A reflective ending Our Lord showed me a little thing,

the size of a hazelnut,

in the palm of my hand,

round like a ball.

I looked at it thoughtfully and wondered,

“What is this?”

And the answer came,

“It is all that is made.”

I marvelled that it continued to exist and did not

suddenly disintegrate;

it was so small.

And again my mind supplied the answer,

“It exists both now and forever,

because God loves it.”

In short,

everything owes its existence to the love of God.

In this “little thing” I saw three truths.

The first is that God made it;

the second is that God loves it;

and the third is that God sustains it . . .

Julian of Norwich, Showings

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St James & St William of York

Friday 7th June to Sunday 14th July

To commemorate Fr John’s

Anniversary

of Ordination

to the Priesthood.

Introduction

50 years ago, Fr John said ‘yes’ to God’s call to enter into a lasting

relationship of love through service as a priest.

We too, are invited into relationship with God and for all of us this

relationship is built on prayer.

Thus, it is fitting that prayer should have a central place in

celebrating Fr John’s Golden Jubilee. 50 hours of prayer for 50

years of ministry. We hope people individually or in groups will

offer an hour of prayer between 7 June and 14 July.

This booklet and the daily prayer reflections on the website offer encouragement to give prayer a go. Prayer enables a personal relationship with Jesus to develop and collectively, prayer enables our parish to grow in love, faithfulness and service. In prayer we show our gratitude to God for all the blessings we have received and for Fr John’s ministry as a priest.

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Tried and tested ways of prayer and other ideas

Tried and tested . . .

Pray the rosary, why not try it while you are walking?

Go to Eucharistic Adoration in the parish - see newsletter for details.

Other ideas . . . Join one of the Connect Groups:

Lectio Divina (2nd & 4th Friday of each month 7.30pm)

Centering Prayer (Thursday evenings at 7pm)

Sharing our Faith Group (2nd & 4th Wednesdays 1pm)

Good Shepherd Prayer Group (2nd & 4th Wednesdays 7.30pm)

Use website resources

Look at the 50 hours resources on our parish website: www.jameswilliam-reading.org.uk

Go to the Portsmouth Diocese website: www.portsmouthdiocese.org.uk/formation/parishresources.php and scroll down to ‘Daily growing in faith’.

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Shared ‘Lectio Divina’ - A Manquehue Way

This is a very simple method based on one of the ways used by a lay Benedictine movement in Chile called ‘The Manquehue Movement’. It is used widely in schools, adapted as necessary, as well as in parish groups.

Reminder of basics: This is an encounter with God – not a discussion – through the Gospel of the Day.

Choose the readers: One reads the whole text, first and last, while the leader reads one verse at a time.

Prayer of Preparation: After a prayerful silence, while each one considers what he or she has brought into the gathering in terms of feelings, worries, plans, suffering, joy, etc. all pray:

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created: And

you shall renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray, O God, who taught the hearts of your faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that by the gift of the same Spirit we may be

always truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolation; through Christ, our Lord.

One reader reads the whole text through. The Leader reads one verse at a time. In the gaps between verses, anyone may share an ‘echo’:-

DO Listen to God. Offer what God is prompting you to share. Use the first person singular (“I find..”, “I feel..”, “I am reminded..”).

DON’T Start or continue a discussion. Fear the stillness. Use “you…” or “we…” or “one”.

Second read-through of the whole text, followed by a concluding prayer:

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end,

Amen

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About this booklet . . . . There are many different ways to pray and throughout our lives we may use some of them. Some involve us talking to God, others demand silence of us. We may recite a prayer or sing (or even dance!) a prayer. We may be indoors or outside, alone or with others. Whatever activity brings you closer to God we hope this booklet will help you and perhaps even encourage you to explore new ways to pray. Whole books have been written on prayer and this booklet just includes a few ideas. There are more ideas on the parish website. We hope it will be useful but if not, please pass it on or return it to the Parish Office.

Page 3. Praying with your imagination Reading a piece of scripture and trying to picture yourself in the story described can be a very useful way of getting in touch with what God is trying to say to us.

Page 4. A review of the day Do you fall into bed at the end of the day exhausted and wondering what is has all been about? Take some time to look over the day prayerfully; to notice what was life-giving and what was not, to offer thanks and to ask God to be with you tomorrow.

Page 5 & 6. Taking a sense walk – meeting God in nature Are you often busy, dashing from pillar to post? Who isn’t?! Life often goes at a frantic pace, or seems to; so why not try deliberately slowing down and taking time to notice what is around you? Take a sense walk in a park or in the countryside or just in the surrounding streets and notice . . .

Page 7. Praying with a psalm The psalms have something to say about any aspect of life. Psalm 131 speaks of God loving us as a mother; how we are loved and safely held.

Page 8. Praying with a poem.

Page 9. Shared Lectio Divina—A Manquehue Way

Page 10. Tried & tested … Page 11. A reflective ending ...

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Praying with your imagination

BESIDE THE WELL

Begin by sitting comfortably, lighting a candle perhaps, asking the Holy

Spirit to help you as you begin this prayer.

Read John 4: 5 – 15, 27 – 30.

Read it slowly and allow yourself to be drawn

into the scene by the well.

