Theme

Marian

Age Range

7-18

Type

Prayers

Number of Participants

20+

Timescale

30-60 minutes

This is a meditation that helps the listener engage with the mystery’s of the rosary. This is quite a long reflection so you might need to find a comfortable space, either lying on the floor or in chairs depending on how alert you would like the listeners to be.

The (*) are suggested places where you might like to pause to help the listener soak in what is being said

Getting comfortable

Become aware of lying on the floor. Start to notice your breathing. You don’t need to change it, just become aware of it. Now I would like you to become aware of your feet resting on the floor. Now notice the way your legs are resting and let all your muscles relax. Become aware of your back and the floor supporting it. Again try and let all the muscles relax. Move up to your shoulders down through you’re a arms to your hands. You might like to clench up your hands and let them relax and notice the difference. Travel back up your arms to your neck and your face and now notice your breathing again. As you breathe in think about all the good things that have happened today. And as you breathe out let go of anything that hasn’t been good. (*)

I am going to invite you on a journey with God. I would like you to imagine this journey in your head, and if I ask you any questions, just answer them in your head. It is important that as we move into this time with God that you have an open heart and a spirit of expectancy. Trust that God wants to talk to you and will talk to you in this time if you listen. As we open ourselves up to thinking about God’s love and his mercy, let us ask the Holy Spirit to be here to help and guide us in this meditation. (*)

Walking To The House

I would like you to imagine that you are walking down a dusty road. At the end of this road is a house. It belongs to an artist. It a beautiful house. It is a safe place. Continue walking. (*) What do your surroundings look like? What does the house look like? Go up to the open front door and go into the house. (*)

You are in the main hall. Have a look around. (*) There are lots of doors. (*) You notice one has your name on it. Push open the door and go inside. You have entered the artist’s studio, the place where he paints and sculpts. In the center of the room there is a statue covered with a cloth. Walk up to it and take the cloth off. (*) As the cloth slides of you see that it is a statue of you. Have a good look at the statue of you. Do you like what it looks like? What is it made of? Reach out and touch the statue. Is it cold, or warm?

Now I would like you to imagine that you step into your statue, that you become your statue (*) Slowly you become aware that Jesus has walked into the room. He is looking at you and smiling. (*) What it is like being in his presence? Does he say anything? (*) Jesus invites you to step out of your statue and take another look at your statue. (*) Does the statue seem any different now? Are you any different? (*) Jesus then invites you to come on a journey with him to discover who you really are on the inside, not just the outside.

You leave the studio and head back to the main hall, the room with many doors. (*) The nearest door has “Mercy” written on it. As you touch the door, you sense that in this room is contained the joy of the whole world; every reason for rejoicing.

Room Of Joy

You notice that you are in the house of The Virgin Mary. She is only a little older than you. What is she doing? There is suddenly a bright light. You become aware that there is an angel talking to her. You hear the words “Hail Mary full of Grace the Lord is with you”. Any moment now, Mary will say ‘yes’ to being the mother of Jesus. She then turns and smiles at you. “Come” she says, “and see what happens next”

You find yourself travelling along a dusty road with Mary until you reach Elizabeth’s house. You continue on and notice Mary is now with her cousin Elizabeth. Elizabeth greets Mary with an embrace. What do they say to each other?

You find yourself in a neat, small and well-kept house; the house of The Virgin Mary. She is only a little older than you. What is she doing? There is suddenly a bright light. You become aware that there is an angel talking to her. You hear the words “Hail Mary full of Grace the Lord is with you”. Any moment now, Mary will say ‘yes’ to being the mother of Jesus. She then turns and smiles at you. “Come” she says, “and see what happens next”

The little house is suddenly a stable, and Mary is again here, placing the newly born Jesus in a manger. What else can you see? What is happening? The joy feels like it’s vibrating round the room, like the very walls and roof are singing. Are the shepherds there? Can you hear the angels? Can you see them?

The stable expands and becomes a temple, a huge building built for God’s glory. Mary has the baby Jesus in her arms. She is with Joseph, presenting Jesus to the priest Simeon. Do they say anything to him? What else is happening? Where are you in this scene?

Your attention is drawn to another part of the temple and you feel the surge of time passing once more. As you move on your become aware of another scene. You’re still in the temple but Jesus is now your age and he is talking to the chief priests. Everyone is looking at him amazed. He smiles at you, encourages you to come forward and points you towards a door you had not seen before, that simply says ‘Light. ‘As you touch the door you sense that all understanding, all knowledge, all wisdom is contained within.

Room Of Light

You push open the door, and You see Jesus, older now, a grown man sitting amongst a crowd down by the river.  What sort of day is it? How many people are there? What noises can you hear? Does the water look cold? Jesus stands and walks down into the waist high water – You realise Jesus is there being baptised. You hear the words of God The Father echo through the hills. “This is my son the beloved, in him I am well pleased”.

The wind blows and makes you turn away for a moment. As you turn to look back you realise that the scene has changed. You are now at a wedding party, sitting at a table with Mary, Jesus and his friends. There are some stone jars resting against the wall and nobody’s cup has been refilled in a while. The servants look worried. You realise that this is the wedding where they ran out of wine. You hear Mary telling the servants “Do whatever Jesus tells you” In any moment, Jesus will change water into wine. Mary looks over and smiles at you. She also says to you “do whatever he tells you”.

You place your hands on the wooden table to stand and follow Jesus but as you do it changes under your fingers into the side of a boat; and the wind pushes strongly at your face. You look up into the face of a storm; and the friends of Jesus are still around you but now they are desperately trying to wrestle the fishing boat straight in the restless bucking water Someone shouts and everyone suddenly turn their gazes out towards the middle of the lake. You can see a figure in the distance walking towards you on the water. They all think it’s a ghost. But you hear a voice, it is Jesus’s voice, he says, “Do not be afraid”. You hear Peters voice. He calls out “If it is you Lord ask me to walk towards you on the water”. Jesus beckons Peter out of the boat. Peter steps out slowly and starts to walk towards Jesus. Do you go with Peter? Do you walk on the water?

