Presenting Jesus to Others
Gospel-Based Prayer
You could say that The Fisherman’s Wife, my first novel, was a novel experience for me. I became so engrossed in the people and happenings in Capernaum that when I left the computer, I didn’t know if it was morning, noon, or night! That never happened when I wrote other books. My heroine, Peter’s wife, and her exploits were imagined, of course, because we know absolutely nothing about this woman. Yet, we do know what she must have witnessed because the Gospels tell us that Jesus stayed at her house. As I brought her to life and told the story through her eyes, I felt that I really got to know the people in the Gospels, in particular the Lord himself.
This writing experience called to mind a method of praying that I learned long ago. There are three steps.
1. Read a Gospel story and as you read, imagine the scene vividly as though you were watching a movie.
2. Rewrite the story in the first person. You are an eyewitness. Remark on the weather, people’s expressions, and what you see, hear, taste, feel, and smell. State what you are thinking as the plot unfolds.
3. At the conclusion of the Gospel story, extend it by arranging a situation where you and Jesus are alone together. Maybe you are sitting on a rock with him, walking along a beach, or drifting in a boat under a starlit sky. Then write the dialogue for the two of you. Refer to the event that just occurred. Tell Jesus what you think of it. In your conversation link the event to your own life, for example, what is happening, how you are feeling, or your relationship with God. Write the responses Jesus makes to you.
I once used the story of Jesus healing the woman who snuck up and touched the hem of his cloak. In our conversation afterward, Jesus and I talked about my fear in learning to drive, how difficult it is to trust him when he is invisible, and my hopes that he would heal me of a bad habit.
Some benefits of praying this way:
• You become more familiar with the Gospel stories and delve more deeply into them.
• You come to know yourself better. In the words of author E.M. Forster: “How do I know what I think until I see what I say?”
• You encounter Jesus and through your pen he says things that may surprise you!
If your prayer life is routine and dull and you are looking for something to jumpstart it, try this method. Or why not write a novel about a person in the Bible?
After trying out this prayer method, what did you think of it?
Bread and Wine of the Eucharist
I’m in Arabia at a conference for catechists. My keynote address is on the Eucharist. It includes this delightful and thought-provoking story by Richard T. Szafransk published in Emmanuel, used with permission, and adapted by me.
I was a grape once. Now I’m a raisin. I’m stuck in this box with a bunch of other raisins. I live in the kitchen cupboard of the priest’s house. Our raisin box sits in here next to a box of Wheaties. The priest doesn’t seem to care for either one of us. (more…)
Playfulness, Fun, and Holiness Mix
Did you see the photograph of Pope Francis wearing a red clown nose? He was congratulating newlyweds who were involved in clown ministry. Repeatedly this pope has reminded us that religion is a joyful affair. Being silly and playing pranks are signs of a good heart. At a catechist’s conference, a sales rep came to my table with some bubble wrap and invited me to take off my shoes and stomp on it with her. She injected some laughter into what was a dull hour. On a movie set George Clooney played a prank on Matt Damon. Every day he had Matt’s pants taken in a little, causing Matt to think he was getting fatter. (more…)
Speaking as a Form of Charity
When I taught high school, I usually had freshmen. On the first day of school many of them didn’t know their new classmates. I would tell my homeroom that their fellow students were as nervous as they were. I encouraged them to be the first to say “Hi” and introduce themselves. This week I made it a point to speak to several people that I ordinarily wouldn’t talk to. No, not people I don’t like, but people in service roles who ordinarily aren’t spoken to, such as store clerks, librarians, and people taking our orders over the phone. In some cases my overture led to a rewarding conversation—even an invitation to take another look at the Catholic Church, in keeping with our recent focus on evangelization. (more…)
