Contemplative Prayer
Margaret-Mary McFadyen, a member of the Spirituality Committee of the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales, leads us in imaginative contemplative prayer, whereby we meet God through a story. The prayer develops as you live into a story from Scripture with all your senses and imagination. You let the Spirit guide the prayer you don't force anything to happen you let it happen to you, within you, around you.
You can find out more about Margaret-Mary McFadyen at https://www.rcdea.org.uk/new-role-for-spiritual-director-margaret-mary/. Margaret-Mary writes below about the programmes.
Contemplative Prayer is broadcast on Thursdays at 05:30 and Fridays at 01:00, Sundays at 07:00 and Mondays at 13:30 and 20:00.
4 8 October 2020 |
1: The Parable of the Good Samaritan Luke 10:3035 This passage is very special to me. It was an imaginative contemplation with this parable that brought God up close and personal in a way that I had never experienced before, and it changed everything. Things had gone badly wrong in my life shortly before it and I was sore from the experience. I was the traveller lying by the side of the road, bruised and broken. I could feel the hardness of the heat, the dry taste of blood in my mouth. My body hurt all over and it was painful to move, so I remained still. The first person to pass was a woman from church. She tut-tutted in disapproval as she passed me by. The next was a priest, who shook his head disapprovingly. The third, Jesus, stopped, cleaned my wounds, picked me up tenderly and put me on His horse. When I moaned in pain at being moved, He apologised to me! I sank back into Him and He put His arms around me. I felt safe. I woke up clean, in a bed with fresh sheets and my wounds healing. Before He left, He kissed my forehead softly and told me that He would return soon. |
11 15 October |
2: Jonah tries to run away from God Jonah 1:117 When I was at secondary school, I joined the choir and we spent a term learning the songs from Jonah Man Jazz by Michael Hurd. The opening lines of some of the songs have remained with me and particularly: When Jonah sank into the sea, he closed his eyes and prayed: O Lord Im very sorry that your word Ive disobeyed. If you would only come and save me, I will do as you command... I visualise what St Ignatius calls turmoil of spirits as a great storm like the one described in the story of Jonah. Ignatius describes the soul as being tossed around between spiritual consolation and desolation as we struggle to discern: to recognise the authentic voice of God amongst the noise of fear and criticism, in our own hearts and in the external voices among us; to find that place of certainty and trust that God is with us, and that we do not need to be afraid, that He will give us the grace needed to fulfil His request. When we turn away from God, we experience this storm, but as Jonah shows us, peace is to be found again in calling out to and relying on God. |
18 22 October |
3: Jesus Walks on Water Matthew 14:2233 There is much to be drawn to in this incident from scripture, and for me, what is most compelling about it is that Jesus encourages Peter not to be afraid, and He pulls Him out of it when it all goes wrong for Peter. There have been times when I have been in trouble, when the storms have engulfed me and I have been afraid, and I have brought this story to mind. When I keep my eyes on Him walking across the water, I am reminded that to Him, all things are possible, and I too feel encouraged. When I falter and remember that I am in perilous waters, He grabs hold of me to pull me out, and I cling to Him for dear life. There was one time however, one moment, when I felt completely overwhelmed with despair; the struggle around me was so great that I gave up, I let go. He had other ideas though, and He did not let go of me. The further I move from that time, the more grateful I am for Gods insistent presence in my life and my trust in Him deepens. It is what spiritual consolation means. |
25 29 October |
