Week 10Page 1 of 3
Spiritual Exercises – Ten-week Format
Theme
Discovering the inexplicable joy of Jesus’ Risen Life
Grace/Desire
I ask God the gift to feel very glad and to rejoice intensely, sharing in the delight and joy that Jesus Christ felt in rising from the dead and returning to console his friends.
Prayer Material for this week
1. Prayer of Consideration: Jesus appears to his mother.
2. John 20: 11-18Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene and sends her to the disciples.
3. Luke 24: 13-35Jesus appears to the disciples on the way to Emmaus and restores their hope.
4. John 20: 19-29Jesus appears to and consoles the disciples in the upper room.
5. Prayer of Consideration:Contemplation for Learning to love like God
6. John 21: 1-17Jesus appears to his disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. Jesus comes to them after a useless night of fishing and fills their nets. Jesus serves, cooperates, consoles, calls empowers. He tells Peter to “feed my sheep.”
7. Prayer of Consideration:Contemplation for Learning to love like God
A Heart Speaks …
You did a marvel, Lord Jesus Christ, and make me feel beside myself in surprise. My spirit glistens with your rising. I smile and smile with you, I am drowning in the laughter of your friends. You have won, Lord, we know you have won! You have defeated all the worst that we could do, each alone and altogether. You crushed the power of darkness and death to walk peacefully again in our flesh, now and forever. Come to me, great Lord of life, as you come to all your friends. Send me to console those around me who hurt. Come, and send your friends into this daily world to labor full hope for the reign of God.
A Heart Speaks again …
Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ, King of eternal glory! Alleluia!
Praise to You, triumphing over death, rising again to share Your triumph! Alleluia!
Praise to You, sending out Your friends to share Your labor and Your eternal life! Alleluia!
Additional Scripture and Prayer Material
1.Matthew 28:Jesus appears to the women at the tomb.
2.Luke 24: 36-53Be present at the Ascension and hear Jesus saying, “You are my witnesses…”
3.Matthew 28: 16-20MountThabor: Jesus tells his friends to meet Him at the mountain. He materializes there and tells them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Then he sends them to “make disciples of all nations,” promising that “I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.”
4.John 16: 7-15“…I will send [the Advocate] to you … the Spirit of truth …will guide you to all truth.”
5.1 Corinthians 15: 6-8 “Jesus appears to more than 500 at once. He appeared to James. He appeared to Paul.
6.Colossians 3: 1-4We live in Christ in glory.
7.Colossians 3:4-17 How we live who live in Christ.
8.1 Peter 3: 1-12 How we live who wait for Christ to come again.
9.1 Corinthians 15: 45-53 Christ, the new Adam; our rising.
10.Colossians 1: 15-20 Christ, the image of the unseen God.
11.Romans 6:4 Baptism, dying, and rising in Christ.
12.Song of Songs 2: 8-14 My Beloved … winter is past
13.Psalm 8 What is man that you should think of him?
Considerations on Praying the Resurrection
•By now, looking back over the day and thanking God for it forms part of the last things you do at night. So does looking at what you will pray over the next day.
•When you wake, try to "rise again" from your sleep.
"Wake up, O sleeper/ Wake from the dead / And Christ will shine upon you."
Why not wake in the morning with praise for God and all God's work in your mind? And recall early on what you mean to pray over during this day, which right now is very happy indeed.
•Even great saints begin their prayer by collecting themselves in God's presence. Consider always that God your Creator and Lord keeps mindful of you at every moment, and regards you as a tender and loving parent regards a child. God gazes on you as on one anointed with His Holy Spirit to live forever with Him in heaven.
•You may by now have favorite places and positions for prayer. Cherish them as you would any good gift, and be willing to remain in them or change them depending on only one thing: whether you are finding good in your prayer.
•You have been praying through Jesus' life for a while now. At the end of each period of prayer, as you do the added exercise of reviewing your prayer and noting things down, ask whether you are content today with how you did. If you are content that you continue trying seriously, praise God and thank Him for that gift. If you know you slacked off or wonder whether you really tried very hard, then ask God to make up in you where you failed and determine to try more seriously on the next day.
•As you stayed more silent and withdrawn while pondering Jesus’ sufferings, so now try to let light and beauty touch your spirit. During the days, do happy things and say happy things. Celebrate, whatever and whenever. Why not? It’s your right.