
One time, after Jesus was busy ministering to people and healing them, He went to a
solitary place to pray.
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up,
left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else, to the nearby villages, so I can preach there also. That is why I have come. (Mark 1:35-38)”
Jesus had a freedom to say ‘No’ to certain demands in order to do what He was called to do. This came out of His prayer life and relationship with God the Father. If we are to follow in Jesus’ footsteps then we are to have the same discerning spirit.
Our lives have changed drastically over the last few weeks, with restrictions of movement, many places, schools and churches closing down – for now. People with children are probably busier than before. People living on their own restricting human connection to mostly online encounters. Doctors, nurses, and those working in shops serving the country “on the front line”.
While demands have changed – increased for some, reduced for others – our ability to care for each other, and for the world around us, has been put on overdrive. The positive elements to it show us we are all connected. Our hearts are challenged to expand, to include the whole world in our prayer. But this can also be overwhelming.
The wisdom from John Eldredge may give us much needed peace. Eldredge speaks about “consecrating empathy”. Watching the news can easily overwhelm us. Yet the answer is not in shutting down every negative story we might hear and doing nothing. Instead, what we can do is “consecrate our capacity to care” (Eldredge). In other words, we can say a brief prayer and join our own capacity for care with Jesus’ capacity, which is infinitely greater. This way we are also giving God permission to direct us, to guide us how to use this capacity.
Having invited Jesus to help us in this caring process may eventually increase our own capacity in loving others, deepen our prayer, and bring creative solutions to our actions. Above all, it might increase the peace in our hearts, the peace that surpasses understanding. The more inner peace increases, the more peace there will be in the world too.
Iva Beranek
Dr Iva Beranek is the Ministry Facilitator for the CMH: Ireland
Online guided prayer in preparation for Pentecost – 28th May
We are offering online guided prayer on Thursday, 28th May at 12noon via our Facebook live. After the resurrection, and before Jesus ascended into Heaven, He told His disciples to stay in Jerusalem and pray. We will pray with that Scripture, as our preparation for Pentecost.
The prayer will be facilitated by Dr Iva Beranek, Ministry Facilitator for CMH:I.
Here you can find the Church’s Ministry of Healing: Ireland Facebook page.
We hope you will join us. Be free to let others know.
Online Healing Service – 21st May
on Thursday, 21st May at 12noon. It will be led by Rev Dr Canon Daniel Nuzum.
You can find our Facebook page here: facebook.com/CMHIreland/.
iva@ministryofhealing.ie on or before Wednesday 20th May.
Online Healing Service – 7th May
The first one proved to be very meaningful to those who tuned in.
You can find our Facebook page here: facebook.com/CMHIreland/.
It will be led by Rev Lesley Robinson.
You can email iva@ministryofhealing.ie, or send us a message on Facebook by Wednesday 6th May.
Online guided prayer. Praying with a resurrection story – 30th April
This week on Thursday, 30th April 2020, we will offer a guided prayer at 11am via Facebook live.
We will pray with the Scripture where Jesus meets His disciples at the sea of Galilee after the resurrection. Praying with the resurrection scenes helps us to make resurrection real in our lives as well.
The prayer will be facilitated by Dr Iva Beranek, Ministry Facilitator for CMH:I.
Here you can find the Church’s Ministry of Healing: Ireland Facebook page.
We hope you will join us. Be free to let others know.
Online guided prayer. Praying with a resurrection story – 23rd April
This week on Thursday, 23rd April 2020, we will offer a guided prayer at 11am via Facebook live.
We will pray with the Scripture story from John 20 where Mary Magdalene meets Jesus after the resurrection. Praying with the encounters the disciples had with Jesus after the resurrection, helps us to notice how the message of resurrection is relevant in our lives now.
The prayer will be facilitated by Dr Iva Beranek, Ministry Facilitator for CMH:I.
Here you can find the Church’s Ministry of Healing: Ireland Facebook page.
We hope you will join us. Be free to let others know.
Online Healing Service – 16th April
Be free to let others know.
Online reflections in the Holy Week – 9th & 10th April
This week we will offer two online reflections.
On Maundy Thursday, Rev. Lesley Robinson will lead a reflection based on K. A. Austin’s book “The Garden”. There will be a time of reading followed by silent reflection appropriate to the theme of Gethsemane.
On Good Friday, Dr Iva Beranek will lead a reflection “How can we prepare for Easter Alleluia in the midst of all the pain the world is experiencing right now?”
Both reflections will be at 12noon via CMH:I Facebook live.
Here you can find the Church’s Ministry of Healing: Ireland Facebook page.
We hope you will join us.
Be free to let others know.
Online guided reflection – 2nd April
We have decided to offer an online guided reflection this week as well, on Thursday 2nd April at 3pm via Facebook live. The reflection will be facilitated by Rev Lesley Robinson.
Here you can find the Church’s Ministry of Healing: Ireland Facebook page.
We hope you will join us. Be free to let others know.
Keep safe.
Consecrating empathy
Posted on: /in Thoughts /by CMH_Admin2020One time, after Jesus was busy ministering to people and healing them, He went to a
solitary place to pray.
Jesus had a freedom to say ‘No’ to certain demands in order to do what He was called to do. This came out of His prayer life and relationship with God the Father. If we are to follow in Jesus’ footsteps then we are to have the same discerning spirit.
Our lives have changed drastically over the last few weeks, with restrictions of movement, many places, schools and churches closing down – for now. People with children are probably busier than before. People living on their own restricting human connection to mostly online encounters. Doctors, nurses, and those working in shops serving the country “on the front line”.
While demands have changed – increased for some, reduced for others – our ability to care for each other, and for the world around us, has been put on overdrive. The positive elements to it show us we are all connected. Our hearts are challenged to expand, to include the whole world in our prayer. But this can also be overwhelming.
The wisdom from John Eldredge may give us much needed peace. Eldredge speaks about “consecrating empathy”. Watching the news can easily overwhelm us. Yet the answer is not in shutting down every negative story we might hear and doing nothing. Instead, what we can do is “consecrate our capacity to care” (Eldredge). In other words, we can say a brief prayer and join our own capacity for care with Jesus’ capacity, which is infinitely greater. This way we are also giving God permission to direct us, to guide us how to use this capacity.
Having invited Jesus to help us in this caring process may eventually increase our own capacity in loving others, deepen our prayer, and bring creative solutions to our actions. Above all, it might increase the peace in our hearts, the peace that surpasses understanding. The more inner peace increases, the more peace there will be in the world too.
Online guided meditation with intercessions – 26th March
Thank you to those of you who joined in our online retreat last week.
If you missed it, you can listen and pray through the recording, which can be found
on the Church’s Ministry of Healing: Ireland Facebook page.
This week we will offer an online guided meditation with intercessions for the needs in our country & in the world. Join us live on our Facebook page this Thursday, 26th March, at 11am.
Blessings & keep safe.