4: Samuels Calling 1 Samuel 3:110 In the Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius describes different ways that we can discern a choice, a decision that God may be drawing us to. When this decision is to do with our state in life, it is called an election. The first-time choice is the least common and is characterised by firstly, a revelation where there is no doubt that God is the source, and then there is both the desire for the decision to be fulfilled and the possibility of it being fulfilled. Samuel may be experiencing here what Ignatius calls second time choice. In this way, there is turmoil of spirits, uncertainty in recognising the voice of God, even as there is a desire to follow that voice. The help of someone more experienced in spiritual discernment, such as a spiritual director, or Eli in the scripture here, can be helpful in discussing the signs we are experiencing, discerning their meaning for us and gently bringing us to the point where we are able to respond appropriately. This process can take time, and a lot of moving backwards and forwards, until finally, we recognise the voice of God in the call and we respond to it from the desire of our soul. |
1 5 November |
5: Healing the Woman with the haemorrhage Mark 5:2534 I went to a talk at the Chaplaincy at the University of East Anglia given by Elaine Storkey whose book Whats Right with Feminism? I subsequently read. It revolutionised my interaction with the women I hear stories about in scripture. This woman is one of those she spoke of. When I have prayed with this passage imaginatively, I imagine her background, where she lives, the people at home waiting for her. People who know what she has set out to do on this day. I imagine a group of women, sisters, cousins, friends, who understand her predicament, and are waiting for her to return, praying for the success of her quest. Sometimes, I imagine a man who loves her, who cannot bear her suffering and yet, stands with her in it, grieving her pain. It is the equivalent of people watching, sitting on a bench and wondering at all the people who walk past, knowing that they all have a story, a background and the details of each are known to God. The attractiveness of Jesus here is that He gives exactly what she needs to draw her deeper into God. He claims her as His kin. |
8 12 November |
6: Elijah journeys to Horeb 1 Kings 19:49 The journey is a common metaphor for the life of faith, as is the wilderness. I am not keen on literally travelling. I am content to be somewhere else, but I do not enjoy getting there. Neither am I one for extremes in temperature, hot or cold. So, in imagining being on this journey that Elijah is taking, that feeling of just wanting to sit down under a tree and wishing for it to all be over, is one I feel some sympathy with. When I prayed with this passage on retreat one year, the bible translation I was praying with used the word scone, rather than cake. I pondered that image quite deeply afterwards. To me, a scone is more cake than bread, but more bread than cake. The angel in my imagination was Jesus Himself. My understanding of my prayer experience here was that when the going gets difficult in our faith journey that God will nourish and strengthen us with not only what we need (bread), but also with more than we need (cake); something superfluous, unnecessary, and a reason for joy. There is no austerity in His giving: He is generous. |
15 19 November |
7: Healing Jairus Daughter Mark 5:2124,3543 As a parent, I can empathise with the urgency that Jairus must have felt when his daughter was so close to dying. I can understand why he would throw himself at Jesus feet and beg for her to be healed. When I prayed with this piece of scripture a long time ago, I imagined myself as the child. I felt safe, sleeping in what felt like a womb to me, waiting for Jesus to appear. There was no urgency, just safe, warm bliss. As I find myself dwelling on it now, I am more in tune with Jairus as a parent. How must he have felt when Jesus stopped to insist that the woman who had touched His cloak make herself known, when all the time the life of his precious child was slipping away? And I also wonder, when I consider the event from this perspective, what was Jesus up to here? Neither does He rush to Lazarus when He raises him. The urgency is in those who love the person concerned. Nor is it that He is detached: we are told that He is moved to tears with the death of Lazarus. This scripture is calling me for another visit I think. |
22 26 November |
