QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE TO MEDITATION

For a majority of us, meditative prayer is not something we've been taught through our years in Catholic school, CCD and coming to Sunday Mass.  We are very familiar with vocal prayer (i.e. saying standard prayers like the Our Father, Hail Mary, or with words in the silences of our mind) and can speak to God, but aren't as comfortable speaking with God, which includes listening to Him.  This listening, or mental prayer, is also called meditation.

Meditation is reflecting on God's word with the help of the Holy Spirit.  It is a very simple process that involves your mind, your heart, and your will. Try these steps to help you meditate:

PREPARATION
1. Recollect.  Take a minute or two to close your eyes and recall the presence of God within you.  Let everything go from your day - your worries, tasks, timelines - just let your spirit rest in God's.
2. Invite the Holy Spirit to come and guide your time of prayer.
3. Read the chapter, paragraph, or Psalm containing a verse you would like to reflect on, then re-read the verse alone. 

PRAYER
1. Reflection (mind): Close your eyes and think about the words.  Take a few words at a time and mull them over. Focus your attention on a passage, idea, icon, etc.  For example:
  • If you are using a verse from the Gospels, use imaginative (or Ignatian) meditation.  Imagine that you are there and that Jesus is speaking to you. Imagine that you are Jesus, one of the disciples, or other characters in the story that are being healed, rebuked, forgiven, or welcomed.
  • Think about the meaning of what you read.  Learn about the context of the passage by reading the surrounding text, footnotes, and related passages in your Bible.   
  • Think about how the verse applies to your life.  Think of some sin in your life, or how someone else's sin has hurt you, and how God can bring forgiveness and healing to that sin or injury.
2. Affectional Prayer (heart) : While you are reflecting your heart may be inspired to talk to God about a particular aspect. This movement to focus on something is what we call affection, or desire. When you find an area of focus, spend some time talking to God about what your heart is experiencing.  
  • For instance, if you were meditating on a verse on Jesus' suffering and death and you think of a time that you suffered unjustly, that is a signal that you should pray about it.  You can talk it through with God and thank Jesus for suffering that same humiliation and rejection like you. You might ask Him to help you forgive those who did it to you by asking the Holy Spirit to help heal you, and to guide you in how to respond in a Christ-like manner to those who hurt you.
3. Resolution (will): After you have thought about Christ and His words or actions, and your heart is involved, engage your will.  Your ability to become more like Christ comes from this part of the prayer. Make a precise and practical resolution in response to your meditating.   
  • On the suffering and death of Christ, you might make this type of a resolution: "Lord, I resolve to spend more time thanking you when I pray and less time talking about what I think I need."  Note that it is precise ; it is related to your time of prayer.  It is practical ; you are not resolving to never be unthankful again.  
CONCLUSION
1. Thank God : When you are finished, simply thank God.
2. Entrust your Resolution : Ask Mary, a favorite or patron saint, or your guardian angel for help.  You can entrust your resolution to them and ask them to pray for you to help you achieve it.
3. Carry a Word for the Day : Carry in your heart the word you felt God speaking to you in prayer.  Throughout the day as you seek to be recollected, or mindful of God's presence with you, return to that word as a cherished gift of encouragement, love, or challenge to grow.



January Theme: Meditation
Prayer of the Week

PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful.
And kindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created.
And you will renew the face of the earth. 

Lord, 
by the light of the Holy Spirit 
you have taught the hearts of your faithful.
In the same Spirit 
help us to relish what is right 
and always rejoice in your consolation.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

In Need Of...

Liturgical Ministers
Would you like to serve as an Usher or Lector?  It's easy, and we would love to have you! Please contact the parish office for details at office@stjosaphatparish.org.

Helping Hands
Our Helping Hands outreach is requesting adult sized winter gloves and hats to help keep our community's visitors warm in these colder months.  Socks and men's white t-shirts are always appreciated!  You can drop off donations at the rectory any time.

Important Upcoming Dates!

January 10 - Dine Around: Broken Barrel

January 10 - Parish Pastoral Council

January 13 - Youth Group

January 17 - Screenagers Screening

January 19 - Men's Spirituality

January 24 - Taizé

January 26 - Women's Group Book Discussion

January 31 - Sip & Dine: Oyster Bah

February 4-9 - Parish Directory Photo Sessions

February 23 - Unity Gala

Dine Around
Broken Barrel
2548 N. Southport Ave.
TODAY  Jan 10th, 5-8pm
10% of sales goes back to SJS

Sip and Dine at
Oyster Bah
1962 N Halsted St.
Thursday, Jan 31st, 6-10pm
Reservations: opentable.com or call 773-248-3000.
20% going back to SJS!
First Reconciliation
This weekend over 40 of our parish children will receive for the first time, the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Please keep them in your prayers
Screenagers
The PTO presents Screenagers: Growing up in the Digital Age, a documentary about the biggest parenting issue of our time - screen time! Please join us on 
Thursday, Jan 17th at 7pm
in the gym. Please RSVP to https://tinyurl.com/yc4tgqrf
Men's Spirituality
The Men's Spirituality Group meets on the first and third Saturday of each month (October - May) at 6:30am in the Red Door Meeting Room of the Rectory.  Participants use a resource to guide their discussion and prayer. 
All men of the Parish and their friends are welcome. Our next meeting is :
Saturday, Jan 19th
Taizé
Non-Christian meditation practices aim at emptying the mind.   Christian meditation engages the mind in prayer.

 

Catholic meditation seeks to use the faculties of the mind to know the Lord, understand his love for us, and to move into deeper union with him. 

Christian meditation immerses us in the Trinity: we surrender ourselves to the Holy Spirit, the master of prayer, so that he can unite us to Christ and perfect our prayer to the Father.

This month we will have an opportunity to experience a popular form of meditative prayer known as Taizé .   Our Taizé service will be on Thursday, January 24th, 7pm in the church.  
Coat Drive
SJS Service Club is leading a coat drive now through January 25th!
Bring gently used coats, any size, for the winter season to donate to those in need.  Coats can be dropped off at the Parish Office.
Thank You!
Women's Group
All women are welcome (all generations, millennials, single, with parish school children or not) to join. Just come to events where you have time or interest. Our mission is to offer  social/fun/community building among parish women; service opportunities;
 spirituality/reflection; and  book club discussion opportunities. Our next meeting is:
Saturday, Jan 26th 9-11a
Book Discussion:
The Witch's Elm
Photo Directory
It's been 10 years since our last parish photo directory - time for an update!  Lifetouch (a Shutterfly company) will have photographers in the rectory Mon-Sat, Feb 4-9th.
Everyone who participates will receive a  FREE 8x10" photo and a copy of our parish photo directory.  This project is near and dear to Fr. Francis' heart as it will help him get to know our parishioners even better!
To schedule your photo session, Click HERE
Unity Gala
Join us on 
Saturday, Feb 23rd at 7pm 
at Moonlight Studios for an evening of celebration at our annual parish fundraiser. This year's event will feature cocktails, appetizers, an exciting Live Auction, and dancing! 
Questions? email: stephaniepall@gmail.com

Please consider donating sports or concert tickets, restaurant, salon or retail giftcards or bottles of wine valued over $20.  Donations can be brought to the rectory, info can be emailed to trishhaubrich@gmail.com, or submitted online  HERE.
Shop and Support
Recycle your floral vases - bring them to Ashland Addison Florist Co. for a donation to St. Josaphat!

Shop smile.amazon.com and select St. Josaphat Parish as your charitable organization, and St. Josaphat gets  5% on eligible items!

Shop sjs.shutterflystorefront.com and 
SJS gets 13%!

Thank you for your support!