Happy Wednesday, friends –
With this month’s soul work theme, we invite you to consider the importance space plays on the deepening work of one’s spiritual journey.
Twentieth-century spiritual formation author, Evelyn Underhill writes:
“We mostly spend our lives conjugating three verbs: to Want, to Have, and to Do. Craving, clutching, and fussing, on the material, political, social, emotional, intellectual—even the religious—plane, we are kept in perpetual unrest: forgetting that none of these verbs have any ultimate significance, except so far as they are transcended by and included in, the fundamental verb, to Be: and that Being, not wanting, not having and not doing, is the essence of a spiritual life.”
It’s with this thought in mind, we invite you into unhurried rhythms of space this month, so you can step back from the busyness of day-to-day life in order to make space for God.
Jesus said, “Come off by yourselves; let’s take a break and get a little rest.” —Mark 6:30, MSG
-With Joy
Pause for Thought
“It is the tooth which is sick, not the ache. The ache, by showing painfully the true condition of the tooth, is a protest against it and thus a drive towards health.”
The Joy of God, by H.A. Williams
Pause for Practice
Visio Divina is an ancient way of Christian prayer in which space is created to listen and pay attention to the Holy at work by entering into a sacred image. This form of praxis is an invitation into the S.A.C.R.E.D. art of seeing, and the art below is this month’s featured offering for your time of reflection.
- Step 1 – Stillness: Find a comfortable place of quiet. Take a few deep breaths. Invite God’s presence.
- Step 2 – Acknowledge: Gaze gently over the entire image, allowing yourself to notice as many details as you can – shapes, colors, lighting, foreground, background, and symbols.
- Step 3 – Center: Notice what captures your attention, what your eyes are drawn to, or where your thoughts linger. Notice what inspires you, and perhaps what you might also be avoiding.
- Step 4 – Reflect: Meditate on any part of the image that has captured you. How might God be speaking to you through this? What might the message and meaning be? Is there an invitation in this for you?
- Step 5 – Express: Find words or a prayer of your heart to articulate the thoughts, emotions, memories, or desires that have awakened. Give voice to the insights you’ve gained.
- Step 6 – Dwell: Savor this sacred time. Rest in simple silence. Linger in the holiness of this space and place of practice.
Click here for a high-res / full-print version of this art.
A Passage To Ponder
“As often as possible Jesus withdrew to out-of-the-way places for prayer.”
A Prayer To Pray
“Meet me, O Christ, in this stillness of morning. Move me, O Spirit, to quiet my heart. Mend me, O Father, from yesterday’s harms.
From the discords of yesterday, resurrect my peace. From the discouragements of yesterday, resurrect my hope. From the weariness of yesterday, resurrect my strength. From the doubts of yesterday, resurrect my faith. From the wounds of yesterday, resurrect my love. Let me enter this new day, aware of my need, and awake to your grace, O Lord.”
Amen.
“Every Moment Holy,” Volume 1, by Douglas Kaine McKelvey
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Click here for previous month’s art offerings
