and vulnerable to God. Create a special space if you can. Light a candle at the beginning to show that you are entering into sacred time and space. This shows your intention and desire.
PRESENCE OF GOD: Embrace the presence of God and feel God embracing you. Draw your attention and awareness to God. Place your focus on God. He is fully attending to us and to all of creation all of the time. Become aware that God is aware of us. Allow God to be God and rest in His presence. God is looking at us in love. He gazes on us in love. Like when people love each other and they catch each other’s eyes and know that they love each other. Or like sitting in the sun and letting it warm you. Or like lying in a warm bath and letting it soak you. Be aware that God is present and aware of us. It is like a feeling of being bathed in God’s love and peace. This is the start of prayer because God is the start of everything.
PRAYER DESIRE: Be aware of your prayer desire. What do I want / desire from God now? What is the grace that I desire now? NB: ask for the grace: ask and you shall receive. Beg for what you desire and long for, knowing that God plants our deep desires. Desires are not bad! GRACE is the gift that only God can give eg: intimacy, peace, joy, courage, strength, knowing Christ more clearly, following Him more dearly, loving Him more nearly etc. Grace is relational and not a thing.
ENTRY INTO PRAYER: Pray as you can and not as you can’t. Prayer is an individual encounter with God. There is no right or wrong way to pray – whatever works for you is right. Prayer is about being with God. It is about being open to God, and not about me and enjoying warm fuzzy feelings. Honor the time that you have set aside: not shorter and not longer. Mark the end of your prayer time with a prayer eg Glory Be.
REVIEW OF PRAYER: Afterwards have a tea break and then review your prayer time. Review is not: I did that so badly, I was distracted, dry, bored etc. Review might consist of looking at: What was your mood before and afterwards? Was there a shift in your mood? Did you feel any movement of the Spirit? Did you connect with God or not? Did you experience any strong emotions? Is there anything that came up and that you need to come back to? What did this conversation with God reveal to me?
PREPARE: Get yourself ready for prayer. When you were dating, you took time to get ready to meet the beloved.
TIME: Make a time commitment eg half hour, one hour. Be faithful to your time of prayer and God will lead you to a deeper and more mature relationship with Him that transcends the ups and downs, consolations and desolations in your prayer life.
SPACE: Prayer is sacred space where you can let yourself be open and vulnerable to God. Create a special space if you can. Light a candle at the beginning to show that you are entering into sacred time and space. This shows your intention and desire.
PRESENCE OF GOD: Embrace the presence of God and feel God embracing you. Draw your attention and awareness to God. Place your focus on God. He is fully attending to us and to all of creation all of the time. Become aware that God is aware of us. Allow God to be God and rest in His presence. God is looking at us in love. He gazes on us in love. Like when people love each other and they catch each other’s eyes and know that they love each other. Or like sitting in the sun and letting it warm you. Or like lying in a warm bath and letting it soak you. Be aware that God is present and aware of us. It is like a feeling of being bathed in God’s love and peace. This is the start of prayer because God is the start of everything.
PRAYER DESIRE: Be aware of your prayer desire. What do I want / desire from God now? What is the grace that I desire now? NB: ask for the grace: ask and you shall receive. Beg for what you desire and long for, knowing that God plants our deep desires. Desires are not bad! GRACE is the gift that only God can give eg: intimacy, peace, joy, courage, strength, knowing Christ more clearly, following Him more dearly, loving Him more nearly etc. Grace is relational and not a thing.
ENTRY INTO PRAYER: Pray as you can and not as you can’t. Prayer is an individual encounter with God. There is no right or wrong way to pray – whatever works for you is right. Prayer is about being with God. It is about being open to God, and not about me and enjoying warm fuzzy feelings. Honor the time that you have set aside: not shorter and not longer. Mark the end of your prayer time with a prayer eg Glory Be.
REVIEW OF PRAYER: Afterwards have a tea break and then review your prayer time. Review is not: I did that so badly, I was distracted, dry, bored etc. Review might consist of looking at: What was your mood before and afterwards? Was there a shift in your mood? Did you feel any movement of the Spirit? Did you connect with God or not? Did you experience any strong emotions? Is there anything that came up and that you need to come back to? What did this conversation with God reveal to me?
O eternal river of peace and love,
my being will always thirst for You.
Drown me in Your sea of loving-kindness.
Pull me into the peaceful silence of Your depths.
Satisfy and delight my soul as at a royal banquet.
Let these flesh and bones dance with Your joy.
From beginning to beginning without end,
all my being praises you, My Lord and My God.
[Contemporary Psalm by Roy DeLeon, OblSB]
May He grant you
according to your heart's desire,
and fulfill all your purpose.
[Psalm 20:4]
my being will always thirst for You.
Drown me in Your sea of loving-kindness.
Pull me into the peaceful silence of Your depths.
Satisfy and delight my soul as at a royal banquet.
Let these flesh and bones dance with Your joy.
From beginning to beginning without end,
all my being praises you, My Lord and My God.
[Contemporary Psalm by Roy DeLeon, OblSB]
May He grant you
according to your heart's desire,
and fulfill all your purpose.
[Psalm 20:4]
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