Advent Examen ~ Elizabeth and Mary

Praise God, huh?

All who pray with me know how much the interaction between 

Mary and Elizabeth 

changed my life.

I pray always that I will feel 

my spirit ‘leap within my womb’ 

as I greet another person.  

I pray always that others will feel

their spirit ‘leap within their womb’ 

as they greet me.

I pray always that my interactions with others 

will exemplify God is Love.

I pray always that my behavior 

will exemplify Emmanuel.

I pray always that I will recognize 

Emmanuel in others.

I hear this as the first reality of the New Law:

  Love One Another...

I hear the Old Testament

 ~ Elizabeth ~ 

welcoming the New Testament

 ~ Mary ~ 

right here…

I hear the New Testament 

~ Mary ~ 

bringing the Old Testament 

~ Elizabeth ~ 

through the transition…

The barren Elizabeth 

is the prophet here for me…

The barren Elizabeth 

is the first of the ‘old law’ 

to bring forth the proclaimer of Great Things to Come...

Praise God, huh?

When am I Mary with Emmanuel

 gestating within me?

When am I Elizabeth in Advent...

 waiting to feel Emmanuel gestating within me?

Peace...

Jesus before Pilate ~ Teach me to pray

Ah man…

Listen to this…

Hear the questions...note the type of questions...do they foster conversation or are they closed ~ yes or no answers...questions asked with an agenda...questions asked with only ONE acceptable answer expected by the interrogator...

Pilate said to Jesus,
"Are you the King of the Jews?" 

Jesus answered, 

"Do you say this on your own
or have others told you about me?" 

Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I?
Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me.
What have you done?"

Jesus answered, 

"My kingdom does not belong to this world.
If my kingdom did belong to this world,
my attendants would be fighting
to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.
But as it is, my kingdom is not here." 

So Pilate said to him, "Then you are a king?" 

Jesus answered,

 "You say I am a king.
For this I was born 

and for this I came into the world,
to testify to the truth.
Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."

~ John 18: 33-37

All right now.  Check this out! Again, the questions…yeah, one question is actually a demand...

The interrogators brought an agenda.

I struggle to find ‘prayer’ here.  Jesus, sadly to me says, “If I question, you will not respond.”

They said, 

"If you are the Messiah, tell us," 

but he replied to them, 

"If I tell you, you will not believe.

  

If I question, you will not respond.”

~ Luke 22:  67 - 68

Ah man…

I cry.

I pray I will pray free of any agenda always.

I pray Jesus will never have to say to me, “If I question, you will not respond.”

I pray I will invite others to pray with me free of an agenda always.

I pray I will hear another's prayer always.

I pray I will live God is Love always. 

I pray I will feel God's Love through another person always. 

I pray (my soul) will leap in (my) womb, and be filled with the Holy Spirit when I am greeted by another always.

I pray (others' souls) will leap in (their) wombs, and be filled with the Holy Spirit when I greet them always.