As you find your way here,
Allow yourself to be in this moment,
In this place,
In this seat.
You are here and your presence matters.
Take a moment to realize that presence here and now.
God is with you.
God will never leave you.
Your presence matters.
Take just a moment to breathe and find your way into your seat.
If you're comfortable closing your eyes,
Please do so.
If you'd like to keep your eyes open,
That's just fine.
I invite you to rest them in some spot ahead of you so it keeps your focus on your breath.
And begin to breathe into this space,
The place that you're in right here,
Right now.
Integrate into your breath practice,
Appreciation of the gifts you have received this week.
If a gift brings you joy,
Smile and greet it all over again.
It's okay to rest this feeling in your body.
A contemplative practice can be a bodyful practice.
Greet that gift one more time with a smile.
If a gift was touching,
Made you feel something,
Explore that feeling.
Feeling of approval or recognition.
Those gifts are there.
Sometimes we miss them.
Take a moment right now to become aware of those gifts that you've received and appreciating the gift.
And since we have gifts in our hearts and minds,
Let's take a moment as well to recognize the giver of the gifts,
Our God.
The gift of grace,
Of sustenance,
Providence,
Care,
Presence.
We didn't ask for them.
That's why they're called gifts.
Take a moment right now to appreciate and recognize the gift and gifts of God.
And now let us begin our weekly examen where we review our week,
The week that we've had.
Maybe your week starts on Sunday.
Maybe it starts on Monday,
Wherever it starts.
I invite you to begin there.
And if you jumped to another day of the week,
That's just fine.
So begin to breathe into a review of your week.
As a reminder,
If you begin to create a narrative or playlet around an event of the week,
Recognize that your mind is creating it all over again.
Greet it with compassion and explore the feelings and thoughts that come with that playlet.
Let us review our week.
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If your mind wanders,
It's okay.
It's doing what it ought to do.
A mind thinks,
A heart beats,
A lung breathes.
It's just doing what it does.
When you find yourself in a wandering thought,
Take a breath and return back to reviewing your week.
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And now let us seal it with the promise that Jesus made to his disciples.
A promise that came in a prayer.
A promise that asks and receives all at the same time.
That knocks and opens.
That calls forth and comes to all at the same time.
The prayer that Jesus taught his disciples and continues to teach his disciples today.
Our Father,
Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.
Amen.
