The Spirit hovers over the friends of Jesus

Spiritual Exercise 61

 

Preparation
First I take a large candle and lighter, and place it near to hand               .

At my prayer place, I consider how the Spirit hovers over me, kindling in me the fire of God’s love. I make a gesture of reverence and humility.

I read the prayer texts to understand the gifts of divine friendship.

Opening Prayer
With simple words, I offer my whole self to the Spirit.

Desire
I desire fire from the Spirit.

Prayer
With my imagination, I see the consequences of friendship with Jesus.

First, a promise fulfilled—I use my imagination to re-create the upper room of a house in the old city of Jerusalem. I see men and women, disciples of Jesus, and Mary his mother. I am there too. I imagine the conversations—some calm, some agitated, some fearful. Then I hear a sound like the rush of a strong wind. I see tongues of fire descend on everyone, and feel one dancing on my head. I am filled with the Spirit—love and gift and courage race through the core of my being.

I allow the rest of Pentecost to unfold around me.

Second, new friends—Next, I use my imagination to return to the special place I created in the previous prayer, the quiet resting place. I am sitting with Jesus and the Father when a third person joins us. Jesus introduces me personally to the Spirit and asks her to be my friend. The Spirit, with great joy, fills my hands with gifts and my heart with her fire. Then, as it is with closest friends, we sit in companionable quiet together, enjoying each other’s presence.

Conversation of the Senses
In reverence, I take a large candle, symbol of the fire of the Spirit. I light it and bless it.

With the candle in my hands, Jesus and I share how we feel about our friendship. I thank him for the particular gifts that shine in me. I ask myself how I might serve, where I might be sent with such gifts.

Our Father.

Prayer Texts

 

When the day of Pentecost had come, the disciples of Jesus were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. (Acts 2:1–4)

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses. (1 Cor 12:4–11)

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. (Gal 5:22–23, 25)

We also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. (Rom 5:3–5)

Jesus said to [the disciples] again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (Jn 20:21–22)

 

Time: 35 Minutes

Preparation: 10 minutes. Opening Prayer: 1 minute. Desire: 1 minute. Prayer: 20 minutes. Conversation: 3 minutes. Listening Book: 10 minutes.

 

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