This November, with a nod to the American Thanksgiving holiday, Contemplative at Home has prayed with stories on the theme of Gratitude.

This is the final in our short series, and you are invited to join your own song of gratitude with Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1, NRSV) as you listen to the slow and thoughtful reading of this passage, alert for the gem of insight hidden in one word or phrase from the text.

“My soul magnifies the Lord,    and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.    Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

for the Mighty One has done great things for me,    and holy is his name.His mercy is for those who fear him    from generation to generation.He has shown strength with his arm;    he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,    and lifted up the lowly;he has filled the hungry with good things,    and sent the rich away empty.He has helped his servant Israel,    in remembrance of his mercy,according to the promise he made to our ancestors,    to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

All music by Pete Hatch. petehatch.com.

This November, with a nod to the American Thanksgiving holiday, Contemplative at Home will pray with stories on the theme of Gratitude.

In this episode we are with Luke 15:3-10, the shepherd who rejoices over a found sheep and a woman who rejoices for her found coin, stories which point us to the angelic rejoicing when a sinner repents.  “Sinner” and “repent” are both slightly loaded words, so I invite you to unpack them a bit… an imperfect creature turning towards healing, growth, wholeness, life… this may take myriad different forms at different times. 

While you may be moved by any number of things in this text, I bring it to you as a study in gratitude. Perhaps you reflect on what means the most to you, what you would scour every corner to find once again, to how you have felt in the past when something precious returns to you. Perhaps you reflect on your own gratitude, or on the gratitude God feels in response to your journey of healing and growth, your journey into His heart.

We open with a short prayer by Fr Finbarr Lynch : “Take Lord, the little that I offer, the tiny one I am, and give me the all that I hope for, the much that is you”

Before moving on to the text:

Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Thank you for being here and every blessing as you pray.

** If you listen to Contemplative at Home in a podcast app such as Apple Podcasts or Google Play would you be so kind as to leave a review or rating? That may help others to find us. Thank YOU. ** Contemplative at Home is also now on Spotify!

Contemplative at Home offers guided meditative prayer – space to slow down and listen to the truth that is being born out of God’s love for you today – drawing on Ignatian spirituality and at times, Lectio Divina.

For more information and show notes please visit www.contemplativeathome.com or find us on Facebook.

All music by Pete Hatch. petehatch.com.

This November, with a nod to the American Thanksgiving holiday, Contemplative at Home will pray with stories on the theme of Gratitude.

In this episode we are with John 12:1-3. Jesus, travelling to Jerusalem for that fated Passover, stops in Bethany at the house of Lazarus, Mary and Martha. They put on a meal for him in gratitude for all that he has done for them.

“Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.”

Perhaps you will allow this story to become your own, calling to mind all that the Christ has done for you, imagining how you would welcome and honour Jesus in your own home, experiencing the fragrance of gratitude as it fills your space.

For further thought: “The honorific anointing with perfume is an action frequently mentioned in other literature from the time; however, using long hair to dry Jesus’s feet, as in John and Luke, is not recorded elsewhere, and should be regarded as an exceptional gesture.” – Teresa Hornsby, “Anointing Traditions” in The Historical Jesus in Context

Every blessing as you pray.

Contemplative at Home offers guided meditative prayer – space to slow down and listen to the truth that is being born out of God’s love for you today – drawing on Ignatian spirituality and at times, Lectio Divina.

For more information and show notes please visit www.contemplativeathome.com or find us on Facebook.

All music by Pete Hatch. petehatch.com.

This November, with a nod to the American Thanksgiving holiday, Contemplative at Home will pray with stories on the theme of Gratitude.

In this episode we are with Luke 17:11-19 and the ten lepers who approached Jesus as he travelled through their village.

“On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.”

Contemplative at Home offers guided meditative prayer – space to slow down and listen to the truth that is being born out of God’s love for you today – drawing on Ignatian spirituality and at times, Lectio Divina.

Thank you for being here and every blessing as you pray.

For more information and show notes please visit www.contemplativeathome.com or find us on Facebook.

All music by Pete Hatch. petehatch.com.

** If you listen to Contemplative at Home in a podcast app such as Apple Podcasts or Google Play, would you be so kind as to leave a review or rating? Your review will help others to find us. THANK YOU! Contemplative at Home is also now on Spotify!

A guided, prayerful reading and meditation on an excerpt from St Patrick’s well-known prayer, the Breastplate.

I imagine myself rising, empowered by the same Spirit who powers the light of the sun, the radiance of the moon, the splendour of fire, the firmness of rock.

I imagine Christ’s presence above and below me, behind and before, to my right and to my left.

A perfect meditation to listen to as you start your day.

The Breastplate of St Patrick

I arise today

Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,

Through belief in the Threeness,

Through confession of the Oneness

of the Creator of creation.

I arise today, through The strength of heaven, The light of the sun, The radiance of the moon, The splendour of fire, The speed of lightning, The swiftness of wind, The depth of the sea, The stability of the earth, The firmness of rock.