As you look into the waves you see scene after scene from Jesus life; raising the little girl and the widow’s son from the dead; the paralysed man being lowered through the roof; the thousands that flocked to him for teaching and went home full of wisdom, full of bread and fish. You see thousands, all pressing to get close to Jesus, to be free from the things holding them back. So many people following Jesus. You look up and Jesus is there, right next to you, smiling down at you.

He asks you “What do you need me to do for you?” Search inside your heart. What is it that you need? What do you truly need?

You are now walking with Jesus up a steep hill.  The disciples Peter, James and John are also with you. After a while you all stop. You notice the appearance of Jesus begins to change. His clothes become as white as the light. This is his heavenly appearance. You see the glory of God. What is it like to be on the mountain with Peter James and John and to see Jesus in his glory?

You are sitting once more with Jesus and his disciples around a table. They are laughing and talking. You realise you are in the upper room. Where they are making last preparations for The Last Supper. You see Jesus look at you. He stands and puts his hand on your shoulder and leads you to another door. As you come to it you see the word ‘Sorrow’ on the door and feel that somehow all trials, all pain, lies beyond. Jesus pushes it open and walks through; and beckons you to follow.

Room Of Sorrow

As you enter you realise it is night time. You are in a garden. Jesus is praying fervently to his father while Peter, James and john are asleep. The time is coming for Judas to arrive and betray Jesus. You hear the distant sound of the Roman army and see their torches in the distance. What are you thinking as they come to take Jesus away. The solders arrive at the garden. You see Judas kiss Jesus on the cheek. This is the sign he gives the solders so they know who Jesus is. They take Jesus away and you follow them down into the city. You see peter standing around a fire warming himself. Do you go and stand with him?  He is cursing and insisting that he has never known Jesus. What are you thinking? Where are the other disciples?   Can you see any other people? Can you see Mary? What are you thinking and feeling during this time?

Time moves on and you are now walking with a crowd up a hill. You see Jesus carrying his cross. He looks at you with love in his eyes. How do you feel as he looks like this?

You continue up the hill the place where Jesus is now crucified. You stand beneath the cross with Mary and John. You hear Jesus say to John “Behold, your mother” and to Mary he says “Behold your son”. Jesus then looks at you. He says to you “Behold your mother”. She smiles and you feel her love for you.

A great darkness covers the land. You hear Jesus breathe his last breath and the ground shakes. There is a long silence. A roman centurion says, “Truly this man was the son of God”. A solider walks up to the cross and pierce the side of Jesus with a spear. Blood and water flow out of his side. After a while Jesus is taken down from the cross and placed in the tomb

Room Of Glory

You suddenly hear someone call out “He has risen! Come! Quickly!” Everyone around you runs past. You run with them and eventually come to a door called “Room Of Glory”. You push open the door and go through.

You find yourself in a garden. The sun has fully risen in the sky. You see Mary Magdalen talking to a man who she believes is a gardener. You hear Jesus call her name and she recognises him. He turns and calls your name. What is it like to hear him say your name? to see him again. He looks different but you recognize his voice. Be still with him in the garden.

The image fades are you are now in a room with the disciples talking about Jesus. Thomas still does not believe that Jesus has risen. Do you want to tell Thomas that you have seen Jesus? Jesus suddenly appears amongst you all. He invites Thomas to place his fingers in his wounds. You hear Thomas cry out “My lord and my God”. Jesus looks at you with eyes of mercy and says “These are the wounds of love” Feel Jesus’ love for you. Jesus explains that it is because of his wounds that he given us a way back to the father. By his wounds we have been healed. Sins no longer keep us from the father if we trust in him.

You now realise that you are on a hill with his disciples and followers. They are looking up and you see Jesus is ascending to heaven. You hear Jesus’s voice, loud and clearly. He says, “I am with you, to the end of time”. The follwers leave to go to the upper room to pray and wait for the Holy Spirit. You go with them

You must now pray and wait for the Holy Spirit to come. Ask The Holy Spirit, now, to descend upon you! (Short silence) All of a sudden there is a strong wind and tongues of fire descend upon you and the disciples. The same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is now being given to you now present in you. Look what happens to the apostles! They begin speaking in different languages. They go off into the city and preach the Good News. They are no longer afraid. They want to tell the world about Jesus. Do you go with them?

Time passes and you find yourself with the Virgin Mary again. She is being assumed into heaven, body and soul, where she is crowned Queen Of Heaven. She is sitting next to Jesus on a beautiful throne. You remember the words given to you and John “Behold your mother”. You think about this as she is crowned Queen. (???) You realise that you are part of this royal family. This is your story. As you think on this you see Jesus again

He  looks at you, with eyes of mercy and love. He smiles and says:

“You are part of my family, I chose you before the foundation of the world”

“I chose you before time began and I call you by name”

 “You are like as precious jewel in the palm of my hands”

“I died so that you may have life”

“You are precious in my eyes. You are perfect and I love you”

“You are my beloved son. You are my beloved daughter”

Jesus looks at you again and says “This is who you really are”.

Now become aware of being back in this room, listening to the noises around you. Start thinking back over the meditation. Ask Jesus what bit He wants you to remember. Was it setting out on the journey and seeing your statue for the first time? Or was it going on the journey with Jesus to discover who you really are? Maybe it was in one of the rooms? Maybe it was listening to one of the words Jesus said to you at the end? When you know what it is, sit up, slowly.