In my first post, I gave a brief history of prayer beads and introduced the Protestant, or Anglican, Rosary. In this series, I will give a meditation and prayer to use with your Rosary each week during the Lenten season. Use this meditation beginning the second Sunday in Lent.
Praying with beads: A Practice for Lent- week 2
Print out prayer here: 2 Sunday of Lent-Joel 2 & Psalm 103-13-18
Begin by getting still, take several centering breaths, and slowly read Joel 2:1-13 & Psalm 103-13-18. We will meditate on these Scriptures in our practice.
When you are ready to begin, hold the invitatory bead and focus on the meditation assigned to it. After a few moments, move on to the Resurrection bead and do the same. Enter the circle of prayer with the first Cruciform bead and slowly work around the circle to the right.
Invitatory bead– Focus on God, Our Rock and our Redeemer
Resurrection bead– Focus on Christ, who invites into us into relationship
1st Cruciform bead: Return to the Lord with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning… for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.
1st set of Weeks beads: Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming.
2nd Cruciform bead: Return to the Lord with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning… for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.
2nd set of Weeks beads: It is close at hand—a day of darkness and gloom,a day of clouds and blackness.
3rd Cruciform bead: Return to the Lord with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning… for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.
3rd set of Weeks beads: The earth shakes,the heavens tremble, the sun and moon are darkened,and the stars no longer shine.
4th Cruciform bead: Return to the Lord with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning… for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.
4th set of Weeks beads: The day of the Lord is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it?
1st Cruciform bead: Upon returning back to the 1st Cruciform bead, you may choose to continue around the circle again or exit your time of prayer.
Resurrection bead– As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.The life of mortals is like grass,they flourish like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children—with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. Psalm 103:13-18
Invitatory bead-Take a deep breath. Pray for the Holy Spirit to show you how you might “return to the Lord” this season of Lent. Take a moment to sit in silence with the expectation to feel God’s love and compassion and a desire for his healing.
Interested in learning more about Christian meditation and praying with beads? Start learning today with my self-paced study, Praying with Beads, take the quiz and get your FREE guide, and save your spot in my next Christ-centered meditation and contemplation course!
