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Hello,
And welcome to Methods.
This is the first episode of our third season,
Vision.
Previously,
We took a look at the ideas of tradition,
As well as breath,
For the basis of our practice.
If you'd like,
You can check those out first.
We've spoken about contemplation before,
And this part may be confusing.
Like many words in the English language,
A word like contemplation can mean different things depending on its context.
Contemplation can mean the inner state of union with the divine,
A type of simati,
Or final stage in the process of pragation,
Illumination,
And union,
As per the desert fathers like Evagrius Ponticus.
But there's a different usage for the term contemplation in the Jesuit tradition.
Imaginative prayer,
Also known as Ignatian contemplation,
Is the name given to prayer which helps us enter more fully into the passage of scripture we are reading,
By using our ability to form pictures or inner impressions in our minds.
We live in a rational,
Left-brain world,
Where information and analysis is the highest priority.
But as human beings,
Our soul is still captivated by experience.
Jesus called on people's imagination all the time.
He was constantly telling stories and painting word pictures.
He asked people to imagine the kingdom of God as a mustard seed,
As yeast,
As a treasure hidden in a field,
As a lost coin.
Through imaginative prayer,
We step into a gospel story and imagine ourselves to be there in that scene.
Rather than reading the Bible abstractly,
We enter the story to more deeply experience and encounter Jesus in the scene.
In doing so,
We remain true to the biblical reading,
But more actively experience it.
We might be a disciple in the boat with Jesus,
One of the crowd at the feeding of the 5,
000,
Or the woman at the well asked by Jesus to draw up water for him.
It's important that as you hear the story,
You try and feel what it's like to actually be inside that story.
Listen,
Taste,
Smell,
Feel,
And watch what happens.
What can you see around you?
What are everyone's facial expressions?
What are you feeling?
I'll read the story through once from the text first,
And then we'll enter the story more personally.
This passage is from the Gospel of John,
Chapter 2.
On the third day,
There was a wedding in Cana of Galilee,
And the mother of Jesus was there,
And both Jesus and his disciples were invited to the wedding.
When the wine ran out,
The mother of Jesus said to him,
They have no wine.
And Jesus said to her,
Woman,
What does that have to do with us?
My hour has not yet come.
His mother said to the servants,
Whatever he says to you,
Do it.
Now there were six stone water pots set there for the Jewish custom of purification,
Containing twenty or thirty gallons each.
Jesus said to them,
Fill the water pots with water.
So they filled them up to the brim.
And he said to them,
Draw some out now and take it to the head waiter.
So they took it to him.
Now I invite you to close your eyes and place your feet firmly on the floor beneath you.
Rest your hands lightly in your lap and take a few deep breaths.
Imagine yourself in your best clothes.
You and the other members of the wait staff are frantically running around,
Moving tables and preparing food.
You're a servant of a man in Cana who's getting married today.
The air is hot and dry,
But the room is bustling with excitement.
What are you seeing?
The sweet smells of baked bread and perfumes fill the air,
And next to the kitchen,
An elderly man plays a cheerful song.
What are you hearing?
You and the others begin to serve the wine to groups of the bride and groom's invited guests,
Being very careful not to spill any on the tables.
There seems to be more guests here than the groom had planned for.
After the sixth table,
You feel the weight of the bottle in your hand.
It's almost empty,
And there's still four more tables to serve.
You begin to get anxious as you look around the room in vain for more wine.
As you scan the room,
You see at the farthest table is Jesus,
His mother,
And his disciples.
They seem to have noticed that the wine has run out and are speaking to each other closely.
At this moment,
Jesus turns around and locks his eyes on you.
What are you feeling?
The mother of Jesus then looks at you and calls you over to their table.
You're nervous,
But you slowly make your way over to where they're seated.
She touches your arm,
Lovingly saying,
Whatever he says to do,
Do it.
You look over to Jesus,
And he begins to speak to you.
He says,
Fill the water pots with water.
You start to move to do what he says without knowing exactly why.
Why would Jesus want you to fill up a cleansing pot with water?
You quickly walk out to the well to draw water from it,
Feeling the grain of the wooden pail in your hands.
You call out for the other servants to help you,
As there are six large pots to fill.
You make your way back to the banquet hall and pour all of the water into the ceremonial water pots.
After you and the other servants have all made three trips,
The pots are full,
As Jesus requested.
You look at the face of Jesus,
Wondering what he'll do now.
He looks at you again and says,
Draw some out now and take it to the head waiter.
You again don't understand why,
But something in his voice compels you to listen.
You pick up a glass from the nearest table,
Dipping it into one of the large water pots.
As you pull the glass upward and out of the pot,
A trickle of the deepest red wine flows down your arm.
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Until next time.
Thank you.
