St. John’s 

　
The silent contemplation, titled “Following the steps of Jesus,” began with words of Father Yoshiyuki Hagiwara of Congregatio Sanctissimi Redemptoris. He said, “Prayer is a blessing.” In order to experience it, he asked us to relax and let our minds and bodies rest in God's bosom.

　Then with Father’s guidance we carefully traced the life of Jesus from his birth to baptism, missionary work, the calling of the 12 disciples, last supper, passion, and resurrection. In contemplating his path, I felt Jesus close to me. I took a deep breath in the love of merciful God, who warmly welcomes all people. My body, mind, and spirit were renewed, and I felt ready to take a new step forward by grace of God.

Father Hagiwara went on:

“To meditate is
　　to live in gratitude and joy.
　　to live life more fully.
　　to look for the grace that is all around us.
　　and to be aware.
　To do this, we need peace in our hearts.”

　I would like to thank Father from the bottom of my heart for his kind guidance as he gently accompanied us through meditation.

　I would also like to convey my appreciation to the sisters of the Holy Spirit, who graciously let us use the House of Meditation. Without their mindful preparation, we could not all have immersed ourselves in silent contemplation as fully as we did.