Are we relevant? (Salt and Light)

We are asking ourselves if and to what extend our lives are significant and relevant in our society. Jesus points out that His disciples are the ones who make a difference in the Big Picture (that is the Kingdom of God). We are the Salt and Light People. Some of these issues or tough to work through. Jesus is calling us to more than a feel-good spirituality. We have to get down to the nuts and bolts of life. We will have to wrestle with the important issues of our time and bear with each other until we achive a deeper understanding or appreciate a different persepctive. Our Spiritual Formation groups are there to support this process.

Below are a few issues that the class brought up the deserve further discussion.

• Learning to listen: We find it's sometimes not easy to deal with someone who doesn't think alike. But if I don't hear you I can't care for you. Let's figure out togehter how to become good listeners!
• What social evils do we need to address in prayer? (Abortion, ...)
• What situations require our action. Let's come together and identify specific tasks for us as disciples that HE wants us to take care of
• Places: what are the places that we have to go to and help (here in Milwaukee for example Heart Fire Ministries), where in the world is my presence needed the most?
• Understanding what church is: What do I need to know about church, how do I relate to it
• War (see the independent thread in this blog)
• How to deal with crime in our society (death penalty, prison, ...). Let's engage in some serious talk on how we see society in this regard and how we think it should be

Can the "Kingdom of God" be Promoted by War?

We are all affected by the waging of wars in our time. We are touched by sacrifices that are made by many and we are confused by the dark sides of injustice and violence. As disciples of Jesus one of our main concerns is to do what is possible to further the coming of the Kingdom of God in our times (as the Lord's prayer says: "Thy Kingdom come"). An essential step toward this goal is to come together as disciples of the One Master, reach over political and other divides and make the effort together to understand what we are to do. In the end we may (and will) draw different practical consequences, but we will know that we are standing on one firm ground and that we will express in a variety of different callings the one Spirit that is moving us and that will powerfully bring about the coming of the Kingdom of God.

Please use the opportunity given here to share your thoughts (post your comments).

The Golden Triangle of Spiritual Formation (D. Willard)

Centered in the Mind of Christ

Phil 2:12-15
12 So then, my beloved, obedient as you have always been, not only when I am present but all the more now when I am absent, work out your salvation with fear and trembling. 12 13 For God is the one who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to work.14 Do everything without grumbling or questioning,15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, 13 among whom you shine like lights in the world,

Rom 13:14
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.

The Action of the Holy Spirit

John 3:5
Jesus answered, "Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.

Rom 8:10-13
10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is alive because of righteousness.11 If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit that dwells in you.12 Consequently, brothers, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Gal 5:22-26
22 In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness,23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.24 Now those who belong to Christ (Jesus) have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires.25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.26 Let us not be conceited, provoking one another, envious of one another.

Ordinary Events of Life

James 1:2-4
2 Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, 2 3 for you know that the testing 3 of your faith produces perseverance.4 And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Rom 5:1-5
1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace 2 with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,2 through whom we have gained access (by faith) to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God.3 Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance,4 and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope,5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us.

Planned Discipline to Put on a New Heart

Col 3:12-17
12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.14 And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection.15 And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.17 And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

2 Pet 1:5-10
5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge,6 knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with devotion,7 devotion with mutual affection, mutual affection with love.8 If these are yours and increase in abundance, they will keep you from being idle or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.9 Anyone who lacks them is blind and shortsighted, forgetful of the cleansing of his past sins.10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more eager to make your call and election firm, for, in doing so, you will never stumble.

Group activities

Use this thread to post any activities you want to communicate to the rest of us...

Lectio Divina (Sunday class)

4/15/07:

Here is the agenda for groups to pray the Lectio Divina as we have been practicing. The Bible text we have been choosing was mainly taken from the Office of Readings or Mass Readings available through www.universalis.com.

Lectio – Listening to God - First Reading

(Precede with gathering song, e.g. “Nada Te Turbe”, Taize)
Read text 2 times
1st time one group member reads aloud
2nd time silent reading
After reading, 1-2 minutes silence, reciting/pondering your word or passage
At the end share your word. No elaboration.

