Meeting 3 — Tasting the Word¶
Introduction for the facilitator + goals of the meeting¶
Important
Before the meeting it is worth equipping yourself with pens for group members!
This is a group meeting that will take place during the evening part of the prayer - the Celebration of the Word. Its main goal is to share how we experience God in His Word. We want to stop and reflect deeper on what we heard a moment earlier. Interpretation, however, is not the most important thing. It is more about capturing how a specific Word of God acts on me, “what it does to me”. In the outline itself there is practically no content. To avoid resistance and discouragement among participants on the principle “I don’t know how to meditate”, it is crucial to show specific methods of Bible meditation, which should facilitate sharing one’s own discoveries.
- Goals of the meeting:
Delving into one chosen reading that appeared at the Celebration of the Word
Showing a proposal of how specifically one can meditate on the Word of God
Sharing one’s reflections and feelings regarding the chosen fragment
Different paths¶
We start by asking participants if any of the readings heard at the Celebration of the Word a moment earlier touched them in any special way. If they have a problem recalling, they can open notebooks where these fragments are located.
Which of the readings stuck in my memory the most? Am I able to determine why?
Then we ask that each of them choose exactly that reading which attracts them the most in some way. We will want to look at it closer. Stay a moment with this Word. Consider and even “touch” it. Experience. This can be done in several ways. We want to discuss a few of them now.
Vasteras Method
This method consists in reading a given fragment and marking in it thoughts that:
puzzle us, are incomprehensible – next to them we put a question mark
move us in a special way, are some discovery – next to them we put an exclamation mark
we read as a personal call for us for this moment – next to them we put an arrow.
Visualization Method
Note
This is an element drawn from Ignatian meditation
This is a method that consists in a very vivid imagination of a given scene from the Holy Scripture. We try to literally “direct” it in our head. We think about the scenery, clothing, appearance, smell, sounds, tone of voice. We try to engage all senses. One can even write down a short script.
What place is described, what space? What colors?
What time of day?
What sounds can be heard?
What is the texture of objects?
What characters appear, what do they say, what do they do, what relationships/interactions do they have, what is their appearance, behavior, clothing, manner of speaking, tone of voice? Who is the main character? With whom do I identify the most?
How does the action proceed, what happens?
What is the climax?
What catches the eye the most?
What is most key?
Method of selecting keywords
The method, as the name implies, consists in thinking about which words in a given fragment are key. Then in writing them down and thinking about:
How do these words relate to each other?
What do they concern?
What is the dependence between them? Or what does its lack testify to?
What associations do these words awaken in me?
Which of them is most important to me? Why?
Do I associate other fragments of Holy Scripture in which these words appear? If so, which ones?
What is the sound of these words? What overtone do they have?
If you have some favorite form of meditating on Holy Scripture, you can also share it with participants (and at the same time give testimony how thanks to it you build your relationship with God!). If some person from the group has their favorite, proven way, of course they can also stick to it. Although trying something new might prove fruitful ;) It is worth encouraging that everyone, regardless of the method, leave some trace in the form of written remarks, thoughts, notes. This will facilitate sharing in the later part of the meeting.
Moment with the Word¶
After choosing the reading and method comes the moment of delving into the Word. Do not shorten this time, nor extend it. Inform participants exactly how much time they have. Watch it and inform on an ongoing basis how much is left (the first time e.g. after 5 minutes (half), and then when only a minute is left). Take care of the appropriate atmosphere.
Application¶
There are such words that stay in us for a long time. In childhood we could hear something that hurt a lot and even though much time has passed, it still comes back to us and in the most difficult moments. Some persistent voice that constantly reminds about it. On the other hand, when we hear something positive about ourselves, we also like to return to it, comfort ourselves with it, repeat it to ourselves like a mantra in the head. And these are most often human words. His Word has much greater power. If we keep it in our heart, it will come back to us and exactly then, when we need it most, it will be by us – to add courage, encouragement, or stop from doing something stupid.
Let the application from this meeting be choosing a quote from Holy Scripture which we want to keep in the heart. Let everyone write it down in a notebook and return to it as often as possible. One can propose to learn it by heart. Let this word last in us, act, work and bear fruit.