I arise today, through

God’s strength to pilot me,

God’s might to uphold me,

God’s wisdom to guide me,

God’s eye to look before me,

God’s ear to hear me,

God’s word to speak for me,

God’s hand to guard me,

God’s shield to protect me,

God’s host to save me

From snares of devils,

From temptation of vices,

From everyone who shall wish me ill,

afar and near.

Christ with me,

Christ before me,

Christ behind me,

Christ in me,

Christ beneath me,

Christ above me,

Christ on my right,

Christ on my left,

Christ when I lie down,

Christ when I sit down,

Christ when I arise,

Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,

Christ in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today

Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,

Through belief in the Threeness,

Through confession of the Oneness

of the Creator of creation.

Contemplative at Home offers guided meditative prayer – space to slow down and listen to the truth that is being borne out of God’s love for you today – drawing on Ignatian spirituality and at times, Lectio Divina.

Every blessing as you pray.

All music by Pete Hatch. petehatch.com.

“For I am convinced,” writes Paul in Romans 8, “that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

And I am convinced that a deepening knowledge and acceptance and trust in this love that God has for you is the essence of a flourishing life.

This is a journey which never fully reaches its destination because we simply do not have the capacity to mine the infinite depths of God’s eternal love.

To grow in acceptance and understanding of the love that God has for you is probably the best gift that you could ever give yourself, your family, your community, the world… and even God’s very Self.

So today we simply recieve the Lord’s love, with a few verses from the prophets, the Psalms and the Song of Songs to keep us focussed. (Psalm 23, Psalm 36, 2 Samuel 22:20, Zephaniah 3:17, Micah 7:18, Song of Songs 2:4 and 7:10)

“I pray that you bring rooted and grounded in love may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” – Ephesians 3:17-19

Every blessing as you pray.

Contemplative at Home offers guided meditative prayer – space to slow down and listen to the truth that is being born out of God’s love for you today – drawing on Ignatian spirituality and at times, Lectio Divina.

Contemplative at Home offers guided meditative prayer – space to slow down and listen to the truth that is being born out of God’s love for you today – drawing on Ignatian spirituality and at times, Lectio Divina.

In this episode we pray with Mark 12:28-34 – considering what Jesus sees at the heart of the law

One of the scribes came near and heard Jesus and some Sadducees disputing with one another, and seeing that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Then the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher; …this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that no one dared to ask him any question.

After that no one dared to ask him any question.

Can you sense of reverence that has settled on the group as they hear these two wise teachers agree on the deep, all-encompassing wisdom of love?

In his book The Ignatian Adventure (p168), Kevin OBrien SJ suggests that we reflect on this story with these questions:

* Have I seen such loving in my life?

* How do I resist loving or being loved?

May you be led more deeply into God’s law of love as you pray with this text.

Every blessing.

All music by Pete Hatch. petehatch.com.

Contemplative at Home offers guided meditative prayer – space to slow down and listen to the truth that is being born out of God’s love for you today – drawing on Ignatian spirituality and at times, Lectio Divina.

Continuing our meditation on the way Jesus saw, we observe Jesus as he walks along the lake, and sees Levi, son on Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth.

Luke 2:13-17

Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.

While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Lord Jesus, Open my eyes that I may learn to see as you see, not being caught up in things at the surface but present to things of the heart.

Every blessing as you pray.

All music by Pete Hatch. petehatch.com.

Contemplative at Home offers guided meditative prayer – space to slow down and listen to the truth that is being born out of God’s love for you today – drawing on Ignatian spirituality and at times, Lectio Divina.

In this episode we return to the story of the man lowered through the roof by his friends, and engage our sense of sight – being mindful of what and how Jesus saw.

We pray with Mark 2:1-8 and 10-11 (NRSV): When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them. Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, “Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” At once Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and he said to them, “Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home.” And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

Lord Jesus, Open my eyes that I may learn to see as you see, not being caught up in things at the surface but present to things of the heart.

For more information and show notes please visit www.contemplativeathome.com or find us on Facebook.

All music by Pete Hatch. petehatch.com.

Contemplative at Home offers guided meditative prayer – space to slow down and listen to the truth that is being born out of God’s love for you today – drawing on Ignatian spirituality and at times, Lectio Divina.

In this episode, we pray with Psalm 91:

(1-6) Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust.”

Surely he will save you

from the fowler’s snare

and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with his feathers,

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

You will not fear the terror of night,

nor the arrow that flies by day,

nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,

nor the plague that destroys at midday.

(15-16)“Because you love me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue you;

I will protect you, for you acknowledge my name.

you will call on me, and I will answer you;

I will be with you in trouble,

I will deliver you and honor you.

With long life I will satisfy you

and show you my salvation.”

The language here evokes the image of a small creature who fears the fowler’s snare or the archer’s arrow. As we imagine ourselves being sheltered by a protective wing, we are reminded of our own small place in the created order of things. We are indeed, small creatures, finite yet prized in the hands of the Creator.

In verses 15-16 I have substituted the word ‘you’ for ‘he’ and ‘him’.

Every blessing as you pray.

All music by Pete Hatch. petehatch.com.