Tag Archives: Meditation

Martha and Mary

Martha and Mary (Johannes_(Jan)_Vermeer)

Here we see Mary and Martha serving Jesus. We note Martha holding a basket with bread and Mary sitting at His feet listening.

We are all familiar with the account of Mary and Martha, with Mary sitting at Our Lord’s feet while her sister Martha prepares the meal. We too would love to sit and listen to Jesus but we are busy about many things like Martha. In this meditation we see how our life is essentially like that of Martha, but in order to be a good Martha we must also be Mary. Using many texts of St Josemaria Escriva‘s book Furrow, we consider:

  • The Second Vatican Council’s teaching that the role of the Christian lay person is to engage in the affairs of the world and order them according to the law of God.
  • We cannot waste our time but should be busy like Martha.
  • We should do what God is asking of us, not what we feel like.
  • We should work well, like Martha.
  • We should do everything for Jesus, like Martha.
  • In order to do this we must spend some time each day in prayer like Mary.

Witnesses for Christ

Christ sends the apostles

We are called to be witnesses to Christ. Here we see our Lorde sending out his disciples.

 

Christ has called all the baptised and sent us out to be his witnesses in the world, to bear fruit that will abide. If we are to fulfill this mission we must be branches very much united to the vine. We do this through our life of prayer, following a daily plan. In this meditation we will consider:

  • Our calling to be witnesses for Christ
  • How we must be branches united to the vine
  • The need for a daily plan of spiritual activities, just as we have a daily plan of meals, work, relaxation and sleep
  • The principal activities of this plan

The Good Samaritan

 

The good Samaritan is a great example of how we should treat our neighbour.

The parable of the Good Samaritan is a good example to follow in this Jubilee Year of Mercy

 

In this Jubilee Year of Mercy the parable of the Good Samaritan has much to tell us. It offers food for thought on how we can be a Good Samaritan to those around us. In this meditation we will consider:

  • The question of the lawyer to Jesus on what he must do to inherit eternal life and the importance of the question for everyone
  • How love for God and love for our neighbour are related
  • How our neighbour is everyone around us, no matter what their religion, race or nationality
  • The example of saints like Josemaria Escriva and Mother Teresa of Calcutta
  • How we can be the Good Samaritan in our family and with strangers

The heart of Mary

Icon of the heart of Mary

The Immaculate Heart of Mary

When the soldier pierced the heart of Christ as he hung on the cross, the spear pierced the heart of Mary too. Her heart and his were one. In this meditation we consider how:

  • Mary pondered the mysteries of Christ in her heart
  • Her heart and his were united throughout their lives
  • Mary suffered intensely with Jesus at Calvary
  • St Bernard considered Mary to be truly a martyr
  • Mary loves us as she loves Jesus

Called to holiness

Christ calling the apostles

We are all called to sanctity

Many  think only a few extraordinary people are called to sanctity and that it is sufficient for the rest to limit themselves to being good. But God has loved everyone and he wants all to love him with their whole heart, soul, mind and strength. All are called to sanctity and sanctity is within the reach of all. In this meditation we will consider how:

  • God has called each and everyone from all eternity to fulfill a mission
  • Christ loves everyone and he wants all to love him in return
  • To bear fruit we must be branches very united to the vine who is Christ
  • We are united to Christ through prayer, penance, the sacraments and fulfilling his will

Life of Prayer

vocal prayer and mental prayer

 

 

 

In our hectic life it is essential to find the time each day to stop and converse with God in prayer. In this meditation we consider:

  • Why we should pray
  • The different forms of prayer
  • The qualities our prayer should have
  • How to deal with distractions in prayer

Do not judge

christ-and-the-woman-taken-in-adultery-1653-oil-on-canvas-louvre-paris-france-poussin

 

We all tend to judge others, to criticise them, find fault and be judgmental. The encounter of Our Lord with the woman caught in adultery has much to teach us about how to be less quick to judge. In this meditation we will consider:

  • Our Lord’s encounter with the woman caught in adultery
  • Reasons why we tend to be judgmental
  • What we can do to be less ready to judge and more ready to forgive
  • Words of St Josemaria Escriva from his book The Way

The Prodigal Son

Prodigal Son 2

 

One of the most beloved parables is that of the Prodigal Son, who leaves his father’s home for a life of sin, then repents and returns to a warm embrace and a big celebration. Jesus gives us the parable to tell us that if we are sorry for our sins, God our merciful Father will always forgive us, no matter what we have done. In this meditation we consider:

  • The story of the Prodigal Son
  • Why Christ gave us the sacrament of Penance
  • Why telling our sins to a priest corresponds to our human nature
  • Ten benefits of going to confession
  • How regular confession helps us grow in holiness
  • What Pope Francis says about the importance of confession
  • How we should help others make use of this sacrament

Meditation “Blessed the merciful”

The parable of the prodigal son is mercy perosnified.

A great example of mercy is the parable of the prodigal son.

Now that the Jubilee Year of Mercy proclaimed by Pope Francis has begun, it is good to meditate on this important virtue so that we can discover new and better ways to live it out in our daily lives. In this meditation we will consider:

  • How God is merciful to us
  • What the Scriptures say about mercy
  • The nature of mercy
  • Why it is so important that we live mercy ourselves
  • The seven corporal works of mercy
  • The seven spiritual works of mercy

Meditation “Preparing for Christmas”

Christmas is a celebration of the birth of our saviour.

Every nativity scene you look at always has Mary, our holy mother with her son and St Joseph, her spouse.

Now that we are in Advent, we want to prepare well for Christmas. A good way to do this is by the hand of Our Lady. After all, she too prepared for the birth of Christ. In this meditation we consider nine lessons Our Lady gives us about how to prepare for this great feast:

 

 

 

  • Avoiding sin and going to confession
  • Docility to the will of God
  • Charity with others
  • Spreading joy
  • Presence of God
  • Not complaining about hardship
  • Penance
  • Contemplation and meditation
  • Bringing Christ to others