The "soul-thirst" of which the Psalmist writes is a universal human thirst. We were made for God and we will not find the joy, peace, and meaning we long for until we learn to live with God in a relationship of mutual love.

In the deep silence of prayer and meditation we enter into the love of God and God enters into our love.  As it is written, "God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them." (1 John 4:16)

We invite you to pass through the silence of prayer and meditation into the mutuality of love with God and provide the following guidelines to help you along the way.

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1.     Choose a quite place where you will not be disturbed. In the beginning, plan to spend about 20 minutes once or twice a day in this work.

2.   Sit with your back straight, feet flat on the ground, hands resting in your lap.  Breathe normally, but watch the breath for a minute or two. Breath is life; life is a gift from God. Be aware of your breath and be grateful for this gift. Stay with your breath as long as you like--you will soon begin to feel more centered.

3.   When you are ready, slowly and mindfully read the following prayer by St. Francis of Assisi. Make it your prayer. In time, memorize it so you may begin your meditation without the distraction of reading.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is conflict, peace; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy.  Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love.  For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.  Amen.

4.   Stay with this prayer for a moment.  Reflect on its meaning for you and for what is going on in your life right now.  Is there any hatred, injury, conflict, doubt, despair, darkness or sadness in your life or the lives of those around you?  To "sow" is to plant seeds that will grow in time. What would it mean for you to "sow" love, peace, faith, light, joy in the life situations and relationships you now experience?

5.     Now, to the heart of this work.  With your eyes closed, be aware of your breath again.  When you breathe in, silently say the name, "Jesus." When you breathe out, silently say the name, "Jesus." I find the name of Jesus to be a particularly powerful centering prayer, but if you wish, you may use another word, e.g., "Love," or "Grace," or "Peace," or "Light" -- any word that expresses for you the reality of God and your feelings of love and gratitude to God.  With each inhalation, silently repeat your word.  With each exhalation, silently repeat it again and continue in this fashion until the time you have given to this work is finished.

6.   If your mind wanders -- and it will -- gently, and without scolding yourself, begin again to repeat your word in sync with your breathing.  Don't think about anything. Simply rest in the presence of God and in the assurance of God's love and blessing.

7.   If you have an interesting thought or an interesting feeling, don't follow them.  Note them for later reflection and then let them go and return to your word and your breathing.

8.   When the time you have set aside for this work is finished, sit quietly for a moment, tell God of any concerns that may be on your mind, and then leave your place of prayer centered in God and refreshed in mind and spirit.

The purposes of this work of meditation are: (1) to center yourself in the awareness of God's continuing presence, (2) to quiet the "noise" in your mind and heart that you might more clearly hear "the still small voice" of God, (3) to heal the fragmentation of your life and give you a new sense of wholeness, (4) to nurture an inner silence that will become inner strength for your life, and (5) to ground your life in the experience of God's love for you and your love for God.