Chapters 3 & 4

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Chapter 3 Questions

1.) Why do you think desire has a "disreputable reputation" in some religious circles? When have you experienced the "deep longings of the hearts" that the author describes? How have you accomplished the sometimes difficult task of finding these holy desires among the surface wants that are so distracting? (discussion)

2.) Fr. Martin refers several times throughout the book to the "God of Surprises," that it, the God who meets us in ways we often don't or wouldn't predict. Have you ever experienced the "God of Surprises"? (discussion)

3.) One of Fr. Martin's first lessons when he entered the Jesuit novitiate was that "God meets you where you are" (Pg.81). Was that insight new to you? How might God meet you where you are now? (discussion)

Chapter 4 Beautiful Yesterdays

1.) In Chapter 4, Fr. Martin introduces the examen and discusses it's flexibility. How can you avoid the pitfall of moving through the examen like a checklist? (discussion)

2.) Fr. Martin says it is often easier to see God in retrospect (p.97). Does that ring true? Looking back over your life, can you see God in places you might have overlooked at the time? (discussion)

Personal Reflection Question:

The author's experience of praying about Wanda (p.93) led him to see God's presence in her. What people in your life might be unexpected carriers if God's grace for you?

Meeting March 10, 2011

What a great discussion we had about the book yesterday. Covering chapters 3&4, the group explored what a "holy desire" is and how to discern between a "holy" desire and a surface desire. One thought is if the desire hangs on. In other words, the desire doesn't give it, it nags you at every phase of life and at different and unexpected times. We discussed how it is easy to become distracted, ( with Andrea creeping around in her heels as she was trying to work and not disturb....just teasing!) when we want to either identify or fulfill that desire. It is a challenge and perhaps that is how it is suppose to be, who knows! But we did identify the need for friends, family, community and prayer as resources to help us get clarity and to discern.

While identifying what it is we want was a challenge for some, making room for the Examen and the flexibility of it seemed a little easier. Knowing that there is no right or wrong way to take inventory, to ask for forgiveness and to ask for God's grace to help you get it right tomorrow makes the process and prayer much less intimidating. Asking ourselves where we recognized God's presence and where we may have resisted it is a healthy way of atoning and trying to better ourselves for a new day.

Five Steps of the Examen

1.) Gratitude
2.) Review
3.) Sorrow
4.) Forgiveness
5.) Grace

Cheryl has linked a couple of videos that will help us better understand the process and purpose of this prayer. (SEE CHAPTERS 5 & 6 )

Finally, we discussed the idea of God meeting us where we are and Dei who is a wealth of faith and experience shared with us that sometimes Catholic language doesn't jive with her evangelical past. What an enlightening thing to share! So she went back and reread to better understand the concept. It helps us to consider when we are talking with people of other faiths that sometimes they don't know the reference of our terms. Thanks for that Dei.

Beth shared about a patient she worked with that was a wonderful example of God meeting where someone is. The richness of their experience and stories make this group so fulfilling. See you next Wednesday at 10!