Sample Imaginative Prayer

Every Imaginative Prayer Experience should include background knowledge to the text followed by the four phases:
Encounter, Imagine, Discuss, and Contemplate.

Below is a full sample text of the Transfiguration.

The Transfiguration

Matthew 17: 1-13 GNT Catholic Edition

In today’s imaginative prayer we will be placing ourselves within the story of Jesus’ Transfiguration. We will begin by reading the passage together from the Bible before imagining the scene for ourselves through a guided meditation.

Historical Context:

Today’s passage comes from Matthew’s Gospel, which was a gospel written for a Jewish audience in order to emphasise that Jesus was the Messiah that the Jews had been waiting for. The account takes place on top of a mountain which is believed to be Mt Tabor in Galilee. Jesus took his disciples Peter, James and John up the mountain with him. This event is known as the Transfiguration. To transfigure means to change or transform, and in this passage Jesus’ appearance changes significantly. The transfiguration of Jesus is thought to have taken place about three years after his first miracle at the Feast of Cana. During that three years Jesus had been ministering to the people, proclaiming the Kingdom of God and healing the sick and dying. Throughout this time the disciples had seen Jesus perform many amazing miracles, and some of the disciples had even performed miracles themselves in Jesus’ name.

While on the mountain the disciples get to witness Jesus speaking with Moses and Elijah. Within the Old Testament, God spoke to Moses on a mountain top, laying out his laws for Moses to teach to the people of Israel. Elijah was a prophet. A prophet is someone who has a close connection with God. There were many prophets in the Old Testament. God spoke to the prophets about how his chosen people should live and what will happen in the future. Through their teaching, the prophets helped to prepare Israel for the coming of Christ. Both Moses and Elijah played a hugely significant role in preparing the way for Jesus to come.

Opening Prayer:

Let us begin this session with a prayer of petition. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Holy Spirit we ask that you help guide our thoughts and our imaginations during this time of prayer, Amen.

Encounter

**Use a Bible to read the passage aloud to the class. Where possible, always allow students to hold their own Bible in order to read along with you**

Now sit comfortably with your Bibles open to the Gospel of Matthew within the New Testament and find the large 17 which represents Chapter 17. I will be reading Matthew 17: 1-13 aloud and I ask that you read along with me.

**Read Matthew 17: 1-13 through slowly, ensuring that students are

reading along**

The Transfiguration

17 Six days later Jesus took with him Peter and the brothers James and John and led them up a high mountain where they were alone. 2 As they looked on, a change came over Jesus: his face was shining like the sun, and his clothes were dazzling white. 3 Then the three disciples saw Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus. 4 So Peter spoke up and said to Jesus, “Lord, how good it is that we are here! If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

5 While he was talking, a shining cloud came over them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my own dear Son, with whom I am pleased—listen to him!”

6 When the disciples heard the voice, they were so terrified that they threw themselves face downward on the ground. 7 Jesus came to them and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don't be afraid!” 8 So they looked up and saw no one there but Jesus.

9 As they came down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Don't tell anyone about this vision you have seen until the Son of Man has been raised from death.”

10 Then the disciples asked Jesus, “Why do the teachers of the Law say that Elijah has to come first?”

11 “Elijah is indeed coming first,” answered Jesus, “and he will get everything ready. 12 But I tell you that Elijah has already come and people did not recognize him, but treated him just as they pleased. In the same way they will also mistreat the Son of Man.”

13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.

We are going to read it through one more time. This process of slowly reading the scripture passage is called Lectio Divina, which means Sacred reading. And this time as we read through I want you to try and imagine yourself within the scene and to use your imagination to picture what is happening in the story.

**Read Matthew 17: 1-13 slowly to the class before guiding the students through the scene**

Thank you for reading along. Now that you know the story I’d like you to place your Bibles down and find a comfortable place to lay down and close your eyes. We’re now going to begin the meditation part of our prayer, where we allow the Holy Spirit to guide our imaginations. I will guide you through the process. Try to remain relaxed. If you get distracted, don’t worry, just try and remain quiet and allow my voice to guide you back into your imagination.

