Hello friends,
This is Mark Gladman,
Also known as Brother Frederick James,
Welcoming you to this guided Lectio Divina contemplation audio with this beautiful quote from Saint Teresa of Avila about allowing your soul freedom.
The age that Teresa lived in sounds a lot like our own.
It was an age of great social,
Political and religious upheaval.
It was the 16th century,
It's a time of turmoil and reform.
Things are changing all over the world.
And in that world,
As the world we live in now,
It's easy for us to wonder where our place is,
What difference we can make,
And what sort of contribution we can make,
Simply being who we are.
And what's entirely beautiful about Saint Teresa is that although obviously she went on to be known worldwide within the Christian Church,
Particularly,
But also further afield,
Her writings read by many,
Especially the interior castle.
At the time,
She was simply being who she was,
And she simply did what she knew to do.
She was a woman of prayer,
Discipline and compassion,
Who gave her heart to God in the hope that through her struggle,
She would be able to make a difference,
Even a small one,
In the people who were around her.
Sometimes,
We lose sight of what our purpose is and the part we're meant to play in bringing peace and love to the world.
But Teresa teaches us in this quote that we reflect on today,
That it begins right here,
Within each one of us.
If we can cultivate a peace within our own souls and hearts,
Bring a sense of rest into our lives,
That must radiate out from us and permeate through us into the people who we share life with.
Peace isn't something that we can drum up and share.
Peace can only ever be shared from the well of peace that swells up within us.
As Jesus said,
Your cup will overflow,
And when it does,
What overflows can be shared with others.
And so today,
As we reflect on this quote,
My prayer is that you will find that peace.
And then with each of the short sentences within this quote,
There'll be something that wells up in you,
That doesn't just bring you rest and peace,
That inspires you to be creative and find ways that you,
Simply being who you are,
Can share that with others.
As Teresa says at the end of the quote,
May what you reflect on today allow your soul the freedom to sing,
Dance,
Praise,
And love.
And so we still ourselves,
And as we breathe deeply,
Find a sense of calm,
And gently close our eyes,
We pray God,
Help us to find peace within.
May the peace that Jesus gave us be readily available to us today.
And as it stirs and swells and rises up within us,
Show us ways that we can share this peace with others.
Amen.
And so we begin.
May today,
There be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle in your heart.
Let this presence settle into your bones and allow your soul the freedom to sing,
Dance,
Praise,
And love.
It is there for each and every one of us.
May today,
There be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones and allow your soul the freedom to sing,
Dance,
Praise,
And love.
It is there for each and every one of us.
May today,
There be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones and allow your soul the freedom to sing,
Dance,
Praise,
And love.
It is there for each and every one of us.
And so as we rise from this time of reflection,
Of prayer,
And of contemplation,
May we now allow that peace that has risen up within each of us to be carried to the people that we encounter as we go.
And my friend,
May your soul sing and dance and praise and love.
And may you allow your soul the freedom to do so.
Go in peace to love and serve the world in the name of the divine,
Who we're told is love itself.
Amen.
Peace be with you.