Could it be you who comes into the presence of Jesus in your thirst?

Do you have an empty water jar?

Does Jesus wait for you in this place?

Does He thirst for a relationship with you?

Does He want to tell you something?

Does He want to ask you for something?

Listen to the conversation as it unfolds in the story . . .

Give me a drink . . .

You ask me for a drink?

If only you knew what God is offering you . .

If you ask me I will give you living water.

I who am speaking to you, I am he.

What does Jesus want to say to you today?

What do you want to say in return?

What is Jesus offering you?

How do you want to respond?

If you have enjoyed this prayer you may like to try some of the

Imaginative Contemplation exercises at www.pray-as-you-go.org

then click on ‘going deeper’

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Praying with a poem

Leaning on God Which of you walks in darkness and sees no light? . . . lean on God. Isaiah 50:4-10

Some people lean against fence posts When their bodies ache from toil. Some people lean on oak trees, Seeking cool shade on hot, humid days. Some people lean on crutches when their limbs don’t work for them; and some people lean on each other when their hearts can’t stand alone. How long it takes to lean upon you, God of shelter and strength; How long to recognise the truth of where my inner power has its source. Thank you for offering me strength, for being my oak tree of comfort; thank you for being the sturdy support when the limbs of my life are weak. Praise to you Eternal Lean-to, for always being there for me. Continue to transform me With the power of your love. Suggestions for Prayer Imagine yourself leaning on God. Are you comfortable there? What thoughts and feelings come to you as you rest in God’s arms? Allow yourself to be there in quiet surrender. Receive what God offers you. Lean against a tree; feel its sturdiness. Reflect on your life and the times when you have needed to lean. What have you learned from these times about yourself, about God, about others? Reflect / remember people in your life who have been leaning posts or shelters for you in times of trouble or distress. Write a thank-you note to one of them or pray for them. Taken from ‘May I have this dance’ by Joyce Rupp. Ave Maria Press

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Praying with the psalms We hear the psalms every time we go to Mass and it’s often said that there is a psalm for every occasion and however you are feeling. Today why not listen to a psalm? Search on YouTube for psalm 131, Margaret Rizza Psalm 131 Lyrics by Margaret Rizza O Lord my heart is not proud, nor haughty my eyes. I have not gone after things too great, nor marvels beyond me. Truly I have set my soul in silence and peace. At rest like a child in its mother’s arms, so is my soul. Suggestions for prayer. How do you feel, listening to this psalm? How do you feel about this image of God as a mother? What memories does it bring up for you? Can you talk to God about them? What or where are places of rest for you?

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A Review of the Day (The Examen) This prayer is for the end of the day but can also be used to reflect on other endings. It can be done alone or perhaps with your family around the table. You can even adapt it to do with young children at bedtime! Begin by sitting comfortably; you may like to close your eyes or focus on a lighted candle. Prepare . . . As you sit here now in stillness God is gazing on you with love and holding you in being. Pause for a moment and think of this and with each breath ask His love to fill your whole being. Ask . . . the Holy Spirit to shine light and understanding on your day, take time to look back over the day allowing whatever comes to surface naturally. Do not search or judge whatever comes up, simply notice it. As you replay the day ask yourself two simple questions such as, for what moment today am I most grateful? for what moment today am I least grateful? Or when did I feel most alive today? When did I feel life draining out of me? Or When did I give love today? When did I receive love today? Share . . . these moments with God and take time to listen to Him too. Offer . . . what tomorrow may bring, talking to God about the situations, conversations and people you may encounter. You might find it helpful to write notes about what comes up for you in this process. Or you might like to draw or paint.

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Taking a sense walk Before you walk, ask God to show you something of his creation and reveal something of himself to you. Walk slowly; you are placing yourself in God’s hands. Be aware of how your body feels as it moves; notice your surroundings. Enjoy and attend; notice the variety of colours, shapes, smells, sounds, textures . . . When something catches your attention, stop and appreciate it. Spend time with it, thanking God for it, allowing Him to speak to you through it. Be open to what God might be showing you and accept that this could come through the traditionally beautiful or through the less attractive; be open to finding beauty in brokenness and decay. Smell and savour; notice your breath; celebrate the fact that you are alive. Stop from time to time and breathe deeply, savour the smells from the air in your nostrils and on your tongue. Be aware of breathing in life and breathing out what is not life-giving. Reflect; what does the goodness of God taste like to you? Stop and listen; not just to hear, but to listen to all the sounds around you and within you. Make a list of what you have listened to. Reflect: has God spoken to you through any of these sounds or in the silence of your heart?

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Taking a sense walk

Look up and down; look for the details, notice the colours, the variety in the blades of grass, the tenacity of the weeds in the cracks, the shadows under the trees. When you have found something that attracts your attention, spend time with it, befriend it. Reflect: have you been enlightened in any way by this experience? Touch and feel; touch and explore through the sense of feeling. You may find something to pick up and carry with you. Reflect; has this exploration taught you anything about your relationship with God? Do you know the intimacy of God’s touch? Return and record; back home, spend some time reflecting on the experience. What caught your attention? What was God saying? What have you brought back? You might like to write or draw something about your experience. From ‘SD course adapted from two sources by Sue Sheppy’

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