8: Elijah in the Cave at Horeb 1Kings 19:913 Praying with this passage imaginatively on more than one occasion has had the most profound effect on my understanding and experience of God as Holy Trinity. I climbed this mountain the first time with Jesus, and the Holy Spirit waiting for us at the bottom. God the Father was in my rucksack and Jesus invited me to let Him out when we got to the cave at the top. I remember that first time being too afraid: there was the wind, the earthquake and the fire. At Jesus gentle request, and in the silence that followed, I did let the Father out of the rucksack, but I was tentative and nervous. My spiritual director invited me to spend some more time there, and so I did a repetition of this prayer. I spent the night in the cave with God the Father, letting Him be closer to me and gradually letting go of my fear and my false perception of His austerity. It took longer to really let Him in, but this was where it began for real. Sometimes, it is our false images of God that prevent our intimacy with Him. |
29 November 3 December |
9: When will the master return? Mark 13:3337 |
6 10 December |
10: Proclamation of John the Baptist Mark 1:18 |
13 17 December |
11: Testimony of John the Baptist John 1:68,1928 |
20 24 December |
12: The Birth of Jesus Luke 1:2638 |
27 31 December |
13: The Parable of the Good Samaritan Luke 10:3035 (rebroadcast of Episode 1) This passage is very special to me. It was an imaginative contemplation with this parable that brought God up close and personal in a way that I had never experienced before, and it changed everything. Things had gone badly wrong in my life shortly before it and I was sore from the experience. I was the traveller lying by the side of the road, bruised and broken. I could feel the hardness of the heat, the dry taste of blood in my mouth. My body hurt all over and it was painful to move, so I remained still. The first person to pass was a woman from church. She tut-tutted in disapproval as she passed me by. The next was a priest, who shook his head disapprovingly. The third, Jesus, stopped, cleaned my wounds, picked me up tenderly and put me on His horse. When I moaned in pain at being moved, He apologised to me! I sank back into Him and He put His arms around me. I felt safe. I woke up clean, in a bed with fresh sheets and my wounds healing. Before He left, He kissed my forehead softly and told me that He would return soon. |
3 7 January 2021 |
14: Jonah
tries to run away from God Jonah 1:1 17 When I was at secondary school, I joined the choir and we spent a term learning the songs from Jonah Man Jazz by Michael Hurd. The opening lines of some of the songs have remained with me and particularly: When Jonah sank into the sea, he closed his eyes and prayed: O Lord Im very sorry that your word Ive disobeyed. If you would only come and save me, I will do as you command... I visualise what St Ignatius calls turmoil of spirits as a great storm like the one described in the story of Jonah. Ignatius describes the soul as being tossed around between spiritual consolation and desolation as we struggle to discern: to recognise the authentic voice of God amongst the noise of fear and criticism, in our own hearts and in the external voices among us; to find that place of certainty and trust that God is with us, and that we do not need to be afraid, that He will give us the grace needed to fulfil His request. When we turn away from God, we experience this storm, but as Jonah shows us, peace is to be found again in calling out to and relying on God. |
10 15 January |
15: Jesus
Walks on Water Matthew 14:2233 There is much to be drawn to in this incident from scripture, and for me, what is most compelling about it is that Jesus encourages Peter not to be afraid, and He pulls Him out of it when it all goes wrong for Peter. There have been times when I have been in trouble, when the storms have engulfed me and I have been afraid, and I have brought this story to mind. When I keep my eyes on Him walking across the water, I am reminded that to Him, all things are possible, and I too feel encouraged. When I falter and remember that I am in perilous waters, He grabs hold of me to pull me out, and I cling to Him for dear life. There was one time however, one moment, when I felt completely overwhelmed with despair; the struggle around me was so great that I gave up, I let go. He had other ideas though, and He did not let go of me. The further I move from that time, the more grateful I am for Gods insistent presence in my life and my trust in Him deepens. It is what spiritual consolation means. |
17 22 January |
16: Samaritan Woman at the Well John 4:130 |
24 29 January |
17: The Canaanite womans faith Matthew 15:2128 |
31 January 5 February |
18: Woman who washes the feet of Jesus Luke 7:3650 |
7 12 February |
19: Peters profession of faith Matthew 16:1323 |
14 19 February |
20: Jesus cleanses the leper Mark 1:4045 |
21 26 February |
21: The temptation of Jesus by the devil in the desert Mark 1:1215 |
28 February 5 March |
