Prayer in the Heart of Mercy

Mercy Secondary Education Conference XXXIII

October 11, 2014

Providence, RI

Deborah Troillett, RSM

Community Name or Dept. |

Our Time Together

• Introduction (5 minutes)

• Sharing A Few Things I Know (10 minutes)

• A Brief Experience: Prayer in the Heart of Mercy (3 minutes)

• Prayer as Relationship (15 minutes)

• Another Opportunity for Prayer (5 minutes)

• Mercy in Six Words / “Take Home” (2 minutes)

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Pope Francis’ General Audience- Sept. 10, 2014

“A good educator focuses on

the

essential.”

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Pope Francis – General Audience – Sept. 10

“It’s the truth.

In the Gospel the essential

thing is mercy.”

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Community Name or Dept. |

Mercy, the principle path marked out by Jesus Christ for those who desire to follow him.

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“JESUS’ HEART AS THE REVELATION OF GOD’S MERCY” -- WALTER KASPER

“MERCY THE ESSENCE OF THE GOSPEL AND THE KEY TO CHRISTIAN LIFE”

Mercy expresses God’s essence…

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IS PRAYING WITH AND IN THE HEART OF JESUS.

In essence “Prayer in the Heart of Mercy”

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God so loves this world…

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WHAT MAKES PRAYER WITH/IN THE HEART OF JESUS SO CHALLENGING AT TIMES?

“Prayer in the Heart of Mercy”

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Community Name or Dept. |

Sharing a few things I know…

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What do I Know?

• At 6: “I know nothing.”

• At 16: “I know everything.”

• At 36: “I know many things.”

• At 56: “I know a few things.”

• At 76: “I know I don’t know.”

MY NEED FOR MERCY!

I know a few things….

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MY NEED FOR BALANCE

I know a few things….

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Community Name or Dept. |

TWO EARLY WARNING SIGNS:• #1 Lamentations 3: 22 – 23

“The favors of the Lord are not exhausted, God’s mercies are not spent; They are renewed each morning, so great is God’s faithfulness

#2. Psalm 34 v. 19

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit God saves.

• “and those who are R U S H E D in spirit God saves.”

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MY DESIRE TO DEEPEN MY LIFE OF MERCY

I know a few things….

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God so loves the world…

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Community Name or Dept. |

MUTT’S WISDOM by Patrick McDonnell

• CARTOON CAN BE FOUND through Google Images and depicts a dialog which concludes with the message “SHTOP THINKING”.

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Community Name or Dept. |

I have an Interior commentary that constantly judges and compares….e.g. Magnifies or minimizes thingsJumps to Conclusions e.g. mind-reading or fortune-tellingReplays the past…especially hurts…over and over and overOvergeneralizes a negative event/Inflates a positive eventDiscounts a positive eventSHOULDsReasons from my emotionsLabels…myself, others in “all ornothing” “b/w” termsBlames…myself, othersInterior commentary that constantly judgesand compares….e.g. Magnifies or minimizes thingsJumps to Conclusions e.g. mind-reading or fortune-tellingReplays the past…especially hurts…over overOvergeneralizes a negative event/Inflates a positive eventDiscounts a positive eventSHOULDsReasons from my emotionsLabels…myself, others in “all ornothing” “b/w” termsBlames…myself, othersInterior commentary that constantly judgesand compares….e.g. Magnifies or minimizes things

THOUGHTSJumps to Conclusions e.g. mind-reading or fortune-tellingReplays the past…especially hurts…over and over and overOvergeneralizes a negative event/Inflattes a positive eventDiscounts a positive eventSHOULDsReasons from my emotionsLabelsmyself, others in “all or nothing” “b/w” termsBlamesmyself, othersInterior commentary that constantly judges and comparese.g. Magnifiesorminim izesthingsJumps to Conclusions e.g. mind-reading or fortune-tellingReplays the past…especially hurts…over and over and overOvergeneralizes a negativeevent/Inflates a positive eventDiscounts a positive eventSHOULDsReasonsfrommyemotionsLabels…myself, others in “all or nothing” “b/w” terms Blamesmysef,otherothersInteriorcommentarythatconstantlyjudgesandcomparesegMagnMagnifies or minimizes thingsJumps to Conclusions e.g. mind-readingorfortuthe pastespeciallyhurtsoverandoverOvergene

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COMING TO KNOW THE“COMMENTATOR WITHIN…”

I know a few things….

