Listen to the Spirit… adapt as needed…
stay longer where you are drawn…
Ignatian Roots
“When we are intent upon living a good life and seeking to pursue the lead of God in our life…[the] good spirit…strengthens and encourages, consoles and inspires, establishes a peace and sometimes moves to a firm resolve. To lead a good life gives delight and joy, and no obstacle seems to be so formidable that it cannot be faced and overcome with God’s grace. The good spirit thereby continues an upright person’s progress in responding to God’s continuing invitation” – Spiritual Exercises #315
Opening Prayer
Suggested Song: All the Pretty Things by Tenth Avenue North
Grace to seek/ask: To be able to recognize what different voices are at play within our hearts and how they point us toward or away from God.
Check-In
Invite members to reflect on how they come to the meeting. Try to keep this short, focused on how people’s hearts are as they come to the meeting. Pose one or two questions that encourage people to look back on their week and also help to set the theme for the meeting.
Focus Exercise
Using the handout for this meeting (“The Inner Voice of Love“), read the Scripture passages and introduction aloud. Allow the words and phrases to trigger the imagination, noting any phrases or images.
Scriptures
Luke 11:9 – “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
Isaiah 11:2-3 – The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon him – the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord – and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears.
Philippians 1:9-10 – And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and be pure and blameless until the day of Christ.
Listening and Sharing
Reflection Questions
- When in my life have I listened to the wrong voice? Can I recall the feelings and desires that arose within me? What led me away from God (or my best self)?
- In my own life now, where do I experience the Voice of Love is speaking and where do I think the Voice of Fear speaking?
- Which voice has most power over me? How do I recognize that influence?
Listening Deeper
These are questions that allow community members to listen to and share about what is moving within them after the focus exercise. Specific questions about the focus exercise can be included here, but facilitators may choose to approach it differently such as with more open ended questions.
- What has struck you as you have been listening to others share? Do you notice any patterns or similarities?
- How have you been feeling throughout the meeting? Comfortable? Anxious? Curious?
- Is there anything you would like to share after listening to another person share?
- What is remaining with you? What do you hope to return to in prayer at another point in the week?
Moving Forward
Thank you to those who hosted the meeting. Thank you everyone for being present and participating. Let us remember and lift-up one another in prayer, especially for any special intentions which may have surfaced through our conversation tonight.
Closing Prayer
Invite each person to lift up any movements (however subtle, unfinished, or confusing) that emerged during the meeting. Offer these intentions in the closing prayer.