Zeal
Well-Known Member
Recall you are in the presence of God.
“In [God] we live and move and have our being.†(Acts 17:28)
We are always in the presence of God, but in prayer we place ourselves in God’s presence in an especially attentive way. God your Creator knows and loves you in the deepest way possible, and through Jesus his Son you have learned of your own beauty. The Holy Spirit, the manifestation of the love between the Father and the Son, guides and guards us too. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you look at your life with love this day.
Look at your day with gratitude.
“And Mary said: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord….The Almighty One has done great things for me.†(Lk 1:46, 49)
After a few moments, begin to give thanks to God for the gifts of this day. Special pleasures will spring to mind: a good night’s sleep, the smell of the morning coffee, the laugh of a child. As you move in gratitude through the details of your day, remember that every single event has been God’s gift. The morning sun, the singing of the birds, perhaps a smile from the mail carrier or the kindness of a friend all point to God’s love for you, personally.
God is found in the concrete details of the day, and this step helps us recall that every sunrise, every raindrop, every single breath we take is a gift of the God who loves us in the deepest possible way. As you take stock of what has been given you this day, take special care to notice what you received and what you gave.
After you review the special gifts of God this day, recall the gifts of your own creation. The special and perfect way God has made you brings God’s grace to others. As you have participated in the body of Christ this day you have brought your own strengths—your sense of humor, your ability to cook, your strong hands and arms, your words of encouragement, your patience—to others, and all supported by your family and friends. Just as God the Father has sent Jesus to help and assure us of God’s kingdom on earth, so Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to guide us as we gratefully receive and generously give life to others.
As you complete the review of your gifts and the particular gifts of this day, pause briefly to thank God for all these.
Ask help from the Holy Spirit.
“When the Spirit of truth comes he will guide you into all truth.â€
(Jn 16:13)
In the next step after this, you will look at the ways in which you have responded to God’s gracious gifts and love this day. Before you move to that fourth step, ask here in a special way for the Holy Spirit to come into your heart and to help you look at your actions this day clearly and with an understanding of your own limitations. The Spirit will help you understand the mystery of your human heart, and at this point you ask to learn more about your actions and motivations. Remember, this is not a “beat up on yourself†session, where you will grind at the core of your being in sadness over things you have done wrong. Rather, it is a gentle look with the Lord at how you have responded to God’s gifts.
“In [God] we live and move and have our being.†(Acts 17:28)
We are always in the presence of God, but in prayer we place ourselves in God’s presence in an especially attentive way. God your Creator knows and loves you in the deepest way possible, and through Jesus his Son you have learned of your own beauty. The Holy Spirit, the manifestation of the love between the Father and the Son, guides and guards us too. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you look at your life with love this day.
Look at your day with gratitude.
“And Mary said: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord….The Almighty One has done great things for me.†(Lk 1:46, 49)
After a few moments, begin to give thanks to God for the gifts of this day. Special pleasures will spring to mind: a good night’s sleep, the smell of the morning coffee, the laugh of a child. As you move in gratitude through the details of your day, remember that every single event has been God’s gift. The morning sun, the singing of the birds, perhaps a smile from the mail carrier or the kindness of a friend all point to God’s love for you, personally.
God is found in the concrete details of the day, and this step helps us recall that every sunrise, every raindrop, every single breath we take is a gift of the God who loves us in the deepest possible way. As you take stock of what has been given you this day, take special care to notice what you received and what you gave.
After you review the special gifts of God this day, recall the gifts of your own creation. The special and perfect way God has made you brings God’s grace to others. As you have participated in the body of Christ this day you have brought your own strengths—your sense of humor, your ability to cook, your strong hands and arms, your words of encouragement, your patience—to others, and all supported by your family and friends. Just as God the Father has sent Jesus to help and assure us of God’s kingdom on earth, so Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to guide us as we gratefully receive and generously give life to others.
As you complete the review of your gifts and the particular gifts of this day, pause briefly to thank God for all these.
Ask help from the Holy Spirit.
“When the Spirit of truth comes he will guide you into all truth.â€
(Jn 16:13)
In the next step after this, you will look at the ways in which you have responded to God’s gracious gifts and love this day. Before you move to that fourth step, ask here in a special way for the Holy Spirit to come into your heart and to help you look at your actions this day clearly and with an understanding of your own limitations. The Spirit will help you understand the mystery of your human heart, and at this point you ask to learn more about your actions and motivations. Remember, this is not a “beat up on yourself†session, where you will grind at the core of your being in sadness over things you have done wrong. Rather, it is a gentle look with the Lord at how you have responded to God’s gifts.
