Becky Eldredge's Blog, page 2

My One Thing

From a Word from Becky, my monthly newsletter to my readers Dear friends,   Soren Kierkegaard famously wrote: “To be a saint is to will the one thing.” One thing.  I am not good at doing one thing.   If you know me, you might know that I thrive when I have a few hats to juggle […]

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Leading as a Stabat Mater

From Live and Lead, my monthly newsletter to my readers Dear friends,   Lent is here, on the heels of weeks of news of all types of suffering. The New Orleans attack on New Years.  The expansive wildfires in California.  The plane crash in Washington, DC.  News of so many programs which support those in poverty […]

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Leading as a Stabet Mater

From Live and Lead, my monthly newsletter to my readers Dear friends,   Lent is here, on the heels of weeks of news of all types of suffering. The New Orleans attack on New Years.  The expansive wildfires in California.  The plane crash in Washington, DC.  News of so many programs which support those in poverty […]

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When God Makes It Abundantly Clear

From a Word from Becky, my monthly newsletter to my readers Dear friends,   It’s birthday week in our house! Today is our youngest daughter, Mary’s 11th birthday. Sunday, we celebrated Brady’s 18th birthday.  My heart wells with love for them and with gratitude for the gifts they are in my life. And of course, our […]

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The Hope I Seek – Coming Home

I wrote this post for Into the Deep,  devoting this year’s topics to an overall theme of hope as we align with the Church’s Jubilee Year of Hope. In our opening series of the year, we use Ignatian prayer methods, principles, and discernment wisdom, to ask how is God calling us to live as a […]

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Do the Work!

From a Word from Becky, my monthly newsletter to my readers Dear friends,    Often, I will be folding laundry, walking through my home, driving in my car, brushing my teeth, and my thoughts and heart turn to you, my readers who have become friends in Christ over the years.  A prayer goes up immediately for […]

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Christ, Be Born in Me as You Wish!

From a Word from Becky, my monthly newsletter to my readers Dear friends,   Merry Christmas!  I pray you found a meaningful way to celebrate Christ’s birth yesterday, and I pray you may find the way Christ is longing to be born in you and through you this Christmas season.    The words came out of my […]

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The Three G’s: Gratitude, Generosity, and Generativity

From a Word from Becky, my monthly newsletter to my readers Dear friends,   Happy Thanksgiving to all my American readers!  Last night, we enjoyed some seafood gumbo with my in-laws, and today, we will be having fried turkey, dressing, gravy and sides with my parents.  I hope you have something special planned today to celebrate.  […]

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Recognizing Beauty Alongside the Stumps

From a Word from Becky, my monthly newsletter to my readers Dear friends,    I write this on the eve of All Saints Day!  Each month, I ask God what to share with you for my monthly reflection.  This month, I feel drawn to share a beautiful image my grief counselor offered me that I hope […]

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Considering Holy Week: The Prayer of Consideration

Dear friends,

Joseph A. Tetlow, S.J. writes of The Prayer of Consideration in his version of the Spiritual Exercises.  He says:

“Those who live busy lives in the marketplace, whose everyday life shifts from merely very full to very frantic – they know the value of this prayer.  They know that they need time to consider under God’s gaze, to ponder and wrangle and exult, to worry with Him and walk with Him. For those who bring faith and hope and God’s love into the world, consideration makes the most appropriate and necessary prayer.”

The Prayer of Consideration is an Ignatian prayer tool that gets little attention, and it is one of the prayer tools I enjoy sharing with others who live busy lives.  I often turn to the Prayer of Consideration as I ask God how I can better love and serve God in the day to day moments of my life.  I pause throughout my day to consider with God  the people I encounter, the tasks I undertake, the things I see in nature, what I read or hear, as well as the time I spend alone.  The seemingly simple prayers about ordinary moments can become some of our  greatest offerings to God.  

Next week, we enter Holy Week.   Below, I offer a Prayer of Consideration on the Last Supper.  As you simply ponder what happened, notice who Jesus encountered and his actions.  How does his model invite us to love and serve God in the people we meet and in our actions? 

Consider the People Jesus Encountered at the Last Supper:  

Who did Jesus encounter in this moment of his life?  His disciples.  The ones he invited to follow him closely.  The ones who walked with him, listened to him, learned from him.  Jesus gathered his followers at this meal and offered them a final witness of his love for them.  Ordinary people, with their individual stories of mercy and love.  They knew Jesus and he knew them.   Jesus surrounded himself with his friends. As you consider who is at the table with Jesus, take a moment to acknowledge that Jesus has been and is encountering you today through the people you met. Who are these people?  How are you being invited to love and serve God in the people you encounter? 

Consider Jesus’ Actions: 

What did  Jesus  do with his disciples? He washed their feet.  Like the waters of Baptism, he cleansed them.   As he did this to them, he instructed them to do so for others.  He broke  bread.  He shared  a meal.  He reclined at the table and spoke to them.  He gave them one last commandment, to love others as he loved them.  As you consider the actions of Jesus at the Last Supper, take a moment to acknowledge Jesus’ action in your own life today.  How has he been present to you in the ordinary moments of your life today?   What actions have you experienced or taken that are signs of Jesus’ with you today? What actions are you being invited to take to love and serve God in those you encounter?

Consider Holy Week: 

As we prepare to enter Holy week and the Triduum next week, I invite us to practice the Prayer of Consideration daily.  Notice who you encounter and give them the devoted attention Jesus gave his disciples at the Last Supper.  Notice your actions throughout the week and let them be tangible acts of Jesus out in the world. 
If you’re looking for more guidance to help you pray this Holy Week & Triduum, I recommend downloading my guided audio prayer reflections, Praying With Jesus.

Know of my daily  prayers for you! 

Peace,

Becky

P.S.  As our Lenten journey will come to an end soon, I invite you to consider praying with us on our Easter Retreat: Saturated in Joy.  Come spend time with Jesus, the Risen Christ and notice the way he encounters others in his Resurrection and the actions he takes to offer people hope and joy! 

 

Photo by Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash