Praying before Communion and I try to put myself in God's presence. I picture Jesus standing on a hill preaching, and I am sitting at the bottom of the hill, taking it all in from a distance, happy to be there, but not really a part of what's going on.
I was content at the bottom of the hill, sitting on a rock and watching. I could see the inner circle around Jesus, talking to him, asking him questions. What would it be like to be that close? But it was comfortable here on the rock, and maybe too much would be demanded of me if I went closer.
Praying after Communion I pictured Jesus on the hill again. This time I was sitting next to him. I had allowed myself to go up that hill and go to him.
And I was glad I did.
3 comments:
That is a lovely image. Thanks.
At our prayer meetings we are now sharing once a month on scripture readings that are meaningful to us. It's interesting that last week I shared on the beatitudes and how my religion teacher, a nun was a ahead of the times in 1962, encouraging us to read scripture and to put ourselves there.
I remember her telling us to close our eyes and imagine being in the field where Jesus is teaching. The grass is tickling our legs and we hear the crickets chirping and then we hear His voice.
Hmm. That reminds me of our trip to the Holy Land, many years ago. It happened to be my birthday. We had gone to the Hill of Beatitudes with our group and had a break in our Mass or prayer meeting, or whatever it was. The area was surrounded by a fence and I had to walk some distance to get around it. I found a rock to sit on under a tree on the hill. Before me was spread a whole field of wildflowers all the way down to the Sea of Galilee. there was an orange grove to my left and I could smell the sweet aroma. I closed my eyes and tried to block everything out of my mind, like I was taught, so I could hear God speaking to me. I didn't hear anything and then I felt the most gentle breeze on my face. I didn't actually hear anyone saying words, but it came into my mind that God was saying to me, "BILL, why are you sitting here with your eyes closed. OPEN YOUR EYES and see the beautiful day I have made for you. I have given you wildflowers, an orange grove, birds of the air and the wonderful sea. Open your eyes and enjoy my creation." Wow.
Later that day we visited the Basilica of the Annunciation and after Mass were shown the grotto where the Angel appeared to Mary. Inside on a stone wall it is written, Here, the Word was made flesh." The grotto is only open to the public one day of the year, on the feast of the Annunciation, which happens to be my birthday. That was quite a birthday.
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