Away with Summer Stress… Love Jesus

I would like to introduce or reintroduce you to a few Spiritual techniques to aid us in our lives today. We really need to relieve ourselves of stress. Today I read a message that basically comes down to… we should be joyful always. Even during difficult times. There are many techniques brought to us from ancient times…

The truth is humanity has not changed much. The worries and stress of the 21^st century are not that much different than in Jesus’ time or even in Moses time. We can go back to the great civilizations of Mesopotamia, China, Maya and the everyday people worried about much the same things we worry about. Don’t think ourselves so different.

Stress is in the making

These techniques go back to these times. God gave these techniques to humanity in ways we could understand at the time. Our Father has been calling out to humanity since we broke away and decided we knew better. God promised a Savior to all people to all times to all civilizations. That is what helped humanity flourish. So, we take these ancient techniques and apply them directly to our own lives

In my last article we did a breathing exercise and while you were calm and open, there were opportunities to open our mind and imagine things which we care for.   This same thing can be done alone by the individual. But we want a nugget a small phrase that is not too mentally taxing. Something along the lines of “Jesus I trust in you”

Breathing Prayer helps stress

We use a phrase we can easily remember so we won’t necessarily be distracted from it. So, this technique is called simply breathing with prayer. We inhale for a few seconds, we hold this breath in for a few more seconds, then we exhale… while we are exhaling we think our prayer Jesus I trust in you”

The article give the technique with a bit of background. The author is actually a Presbyterian minister, but points out how far back this Christian form of the technique goes. 

Visio Divina

Many of us have heard of Lectio Divina , but there is also something called Visio Divina. This is Sacred Seeing. The same idea but instead of a scripture passage or book. We can look at a religious painting, an icon or even the crucifix… which we just happen to have here and hopefully in every Church you ever visit.

This can work anywhere well… but this works very well when we are in the presence of our Lord. At adoration or times we all experience each time we are at Mass.   When the Deacon holds up the chalice and priest at holds up the Jesus and calls out “through Him with him and in him… in the Unity of the Holy Spirit… all glory and honor are yours forever and ever” We are now in Visio Divina area… we have our Lord right in front of us and we can have our eyes right with Him.

The Great Amen

And our response is not just a required Amen…. but I believe in everything you just said, the Mass, the Catechism, the Readings and the Confiteor and Creed… We say all this in a single word a single 4 letter word which we declare Amen.  That is a moment of sacred seeing at its highest.  It is one of the most relaxing times of the Mass as we can so easily look directly at Our Lord and Savior and know He is there for us.

Looking at our Lord is amazing but we can get a state of relaxation by looking at Sacred art just as easily.  When Monsignor Duetsch first was assigned here, he put in a lot of time and effort to bringing Sacred artwork to St. Patrick. In the Church. Also in the office and even into the school.  Time seeing things representing sacredness or in particular the Lord Himself bring us to times of peace and serenity.

In this spiritual practice you look at the sacred image looking at the detail, You will naturally be draw to some object and you can focus on this. You can then meditate and contemplate on that detail. It is again a time of peace and tranquility.

In Conclusion

As you walk through any Church, synagogue or Temple one should take a look around and notice the detail. The detail is to have our eyes see and read the detail and what it means to you. This is when God is speaking to us clearly. The Holy Spirit guides us on our pathway. We can so easily clutter our lives up with stress. Let our minds focus on God. Allow that to creep into every crevice and sinew of our bodies. This is Go working within us for we allow our hears to join Him.