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“Take from my heart all painful anxiety…”

• Magnify or Minimize

• Jump to Conclusions

• By fortune Telling

• By Mind Reading

“Commentator Within…”

prone to judge/compare/label

replay the past

WORRY about the Future

BLAME and “SHOULD”

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Catherine McAuley’s Heart of Mercy• The deepest human

need is for God – the essence of God - the Abundant Compassion of God

• Balancing contemplation and action are at the heart of our Christian call

• “The principal path” is to serve as Christ served.

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IS TO PRAY FOR / WITH A TRANSFORMED HEART.

For us who live and work, teach and serve in the tradition of “Mercy,”

Prayer in the Heart of Mercy …

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CENTERED, HOSPITABLE, WELCOMING, TRUSTING

How might we do this?

Is there a type of prayer from our tradition especially suited for transforming our hearts into the Heart of Jesus? the Heart of Catherine?

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Community Name or Dept. |

I have an Interior commentary that constantly judges and compares….e.g. Magnifies or minimizes thingsJumps to Conclusions e.g. mind-reading or fortune-tellingReplays the past…especially hurts…over and over and overOvergeneralizes a negative event/Inflates a positive eventDiscounts a positive eventSHOULDsReasons from my emotionsLabels…myself, others in “all ornothing” “b/w” termsBlames…myself, othersInterior commentary that constantly judgesand compares….e.g. Magnifies or minimizes thingsJumps to Conclusions e.g. mind-reading or fortune-tellingReplays the past…especially hurts…over overOvergeneralizes a negative event/Inflates a positive eventDiscounts a positive eventSHOULDsReasons from my emotionsLabels…myself, others in “all ornothing” “b/w” termsBlames…myself, othersInterior commentary that constantly judgesand compares….e.g. Magnifies or minimizes things

THOUGHTSJumps to Conclusions e.g. mind-reading or fortune-tellingReplays the past…especially hurts…over and over and overOvergeneralizes a negative event/Inflattes a positive eventDiscounts a positive eventSHOULDsReasons from my emotionsLabelsmyself, others in “all or nothing” “b/w” termsBlamesmyself, othersInterior commentary that constantly judges and comparese.g. Magnifiesorminim izesthingsJumps to Conclusions e.g. mind-reading or fortune-tellingReplays the past…especially hurts…over and over and overOvergeneralizes a negativeevent/Inflates a positive eventDiscounts a positive eventSHOULDsReasonsfrommyemotionsLabels…myself, others in “all or nothing” “b/w” terms Blamesmysef,otherothersInteriorcommentarythatconstantlyjudgesandcomparesegMagnMagnifies or minimizes thingsJumps to Conclusions e.g. mind-readingorfortuthe pastespeciallyhurtsoverandoverOvergene

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Community Name or Dept. |

Prayer in the Heart of Mercy is Hospitable & Healing, Inner and Outer

Spaciousness

»PRAYER

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Community Name or Dept. |

From our Catechism

• Prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God.” -St. John Damascene

• “Prayer is the laying aside of thoughts.”-Evagrius

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All types of prayer are good!

With Words• Petition

• Supplication

• Intercession

• Penitence

• Thanksgiving

• Praise, honor, glory

• Communal worship

Without Words• In silence / In humility

• Fully receptive

• Quiet/still

• Comtemplation

• Without agenda

• Without expectation

• Communal Worship

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Prayer is raising of one’s mind and heart to God• Mind…by intention

• “Prayer is the laying aside of thoughts.”-Evagrius

• Heart …by resting in awareness of God’s indwelling Spirit in our own hearts

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Catherine’s Wisdom• We have one solid

comfort…our hearts can always be in the same place, centered in God…

• We should be as the compass that goes around its circle without stirring from its center.

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“CENTERED” IN OUR HEARTSWHERE THE SPIRIT DWELLS

Let us pray…

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Community Name or Dept. |

One Type of Prayer …Without Words• Sit comfortably and close the eyes (OR…engage in a soft

downward gaze)

• Take a deep breath, exhale and relax

• Become aware of raising BOTH mind and heart to God: mind by your intention and heart by your awareness of God’s presence within.

• You may gently place hand on your heart. Rest in awareness.

• When thoughts rise, “lay them aside”…e.g. do not dialogue, force aside, try to stop them etc.

• Simply again become aware of the Indwelling Spirit within your heart

• Rest in awareness

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A WORD…A PHRASE….A THOUGHT….

