Lenten Mission 2016
This Lent began like no other for those who attended our Parish mission on February 14 and 15. Invigorated by the incredible music, participants opened their minds and their hearts to two forms of contemplative prayer: Lectio Divina and The Examen. Urging all to accept the 1% challenge (giving 1% of your time each day to the Lord), Father Randy reminded us all that the more we look at God, the more we see.
On Sunday evening, we learned about the traditional Benedictine practice of Lectio Divina which allows Scripture to be a staple food of our daily bread. Prayer cards guided participants in the four-steps of this prayer form of Divine Reading, or Lectio Divina. Through reading a passage in Scripture, meditating on how this passage applies to you, reflecting on what word/phrase/image stands out, and resting in silence, we were all given an opportunity to practice this prayer and allow God room to work in each of our hearts.
The second evening of the mission focused on “the Examen,” a prayer that Saint Ignatius Loyola himself included in his spiritual exercises. The Examen is a method of reviewing your day in the presence of God. This form of prayer involves five steps including asking God for light, giving thanks, reviewing the day, facing your shortcomings and looking toward the day to come. Father Randy suggested this would be a great prayer to end your day with as we set time aside for thankful reflection on where God is in our everyday lives.
A special thanks to all who helped make the Lenten Mission possible including our musicians, technology crew, childcare providers, food preparation team, and our presenters. Thank you for helping us all make our minutes truly count!
Prayer Handout for the Mission
Websites to Explore Prayer: