24 ~ A JOURNEY INTO HOPE

~ 24 ~

A JOURNEY INTO HOPE ~
“Did not our hearts burn within us
while he talked to us on the road?”

I prepare my heart for prayer
As I begin, I take a moment to become aware of the Lord present to me,
looking upon me with love, desiring to speak to my heart.

Prayerfully, I read Luke 24:13-35
After prayerfully reading, I ask for a grace I desire in this time of prayer.

Using my reasoning:

• Think about what is happening in the scene; what are the action words?
• Who are the people in the scene? What is the place? What things are described?
• What words catch my attention? What does this mean to me?

Using my imagination:

• Imagining myself in the scene – am I an observer or participant? To whom am I drawn?
• Using all of my senses – what do I see? What do I hear? What do I feel, smell or taste?

Reflect on what God is saying to my heart:

• As I reflect, I use my spiritual senses to acknowledge what is transpiring in my heart – my thoughts, feelings and desires. (Acknowledge means to see, to notice, to become aware of, to name.)  This is important to do, as my thoughts, feelings and desires shape my actions.

• I look for the truth the Lord is communicating to me. I ask Jesus to give me his mind and his thoughts to see with the eyes of his heart what he wants to reveal to me today. How is Jesus calling me to apply this truth to my life?

Guided Reflection
Quoted from “An Ignatian Introduction to Prayer,”
by Father Timothy M Gallagher, O.M.V¹ 

I am there, walking with the two disciples. I feel the heaviness of their hearts: “We had hoped …” The energy of the beginnings is past, the time of trial and outward failure has come. They have seen Good Friday … and, now, the tomb … is empty, lifeless.

I walk with them along this country road … I listen to them talk. I see the sadness on their faces. I, too, have known this sadness of a disciple, when all seems to go wrong, when I cannot make sense of what God is doing …

Suddenly, Another is with us. He says little; he simply invites us to share the burdens of our hearts: “What is this conversation …?” “What things?” They pour out their story of a hope that is now passed, of their struggle …

I speak of my own hopes and disappointments … And he listens …

“O foolish men and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!” He knows that they – and I – are not “hard” of heart, but only “slow” of heart. Too much has happened, too quickly, and they cannot grasp it in faith, cannot understand it.
They falter …

The Listener now speaks to their hearts. He “opens” to them the Scriptures and, slowly, they begin to understand … ”Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” “These things” – not the end of hope, but rather the necessary path toward glory …

The “slow” heart becomes a heart on fire: “Did not our hearts burn within us … while he opened to us the Scriptures?” I beg the divine Pilgrim, walking with me through life, for this same burning heart …

“Stay with us …” With them, I make this prayer from my heart to the Lord: Stay with me, Lord Jesus! “So he went in to stay with them …”

We share the meal, the breaking of the bread. And our eyes are opened. Faith flames up, renewed within us. Discouragement is transformed into the surety that the risen Lord is always with me, today, every day, of my life.

Now everything changes for them, for me. They return, with energy, to the heart of the community. And they bear witness to the risen Lord in the midst of others: “They told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.”

Now I am alone with the Lord. My heart speaks freely to him …

I ask for this grace in this time of prayer:
Converse with God²

Acknowledge:

• What are the thoughts arising in my heart? I think …
• What are the feelings arising in my heart? I feel …
• What are the desires arising in my heart? I desire …

Relate:

I honestly relate these to God; I talk to him about them, trusting he is present and listening
to me, his beloved child.

Receive:

• I listen to what the Lord wants to say to my heart, knowing his love is gratuitous and unconditional. I receive his love and consolation. I trust he longs to console me, to encourage me, to strengthen me, to heal me, to forgive me …

• I allow him to lead me; perhaps returning to the scripture …

Respond:

• I conclude my prayer time speaking to Jesus, God the Father, and/or the Holy Spirit as I would speak to a friend. I may also invoke the intercession of Mary and the Saints.
(St. Ignatius calls this a colloquy.)

Praise him – give glory to God for who he is; for being all good and loving; for being my Lord and savior …

Thank him – for our time together; for his word to me; for the gifts he has given me today …

Ask him – for his help, grace, strength, wisdom, deeper faith …

• Based on what God is saying to my heart, I resolve to act in the following concrete way to love God and love neighbor (which could be something small). Today I will …

Rest in the Lord: Be still and know that I am God
Psalm 46:10

1 Gallagher, T., 2008. An Ignatian Introduction To Prayer: Scriptural Reflections According To The Spiritual Exercises. New York: The Crossroad Publishing Company.

2 This way to converse with God in prayer often called ARRR is taught by The Institute for Priestly Formation out of Omaha Nebraska. For more information see Father Traynor, Scott (2013) The Parish as a School of Prayer and Dwyer, Karen and Lawrence (2011) WRAP Yourself in Scripture (IPF Publications).