7 August 09

Last Friday we had about 12 young adults come down for YAF. Following Yong Jie's devotion on Fellowship the previous week, Debbie shared on the importance of Prayer in the context of the YAF ministry. Here is an excerpt below:

As we hope to have God bless this ministry, we need so many things. We need people, we need hearts (hearts that want to see this ministry grow), we need time well-spent, we need discipline, we need discernment, we need gifts, we need wisdom, we need direction. While it seems like an overwhelming list of things, we need to realize it’s not something we add to our shopping cart with ‘enough’ effort or with the natural passing of time. It boils down to this question: Do I know Him?

So how do we know our God? Well, how do we know someone personally if we don’t talk with Him?

“The underlying dynamic of Ignatian prayer is that of a conversation. We are in a relationship with God that involves give and take, our response to his invitation, a sharing of life. The Spiritual Exercises urge us to see ourselves as God sees us—as sons and daughters, members of his family. Jesus used the affectionate word abba to refer to his Father when he prayed. The closest English equivalent is “Papa.” We can address God in the same intimate way because we are his children. Prayer is a natural outcome of this close relationship. Prayer is a conversation. The essential activity of prayer springs naturally from our humanity. It is a matter of conversing with a very good friend.”

- David L. Fleming, SJ.

This quotation holds personal meaning for me. I realise how I prayed was an indication of how I related to/viewed God. I called Him Father, talked with Him as a daughter speaking to her father, coward in reverence and fear, but ended in “Jesus name”. I saw God as my heavenly Father, but not as the other Persons He embodied. He is also Jesus, one that I can lament to and who understands what I go through spiritually and physically. He is also the Spirit in my soul. So who is God? Father figure? Empathetic friend? Our conscience? He is all of those. How do you relate to Him? I encourage you to question if your relationship is 3-dimensional.

----------

How Can I Pray?

A great way to pray is to look for God’s presence in your life. More than 400 years ago St. Ignatius Loyola encouraged prayer-filled mindfulness by proposing what has been called the Daily Examen. The Examen is a technique of prayerful reflection on the events of the day in order to detect God’s presence and to discern his direction for us.

Try this version of St. Ignatius’s prayer.

1. Become aware of God’s presence.

Look back on the events of the day in the company of the Holy Spirit. The day may seem confusing to you—a blur, a jumble, a muddle. Ask God to bring clarity and understanding.

2. Review the day with gratitude.

Gratitude is the foundation of our relationship with God. Walk through your day in the presence of God and note its joys and delights. Focus on the day’s gifts. Look at the work you did, the people you interacted with. What did you receive from these people? What did you give them? Pay attention to small things—the food you ate, the sights you saw, and other seemingly small pleasures. God is in the details.

3. Pay attention to your emotions.

One of St. Ignatius’s great insights was that we detect the presence of the Spirit of God in the movements of our emotions. Reflect on the feelings you experienced during the day. Boredom? Elation? Resentment? Compassion? Anger? Confidence? What is God saying through these feelings?
God will most likely show you some ways that you fell short. Make note of these sins and faults. But look deeply for other implications. Does a feeling of frustration perhaps mean that God wants you consider a new direction in some area of your work? Are you concerned about a friend? Perhaps you should reach out to her in some way.

4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it.

Ask the Holy Spirit to direct you to something during the day that God thinks is particularly important. It may involve a feeling—positive or negative. It may be a significant encounter with another person or a vivid moment of pleasure or peace. Or it may be something that seems rather insignificant. Look at it. Pray about it. Allow the prayer to arise spontaneously from your heart—whether intercession, praise, repentance, or gratitude.

5. Look toward tomorrow.

Ask God to give you light for tomorrow’s challenges. Pay attention to the feelings that surface as you survey what’s coming up. Are you doubtful? Cheerful? Apprehensive? Full of delighted anticipation? Allow these feelings to turn into prayer. Seek God’s guidance. Ask him for help and understanding. Pray for hope.

St. Ignatius encouraged people to talk to Jesus like a friend. End the Daily Examen with a conversation with Jesus. Ask forgiveness for your sins. Ask for his protection and help. Ask for his wisdom about the questions you have and the problems you face. Do all this in the spirit of gratitude. Your life is a gift, and it is adorned with gifts from God. End the Daily Examen with the Our Father.

Source: http://ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/the-examen/how-can-i-pray/

In other news: Welcome back Jean & Happy (belated) birthday Leonard! :D