From Wednesday 15th until Tuesday 21st  we had a workshop on styles of prayer with Sr. Maureen. This was a time when we could be more in touch with our own inner being, the nature, the Scripture and with one and other.

During these days of workshop, we received two sessions each day. In the first session of the day Sr. Maureen gave us a short input about styles of prayer and it was followed by a video of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks. In the second session of the day, we had a silent time to practice one exercise.

The dynamic and structure of the workshop enabled us to enter into an important time of reflection and sharing. We learned a lot about what prayer is and which are the different styles of it. For example, some of the exercises we practiced were; to look for a tree that could represent who I am, to write a canticle or prayer to God or to go deeper into a text from the Scripture using an imaginative exercise.

When we practiced one exercise, this was always related with one question like: who am I? , How is my relationship with God? and How is my discipleship with Jesus?. These questions and exercises helped us to identify ourselves with certain style of prayer.

We concluded our workshop on prayer learning that an essential and valuable aspect of our prayer is what Sr. Maureen said to us: “prayer is who I am not what I do”.

Following her words we could say that we acknowledged that the main core of my prayer is not what style of prayer I use but who I am in my prayer.

We are very thankful with Sr. Maureen for her time, sharing and teaching. God bless you and continue accompanying you in your journey. Thank you very much.

“O come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!” Psalm 95,1-2

Nancy Mena Fernandez NDS, Novice
Congregational Novitiate Ein Karem, Jerusalem