Gospel Meditation: Christ The King

As the liturgical year comes to an end, this is the final guided Ignatian prayer recording that I’ll offer on a weekly basis. Beginning next week, Sunday’s email will include a link to other Ignatian guided prayer resources online. I plan to continue to record guided prayers occasionally throughout the year. Thank you for praying along with me these past 20 months!
- Catherine Heinhold

Introduction

I offer a guided Ignatian meditation on today's Gospel. This is an invitation to let the scripture enter into your heart and mind and speak personally to you. Ignatius said that meditation specifically engages our memory, thoughts, and will. We hear the word of God, and we ponder it, noticing any words, images, or ideas that speak to our hearts. And we speak to God about all of this.

If this way of praying is new – simply relax and try to become engaged in the text. Try not to worry about what you are “supposed to” be doing. If you find yourself distracted during your prayer, very gently bring yourself back to the scripture text.

If at any point during the guided meditation the scripture comes to life in such a way that God invites to you stay with a particular moment, follow the invitation that you sense, rather than move on to where the written meditation is going. In that case you might want to stop reading and continue on your own.

Quiet your body and mind

  • Choose a position where you can be relaxed but alert.
  • Breathe deeply several times and let your body relax
  • Breathe out any worries or stressful thoughts and put them in God’s hands
  • Become aware of God’s presence here with you now, looking at you with love.

Ask for a grace

  • Ask God for whatever you desire most in this prayer time. If you are not sure what to ask for, you might ask for the grace to know Jesus more intimately, to love him more intensely, and to follow him more closely.

Read the scripture passage

Read the passage slowly twice, savoring the words. The first time, just listen to get a sense of it, to hear what is being said. The second time, notice any word or phrase, image, or idea that speaks to your heart or “shimmers” for you. Stay with that word, image, or idea and ponder its meaning. Notice how it makes you feel. Savor the experience. 

John 18:33b-37

Pilate said to Jesus, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Do you say this on your own or have others told you about me?" Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?" Jesus answered, "My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here." So Pilate said to him, "Then you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."

Guided Meditation

As you listened to this passage, is there a word or phrase that called your attention in some way? Or an idea or image that surfaced through the passage? Stay with that word, phrase, idea or image for the next few minutes of silence. Ponder its meaning, savor it, and notice what feelings come up.

 

 

Pilate wants to know if Jesus claims political power. Jesus responds as one who exercises an authority that is far beyond political. How do you respond to Jesus’ authority in your life?

 

 

Jesus says, “My kingdom does not belong to this world.” All through the gospels, up through his crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus shows us what the kingdom of God is like. How have the values of God’s kingdom taken root in your life? How is Jesus inviting those values to flourish through you?

 

 

Many voices call our attention -- through the news, social media, political discourse, and more. How do you hear the truth of Jesus’ voice through the noise?

 

 

Bring everything you’ve meditated on to a conversation with Jesus. Share with him what is in your heart, as with a friend, and listen to his response. And when you are ready, close with a favorite prayer.

Review of Prayer

St. Ignatius recommends that we review our prayer. A written review has many advantages. It enables us to look back on our prayer experience, and to notice what happened. It allows us to be fully present to our experience of prayer. We do not write while we are praying. The review of prayer enables us not to judge ourselves or look for how well we are doing. It helps us to become more sensitive to how God is speaking to us in the here and now. It is also a precious record of our journey with God, which nourishes wholeness and integration.

Some questions to assist with your review:

What happened in your prayer?

What feelings did you experience?

During the prayer period, when did you feel encouraged?

When did you feel discouraged?

Did you receive the grace you asked for?

What did you receive?