PRAYER GUIDE The Courtesy of God - All Shall Be Well Lessons from Julian of Norwich
Excerpted from Beginning Contemplative Prayer by Kathryn J. Hermes, FSP Beginning contemplatives realize before long that one big adjustment needs to be made in their prayer life: stop striving, stop trying, stop worrying. Julian’s famous quotation, “all shall be well,” should be a mantra for anyone who worries about doing the right thing in prayer, frets over failures, or anguishes over sins. God wants us to delight in him. That is all. He will make everything else well for us. This exercise is designed to set you on that path. 1. Take a walk along a favorite place, a beautiful spot that has revived your spirits in the past, or even along a busy street. If possible listen to soft, instrumental music during this experience of prayer. 2. Start to walk slowly and reflectively. Notice the beauty around you. “All shall be well.” Notice the sunlight. “All shall be well.” Take note of small animals that play on the ground. “All shall be well.” If you pass others on the sidewalk, bless them silently. “All shall be well.” If you are walking in a mall, notice the retailers and shoppers, “All shall be well.” On a city street congested with traffic, offer to God the hearts of those driving in the cars. “All shall be well.” Walk for fifteen minutes or so, with this blessing as a mantra: “All shall be well.” 3. Returning home, enter your special place of prayer. Let your mind wander. If a worry arises, “all shall be well.” If a resentment, “all shall be well.” If a sin comes to mind, “all shall be well.” If a memory intrudes, “all shall be well.” 4. Picture Jesus on the cross. Offer thanksgiving and praise for this work of love that surpasses anything for which we could have hoped. 5. Picture God beside you. Whether or not you feel good about yourself, your life is rooted and grounded in Love. God, in his goodness, which pervades and sustains your existence, simply asks you to rejoice in who he is and forget who you are, losing yourself in your love for him. God longs to bring you into eternal bliss. 6. Bring to mind your most compassionate image of God, along with your deepest worry. Know that the Lord is with you. If you flee to him, he will comfort you and make you clean, secure, and safe. “All shall be well.” End the time of prayer by repeating quietly, “All shall be well.”
www.pauline.org © Daughters of St. Paul.