A Brief Roadmap for this Email

1. Series Intro letter from Fr. Michael: "Peace be with you!"
2. Introduction to Week 1 speakers: Fr. Michael, Nancy and Paula
3. Fr. Michael's Day 1 Guided Meditation on John 20

Easter Series Intro: "Peace be with you!"

Jesus' words to the apostles on Easter Sunday were: “Peace be with you!” Jesus wants each of us to experience that same peace—a peace the world cannot give.

But our world is not at peace. Wars rage. At home we are divided. We need healing—emotionally, spiritually, and physically.

It is into this very world, just as it is, that Jesus comes to offer us His healing peace—and with that peace, the gift of joy. Pope Leo asks us to pray very intentionally for this peace.

Our series begins today on Divine Mercy Sunday and concludes on Pentecost, May 24. Each Sunday thru Friday, one of our 16 prayer guides—8 men & 8 women—lead us in prayers for healing and peace using the gift of our imaginations.

Recent studies on the brain have revealed what St. Ignatius Loyola discovered over 500 years ago: vividly imagining a reality can impact our perception as strongly as if we had actually experienced it. In other words, prayerful imagination can change our lives in powerful ways.

The key is not to force your imagination to think or feel something specific. Simply relax and allow the Holy Spirit to guide your prayer. Each person’s imagination works differently. For some, it is primarily visual—they can easily picture events. For others, it is auditory—they more readily imagine what is being said. For still others, it is about the feelings that arise. Trust the Holy Spirit and your imagination to lead you where you need to go in the meditation.

If you have time after each meditation, you may wish to journal about what surfaced during your prayer. It can be helpful to have journaling materials nearby.

If you find a particular meditation especially powerful—or puzzling—you may want to return to it later. St. Ignatius calls this “holy repetition.” It allows us to savor, deepen, and uncover graces we may have missed. He also encourages sharing the fruits of your prayer with a trusted friend or spiritual guide.

I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to all who have worked so diligently to bring these meditations to fruition. A special thank you to our prayer guides, who will lead us in prayer throughout the series.

Our theme song was written and performed by Michael John Poirier,www.prayerbreaks.org. Our project manager is Teresa Larson; our announcer is Dev Kennedy; our social media manager is Gabrielle Bens; our bookkeeper is Sarah D’Amico; and our associate director and editor is Nathaniel Stubblefield.

Finally, thank you for taking the time to pray with us. These meditations are intentionally brief—less than 10 minutes each (with added time for continued contemplation). Our hope is that they become a part of your daily routine and help awaken within your heart the gift of Easter joy.

May this week of prayer bring a deepening of Jesus’ healing peace, Divine Mercy, and Easter joy!

Blessings,

Fr J. Michael Sparough, SJ
President, Heart to Heart Catholic Media Ministry

We begin the Easter series by contemplating resurrection stories. I am joined this week by two spiritual directors from Bellarmine Jesuit Retreat House, Nancy Hulsebosch and Paula Kowalkowski.

I begin by reflecting on John 20, the gospel for Divine Mercy Sunday. Jesus’ comes to his disciples and to us not to shame or blame, but to bestow his peace. Like Thomas, we are invited to touch the wounds of Jesus and experience the Divine Mercy that flows from His wounded heart.

Nancy invites us to go with Mary Magdalene to the tomb and to hear Jesus call each of us by name. In her 2nd meditation, she asks us to hear Jesus asking the question he puts to Peter on the shore of the Sea of Galilee: “Do you love me?”

Paula invites us to imagine what is not in the scripture but what many, including St. Ignatius, believe was the first appearance of Jesus after the resurrection – his visit to his mother. And we conclude this week with Paula’s meditation which recognizes that the grief and the sadness many of us carry must not be hidden from God. Jesus meets us where we are in this journey of faith.

1st Meditation by Fr. Michael:
John 20, Divine Mercy Sunday

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Fr. Michael is a retreat leader, poet, story teller and spiritual director at Bellarmine Jesuit Retreat House. He holds an MFA from the Yale School of Drama and a Doctor of Ministry from St Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, IL. He is the founder of Charis, a national Jesuit retreat ministry for young adults in their 20s and 30s. For 10 years he trained spiritual directors at Loyola University-Chicago.

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