22: The Transfiguration Mark 9:210 |
7 12 March |
23: Jesus drives the moneychangers out of the Temple John 2:1325 |
14 19 March |
24: For God so loved the world John 3:1421 |
21 26 March |
25: The Son of Man Must Be Lifted Up John 12:2033 |
28 March 2 April |
26: The soldiers mock Jesus Mark 15:1620 |
4 9 April |
27: The empty tomb John 20:19 |
11 16 April |
28: When will the master return? Mark 13:3337 (rebroadcast of Episode 9) |
18 23 April |
29: Jesus meets the apostles and gives them their final instructions Luke 24:3548 |
25 30 April |
30: The good shepherd John 10:1118 |
2 7 May |
31: I am the true vine John 15:18 |
9 14 May |
32: The commandment of love John 15:917 |
16 21 May |
33: The Ascension of the Lord Mark 16:1520 |
23 28 May |
34: Pentecost John 20:1923 |
30 May 4 June |
35: Testimony of John the Baptist John 1:68,1928 (rebroadcast of Episode 11) |
6 11 June |
36: This is my body. This is my blood. Mark 14:2226 |
13 18 June |
37: It is the smallest of all the seeds; yet it grows into the biggest shrub of them all Mark 4:2634 |
20 25 June |
38: Who can this be? Even the wind and the sea obey him Mark 4:3541 |
27 June 2 July |
39: Little girl, I tell you to get up Mark 5:2124,3543 |
4 9 July |
40: A prophet is despised only in his own country Mark 6:16 |
11 16 July |
41: He began to send them out Mark 6:713 |
18 23 July |
42: They were like sheep without a shepherd Mark 6:3034 |
25 30 July |
43: Elijah journeys to Horeb 1 Kings 19:49 (rebroadcast of Episode 6) The journey is a common metaphor for the life of faith, as is the wilderness. I am not keen on literally travelling. I am content to be somewhere else, but I do not enjoy getting there. Neither am I one for extremes in temperature, hot or cold. So, in imagining being on this journey that Elijah is taking, that feeling of just wanting to sit down under a tree and wishing for it to all be over, is one I feel some sympathy with. When I prayed with this passage on retreat one year, the bible translation I was praying with used the word scone, rather than cake. I pondered that image quite deeply afterwards. To me, a scone is more cake than bread, but more bread than cake. The angel in my imagination was Jesus Himself. My understanding of my prayer experience here was that when the going gets difficult in our faith journey that God will nourish and strengthen us with not only what we need (bread), but also with more than we need (cake); something superfluous, unnecessary, and a reason for joy. There is no austerity in His giving: He is generous. |
1 6 August |
44: Healing Jairus Daughter Mark 5:2124,3543 (rebroadcast of Episode 7) As a parent, I can empathise with the urgency that Jairus must have felt when his daughter was so close to dying. I can understand why he would throw himself at Jesus feet and beg for her to be healed. When I prayed with this piece of scripture a long time ago, I imagined myself as the child. I felt safe, sleeping in what felt like a womb to me, waiting for Jesus to appear. There was no urgency, just safe, warm bliss. As I find myself dwelling on it now, I am more in tune with Jairus as a parent. How must he have felt when Jesus stopped to insist that the woman who had touched His cloak make herself known, when all the time the life of his precious child was slipping away? And I also wonder, when I consider the event from this perspective, what was Jesus up to here? Neither does He rush to Lazarus when He raises him. The urgency is in those who love the person concerned. Nor is it that He is detached: we are told that He is moved to tears with the death of Lazarus. This scripture is calling me for another visit I think. |
8 13 August |
45: The angel gives Elijah food to reach the mountain of God 1 Kings 19:48 |
15 20 August |
46: The Almighty has done great things for me Luke 1:3956 |
22 27 August |
47: Who shall we go to? You are the Holy One of God John 6:6069 |
29 August 3 September |
48: You put aside the commandment of God, to cling to human traditions Mark 7:1-8,1415,2123 |
5 10 September |
49: He makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak Mark 7:3137 |
12 17 September |
50: The Son of Man is destined to suffer grievously Mark 8:2735 |
19 24 September |
51: Anyone who welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me Mark 9:3037 |
26 September 1 October |
52: Do not stop anyone from working a miracle in my name Mark 9:3843 for many |
3 8 October |
53: Jesus and the children Mark 10:1316 |
10 15 October |
54: Give everything you own to the poor, and follow me Mark 10:1730 |
17 22 October |
