E&W 4-28-13

Sacred Story

Encouragements & Wisdom: April 28, 2013

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Encouragements and Wisdom: April 28, 2013 (PDF).

E & W reflections are additional helps for your Sacred Story prayer journey. Reflect on them at the beginning of the week or outside of your fifteen-minute prayer windows.

Memory

In the last three reflections, we have explored the science and the mystery of memory, as well as the challenges presented by a hyper-active culture in slowing down long enough to “listen” to our hearts. For this lesson, we reflect on Memory’s “first level.” During our 15-minute prayer, we ask for God’s grace to “recall” the most recent thoughts, words and events of the past day or half-day.

St. Ignatius paused briefly every hour on the hour to attend to the thoughts, words and deeds of the previous hour. And he did this with an eye to the spiritual messages contained in the events. Pretty amazing! This is how he became a master of discernment. Like Ignatius, once or twice a day you are invited to listen to your previous day or half-day, and recall the most significant “events” and/or spiritual movements you experienced. We really need God’s grace for this “holy remembering” because we are trying to look at events and sift them for their spiritual content. This holy remembering will, by grace, help us begin to “see” the thoughts, words and deeds of our day (or half-day) with spiritual eyes. Remember how often Sacred Story emphasizes: Wake up to your spiritual nature. Wake Up!

You have already begun to discover that all your thoughts, words and deeds have spiritual significance. This daily or half-daily “holy remembering” will enable you, by grace, to better see the spiritual forces that help you or hinder your growth, and to better see the outlines of your life as Sacred Story!
 
 

Oh God, we ask your help for our daily holy remembering. May we begin to see more clearly, in all our thoughts, words and deeds, that which moves us closer to you and also that which removes us from your presence. We ask a measure of grace each moment so that gradually, all our thoughts, words and deeds are shaped by your
Creation, Presence, Memory, Mercy and Eternity.

Let them make known your might to the children of Adam,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.

(Psalm 145: 12-13)

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