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On the Beach
A Prayer Reflection
Reverent Approach
Put yourself in the holy presence of God.
Make the sign of the cross, slowly and thoughtfully.
After the sign of the cross, say the following prayer:
Lord, I believe that I am in Your presence. I ask you that during this
time, all hat I do may be directed solely to Your glory and the coming of Your kingdom.
The Grace You Seek
I ask for a profound experience of His love for me as revealed
in countless ways throughout my life.
A "fantasy" on the beach
There are different ways of approaching this exercise: (1)
Read one paragraph at a time, then stopping to compose yourself in the described place or
event; (2) Read and understand the entire exercise and then imagining yourself in the
whole progression of scenery and events; (3) In both the above approaches, do not hurry
but savor the events, the feelings, the words, etc. Do not just recall but live through
the event being described. Resist any temptation to move fast; rather, re-live and chew on
the memories that come to the fore.
Let us begin...
The seashore is not only a place where water meets land; it is
also a good place for us to encounter God. So much of the divine can be found here:
awesome power, a sense of timelessness, limitless space, beauty, peace, life. And just
where does the water end and the sandy beach begin? Oen seems to flow into the other. Add
a rising sun in the morning or a setting sun in the early evening a ns we cannot but lift
our hearts and turn our minds to God who is the horizon of our being.
In an effort to get in touch with ourselves and with the presence of
God within us, let us re-live - by means of our imagination - a visit to one of the many
beautiful beaches in our country. Maybe that is Boracay, El Nido, Puerto Galera, Pagudpud,
Punta Fuego, or one of the beaches in Batangas. . . It is early morning. The sea breeze is
clean and refreshing. The shorline is practically deserted. Just sit there and try to
drink in as much of the sights and sound of nature as you can...
After a while, you get up and walk along the water's edge, allowing the
foam of the dying breakers to wash over you feet... You are lost in your thoughts when,
from afar, you notice a little child playing in the sand. As you draw near, the child
turns and you notice a light of recognition in the smile that he/she offers you. He/she
seems to know you, and then you realize that you, too, have seen him/her before. In fact,
the child is you when you were that age.
The child leaves behind his/her play in the sand and runs over to greet
you. It has been a long time, so words are few at first as you look one another over and
notice the changes that the years have brought... Gradually you both begin to fall into
easy conversation. The child seems to be filled with questions... what are you doing now?
Do you still think the same way? What about those dreams and ambitions you used to have?
Have you made any new and interesting friends? How about some of your fears? Are they
still with you? Do you remember the good times? How about the not-so-good times? When what
it that you first discovered that God was more than a name? What difference it must have
made to realize that God was interested in you and involved in the lives of men and women
you have met. What have you learned from these experiences?
There are so many questions, as you stroll hand in hand along the
water's edge. You find it hard to satisfy the child's curiosity. Some of those questions
are not easy to answer. You find yourself pausing from time to time, looking out over the
vast sea, attempting to re-live the pst and comparing it with where you are right now. You
are yourself surprised at some of the changes that have taken place. Yet, there's a part
of your childhood that has never left you, and probably never will - the memories. But
also something more. You become aware of this...
With each reply you give your youthful companion, you find yourself
quite sensitive to his/her reactions. Do the answers seem to make him/her happy or sad?
Does he/ she really understand or is he/she confused? Is the youngster impressed by how
you have grown? Is he/she satisfied, even proud of you?
Time seems to pass quickly as your sharing goes deeper. Now the sun is
high in the sky, but in the cool secluded area where you are sitting, you are quite
comfortable. As if from nowhere, a man approaches. He is dressed quite simply, and does
not seem to be in a hurry. Apparently, he, too , is in a reflective mood, enjoying the
scenery and perhaps also looking for "connections:. As he draws near, you both notice
that he seems to be right a home in this seashore, as if he often came this way. His face
is friendly and full of life - somehow vaguely familiar to you, almost as if you have
always known him. Is the child in you who first exclaims: "It is the Lord!"
The meeting is easy, as Jesus falls in beside the tow of you. He makes
you feel at home with Him right away. The conversation turns to the present, as your new
companion does not really seem all that interested in the past. Yes, he does seem to know
you very well. While this might tend to unsettle you or make you feel less comfortable
with Him, you are surprised that just the opposite is the case. In fact, it relieves you
or having to maintain an "image" to please and impress your childhood companion
and even yourself. His presence and obvious concern make it possible for you to reach down
to new depths and get in touch with layers of experience that up to now you have been very
wary of uncovering... He seems to free you from your fears precisely because He
understands; He can read your heart... And ore than that, He accepts you - He loves you -
as you are! There is no preaching, no threats, no buts or ifs.
Not that he's soft on you, as if you did not have it in you to respond
to Him as you really want to, to be a faithful disciple and an effective messenger of His
"good news", to be a companion and a co-worker. Yes, He chides you and points
out inconsistencies that you may have been dodging... And He challenges you to be truer to
what you really want to be... But most of all, He encourages and He frees...
As this sharing takes place, you may perhaps feel a deep peace descend
upon you. Stay with that peace. Let it enter every fiber, every cell of your being. It is
His gift to you. And no one can snatch it away from you.
Time seems to stand still during this afternoon meeting. It could have
been for hours... or only minutes. It really does not matter. It has been a good day, and
you don't feel any way tired. On the contrary, you seem filled with new life, new
energies, new determination to do anything for the Lord at your side.
The sun is beginning to set by this time. From the distance, you still
see another figure approaching along the seashore. The figure seems to be as tall as you
and with similar features but much older, a bit heavier perhaps in body, and slower in
stride. Yet, you have no trouble recognixing who it is. It is yourself, but many years
from now. He/she, too, joins your group, and now it is your turn to ask questions...
Conversation with the Lord
Include a conversation with the Lord about the things,
feelings, insights evoked during the "fantasy"
Closure
Conclude with the "Our Father".
Review of Prayer
* After each time of prayer, it is very important to reflect on what happened
* What struck you? What feeling did you experience? What moved you in the most positive
way? Did anything jar you or trouble you?
* How did I relate to God? to Jesus? To the other characters in the "fantasy"?
Where is God leading me in my prayer? In my life?
* Did you receive the grace you were seeking?
* Write down a summary of this experience in your prayer journal.