WALK WITH ME

Transforming Suffering
An Interview with Basil Pennington
By Mary Nurrie Stearns

 PT: What practices transform suffering?

Pennington: Meditation practices are found in all the major traditions. In our Christian tradition are many forms of meditation. One that is growing in popularity, which goes back to ancient times, is today called "Centering Prayer" and originally called "Prayer in the Heart." It is a simple form of meditation where we turn to God, who is within, and rest with Him. He says, "Come to me you who are heavily burdened, I will refresh you." In this practice we leave everything else and rest with Him within, silently uttering one word of love, such as God, peace, Shalom, to quietly stay with Him. That’s a simple and ancient Christian form of meditation which is effective and fairly easy to practice.

The meditation practice of Lectio Divina is somewhat different. It is opening to the experience of God. One of the reasons we leave the words in Latin is because simply translated as "Divine Reading" conveys a false idea. I used to annoy my translators when lecturing in different languages around the world by quoting that old Latin phrase, "Traducta estraditor es," meaning that every translator is a traitor. If you translate a word, you leave so much behind and you pick up other meanings.

Lectio does not mean reading in the sense of printed symbols immediately conveying ideas to the intellect. Lectio is hearing a word—whether you see it on the page, pronounce it yourself, hear somebody else speak it, or recall it from your memory—hearing that word in the here and now being spoken by the one speaking it. In Lectio Divina, God himself is speaking. In the practice of Lectio Divina we read sacred texts which we believe have been inspired by God as a means of communicating with us. Lectio Divina is coming into communication with God and letting Him speak to us now, and reveal Himself to us now, through His inspired word. It is a type of transcendental meditation, at the same time it uses the rational mind to work with the words. In a meditation like Centering Prayer, you leave the rational mind and emotions behind, open yourself to rest in the Divine. St. Thomas Aquinas says, "Where the mind leaves off, the heart goes beyond."
 

A MEDITATION
Doing It My Way  

What do I demand of you in these moments that We share together?  All I ask is that you keep an open mind about the way that you live your life. I will instruct you in My Ways for you. I will teach you that, even though at times My ways may be at odds with your usual ways for you, doing things My Way will result in inner Peace and an ever deepening experience of My Love within the totality of your being. 

My Ways are not your ways. They spring from an Eternal Perspective. I am not confined by anything that is time –based. My Ways for you are based on this timeless orientation.  I instill My Orientation of Timeless Love in you. That changes your perspective on all that you think, say or do.  You begin to take the Forever View of things and begin to recognize that regardless of the problem, even if death be at your side, that current time driven need will vanish as you move from the perspective of temporaty into the Unifying Love that is Life Eternal in My Forever. 

Sometimes that perspective is hard to swallow.  Thus, I ask you to trust My Love as I reveal it within you and learn to do things My Way. That is the only way for you to experience inner Peace.  Only in Me is your heart ever at rest!

You walk with Me through the valley of tears. I go before you. I clear My Path for you. I do what you cannot do. I heal you of your infirmities. I resurrect you by My True Presence in you. I take care of you physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. I, alone, know what you need. I , alone, give you all you need. I ready you to work for Me. I promise to be with you eternally.

My friend, your walk with Me has been readied for you by your prayers and the prayers of those that go before you and those in your time who pray for you daily. You walk through time filled with My Timeless Love.

Rejoice My highly favored friends. My Love within you never ends. I come that you might have My New Life in you physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Come now. Receive My True Presence in the Eucharist. Be healed by the Love of Jesus.

Pause

I do heal My friends. I love them so much. I know their problems and concerns. I intervene in their lives. I save them from harm. I protect them from the enemy. I surround them with My Grace. I make them aware of My Love. I resurrect them in My Love. I do this 24/7. I guide them My Way. I bring them into My Forever Day.

Love,

Jesus

 MY GIFT OF LOVE IN YOU

 You truly are unaware of what I do in you in your times of need. You only know that I interact within you in some manner. That is all you need to know. I take care of you My Way each day. All you need do is be open to the Power of My Love in you. You freely choose to be open to Me. I freely choose to do as I wish in you.

Pause

I tell you these things to reinforce in you that My Love is greater than anything life in your world can send your way.  I am The Lord, thy God. I do so much more in you than just speak in you. I recreate you anew in the Love that always is. You do not understand the fullness of the meaning of My Words. You only know the tip of the iceberg. There is so much more occurring beneath the surface of these words.

There is so much more happening even as you write My Words. Forever mixes with temporary physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. It is something you sense but cannot see. It is My Gift of Love in you.

Love,

God the Father

BE THOU OPEN MORE FULLY TO OUR LOVE

There is no reason for you to fear anything from My True Presence within you. I bring you the Gift of My Timeless Love in the Eucharist that you receive daily.

I am truly Jesus the Messiah. I touch you with the Love that always is each time you, in faith, freely choose to receive Me physically within you. I know you question what I do each time My Divinity takes up residence in you physically.

It is one thing to conceptualize such a miraculous event.  It is quite another to experience My Touch internally. On the one hand it is wonderful. On the other hand it is a little frightening. Who would ever believe that such a happening is possible let alone real.

I am here within you stating that what you experience is quite real. I am truly Jesus the Messiah filling you internally with an inner sense of My True Presence.

Just be at Peace, My friend. My Love calms you down. My Peace overwhelms you. This is something you never learned in religion or theology classes. It is an experiential happening that supersedes and book learning you have ever had. It is not as unusual as it seems. Many have been filled with My Love.

Look at the apostles on Pentecost. Scripture reports that tongues of fire appeared over them and that they received the Power of The Holy Spirit. Wouldn't that make for an exciting television event. Alas! There was no television then.

However, they were changed. They spoke in tongues. They preached everywhere about Me. They worked miracles in My Name. What happens in each friend experientially when they receive My True Presence in the Eucharist is that I reignite the Fire of My Love experientially internally in them.

I am more obvious about this happening in you and in many like you as We send out Our Spirit to renew the face of the earth. The times spoken of in scripture are here. Our Love rekindles the hearts and souls of Our friends in sch a way as to raise their internal commitment to Us forever more. Thus, be not afraid. Our "what is" rises in you forever more. Rest easy in Our Now. We wish to open your mind more fully to Our Love in you.

Love,

Us

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