18 YEARS: 

A  MEDITATION 

[Read the Gospel story for today's Mass: Luke 13: 10-17]

This is a simple meditation that I wrote this morning - instead of a homily for this 30th Monday in Ordinary Time.

Begin by breathing.  Become aware of your breathing. Breathe in through your nose. Hold it. Then  breathe out through your lips. Hold the emptiness - all the way down to your tight tummy.  Breathe in. Hold your breath - tight chest.  Breathe out. Hold the emptiness.

Next: close your eyes. [Pause]

Become silent. [Pause]

Hear the silence. [Pause]

Eyes still closed…. [Pause]

Sitting there  - be aware of your back and your bones. [Pause]

Straighten up - feel your butt on the bench - and your back up straight - up against the back of your bench. [Pause]

Keep breathing in [hold it] - breathing out. [Pause]

Eyes still closed - picture Jesus standing behind you - putting his hands on your shoulders. Relax. [Pause]

Next hear Jesus asking you: “What are you holding on to … what’s weighing you down …. Is there something on your back - in your being - something that happened to you - something you did or said - 18 months or 18 years ago - or a long time ago?” [Pause]

Then hear Jesus  says to you, “Let me take this sin, this situation, this experience, this memory,  this other person - off your back - and don’t let it weigh you down - keep you down -  hold you down - any longer.” [Pause]

“Let me be the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of your world. Amen.”