Sharing our experience…

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Community Name or Dept. |

Sharing our Wisdom

Prayer in the Heart of Mercy begins

• in relationship

• as relationship

Prayer is Relationship

“Just Hanging Out”

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PRAYER AS RELATIONSHIP

Sharing our wisdom…

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Sharing our Wisdom

Prayer is…•

• How does one illuminate the other?

Relationship is…

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Take Away #1

• Prayer is: ____________________________________________________

• and prayer is__________

• but it can also be_____________

• and sometimes___________

• because prayer___________

• and many times__________

• so that prayer_____________________________________________________________________

• and it also ____________________________________________________________________________

• for prayer is _____________________________________________________________________________________

• Relationship is: ____________________________________________________

• and relationship is_________

• but it can also be __________

• and sometimes __________

• because relationship ______________

• and many times _____________

• so that relationship_____________________________________________________________________

• and it also ____________________________________________________________________________

• for relationship is _____________________________________________________________________________________

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Catherine McAuley and Prayer

• Prayer is a plant, the seed of which is sown in the heart of every Christian, but its growth depends on the care we take to nourish it. If neglected, it will die. If nourished by constant practice, it will blossom and produce fruit in abundance.

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Community Name or Dept. |

“…Prayer…like all relationships…if nourished by constant practice, will blossom and produce fruit in abundance.

Prayer in the Heart of Mercy is

An awareness practice that is PRAYER

(intentionality of mind and awareness of Indwelling Holy Spirit)

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Community Name or Dept. |

“…if nourished by constant practice, it will blossom and produce fruit in abundance.

AND a prayer practice

that fosters the renewal of

our minds and transformation of our hearts

so that “centered in God”

we release from our minds all painful anxiety (anxious thoughts)…and rest in the

abundant compassion and love of God.

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Catherine McAuley and Prayer

“Take from my heart all painful anxiety…”From the Suscipe of Catherine McAuley

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Catherine’s Wisdom

• Above all things constant fervent prayer.

• Your whole life should be a continual act of prayer and praise.

• If the love of God really reigns in your heart, it will quickly show itself in the exterior.

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Catherine’s Wisdom

“Your whole life should be a continual act of prayer and praise.” CMcA

SO that “Your whole life

(your life that is WHOLE)

should be

(a promise that it will become!)

a continual act of prayer and praise.”

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“If the love of God really reigns in your heart, it will quickly show itself in the exterior.”

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Community Name or Dept. |

Take Away #2 – The Guidelines• Sit comfortably and close the eyes (OR…engage in a soft

downward gaze)

• Take a deep breath, exhale and relax

• Become aware of raising BOTH mind and heart to God: mind by your intention and heart by your awareness of God’s presence within.

• You may gently place hand on your heart. Rest in awareness.

• When thoughts rise, “lay them aside”…e.g. do not dialogue, force aside, try to stop them etc.

• Simply again become aware of the Indwelling Spirit within your heart

• Rest in awareness

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All Forms of Prayer are Good!

With Words• Petition

• Supplication

• Intercession

• Penitence

• Thanksgiving

• Praise, honor, glory

• Communal worship

Without Words• In silence / In humility

• Fully receptive

• Quiet/still

• Comtemplation

• Without agenda

• Without expectation

• Communal Worship

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Catherine McAuley and Prayer

• Above all things constant fervent prayer.

• Your whole life should be a continual act of prayer and praise.

• If the love of God really reigns in your heart, it will quickly show itself in the exterior.

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IS ONE WAY TO PRAY WITH AND IN THE HEART OF JESUS

For us who live and work, teach and serve in the tradition of “Mercy,”

prayer in the Heart of Mercy …

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Community Name or Dept. |

Inward Glance - Hand to Heart – Holy Instant

• In silence / In humility

• Fully receptive

• Quiet/still

• Comtemplative

• Without agenda/ Without expectation

• Anytime, anyplace, simple awareness of God’s presence

• You can “go there” anytime, anyplace!

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“The simplest and most practical lesson I know….

is to resolve to be good today, but better tomorrow

thus we may hope to get on

taking short careful small steps, not great strides…..”

C. McAuley48

Community Name or Dept. |

Take Away #3 Mercy in Six Words

• Good Educators focus on the Essential.

• The Truth: the Gospel is Mercy.

• Mercy: The Abundant Compassion of God

• Formation: Balance of Contemplation and Action

• Prayer in the Heart of Mercy

• Mercy grows in a prayerful heart!

• Short careful steps not great strides.

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