This Fall, I’m offering a Prayer Series at both the University of St. Thomas and at St. Hubert’s in Chanhassen. The series is designed to introduce participants to different prayer forms and styles (although even those with some familiarity and experience with the particular styles and forms of prayer can benefit from hearing something they have heard before in a different way). The series (which is not completely identical at St. Thomas and St. Hubert’s) will include topics such as praying with scripture, praying with music and art, centering prayer, praying with the mystics and praying the Rosary.
Earlier this week was the first session at St. Thomas. (The St. Hubert series does no begin until 10/8). Our subject was Praying with Scripture. During the session, I gave a talk briefly introducing the series and giving basic instruction on two methods of praying with Scripture – a method of lectio divina and Ignatian Contemplation.
You can access a podcast of the talk here. (The podcast runs for 22:22.) During the session, the participants spent some time engaged in a contemplation of Jesus’ healing of blind Bartimaeus. (The podcast ends at the point at which participants engaged in that silent reflection.) The handout I gave them for their in-session reflection is here. At the end of the session, I distributed a second handout containing a summary of the instruction of the two prayer forms and the passages I invited participants to pray with this week.
Creo en Dios! 