Imagine

Begin by closing your eyes and taking a few long, deep breaths. Try to imagine yourself walking along a mountain path. You walk slowly upwards, noticing the sounds of nature that surround you. What exactly can you hear?

As you walk you look around at the other people walking with you. Your dear friend Jesus invited you and two others to join him as he walked to the top of the mountain. Look closely at your friends, what do they look like? What are they wearing? How do you think they are feeling right now? How do you yourself feel as you walk alongside Jesus and your friends.

As you walk notice the feeling of the path under your feet, notice the breeze against your cheeks. Take a long deep breath in through your nose and pay attention to what smells are in the air. Can you smell the trees, flowers, a nearby campfire?

You look ahead and realise that you have arrived at the top of the mountain and you take a moment to enjoy the view. Suddenly you look at Jesus and see he is totally transfigured. His face, his clothing, his whole body. What can you see? Can you look directly at him? Look at his eyes, his mouth, his hands, and his feet. Your friends are also staring. How are you all feeling? You turn back and notice that Jesus is not alone. He has two other men beside him, Moses, the deliverer of the Law of God and the prophet Elijah. They are all talking. Can you hear them? Can you make out what they are saying? Listen and watch in wonder.

Peter goes up to Jesus and offers to build three tents, one for Jesus, Moses and Elijah. How does Jesus react to Peter’s offer? Above you a bright cloud appears. Look at the cloud, notice what makes it unique. A voice seems to emerge from the cloud. What does it sound like? Is it loud or soft? You listen as the voice proclaims “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!”. Your friends fall to the ground in fear. How are you feeling? Are you calm, scared, amazed?

Jesus walks over to you and touches you. He looks at you and says “Get up and do not be afraid.” Does his voice calm you? How do you feel being here with Jesus? As you blink your eyes you realise that it is now only you, Jesus and your friends on the mountain. Moses and Elijah have gone. Where have they gone? What has just happened? What did you just witness?

You turn back to Jesus and notice that he is no longer transfigured. He looks just like he did when you were walking up the mountain. Notice his face and think about how he is feeling right now. How are the other disciples reacting to what they just saw? Take a moment just to rest here and reconnect with your senses. What can you see, hear, touch, taste and smell? When you think you are ready, begin to slowly walk back down the mountain and bring your attention back to the room.

As you sit your bodies back up, we will say a short prayer of thanksgiving.

We thank you Holy Spirit for guiding our imaginations today and allowing us to experience God’s word in a new way. I invite you now to speak aloud any prayers that you may like to share with the group.

**Finish session**

Now that we have finished the meditation, I ask you to please move yourselves into a circle so that we can have a discussion about what you have just experienced in your imagination.

Discuss

What could you see, hear, feel and smell as you journeyed up the mountain with Jesus?
What was it like to see Jesus transfigured? Could you describe what he looked like?
Were you able to see and hear Moses and Elijah and if so how would you describe the experience?
When the cloud appeared above you and you heard the voice coming from the cloud, how did you react?

Contemplate

Now to finish off we’re going to take 10-15 minutes for contemplation, to really reflect upon the story of the Jesus’s transfiguration. During this time you can respond to your imaginative prayer experience in whichever way you feel that you need to. You may choose to write something as your response. A written response could take the form of a recount or a snapshot, describing in detail what you saw and felt during the imaginative prayer. A different response might be to write a journal entry or to compose a prayer. Many may choose to draw a picture of a particular moment within the imaginative experience that was particularly powerful or vivid. As you reflect, in whatever way you would like, think about what took place on the mountain top. Why do you think the author of Matthew’s gospel thought that it so important that we know and understand what took place at Jesus’ transfiguration? What might God be trying to tell you through this story?

** Have some quiet reflective music playing in the background whilst children work**