'love dwells in ourhearts.'

“Nothing will shake us from our conviction that God is, that God is love and His love dwells in our hearts.” , pg 8; The Way of Unknowing. John Main. OSB; The Crossroad Publishing Company; 1995

One of the good fruits of Christian Meditation is the growing awareness that God is love. It is not a matter of how we feel but of an inner conviction of this reality. The very fact that we meditate is an indication that God is at work in our hearts for Jesus has told us: “Without me you can do nothing.” John 15.5

You know we are just common sinners and yet we are so loved. I was delighted when I came across something by Richard Rohr OFM in which he said that redemption precedes everything including repentance. So when by the gift of God we decide to take time to be silent with God, we are willing to let God do the great divine work of love in our hearts. And God is so trustworthy. We can always say with Jesus, in the Garden of Gesthemane, not my will but Yours be done. Or with Mary: behold the servant of the Lord, be it done unto me according to your word.

The 12 steps for alcoholics are really profound and based so much on this truth that all is gift, all is grace. And the 11th step leads right into the possibility of the practice of Christian meditation. “sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood him. Praying only for knowledge of his will for us and the power to carry it out.”

This is why it is always a good thing to begin every session of meditation with a very conscious act of faith in the presence of God and in his great love for us. It can be as simple as saying as directly as possible to God whom we do not see or feel, I believe you are with me, I believe in your great love for us all and for me here and now. You could add, help my unbelief!!

Let us enter into the silence with the conviction and God is, that God is love and his love dwells in our hearts. Let us pray.

Review of How to Meditate:
Sit down. Sit still and upright. Close your eyes lightly. Sit relaxed but alert. After your act of faith in the reality of God present with you. Interiorly begin to say a simple word or a short phrase. We recommend the prayer phrase ‘Maranatha’. Recite it in four syllables slowly and listen to it as you say it. You can use another word or phrase instead. Some say the holy name of Jesus. Or Abba. Or come Lord Jesus. I know someone who says O God be my Guide. When I started, in 1951 I used the prayer repeated by the desert fathers and mothers: O God, come to my assistance, O Lord, make haste to help me.(Ps 70) but shorter may be better, Do not think of anything or imagine anything at all. Not even holy thoughts. If thoughts come just gently return to your word. If you become aware of silence just start your word. Meditate twice a day.