Contemplative prayer – Page 26

Category: Contemplative prayer

Beyond regular habits of prayer and Bible reading

28 February 2017 blogpastor 5 Comments

We are creatures of habit and this can be used to great advantage for the cultivation of a spiritual life. Regular habits of silence, solitude, examen, lectio divina and journaling have been established in my life over the last few years. This helps me greatly, but I want more.

More recently, I have been listening through the whole Bible online. I am now listening to audio readings of Exodus and Mark at the YouVersion Bible app. I am encouraged that it is more viable than I thought possible. Going through the Bible is a challenge for me. Now I have even gone through the complex book of Job which to me is quite an achievement. This helps me greatly but I want more.

There were several moments in recent weeks when I felt a holy discontent. Where it sprang from I cannot remember. They were invitations from a heavenly source. An invitation to go beyond routines and habits as important as these were. An invitation to love God with first love, with desire, passion, enthusiasm, and emotions. An invitation to love God with more than just my intellect and will.

We are to live out our spirituality by faith without depending heavily on our emotions. However, if will and mind set on following God can be accompanied by strong love and passion for my Lord in this long journey called life, why not? Having a love relationship devoid of emotions all my life is not my idea of a real relationship. God did not create emotions, desires and passions in me only to want it set aside when He relates to me. He wants my soul and desires to want Him and enthrone Him too.

I now pray more often for this grace: “Lord grant me a passionate love for You. I want to be able to love You with all my mind… AND emotions AND passion AND desires. Help me return to the first love.”

I know I cannot manufacture this. It’s not sustainable. It has to be a gift. A grace. So I ask in faith and wait patiently for Him to stir my affections as I seek Him during Lent.

Jesus said, “The first in importance is, ‘Listen, Israel: The Lord your God is one; so love the Lord God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence and energy.’ (Mark 12:29,30 The Message)

Xavier House: Silent retreat

15 August 2016 blogpastor 3 Comments

Silence and solitude still our stormy selves and position us to listen better to God. That was what I experienced during my five days of silent retreat in Xavier House on Cheung Chau island, Hong Kong. Besides the physical and soul rest, my spirit was able to feast on the word of God and I must say unlike my several previous retreats this was one of consolation with wonderful moments of assurances and joy.

Why Cheung Chau? Well my pastor friend Eng Hwa had gone there several times and had talked about it. One day I felt an urge to try this Ignatian Spirituality Centre. Anyway the airfare costs about the same as flying to Chiangmai, where I usually went to the Seven Fountains spirituality centre. I was also ready to have a change in setting, and to try a different spiritual director.

So my pastor friend Seng Chor and I made an application. They only accepted those who have already experienced at least a three day silent directed retreat. And we had to change our dates a few times to suit the availability of the spiritual director assigned to us, a Fr Paul Goh, a bi-lingual Singaporean Jesuit priest who was posted to this centre in 2012.

Our flight was delayed by two hours because of the Typhoon Nida which brushed by Hong Kong the day before. We landed at the Hong Kong International Airport. From there we took the airport railway to the “Hong Kong MTR Station”. Then we walked five minutes to the Central Pier and boarded the frequent ferry to Cheung Chau.

Cheung Chau is a fishing town. In the harbour were berthed hundreds of fishing boats. By the time we reached there at about 3 or 4pm the boats were all back. The main street by the quayside was a long stretch of shops of all kinds facing the sea. It is packed with Hong Kongers every weekend as there were a few hiking trails and beaches on the island.

We followed the map given by the retreat center and we had to walk up a slope to reach the Xavier House, which was nicely perched on the slope of the island with a fantastic sea view and breeze. The early Catholic missionaries knew how to buy properties for their work! The whole retreat area was about a football field size but spread across the slopes. There were many niches for seating and private meditation and a beautiful chapel that had a full glass panel facing the sea. However, the single bed room was typically small like all living spaces in Hong Kong.

