Teach me to pray ~ Encouragement before we share Exodus and the Canaanite Woman

Beautiful prayers presented in the Gospels lately.  Listen to these passages as we prepare our Exodus and the Canaanite Woman prayer sharing:

Mark 10:35-45.  We'll hear this Gospel this Sunday at Mass ~ October 18th, 2009

THIS IS THE LINE THAT HITS ME HARD when I ask Jesus to teach me to pray.  Just look at how he answers a question?  Ah man...I cried...

Emmanuel

(Jesus) said to them, 'What is it you want me to do for you?'

Luke 10:25-37 from October 5th, 2009

Jesus said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read it?"

Listen to that!  wow...see where I am going with this? Please, tell me what you think...what you're feeling...

I really didn't mean to take any more time from your day; BUT!  hehehe

WARNING ~ tangent

I received some feedback recently concerning this journal I am sharing with you.  I heard the person say something like this, "your stream of consciousness (drives me crazy!)."  Ah man...that is really who I am...it is really how I pray...

I tried very hard to make this post short, succinct,  to the point...well, there you have it brothers and sisters!

alright

alright alright

Look for Mark 8 right around verse 22.  I cry...

Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?"

We'll get into everything else about this most exquisite healing story later.  I LOVE IT!

Look at all the questions.  THAT is prayer for me.  

lectio divina

Talking with God.  

Asking Questions.  

Listening to God.  

Answering God's questions

We've already shared God asking the first two persons, "Where are you?"  We've already shared Jesus asking us, "Who do the crowds say I am?"  Moses asking God, "Who do I say sent me?"  Did we talk about Abraham asking God questions ~ "what if there are 50...?" ~ while sitting with God on the hill overlooking Sodom?  I should check our archives...THAT story is so important to me.

Ah man...one more thing...

Could all the questioning be like a child?  Didn't Jesus embrace the children in a story encouraging us to come to God as a child?  

God bless you.  Thank you for your patience.  Let's pray about the Exodus story and the Canaanite Woman remembering to ask questions...to listen...to hear God's questions...to answer God's questions...

Before closing for the night...go back to Jesus asking the Expert in the Law, "How do you read it?"  Let's feel encouraged to let our Holy Spirit rest in our hearts while reading the Exodus and the Canaanite Woman stories.  let me just ask this...Have you found the link I LOVE in the two stories?  You might not like me when I finally get there...

Time for me to sit back...rest...breathe and sigh

Who do the crowds say I am ~ in my heart, in my life, in my stillness

Emmanuel ~ God is with us.

How many times have we found this to be true even when we’ve ‘stepped back from God,’ if you will?  God came to us in the Garden. God came to us at the tomb.

I hope to talk about the times God came seeking our assistance; to work with us ~ Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, The Twelve, Preparation of the Gifts for the Eucharist.  I loved touching on the times God came to us just to visit ~ Abraham & Sarah, The Transfiguration. A few times God talks about us with others ~ Job, The Tower of Babel ~ I really need your help with that one.

Today, let’s talk about Jesus asking us, “Who do the crowds say I am?”

This blows me away...I hear Human Jesus seeking affirmation from us.  How Human...The Word Incarnate...The Word Made Flesh...the very human Jesus.  I ask my friends, my family this very question every time I am introduced to new people, ‘Do you think they liked me?  Did I make a favorable impression? Am I making sense?  Do people get what I am talking about, what I am doing here?  Is what I am doing enough?’  I hear Jesus asking me these same questions...God has a crush on me...

I pray I am not afraid to ask God the same questions.

I remember the first time I had a crush on someone. I asked a mutual friend, ‘What do you think?  I like (that person).  Do you think (that person) likes me?’  I hear God asking me, 'do you like me? I love you. Do you love me?'

WARNING ~ tangent

I suppose you’ve figured out at this point...I hold to a pretty Low Christology.  I know most contemporary theologians...christologists...moved away from Low/High Christology.  I miss this linear thought.  It helps me to better understand...to better feel...to better pray...when I recognize how I ‘got there,’ if you will.  See, when I think...feel...pray...with human Jesus I know...feel...am still...in God’s love because God walked a mile in my shoes, if you will, with “nothing for the journey except a staff -- no bread, no haversack, no coppers” -- just our company.  I find I hold that Emmanuel is constant...always...because “the kingdom of God is within (me)."  Again, I am challenged with ‘what comes first:  attitude or behavior?

Alright…

Alright…

Alright…

I hear Jesus’ orders not to tell anyone about being The Christ differently.  I hear him thinking, ‘I believe that, too...don’t tell anyone...I am not ready...thank you for affirming me...affirming my message...Emmanuel...God is Love…’

whoa...

let's sit back...feel our hearts beat and sigh