Newton Stewart, Wigtown and Whithorn RC Churches

Catholic Churches in the Machars of Galloway

First Exercise: Centering Prayer

Dear Friends in Christ,

 

Once per month, I would like to offer you a simple and practical spiritual exercise to help you grow in your life of prayer. Today, I will be preaching about prayer, what it is, why it is, how, when and where it can be. In my own experience, my faith and even my reception of the sacraments can become very dry and lifeless if I do not pray. As you will guess, I am not here speaking of the “prayers” (in the plural) which we have learnt by rote from childhood. These are very important! But I am referring to prayer as a deeper, quieter attentiveness to the presence of God within and around us. Prayer is a relationship before it is an activity. Just as we spend time in the presence of those we love, in conversation or in silence, so in prayer we spend time in the presence of the Father who created us, the Son who redeemed us and the Holy Spirit who makes us holy (a word for belonging to and becoming more like Jesus).

 

My proposal is that from month to month you might find a few minutes every day, or even once a week, which you can set aside to practice the exercise I put forward. It is intended to help you, so if you are not helped by one particular exercise, then leave it aside and take whatever one does help you. Prayer will deepen your faith, hope and love and will help you participate in the Mass with a fuller heart and mind. Give it a try!

 

First Exercise: Centering Prayer

 

This ancient form of prayer is a way of coming inside from the many distractions of life to descend or “sink” to the centre of your own soul and rest in a still, loving and peaceful way with God who is within you. You engage in a “heart to heart” encounter with God, be it Father, Son, Holy Spirit or all Three. If distractions come, you surrender them gently to God and refocus on your centre by using a word or phrase that appeals to you (for example, “Jesus”, “peace”, “Abba”, etc.).

 

1. Set aside a minimum time (5, 10, 15 minutes?), increasing it if possible on subsequent days as your life allows. Set a clock if you’re worried when to stop.

2. Settle in a comfortable position (one you won’t have to shift from).

3. Deliberately place yourself in God’s presence (e.g. make the sign of the Cross slowly; bow your head for a moment to God; breathe in deeply three times and say respectively Father, Son and Holy Spirit).

4. Pick a simple word or phrase (preferably from the Bible) which sums up or expresses your deep desire for God. Let this word guard your attention.

5. Take time to quieten down. It can often happen that the first minutes are filled with many noisy thoughts. Don’t worry about them or pay attention to them. Let them go. Gently return to the centre of God’s loving presence within you, using the word you picked (n.4). Be with Jesus (or the Father or the Spirit). Listen to the silence of God. Trust the Holy Spirit to pray in you, linking you to Father and Son.

6. Rest in Him, thinking nothing in particular, but focusing the gaze of your heart on God.

Don’t rush out of prayer, but come up from your depths nice and easy. Thank Jesus. Offer yourself to Him for the tasks awaiting you (“I am yours”, “Stay in me, Lord”, “Be my strength and my light”, etc.).

 

Initially, you may feel distracted trying to remember all these steps. You can keep this sheet beside you the first times you try it. Then you will gradually come to know them and move seamlessly through them. God be with you! I am praying for you all that He will fill you with the grace of prayer.