First Spiritual Exercises – Awakening Hope

For your strength does not depend on numbers, nor your might on the powerful. But you are the God of the lowly, helper of the oppressed, upholder of the weak, protector of the forsaken, saviour of those without hope.

Please, please, God of my father, Lord of heaven and earth, Creator of the waters, King of all your creation, hear my prayer!

Judith 9:11-13.

We pray for Dalit women and men in India, may they receive the quality education they need to bring hope and opportunity to uplift their families and communities. 

1. Desire...

I ask the Spirit for the gift of Hope.

I imagine I am in a dark room. Unafraid, I feel the dark. I sense how I would need to trust the hand of a helper to make my way forward in this darkness. Likewise, I wait in the dark in this prayer, as one full of hope, ready for the help and hand of the guiding Spirit.

I read the prayer texts seeing God’s help and protection as the foundation of my hope.

I ask the Spirit for a patient and sure hope when I most need it – even in the dark, frightening, hopeless situations.

2. Relish...

Today I live in the Hopeful Trinity.

Now I imagine I am surrounded in a circle by the Trinity, Creator, Jesus and Spirit. Each person addresses me by name, saying, ‘I have plans for your welfare, plans to give you a future with hope.’

Without knowing how such hope will hold me firm when I feel abandoned and forsaken, I sit humbly in the mystery of the Hopeful Trinity and my desire.

I relish feeling hopeful.

3. Hope...

I breathe in the Spirit of Hope.

Then I imagine and feel the Spirit breathing the gift of Hope into me. I breathe it in deep, wait, then breathe it out to renew my relationships, and into those whose hope has been whittled away by loss and seemingly endless disappointment.

I repeat as desired – breathing, hopeful, renewed.

I conclude in thanks, blindfold in hand, seeing my world with greater hope.

PRAYER TIME: 10 minutes.

Click here to download the prayer of Awakening Hope.