"Be still and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:11)

Enter into God's loving presence. Enter into God's rest. Allow your breathing to flow easy, smooth, and even. Relax any tension in your jaw, shoulders, fists--anywhere in your body that you carry stress.

Who is God calling you to be? Take a moment and ask for the grace to be that person and to overcome any obstacles that prevent you from becoming him or her.

If the only prayer we said were the words, "Thank you," that would be enough. For what are your grateful for? Sometimes the things we are most grateful for can seem so small and trivil until viewed through the lens of gratitude. Give thanks in your own way.

Scan the image below. Allow your eye to wander the scene, hovering over it like a humming bird searching for nectar from a flower.

Allesandro Allori, "St. Peter Walking on the Water" (c. 1590), Wikimedia Commons

Allow the Holy Spirit to direct your gaze toward a particular feature or element of the image. Focus only on that feature, blocking everything else out. If your eye or mind wanders, return to that one, specific element. Slowly allow your gaze to shift from your eyes to your heart; that is, look at that one feature or element as if you were seeing it through your heart, not your eyes.

Slowly zoom out and take in the entire picture as a whole. You are not scanning it--your eye is not jumping from one part of the picture to another. Rather, you are gazing it as one, singular, unified whole. Don't look at the image--breathe it in.

Bring this image before the Lord and talk to him about what you saw, felt, or thought. Sharing involves both giving and receiving, so as you share your observations with him, ask him to share his with you. How does he see things the same? Differently? Spend some time conversing as two close, trusted friends.

Finally, ask the Lord, "What difference does this make?" How does this encounter with the Lord leave you? Fresh? Joyful? Free? Are left feeling confused, tired, despondent? Share these feelings with the Lord as well.

Close with your favorite prayer.

Amen.