Sample Meditation

Experience for yourself a short meditation.

Set aside 20 minutes to meditate on this extract from the set of Meditations written for educators of young people by St. De La Salle:

Saint Paul reminds us that, as teachers of the faith, while we plant and water the seed, it is God, through Jesus Christ, who makes it grow and brings it to fulfilment (1 Cor 3:6). Despite all our efforts, there will be times that we feel frustration when the young people in our care seem disinterested in spirituality and the faith.

At such times we picture Jesus Christ the Good Shepherd of the Gospel, who searches for the lost sheep, puts it on his shoulders, and carries it back to restore it to the flock (Lk 15:4-5). Since we are called to share in Jesus’ ministry, we often need to ask him for the ability to touch the hearts of our students.

Indeed, if we are to succeed in this privileged calling, in which we are the instruments of Christ, we need to pray frequently about it, and bring our concerns to Jesus Christ, speaking to him as a friend about the difficulties we are experiencing in guiding these young people. We pray for God’s assistance and ask Jesus to help us be open to his Spirit living within us, since it is he who has chosen us to be his ambassadors (1 Cor 3:9).   We pray with confidence, knowing that Jesus will not fail to grant what we ask.

   (Meditation 4.1)

 Suggested procedure:  

… place yourself in the presence of God (3 minutes)

… read chosen text slowly (5 minutes)

… meditate – thinking/reflecting/praying (7 minutes)

… close your meditation with a short prayer (Our Father/Hail Mary/Glory be …)

… summarise in writing what happened for you, perhaps a thought that arose, an experience felt (5 minutes).