This fragment is taken from the book by Peter Rohrbach 'Conversation with Christ' published by TAN Books:
General purpose: to hold loving conversation with Christ
1. Preparation:
Place oneself in the presence of Christ.
2. Selection of the material:
Read; or study a picture of Christ
Subject of meditation*:
-an abstract idea
-a concrete fact
-source text
3. Consideration:
Reflect upon the material. Ask yourself the questions: who, what, why, for what reason?
4. Conversation: (Core of the Meditation, Colloquy)
Converse with Our Lord about the material. Employ the affections of love, adoration, thanksgiving, sorrow, petition
5.Conclusion
Gratitute to Christ for favours received. Examination of faults during meditation, resolution of further effort in succeeding meditation.
Examples of an idea, facts suitable for daily meditations:
The Ten Commandments:
I I am the Lord thy God; Thou shalt not have strange gods before Me
II Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain
III Remember that thous keep holy the Sabbath day.
IV Honour thy father and mother
V Thou shalt not kill
VI Thou shalt not commit adultery
VII Thou shalt not steal
VIII Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour
IX Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife
X Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's goods
The Eight Beatitudes
I. Blessed are the poor of spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
II. Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land
III. Blessedare they that mourn: for they shall be comforted
IV. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill.
V. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy
VI. Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God
VII. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the childern of God.
VIII. Blessed are they that suffer persecutions for justice' sake: for their is the kingdom of heaven
The Basic Law of Charity
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with they whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind...
"Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." (Matt 22:37, 39)
The Final Judgment
31 And when the Son of man shall come in his majesty, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit upon the seat of his majesty. 32 And all nations shall be gathered together before him, and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left. 34 Then shall the king say to them that shall be on his right hand: Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in:
36 Naked, and you covered me: sick, and you visited me: I was in prison, and you came to me.
40 And the king answering, shall say to them: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me.
41 Then he shall say to them also that shall be on his left hand: Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry, and you gave me not to eat: I was thirsty, and you gave me not to drink. 43 I was a stranger, and you took me not in: naked, and you covered me not: sick and in prison, and you did not visit me.
45 Then he shall answer them, saying: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it not to one of these least, neither did you do it to me.
Matt 26:31-36, 40-43, 45
The Necessity of Penance
3 And he said to all: If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it; for he that shall lose his life for my sake, shall save it. 25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, and cast away himself? 26 For he that shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him the Son of man shall be ashamed, when he shall come in his majesty, and that of his Father, and of the holy angels
Luke 9:23-26
The Mercy of God
"Come to me, all you that labour, and are burdened, and will refresh you
Take up My yoke upon you, and learn of Me, becasue I am meek, and humble of heart: and you shall find rest to your soul.
Matt 11:28-30
God's Care For Us
5 Blessed is he who hath the God of Jacob for his helper, whose hope is in the Lord his God:
6 Who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all things that are in them. 7 Who keepeth truth for ever: who executeth judgment for them that suffer wrong: who giveth food to the hungry. The Lord looseth them that are fettered: 8 The Lord enlighteneth the blind. The Lord lifteth up them that are cast down: the Lord loveth the just. 9 The Lord keepeth the strangers, he will support the fatherless and the widow: and the ways of sinners he will destroy.
Psalm 145:5-9
Our responsibility to God
7 For none of us liveth to himself; and no man dieth to himself. 8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; or whether we die, we die unto the Lord. Therefore, whether we live, or whether we die, we are the Lord's.
Romans 14:7-8
Peace in Christ's Reign
6 For a CHILD IS BORN to us, and a son is given to us, and the government is upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counsellor, God the Mighty, the Father of the world to come, the Prince of Peace. 7 His empire shall be multiplied, and there shall be no end of peace: he shall sit upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom; to establish it and strengthen it with judgment and with justice, from henceforth and for ever: the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
Isaiah (9:6-7)
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