The Shell Prayer
This is the Meditation Prayer from the Women's Evening of Reflection at St. Vincent Ferrer, Delray Beach, on April 17, 2018. My presentation itself is a separate Blog entry
Meditation – Introduction
One way to draw more deeply into your relationship with God is meditative prayer. In meditative prayer, you sit quietly and let yourself meet with God, face to face in a sense, in your secret hiding place within yourself – in your heart room.
You don’t need anything special for this type of prayer. It’s not Eastern Mysticism; you don’t need a mantra, or a special pose, or a yoga mat. All you really need is a few minutes and an openness to try a new kind of prayer. But because this is the first time you are doing this type of prayer, we are going to use an object to help you focus, and in a few moments, I will ask you to take a shell from the display on your table.
I was introduced to the type of prayer I am going to lead you in today by a little book called In My Heart Room: 21 Love Prayers for Children. I have used the meditations in that book to teach this type of prayer for over twenty years. I have taught it to children as young as second graders, to my fellow CCD teachers, and on one particularly memorable occasion, to a group ranging in age from fourth graders to college students. I feel it’s a special way to pray, and I am excited to be able to introduce you to it today.
Meditation – The Shell Prayer
To begin, make yourselves comfortable. Our posture is part of what helps us relax and concentrate. Sit up in your chair, lean back, place your feet comfortably on the floor. Remove any distractions from in front of you. Ideally, all that should remain on the table is the plate of shells in the middle. Take one of the shells from the plate and look at it. Really look at it, look at its shape, its color. Maybe you know what kind of creature would have once called it home, but it doesn’t matter if you do or not. That shell itself is a creation of God. All those shells, all different, yet still all shells, all come from the mind of God.
Now, shut your eyes. I want you to let go of the world around you a little bit. Put all your day’s thoughts and worries aside for a few moments. Remember how in childhood, you could easily drop into a world of pretend and make believe. Reach back in time to that part of yourself, that part that didn’t demand strict logic from everything. Relax, take three deep even breaths, and…
Hold onto your shell, and imagine…
You are alone, on a beach. It’s not quite deserted; there are other people off in the distance, but you are alone in your own little section. You are barefoot, and the sand feels nice under your feet. It’s not cold, not hot; just the perfect temperature. It’s nice and soft and smooth. It’s the ideal beach, the ideal sand, and you are pretty sure you are the first one to ever step foot on this particular stretch of beach. It’s very relaxing, so relaxing, in fact, that you open your hand and drop your shell. You start to bend down to pick it up, but you hear a voice saying “Let Me get that for you.” You look up, and Jesus is standing in front of you, smiling at you, holding out His hand to you for you to take your shell. You reach out, and His hand closes over yours.
I am happy you came to see me Mary, He says. He calls you by name, I am happy you came to see me Terry; I am happy you came to see me Pat; I am happy you came to see me Judy. He speaks directly to you. It’s nice to have you visit with Me, He says, I love having alone time with each of my brothers and sisters. Open your heart to Me; tell Me your secret prayers, your secret dreams, your secret fears. You answer Him without needing to speak; He knows your heart, and you barely need to form words in your own mind to be in conversation with Him. Trust in Me, He says, Bring Me your fears and burdens; I will carry them with you; I will never leave you alone. Feel your heart becoming lighter as Jesus takes your burdens onto Himself. Thank Him for His love and His Mercy. Tell Him of your love for Him; for Christ, crucified and risen, present in your own life. Jesus smiles at you. You feel yourself enveloped in a long, warm, comforting hug. Jesus opens His hand, and gives you back your shell. Save this shell, He whispers. Remember Me, remember to visit quietly with Me. When you look at this shell, remember this visit, and remember that I am always here for you. Stay comfortably in the presence of Jesus.
* * *
Come quietly out of your heart room now. Take three deep even breaths, travel back to now, back to the present, back to your seat in Kellaghan Hall. When you are ready, open your eyes. Look at your shell. It’s not just a shell out of the basket anymore; now it’s a reminder of your personal encounter with Christ, an encounter you can experience any time in prayer.
