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First Spiritual Exercises – Wrap of Gentleness

Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in
Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:5-9

I ask the Spirit for the gift of Gentleness.

I take a flower petal and carefully examine it – the colour, fragility and wonder of it. Caressing it, I imagine it could be the wing of a butterfly or the cheek of a baby. Gently stroking the petal, I feel the Spirit of Gentleness quietly join me.

I ask the Spirit for the gift of Gentleness when I most need it, with the one who is hurt, or in times of violence and disbelief, or even to be gentle with myself.

Today I live in the Gentle Trinity.

I imagine I am surrounded in a circle by the Gentle Trinity, Father, Jesus and Spirit. Each person addresses me by name, saying, ‘I am near to you, gentle and humble in heart. Be gentle with my people’.

I relish being gentle.

I breathe in the Spirit of Gentleness.

Then I imagine and feel the Spirit breathing the gift of Gentleness into me.

I breathe it in deep, wait, then breathe it out to be gentle with my own needs, and with all those needing a gentle touch.

I repeat as desired – breathing, gentle, gracious.

I conclude giving thanks, moving forward in daily life with a greater gentleness.

PRAYER TIME: 10 minutes.

Download the Exercise for the Wrap of Gentleness.

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