contemplate - Related Content

A lake as calm as glass;

A circle of pine trees enjoying a near-perfect reflection in the fragile lake mirror;

And I am privileged to contemplate both from my aqua cycle perspective on the lake.

In this deeply contemplative moment, startling questions emerge within me:

- How could I know the mystery of "treeness" if all I ever experienced was its reflection?

- How could I feel, smell, throw my arms around a tree if all I knew was its reflection?

And I notice how the subtle and/or turbulent movements of the water affect this reflected image.

Photo by Sister Amy Taylor, FSPA

Then the soul-searching question:

Is this not the way that I know God and God Presence -- through God's reflected images? And how does my inner quiet or lack thereof affect the mirror of my life to reflect God Presence?

This, for me, is prayer: to invite my inner spirit into the quiet of God's Spirit so that in my inner quiet I may listen to find the courage and RESPOND.

Franciscan Way is a series featuring prayerful reflection by Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration. 

One of my most cherished ways of praying is eucharistic prayer, but lately I’ve been challenging myself to turn the seemingly ordinary routines of daily life into moments of deep prayer. 

Recognizing and encountering God in my daily life helps me see that intimacy with God is not separate from day-to-day life. Moments of deep contemplative prayer are accessible each moment of the day! The warmth of sunshine, going about my daily ministry, accepting disappointments, listening attentively to another, forgiving someone, experiencing joy and accepting what ought not to be, (as well as experiences of community, family life and friendship) are some of what I’m seeing as places of grace where God communicates in the deepest center of my being. For me it has also meant rereading my past with wonder and new eyes and seeing how God has been there in even the difficult moments. The most difficult of situations, the most humble of tasks, and the most ordinary of days are an invitation to prayer and to knowing the mystery of God at work in my life.

Franciscan Way is a series featuring original prayer by Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.

Image courtesy freeimages.com

May this day be a time of contemplation as you gather with family and friends and recall the many gifts God has blessed you with throughout the year.