20160802_165857_HDR — Typhoon Nida felled a tree in town the day before

Cheung Chau is a fishing village so its full of fishing boats in the harbour. — Cheung Chau is a fishing village so its full of fishing boats in the harbour

Cheung Chau pier is lined with supermarkets, seafood and tim sum restaurants, cafes, dried seafood stalls, bicycle hire shops and a MacDonalds. — The Cheung Chau harbour front is lined with supermarkets, seafood and tim sum restaurants, cafes, dried seafood stalls, bicycle hire shops and a MacDonalds

The path leading up the slope to the Xavier House. — The path leading up the slope to the Xavier House

The part of the L shaped building facing the sea. — The part of the L shaped building facing the sea

The large tennis court sized yard and sea view. — The large tennis court sized yard and sea view

A nice sheltered meditation spot facing the courtyard and sea view. — A nice sheltered meditation spot facing the courtyard and sea view

If you prefer the outdoors there are many wonderful spots for quiet mediation. — If you prefer the outdoors there are many wonderful spots for quiet meditation

Another excellent shaded spot; — Another excellent shaded spot

If you love heights.... — If you love heights….

Another few seats for journaling and contemplation

Spoilt for choices. — Spoilt for choices

View of the cross on top of the building. — View of the cross on top of the building

View of the cross from the top of the building, another place for night or early morning meditation. — View of the cross from the top of the building, another place for night or early morning meditation

Cheung Chau at dawn. — Cheung Chau at dawn

In the of the beautiful chapels — In one of the beautiful chapels

My "hong Kong sized" room. — My little room

Home cooked healthy Cantonese food was served at lunch and dinner. Breakfast was bread, butter , jam and peanut butter — There was home cooked healthy Cantonese food at lunch and dinner and breakfast was bread, butter, jam and peanut butter and cereals

There were about 30 retreat ants staying for different periods during my 4 nights stay there — There were about 30 retreatants staying for different periods during my 4 nights stay there

Town was five minutes away so sometimes I had tim sum with the Lord — Town was ten minutes walk away so sometimes I had tim sum with the Lord

Sometimes I hiked to get rid of calories and meet God in nature — Sometimes I hiked for exercise

The retreat director was diligent and asked for four one hour and fifteen minutes sessions of prayer and meditation per day. He gave four Bible passages and two optional ones. Each day I met him at 7.45pm and shared what the Lord had spoken to me through the passages and what affections, feelings and desires they stirred. He listened intently and gave some insights but mainly, he listened. His training lasted 13 years and included specialised counselling and spiritual direction. I was blessed and quickened by the meditations and God spoke to me through the passages. We began on Tuesday night and ended on Saturday evening with a thank you dinner. I left the retreat refreshed and recharged. My faith has been quickened and I am very blessed and very thankful that the church I serve supports such retreats for pastors. Seng Chor and I moved to a hotel on Hong Kong island and did some touristy stuff. Never liked the urban side of Hong Kong but after flying all the way there what is another two days?

EAT: Scripture reading and meditation

13 January 2016 blogpastor Leave a comment

It’s not meant to be a chore or religious duty but it can easily become such. It’s not meant to be an intellectual ritual, but sadly it is for many. Reading and meditation on Scriptures and praying from them can be a lovely time of listening and sitting at the Lord’s feet. We quiet ourselves. We take a portion of the Bible and read slowly and listen for Him. Some phrase, word, image or insight gently rise above the rest and we dwell on that and eat. And chew. Let our spiritual organs digest and draw nutrition for our walk. Talk to the Lord about your pondering and the feelings that surfaced. How nice, how pleasant it is to dwell in the house of His presence.

If you are wondering what to read and find it hard to decide, why not try the Revised Common Lectionary. Four bite sized portions of Scriptures every week that covers the major themes of the Bible in three years. Some days you may want to linger longer in a passage that is rich and from which the Lord is speaking significant matters to you. Go deeper and abide there till what He wants said is said.

Pin the website to your home page on your smartphone, or favourite it in your web browser. May your times with the Lord be sweet this year.

So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, “Take and eat it, it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey”. (Rev 10:9 ESV)