First Spiritual Exercises – Restoring Love

Now says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.

For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour. Because you are precious in my sight, and honoured, and I love you.

Isaiah 43:1-4

We pray that refugees like Ahmad in Indonesia, who has experienced so much hardship, experience the restoration of love and a bright future. We pray that his tailoring centre continues to provide a sense of belonging, psychosocial support to other refugees and builds a community of acceptance.

1. Desire...I ask the Spirit for the Gift of Love

I hold a cross. I trace and feel the figure of Jesus on it, considering his life-giving love.

I touch his wounds and feel the touch of the Spirit on mine.

I read the prayer texts that we are precious and dearly loved by a personal God.

I ask the Spirit to be loved and loving when I most need it – even in the bleak times when love is denied and life itself may be at stake.

2. Relish...Today I live in the loving Trinity

Now I imagine I am surrounded in a circle by the Loving Trinity, Father, Jesus and Spirit.

Each person addresses me by name, saying, ‘You are precious to me, I love you’.

Without knowing quite how this love will feel when I can barely love myself, or how I will feel loved when my situation is without much affection or tenderness, I sit humbly for a while in the mystery of the Loving Trinity and my desire.

I relish being loved.

3. Love... I breathe in the Spirit of Love

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

I breathe it in deep, wait, then breathe it out to fill my life and all my relationships, and flow into those who have been denied love, or live a loveless life.

I repeat as desired – breathing, loved, loving.

I conclude with thanks, cross in hand, moving into daily life feeling I am truly loved.

PRAYER TIME: 10 minutes.

Click here to download the prayer of Restoring Love.