Who is this Jesus we Follow An Introduction

Who is this Jesus we Follow? An Introduction to Gospel Contemplation Part of an Introduction to the Spiritual Journey

What is a “spiritual practice”? • A spiritual practice is: – any regular and intentional activity – that establishes, develops, and nourishes a personal relationship with God – allowing God to transform us!

What is Gospel Contemplation? • A way of meditating on scenes from Jesus’ life • Using our imagination • In order to deepen our appreciation of the life and teaching of Jesus

• If our task is to become a disciple of Jesus, then we must watch carefully what Jesus does…

• He teaches, prays, heals, challenges… • Can we enter those scenes to learn how we too can do these?

Gospel Contemplation: is about entering Scripture with our imagination…

God uses whatever we allow God to use in order to relate to us… …including our imagination!

The heart of Gospel Contemplation is letting God use our imagination to help us deepen our relationship with Jesus

Gospel Contemplation and Bible Study – complementary approaches! • Bible Study – Understands God’s Living Word then and there – Uses critical reasoning to “get it right” – Keeps us in our “head” • Gospel Contemplation – Experiences God’s Living Word here and now. – Uses imagination to make it personal – Puts us in our “hearts”

Gospel Contemplation: a work of the imagination • How many ways could you imagine the Nativity? Three scenes from “A Northern Nativity” by Wm. Kurelek

Gospel Contemplation: a work of the imagination • How might seeing the Nativity in different ways help you better understand Jesus? Three scenes from “A Northern Nativity” by Wm. Kurelek

Gospel Contemplation: getting into the story of Jesus • A loving, tender, careful, attentive, and intentional experience of the story of Jesus • As you let the story unfold you discover details you had never noticed before • You are “led” to see and understand aspects of Jesus’ life that escaped you before.

Entering the scene • Sit still, close your eyes, imagine the scene • Composition of place: – is it warm? Sunny? Windy? Desert? Fields? City? • Senses: – what do you hear, feel, smell, taste, see… • The people: – who is there? How many? What are they doing? Is Jesus there? How does he look? What is he saying? • Who are you in the scene? • DON’T CONTROL THE SCENE! LET IT UNFOLD!