Encountering God in the Poor

NOTE: This meeting is used after the community service and can be adapted and repeated as necessary whenever the group engages in service together. This meeting could also be done in a large-group setting. If the group has not done service together, you still use this meeting to help members reflect upon their past experiences of service.

Introduction & Welcome (1 min.)

• Introduce the topic

I. Opening Prayer (5 min.)

Grace: To unburden myself of my worldly attachments and to encounter the poor with Jesus.

God of compassion, let us contemplate tonight those people who have led lives of service, who have set examples of love for us and for others, those people who have called us to love others. We thank You God for the gift of Your world and Your creation, and we thank You especially for the gift of Your people. Thank You for each unique, sacred person whom You love. Help us to love others as freely and deeply as You love each one of us. Amen.

II. Check-In (5 min.)

• What were some of your high and low points of the week?

III. Focus Exercise (40 min.)

Materials Needed: None

Exercise: "Seeing with Jesus Meditation"

(note: Read slowly and prayerfully.)

• Presence of God: close your eyes and take a deep breath. Again, breathe in slowly and breathe out. …..Take a few moments to enter into the presence of God. Continue to ask for the grace to unburden yourself of your worldly attachments and to encounter the poor with Jesus.

• Picture the people who will be affected or have been affected by your service. Picture this person or these people engaging in the typical activity that they normally do. Imagine Jesus being present to the person, perhaps next to him or her or them. Pick one person now, and ask Jesus to be with you as you enter into this one person’s experience of pains and joys.

• Notice how Jesus looks at the person… notice how Jesus sees the person’s unique needs and current struggles. See how Jesus treats the person. Notice how Jesus cares for the person in his or her present needs. Notice how Jesus loves the person deeply and freely. Take 5 minutes to just observe Jesus looking at the person and relating to him or her.

• Ask Jesus if He wants you to help in directly caring for and loving the person. Don’t answer for Him, but allow Him to respond. Do not project your own wants and desires. Ask Jesus how He would want you to cooperate in uniquely caring for and loving this person. At times He may ask you to indirectly love the person from a distance.

• Spend time just being with Jesus, resting in Him. Thank Him for the time of learning to see, care, and love the person as He sees and cares. Whenever you’re ready, come back to this room and open your eyes.

Suggested questions to pray and share

1. What does reflecting on this action reveal to you about the way God loves others? About the way God loves you uniquely and personally?
2. How might have reflecting on this act have helped you to better understand how God invites you to love and care for the people you serve?
3. Is there anything about this service that really challenges you?
4. What do you think you learn or gain from these acts of service? A sense of peace or joy?

Listening Deeper

• What has struck you as you have been listening to others share? Do you notice any patterns or commonalities?
• How have you been feeling throughout the meeting? Comforted? Anxious? Curious?
• Is there anything you would like to share after having heard other people share?

IV. Moving Forward (5 min.)

• Wrap-Up: Thank members especially for being open to the time they spent in service and note that the group can hopefully continue in communal service throughout the year.
• Action: How can I concretely be praying and taking action on behalf of those individuals whom my small action has already helped in some way? What can I continue to listen to from my prayer period?
  • As you continue to engage in service, consider using the following three questions as a means of reflecting on your experiences:
    1. What does this action reveal to me about those I am serving?
    2. What does this action reveal to me about God?
    3. What does this action reveal to me about myself?
• Announcements:
  • Topic for next meeting and upcoming CLC events
  • Bring your journal or papers to make a spiritual journal for next week’s meeting.

V. Closing Prayer (5 min.)

In the words of St. Ignatius of Loyola, we pray:

Lord, teach me to be generous.

Teach me to serve You as You deserve;

To give and not to count the cost;

To fight and not to heed the wounds;

To toil and not to seek for rest;

To labor and not to ask for reward,

Except to know that I am doing your will.

Amen.