We make a lot of choices everyday but what does it mean to be truly chosen? This meeting invites the group to engage in an Ignatian contemplation as they reflect upon the manner in which they were chosen in baptism as God’s very beloved. This prayer is an opportunity for members to be led by the Spirit as they allow their imaginations to animate scripture. Standing before Jesus as he gets baptized can help us to realize that we too are beloved by God.
You may want to consider creating a particular ambiance centered on water such as a fountain, a bowl of water, a floating candle, or if weather permits, having your meeting by a source of water, like a river, beach, or fountain. Like the last contemplation, we offer you a helpful script that you may utilize directly or to develop your own reflection.
Supplies: Meditation music
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Ask for the grace to deepen our sense of being God’s beloved from our very creation as Jesus came to know in his baptism.
Name a choice you had to make in the past week.
Invite two members to read the following passage together, alternating paragraphs.
“I very much believe that the core moment of Jesus’ public life was the baptism in the Jordan, when Jesus heard the affirmation, “You are my beloved on whom my favor rests.” That is the core experience of Jesus. He is reminded in a deep, deep way of who he is.
The temptations in the desert are temptations to move him away from that spiritual identity. He was tempted to believe he was someone else: You are the one who can turn stone into bread. You are the one who can jump from the temple. You are the one who can make others bow to your power. Jesus said, “No, no, no. I am the Beloved from God.” I think his whole life is continually claiming that identity in the midst of everything. There are times in which he is praised, times when he is despised or rejected, but he keeps saying, ‘Others will leave me alone, but my Father will not leave me alone. I am the beloved Son of God. I am the hope found in that identity.’
Prayer, then, is listening to that voice – to the one who calls you Beloved. It is to constantly go back to the truth of who we are and claim it for ourselves. I’m not what I do. I’m not what people say about me. I’m not what I have. Although there is nothing wrong with success, there is nothing wrong with popularity, there is nothing wrong with being powerful, finally my spiritual identity is not rooted in the world, the things the world gives me. My life is rooted in my spiritual identity. Whatever we do, we have to go back regularly to that core identity.”
from “Parting Words” by Henri Nouwen
After a brief reflection on this passage comes to a natural lull, consider inviting members into beginning the contemplation:
(Then, read the following passage two times through):
“Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. John tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” Jesus said to him in reply, “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him. After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened [for him], and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove [and] coming upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying, “You are my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Take time this week to return to this reflection and try to imagine God calling you “beloved.”
You may want to consider utilizing the water present in a closing ritual of some kind.
“Therefore we, members of the Christian Life Community, have composed these General Principles to aid us in making our own the choices of Jesus Christ and taking part through Him, with Him, and in Him in this loving initiative which expresses God’s promise of faithfulness forever.” (CLC-USA General Principles #1)
“Perhaps there is little to say because this style of contemplation is often more a ‘being with’ experience than a word-response.” (Spiritual Exercises [117])
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“And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth. From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” John 1:1-16
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will, for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved.” Ephesians 1:3-14
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