What was your experience in trying the prayer form suggestions on the
handouts?
Types and Temperaments: what's the difference?
Meyers-Briggs is based on functions (Jung's theory); Keirsey-Bates
is based on temperaments
Functions involve the whole operation of the personality,
inner and outer. Helpful for understanding one's self
Temperaments have to do with external behavior
(Keirsey observed behavior and correlated with the ancient temperaments;
useful for understanding others
colloquy with God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Blessed Mother
close with the Our Father
NOTE: strong P's find the structure maddening!
EXAMPLE: PRAYER SUGGESTION #6: (Mark 9:14-29) Read the story.
Imagine yourself as the father of the possessed boy and apply the
conversation between Jesus and the father to your own situation Instead
of an afflicted son, imagine the affliction is some fault of yours
which has resisted cure. Bring this affliction to Jesus and ask him
to cure it. (P. 54)
Augustinian Prayer: NF
Transposition: bringing the scripture into the present day
Words of the Bible read as if addressed to us
Search for meaning-- future possibilities
Needs more time-- openness to imagination
Dialogue with God and self to establish relationship
EXAMPLE: PRAYER SUGGESTION #11: (Matthew 7:1-5)
Imagine Jesus speaking these words to you today. How far
do they apply? What is he asking of you'? What changes
is he asking you to make in your life? (p. 66)
Franciscan Prayer: SP
Freedom and spontaneity; flexible, making use of senses
Celebration: informal
Short-range projects-- work with hands
Least need for time for formal prayer
Creative work-- art, music, crafts
EXAMPLE: PRAYER SUGGESTION #10: Plan an act of
charity for someone in need; then endeavor to carry it
out, either alone or with the help of others. (P. 77)
Thomistic Prayer: NT
Scholastic- orderly thought
Study and reflection
Neat and orderly forms
Based in pursuit of values: truth, beauty, goodness, etc.
Considering a theme (e.g. "Faith") from various
aspects: What? Why? How? Who? Where? With what helps?
Not just analysis, but relationship; need to use all four steps
of Lectio Divina
This form now devalued; perhaps in reaction to the fact that it
was taught as the only form of prayer for centuries
Danger-- can become another impersonal research project
EXAMPLE: PRAYER SUGGESTION #10: (Matthew
13:44-46) "The
Kingdom of God is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man finds
and rejoicing goes and sells all he has in order to buy the field."
Where have you discovered the hidden treasure of the Kingdom of God?
Are you willing to sell everything in order to possess it? Have you
disposed of everything else in order to obtain it? Do you sufficient1y
appreciate the hidden treasure of God's Kingdom? What do you need
to do to appreciate better this "hidden treasure," "this
pearl of great price"?
Lectionary reading this week: Matthew 17:1-9 (The Transfiguration)=
parallel text in Mark 9:2-9 (pp. 95-98)
Sensing- climb the mountain, look at what is there, listen
to Jesus
Intuition- consider when you have experienced heaven "breaking
through" into daily life
Feeling- what does it feel like to be singled out of all
the disciples- in the past; today; in the future?
Thinking- why does Mark describe the scene in this particular
way? What is the meaning of his story?
Liturgical Prayer
Community-- Feeling
Liturgy of the Word-- Thinking
Environment/Cross-- Sensing
Eucharistic Meal-- Intuitive
Bruce Duncan (Pray Your Way)
notes that people have their preferred pattern of prayer, but will probably
encounter God most intensely in our tertiary or inferior function. Need
to provide a variety of prayer opportunities, not just for those who like
them, but for all (Baab 1998)
Variety in congregational life:
Make the worship space beautiful (ES)
Enable people to remember God's faithfulness (IS)
Allow personal stories in worship or elsewhere (EF, IS)
Create settings for contemplative prayer:
meditate on God's work in our lives (IS)
symbols and metaphors of faith (IN)
God's law and truth (IT)
God's love and peace (IF)
Create settings where people can wrestle with scripture (IT)
Create settings where people can pray for the congregation and its
ministries
Concern for vision and purpose (EN)
praying for specific plans and program (ET)
Use a prayer chain or prayer meetings where people's needs can be
prayed for (EF)