Second Week - 5
Jesus waits to serve the God of Israel



You already bring the subject of your prayer into the rest of the day by preparing it the evening before. You might find yourself doing it another way: Remembering during the day words or phrases or images that moved you deeply. That might just happen, or you could set yourself to remember and perhaps even help memory along with a little piece of paper inscribed with your most elegant calligraphy or a few scratched words.

You will notice ? everyone does who continues as you have - that some activities help and some hinder your prayer. You cannot change some things, but you will be wise to generously rearrange what you can rearrange. A very common thing is shifting schedules so that you can get up earlier in the morning. Another is dropping some television time. This kink of adjustment is the most proper "penance" you can do while engaged in the Ignatian Exercises.

Recall the exercise some weeks back of ending prayer by praying first with Mary, then with Jesus, and finally with the Father.

In praying the Two Standards and Two Value Systems, you will sometimes consider and sometimes use fantasy. In this prayer, as in all prayer, you always make sure to wonder what all this has to do with your self. Paying this kind of attention to yourself is no distraction: it is a necessary activity in growthful mental prayer.

What I want now: Jesus of Nazareth lived out of a very deep and definite mind-set. He loved in wonderful ways. I want to know all that, and to stand under His Standard, and live out of His value system.

PRAYER MATERIALS FOR THIS WEEK:
1. Matt 2:23; Luke 2:39-40
Jesus lives a hidden life, boy, adolescent, young man. He obeys His parents. He grew in wisdom, age, and grace. He worked as a carpenter.
2. Luke 2:41-50
The Finding in the Temple. Jesus goes with Mary and Joseph to Jerusalem at age twelve. He remains there when they leave and they have to search for Him three days before finding Him. His boyish explanation: "Didn't you know that I have to be about my Father's business?"
3. Luke 2:51-52
Jesus’ Teen Years
4. Repetition, but think of Jesus as a young adult
5 & 6. Two Standards and Two Value Systems
7. Thoughts about Making Choices

PRAYER FOR WHAT I WANT:
Lord Jesus Christ,
You came to do the most important work
anyone will ever do on this earth.
When You got here,
You just waited, for long years
patiently obeying parents and clients.
You lived a family life in an ordinary town,
You labored and prayed and rejoiced among friends.
You seemed to do nothing important at all.
Lord, teach me to see things as You see them.
Teach me to value things as You value things,
and myself, and my friends,
and God above all.
Amen.