Meditatio – “Ruminating” - Second Reading

Read text again aloud in group
Silence for 2-3 minutes: Focus on my verse in the context of my life. What am I doing today? How is the word trying to address me today?
At the end share briefly how His word is speaking to me: “I hear God talking to me about how I am doing …(fill the blank)… today/this week”

Oratio – “Answering” - Third Reading

Read text again aloud in group
In silence, 2-3 minutes, reflect on what God is inviting me to do today, this week
Sharing aloud the results of one’s reflection
After full sharing, pray for the person to your right
Note: Anyone may “pass” at any time (just close your silent prayer with "Amen")


Contemplatio – “Resting in God”

Simply rest in God's presence and enjoy His loving embrace
If time allows, finish group time with silence or meditative song, for example “O Lord, Hear My Prayer” (Taize)

Here is the text of the two Taize songs mentioned above:

Nada te turbe, nada te espante:
quien a Dios tiene nada le falta
Nada te turbe, nada te espante:
Solo Dios basta
(Santa Teresa da Jesus)

O Lord hear my prayer, O Lord, hear my prayer:
when I call, answer me
O Lord hear my prayer, O Lord, hear my prayer:
come and listen to me.


4/8/07:

Summary of the four steps of Lectio Divina:

For the purpose of our group prayer and your own prayer, the steps of Lection Divina can be summarized like this:

1. Lectio - "listening": we find a word or passage that speaks to us in a personal way
2. Meditatio - "ruminating": we take this word into our life context, know it "by heart"
3. Oratio - "answering": we accept this word as our call, we commit to put it to practice in faith
4. Contemplatio - "resting": we simply rest in God's presence and enjoy His loving embrace


3/25/07:

For an all-day long immersion in the presence of God try the "Prayer of the Heart", also known as the "Jesus Prayer" that has been a mainstay in the Orthodox church since at least the 6th century. A useful website - among a large variety - with an introduction into this prayer form can be found here: http://www.svots.edu/Faculty/Albert-Rossi/Articles/Saying-the-Jesus-Prayer.html. In the business of the day, especially if you are doing repetitive tasks, this can be a powerful tool to keep yourself as close to Jesus as you can manage.

As we discussed in class, just remember that there is nothing magic about using any of the prayer forms we are discussing. As little or as much as there is anything magic about organizing your day around a loved person here on earth and seeing how love starts to grow and real actions flow forth from there. Love is inventive. There are no sure-shot recipies. Be experimental, try other approaches if something doesn't work for you. But try something!


3/18/07 (and before)

5 min prayer: The bear-bones minimum, a commitment to God whom we love with all our hearts and mind and strength ...: We will spend at least five minutes in conversation with Him everyday. No exceptions. We will plan our day around these five minutes, not the other way around. One way to fill this short time is as followes: 1st minute say "I am sorry" because yes, I have not been living up to his expectations, 2nd minute say "I surrender" (not my will but your will be done"), 3rd-5th minute say "Hold me" and remain silent. Finish the time with the Lords prayer. (This suggestion is inspired by Father Larry Richards)

Google "Lectio Divina"! You will be amazed about the richness of resources at your fingertips if you are seriously seeking to get closer to God in prayer. I have been using Brother Luke Dysinger's introduction (http://www.valyermo.com/ld-art.html) for our Sunday class.

Text for daily Bible reading you can find www.universalis.com. This is the website I mentioned in class, it provides the "Office of Readings" of the Catholic Church and more. I particularly like this site to use with my colleagues at work. We meet for 20 minutes of prayer three times a week and read together the Psalm for the day followed by some silent and individual prayer time.

Resources

Books that I recommend for reading:

Dallas Willard 1) "The Spirit of the Disciplines" and 2) "The Divine Conspiracy". I got both at Amazon. You can find out more about Dallas Willard here. Following is a short snippet from that website: "DALLAS WILLARD is a Professor in the School of Philosophy at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He has taught at USC since 1965, where he was Director of the School of Philosophy from 1982-1985. He has also taught at the University of Wisconsin (Madison, 1960-1965), and has held visiting appointments at UCLA (1969) and the University of Colorado (1984). "

Obviously Willard is a bright guy. But most convincing to me is that he recovers significance of the everyday Christian life straight from a fresh perspective on the Sermon on the Mount (see reference 2) and from an application of centuries old wisdom of those apprentices of the great master that went before us (see reference 1).

Another helpful book is Richard Fosters "Celebration of Discipline". Foster is also the director of the Renovaré website with a lot more resources for spiritual formation.

There is much more available on the topic of spiritual formation.

Greetings

Welcome all to an open forum on the topics we are discussing in SFI class and any related items. Looking forward to hearing from you all! I hope this will prove to be a useful way to communicate and stay in touch. Use screen names as you like. We'll learn to use blogging to foster our spiritual growth as we go...