Inner Peace in Divine Love Retreat

 

Week One – Remembering Love

Ex 4 – I remember a loving friendship

 

Preparation  
I take a relaxed position with a straight back, my body poised for prayer. I make a gesture of reverence and humility. I read the prayer text about renewing love.

Opening Prayer 
I ask for the grace to direct my whole self toward God.

Desire 
I desire to feel a loving friendship.

Prayer  
I remember an experience of loving friendship with a close friend.

I go back in time to re-create this experience as best I can with the details of place, weather, conversation, actions and people. I relive the experience with all my senses—I touch, smell, hear and feel being in this loving friendship.

I remain in this place for a few minutes.

Now, eyes still closed, I come back into the room where I am now. I remember the details of place here. How do I feel? I remain here for a few minutes.

I return again to where I am with my friend. I relive our time together. Do I feel any different than the first time I came here? I remain here for a few minutes.

I come back into the room where I am now. How do I feel? Different? Now I move back and forth between both places, spending a minute or so in each.

I note any change of feelings. I do this for five minutes.

Conversation  
I end my prayer in a short conversation with God, talking as to a friend, about what I have just experienced. Our Father.

Prayer Texts

 

A friend loves at all times.

(Prv 17:17)

 

The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory;

he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love;

he will exult over you with loud singing as on a day of festival.

(Zep 3:17–18a)

 


Time: 25 Minutes
Preparation: 5 minutes. Opening Prayer: 1 minute. Desire: 1 minute. Prayer: 15 minutes. Conversation: 3 minutes. Listening Book: 10 minutes.


 

For greater guidance, depth and practical use of this exercise and retreat, source the First Spiritual Exercises here.

Your responsible agreement is necessary for printing and use of this exercise:

I agree give the FSE to others without cost.
I agree to use the attribution: First Spiritual Exercises © Michael Hansen  Ave Maria Press
I agree to embody the FSE Code of Ethics and the The FSE Golden Rules.
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