55: The Son of Man came to give his life as a ransom Mark 10:3545 |
24 29 October |
56: The healing of Bartimaeus: go; your faith has saved you Mark 10:4652 |
31 October 5 November |
57: The greatest commandment of all Mark 12:28b34 |
7 12 November |
58: This poor widow has put in more than all Mark 12:3844 |
14 19 November |
59: The stars will fall from heaven and the powers in heaven will be shaken Mark 13:2432 |
21 26 November |
60: Yes, I am a king John 18:33-37 |
28 November 3 December |
61: When will the master return? Mark 13:3337 (rebroadcast of Episode 9) |
5 10 December |
62: All mankind shall see the salvation of God Luke 3:16 |
12 17 December |
63: What must we do? Luke 3:1018 |
19 24 December |
64: Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord? Luke 1:3945 |
26 31 December |
65: Christmas Day (Mass
at Dawn): Luke 2:1520 |
2 7 January 2022 |
66: Epiphany:
Matthew 2:112 |
9 14 January |
67: Baptism of the
Lord: Luke 3:1516,2122 |
16 21 January |
68: Ordinary Time 2:
John 2:111 |
23 28 January |
69: Ordinary Time 3:
Luke 4:1421 |
30 January 4 February |
70: Ordinary Time 4:
Luke 4:2130 |
6 11 February |
71: The Presentation
of the Lord: Luke 2:2224 |
13 18 February |
72: Ordinary Time 5:
Luke 5:111 |
20 25 February |
73: Ordinary Time 7:
Luke 6:2738 |
27 February 4 March |
74: Ordinary Time 8:
Luke 6:3945 |
6 11 March |
75: Lent 1: Luke
4:113 |
13 18 March |
76: Lent 2: Luke
9:28b36 |
20 25 March |
77: Lent 3: Luke
13:19 |
27 March 1 April |
78: Lent 4: Luke
15:1132 |
3 8 April |
79: Lent 5: John
8:111 |
10 15 April |
80: Palm Sunday of
the Passion of The Lord: Luke 19:2840 |
17 22 April |
81: Easter Sunday:
John 20:19 |
24 29 April |
82: Easter 2: John
20:1931 |
1 6 May |
83: Mark 13:3337 |
8 13 May |
84: John 10:1118 |
15 20 May |
85: Easter 5: John
13:3133a,3435 |
22 27 May |
86: Easter 6: John
14:2329 |
29 May 3 June |
87: The Ascension of
the Lord: Luke:24:4653 |
5 8 June |
88: Pentecost: John
20:1923 |
9 15 June |
89: The Most Holy Trinity: John 16:1215 |
16 22 June |
90: Corpus Christi: Luke 9:1117 |
23 29 June |
91: The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist: Luke 1:5766 |
30 June 6 July |
92: Mark 6:713 |
7 13 July |
93: Ordinary Time 15: Luke 10:2537 |
14 20 July |
94: Ordinary Time 16: Luke 10:3842 |
21 27 July |
95: Ordinary Time 17: Luke 11:113 |
28 3 August |
96: Ordinary Time 18: Luke 12:1321 |
4 10 August |
97: Ordinary Time 5: Luke 5:111 |
11 17 August |
98: Ordinary Time 20: Jeremiah 38:46,810 |
18 24 August |
99: Ordinary Time 21: Luke 13:2230 |
25 31 August |
100: Mark 7:1-8,1415,2123 |
1 7 September |
101: Ordinary Time 23: Luke 14:2533 |
8 14 September |
102: Ordinary Time 24: Luke 15:132 |
15 21 September |
103: Ordinary Time 25: Luke 16:113 |
22 28 September |
104: Ordinary Time 26: Luke 16:1931 |
29 September 5 October |
105: Ordinary Time 27: Luke 17:510 |
6 12 October |
106: Ordinary Time 28: Luke 17:1119 |
13 19 October |
107: Mark 10:3545 |
20 26 October |
108: Mark 10:4652 |
27 October 2 November |
109: Mark 12:28b34 |
3 9 November |
110: Mark 12:3844 |
10 16 November |
111: Mark 13:2432 |
17 23 November |
112: Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe: Luke
23:3543 |
24 30 November |
113: Advent 1: Matthew 24:3744 |
1 7 December |
114: Advent 2: Matthew 3:112 |
8 14 December |
115: Advent 3: Matthew 11:211 |
15 21 December |
116: Advent 4: Matthew 1:1824 |
22 28 December |
117: Christmas Day (Mass at Dawn): Luke 2:1520 |
29 December 4 January 2023 |
118: Epiphany: Matthew 2:112 |
5 11 January |
119: Epiphany: Matthew 2:112 |
12 18 January |
120: Ordinary Time 2: John 1:2934 |
19 25 January |
121: Ordinary Time 3: Matthew 4:1223 |
26 January 1 February |
122: Ordinary Time 4: Matthew 5:112 |
2 8 February |
123: Ordinary Time 5: Matthew 5:1316 |
9 15 February |
124: Ordinary Time 6: Matthew 5:1737 |
16 22 February |
125: Ordinary Time 7: Matthew 5:3848 |
23 February 1 March |
126: Luke 4:113 |
2 8 March |
127: Luke 9:28b36 |
9 15 March |
128: Luke 13:19 |
16 22 March |
129: Lent 4 (alternative reading): John 9:141 |
23 29 March |
130: Lent 5: John 11:145 |
30 March 5 April |
131: Luke 19:2840 |
6 10 April |
132: Easter Vigil: Matthew 28:110 |
13 17 April |
133: Easter 2: John 20:1931 |
20 24 April |
134: Luke 24:3548 |
27 April 1 May |
135: John 10:1118 |
4 8 May |
136: John 15:18 |
11 15 May |
137: John 14:1521 |
18 22 May |
138: The Ascension of the Lord: Matthew 26:1620 |
25 29 May |
139: Pentecost Sunday: John 20:1923 |
1 5 June |
140: John 13:3133a,3435 |
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