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Lenten Retreat:
Week Three
Theme: Behold
your King! He shall live for ever and ever!
Grace:
To pray for a personal
heart-felt knowledge of Jesus.
The
prayer material for each day of
this week is listed below.
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Day
One: Monday, March
2
Prayer
Material: Matthew 6: 7-15
Reflection:
"Behold
the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up a
righteous shoot to David; as king he shall reign and
govern wisely, he shall do what is just and right in the
land."
~Jeremiah
23,5
Can
I count on you to be with Me?
I want you to be with me to bring the
Kingdom
of
God
to all the earth. This personal invitation from the Lord
is the backdrop to developing a personal relationship, of
forming companionship, friendship with the person of
Jesus Christ. You may want to pray for the grace to know
the Lord more personally, to love Him more ardently and to
follow Him more closely. Ignatius considered this an
important grace as a companion of Jesus Christ.
[The
King and Kingdom meditation offered by St. Ignatius was
put in as the bridge meditation between the first and
second weeks of the Spiritual Exercises. To view a special
slide presentation of this please
click here.]
Additional
Prayer Reference
John
1: 1-7
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Day
Two:
Tuesday, March 3
Prayer
Material: Luke 4: 16-20
Reflection:
Ignatius
has Jesus say to the retreatant: "It
is my will to conquer the whole world and all my enemies
and thus to enter into the glory of my Father.
Therefore, whoever wishes to come with me must labor with
me, so that through following me in the pain you may
follow me also in the
glory."
The
kingdom
of
God
would be one of justice, love, mercy and faith. To be a
follower of Jesus is to be in union with Jesus in His mission in today's world, especially in solidarity with those at the
margins of society. Do I feel comfortable with this
way of being with Jesus?
Ignatius
suggests that by considering the person of Jesus and his
call "not only will a person offer oneself
entirely for this work but will act against selfishness
and worldly love, and make an offering of greater value
and importance." His special
offering prayer is quoted in "The
King and His Kingdom"
meditation - which you can read by clicking
here - and to pray this offering of self.
Additional
Prayer Reference
Matthew
7: 7-12
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Day
Three:
Wednesday, March 4
Prayer
Material: Matthew 5: 1-6
Reflection:
The
Sermon on the Mount begins with the familiar Beatitudes,
which set high standards that continue to challenge us
today. Christianity is not always easy. And
Jesus says, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. Whoever follows
Me will not walk in darkness." The
first disciples who chose to follow Jesus left behind
nets, boats, and even parents - things they depended on
for life and security. Knowing what you know of Jesus,
what are you ready to "leave behind" in
order to follow Him and continue His mission?
[If
you would like to read some thoughts on Ignatian
contemplation as a form of prayer, please click
here.]
Additional
Prayer References
Ezekiel
18: 21-28
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Day
Four:
Thursday, March 5
Prayer
Material:
Luke 6: 27-36
Reflection: To be a companion and friend of Jesus Christ and to take up
his mission in one's life requires that we "put
on the mind and heart of Christ" as
Paul urges. The call to be a servant with Christ in the
vineyard working for Christ's Kingdom of justice,
peace, and reconciliation will demand much love,
patience, and conviction. "I
will not ask you to do anything that I have not done"
says the Lord.
Ignatius inserts a reflection for the retreatant called THE TWO STANDARDS: namely;the
Way of Jesus and the Way of Satan. In this
reflection the retreatant asks to know the mind of Christ
and the deceits of the Evil One, Satan, called the Liar.
[Jesus would say: "I saw Satan fall from heaven like
lightning."]
More explicitly Ignatius says: "To
ask for insight into the deceits of the evil leader and
for help to guard myself against them; and further, for
insight into the genuine life which the supreme and
truthful commander, Jesus Christ, sets forth and the grace
to imitate Him."
If
you wish to pray over The Two Standards, please click
here.
Additional
prayer references
Matthew
5: 43-48; Deuteronomy 26: 16-19
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Day
5:
Friday, March 6
Prayer Material: Matthew 20: 17-28
Reflection:
Ignatius asks the retreatant to pray for "an interior knowledge of our Lord, who became man for
me, that I may love him more intensely and follow him
more closely."
God did not come to us in power and majesty but in
weakness, frailty, poverty, and dependence - as a
child. Our spirituality is "Incarnational"
- something that we embody. We are neither angels
nor perfect but are frail, fragile, vulnerable human
beings - "vessels of clay" to use
Paul's expression. It is important to embrace our
humanness in all of its dimensions. It is a gift, as
is all creation.
[If
you would like to read some further notes from the
book The Spirituality of Imperfection, please click
here.]
Additional
Prayer References
Ephesians 6: 10-20; Philippians 3: 12-21
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Day
Six:
Saturday, March 7
Prayer Material: Luke 15: 11-32
Reflection:
St. Augustine
noted: "Our hearts were made for you, O Lord, and they shall
not rest until they rest in you."
Do you pray more with your head or your heart? Could you
imagine the Lord asking you: "What is on your heart?
What do you want of me?" In your prayer this week did
your prayer center more on the person
of Jesus or on the message
of Jesus? What would you say is the 'strength' of
your prayer life? And what is the 'challenge' of your
prayer life?
Additional
Prayer References
Ephesians
6: 10-17; Ephesians 3: 14-21
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