Week 4 | St George's Maghull

Praying Through Easter
Week 7

Praying the Examen throughout Eastertide

St Ignatius developed this simple but transforming prayer to help people reflect on God’s presence in their daily lives. Why not try it during the Easter season.

How to Pray the Examen

1. Place yourself in God’s presence. Give thanks for God’s great love for you.

2. Pray for the grace to understand how God is acting in your life.

3. Review your day — recall specific moments and your feelings at the time.

4. Reflect on what you did, said, or thought in those instances. Were you drawing closer to God, or further away?

5. Look toward tomorrow — think of how you might collaborate more effectively with God’s plan. Be specific, and conclude with the “Our Father.”

6. Some people find it useful to record their feelings and thoughts in a journal.

Image provided by Wix

Image provided by Wix

The Way of light beyond the Cross
During Easter, meditations of 14 stations from Easter to Pentecost will allow you to stop, take time to reflect on what the resurrection is and what it means to you today.

We adore you O Christ and we praise you;

Because by your resurrection you fill us with hope and joy, Alleluia
Eleventh Station: Jesus entrusts his disciples with his mission to the whole world.

Jesus said to them: “Go throughout the whole world and preach the gospel to all mankind. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved. Whoever does not believe will be condemned. And believers will be given the power to perform miracles. They will drive out demons in my name; they will speak in strange tongues; if they pick up snakes or drink poison, they will not be harmed; they will place their hands on the sick, and these will be healed!” Mark 16:15-18 (Matthew 28:16-20 / Acts 1:6-8 / Luke 24:46-47)

Reflect

What do you do in your life to proclaim the Gospels ?

Do you bring the Risen Christ to others by your

Words

Actions

Empathy

Worship ?

Where do you see the Risen Christ in others?

Let us pray: Risen Lord, you helped your disciples to understand the wonderful mystery of your death and resurrection. Then you entrusted them with the task of being messengers of hope and bearers of the good news of your victory over sin and death. As we strive to pursue their mission, help us to manifest your resurrection by our way of life. Amen.

Twelfth Station: Jesus ascends into heaven.

Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and blessed them with uplifted hands; and in the act of blessing them, he parted from them. They still had their eyes fixed on him when two men dressed in white suddenly stood beside them and said: “Galileans, why are you standing there looking up at the sky? This Jesus who was taken from you into heaven will come back in the same way you saw him go to heaven!” Luke:24:50-52 / Acts 1:9-11

Reflect

Do you find it difficult to see the Risen Christ in your life?

Think about times when you have felt Christ’s presence with you?
How did it feel?

Let us pray: Risen Lord, your promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit and your promise to be with us always, fills us with joy. Where you, the head have preceded us in glory, we, the body, hope to follow. Seated at the right hand of the Father, intercede for us now, as we place all our trust in you, our eternal priest. Amen.

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Image provided by Wix

Praying the Rosary During Easter

As the Easter season is in May, the month typically dedicated to Our Lady. Each week there will be a Mystery from the Glorious Mysteries. The decade will be broken down into ten short scriptural passages which can be slowly meditated on as the decade is recited. Take time with this prayer, perhaps have a few minutes reflection during each Hail Mary

The Third Glorious Mystery – The Coming of the Holy Spirit

Say ten Hail Marys while meditating on the Mystery.

(Love of God)

The Apostles and Mary were together in prayer. Acts 2:1
A sound from heaven filled the whole house. Acts 2:2
Suddenly tongues of fire rested on each of them. Acts 2:3
They were filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:4
Men of every nation understood them in their own language. Acts 2:6
They were strengthened to preach the Gospel without fear. Acts 4:19
Peter declared: “God has made both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Acts 2:36
You are children of God because of your faith in Jesus. Galat. 3:26
Love one another. Jn. 15:12
Love your enemies. Mat. 5:44

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Scriptural Reflection

0 I pray not only for these but also for those who through their teaching will come to believe in me.

21 May they all be one, just as, Father, you are in me and I am in you, so that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe it was you who sent me.22 I have given them the glory you gave to me, that they may be one as we are one.

23 With me in them and you in me, may they be so perfected in unity that the world will recognise that it was you who sent me and that you have loved them as you have loved me.24 Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they may always see my glory which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

25 Father, Upright One, the world has not known you, but I have known you, and these have known that you have sent me.26 I have made your name known to them and will continue to make it known, so that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and so that I may be in them.

Reflection

Don’t we all want the gift of peace? Peace in our hearts, the Easter gift of the Risen Lord, the promise of the Spirit of God.

The promises of Jesus do not seem to include wealth, employment, freedom from tensions, success, health for ever, or freedom from worry, nor many things we and pray for.

So, what is Peace?

The peace that nobody else can take away: the peace of being valued for who I am , of being at home with other people, or letting go past hurts, of doing what I know to be right, of being convinced of eternity, of being loved, and of knowing the possibility of love- love given, promised and shared, of knowing that love and life will last forever, and the peace of forgiveness when I fall.

The peace of ebing always with someone who totally loves us, and believes in us: who sees us and loves us as we are, and calls us to be what we can be.

Taken from Communion Reflections for Sundays and Holy Days Yr C Donal Neary SJ

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Praying with Nature

While we are having this beautiful weather, make the most it to try and recognise God in His creations, take time to appreciate the wonder that is God’s creation. Try the following prayer form:

Sit still

Find a place to sit outside. Choose a spot where you feel peaceful, particularly one you find particularly beautiful or meaningful.
Breathe deeply and let your body relax.
Use your five senses:
- Notice what you see. Look around and notice the birds, the horizon, the colour of the trees. What else do you observe?
- Close your eyes. What do you hear? Are the birds chirping? Are the trees rustling in the wind?
- Notice what you smell. Do you detect the scent of plants, of animals, or the simple clean smell of fresh air?
- Notice what you feel. Is the grass prickly against your legs? Do you feel the breeze? Touch what is around you. How does it feel?
- Do you taste anything?
Sit in silence for a while, soaking in God’s presence in nature.
Ask God what He wants to reveal to you. Spend some time in silence, listening.
Conclude with a sign of the cross.