Welcome
An invitation to practice on Wednesday evenings in Lent. Learn more here.
Welcome to Contemplative Chapel.
Wednesday evenings in Lent, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. (CT)
These Wednesday evening sessions have begun, and anyone interested in participating is welcome. Like the spiritual life itself, these sessions are not sequential. As Kabir (1440-1518) said, “Wherever you are is the entry point.” Please join us.
Each session begins with a brief welcome and reflection by Gary Jones, followed by a time of “Holy Reading” or Lectio Divina. Using a short passage of Scripture, participants are guided through a meditative engagement with the passage. Lectio Divina is often thought of as a way of listening to the words of Scripture, as if we are in a conversation with Christ, and Christ is initiating the conversation. This is followed by a time of Centering Prayer or “resting in God.”
At each session, you’ll receive helpful information about these ancient Christian traditions, and you’re led through it all over again each Wednesday evening. There is nothing to prepare, and participants will not be invited to speak or share their experiences.
I do recommend that all participants read the two shorts pamphlets on Lectio Divina and Centering Prayer which can be found on the “Resources” page of this Contemplative Chapel website.
But as many people say about contemplative practice, “It’s mainly about simply showing up.” Our role is to surrender to the loving Presence and activity of God from whom we are too often distracted. These prayer traditions are ways of “coming home” to One who loves you and is waiting for you.
Participants will arrive with microphones muted throughout the session. All are invited to arrive with their video on, but that is entirely up to the participant. If you are feeling stressed or exhausted on any given evening, or you’d rather not be seen in your pajamas, then by all means, simply show up with your video off and just rest, knowing that the intentions of the group for each other during each session are effective, whether we can see everyone or not. We all have our days.
The practice of silent prayer in community can feel gently powerful and generously supportive, as we all “hold this space” for each other. At the same time, the dynamic of showing up simply to release yourself to God, without any expectation of speaking about your experience, can be uniquely liberating.
For this Lenten series, I am using the Zoom account from Christ Church Cathedral in Houston. Please register here to receive the Zoom link each week in Lent.