Minnesota Contemplative Outreach
  • Home
  • Enrichment
    • 6-Day Intensive Retreat
  • Calendar
  • Groups
  • Blog
  • Resources
  • Donate
  • Centering Prayer
  • National
  • Contact
    • Privacy Policy

A Resource for Prayer

3/1/2010

 
By Carol Quest

As we follow the urging of our hearts along the spiritual journey, we encounter many sources of grace and inspiration—sometimes in unlikely places, but often in the treasured writings of those who have gone before us. One resource I have come to rely on over the years is the People’s Companion to the Breviary, (1997) by the Carmelites of Indianapolis (ISBN 1-886873-12-7).

Many mornings as I sit down for a time of centering prayer, I prepare by reading the morning prayer from this book. If I have plenty of time, I read the complete morning prayer, but if I am short on time, I simply read the reading for the day and allow the words to make my heart open and receptive to God’s presence.

Some readings come from the writings of mystics whose words have been treasured for centuries—respected guides like Teresa of Avila and Francis of Asissi. Others are seekers and guides from our own time including Teilhard de Chardin and Elizabeth Johnson. As I cycle through the year, I rejoice when I return to a favorite reading. Just as often, however, I am surprised when a reading I did not remember speaks to me in a profound way. Let me share an example from this recent Easter season. The reading is from evening prayer for the second Thursday of Easter. It is quoted from the writings of Elizabeth Meluch, OCD.

Each of us is still in the making, but as responsible for our lives as we are, we do not have to do it all alone. God is creating the world through us, but we are part of the world that God is helping us to create. If at times we can just be, just quietly sit in the sun of God’s love for us, if we can believe that the One who formed us in the first place is waiting to transform us in the embrace of love, then in what we are doing with our lives, God will increase and we will decrease in the best sense of the word (224).

I encourage anyone who is looking for a resource to use as a short inspiration before centering prayer to peruse the People’s Companion to the Breviary. Perhaps you will discover that it is what you are looking for to help you “sit in the sun of God’s love.”

Carol Quest is a presenter of Centering Prayer and a member of the Minnesota Contemplative Outreach Leadership Team.

    Presence & Action Blog

    MN Contemplative Outreach publishes articles written by, and for, practitioners.  They are designed to deepen understanding of the Centering Prayer Practice and its power to change lives.

    To have an article considered for publication, click here.

    Categories

    All
    AA
    Annual Conference
    Art
    Basics
    Being Present
    Book Review
    Carl Arico
    Consent
    CP Group
    Cynthia Bourgeault
    Daily Practice
    David Frenette
    Divine Indwelling
    False Self
    Gratitude
    Guidelines
    Heartfulness DVD
    History
    Intensive Retreat
    Lectio Divina
    Mindfulness
    Online Course
    Personal Testimonial
    Pilgrimage
    Poetry
    Prayer
    Retreat
    Richard Rohr
    Sacred Word
    Scripture
    Step 11
    St Olaf
    Susan Komis
    Thomas Keating
    Travel
    Welcoming Prayer
    Wisdom Practice

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    March 2023
    November 2022
    March 2022
    November 2021
    September 2021
    June 2021
    April 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    September 2019
    October 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    November 2012
    October 2012
    August 2012
    June 2012
    March 2012
    January 2012
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    August 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    October 2009
    September 2009
    July 2009
    June 2009
    March 2009
    July 2008
    September 2007

Copyright © 2023 Minnesota Contemplative Outreach.
Contact   Groups   Events   Resources   Donate