Abiding

"Anyone who loves me will keep my word,and my Father will love him,and we shall come to himand abide with him."[John 14:23]The Church exists to bring Humanity home to God. That means that God has to be living amongst us if we are going to be effective. The way that God lives amongst us is for us to live by the Gospel of Jesus.So here is a way to get God to abide with you.

As Jesus got up in the early morning and went off alone to spend time with his heavenly Father, we should find time for God alone daily.

Take Jesus' word and example to heart.

Choose a text from the Gospels.

Read it slowly and talk with Jesus

1. "Lord, I notice in this text ..."

2. "So you are showing me ..."

3. "I am moved to ..."

Stay with the movement of your heart that attracts you to Jesus. When you get distracted read some of the text again.

Remember the text during the day when your mind is not active with other things.

In this way, the Father and Jesus will be more at home with you. That will make you more effective bringing others home to God. As Jesus reminds us, "As a branch cannot bear fruit all by itself, unless it remains in the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me." [Jn 15:6]

This form of prayer is one example of the Lectio Divina used in monastries over the centuries.

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