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An Interior Pilgrimage with The Interior Liturgy…

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Orientation and Introduction to a Brief Meditation on the Our Father, according to the Seven Stations of the Interior Liturgy:

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1. Orientation. To prepare to meditate on The Interior Liturgy of the Our Father, please read this entire Introduction first.

2. Time for Prayer. When you are ready for the meditation, and have a quiet time and an attentive heart, after reading this Introduction, proceed to the 1st Station.

3. Plan and Program. Some may choose to pray one Station per day; others may want to pray through the entire Liturgy, slowly and attentively. Seek always, however, to remain in His prayer, with Him and in Him.

A general guide:   The first and the last “rule” in praying the Our Father:

• Pray the Our Father slowly,
• purposefully,
• with attention,
• listening, listening, listening
• open,
• with a heart of obedience,
• as to God.

Introduction

The Our Father is a prayer prayed as it was given: with seven petitions, from first to last. The Our Father is also a liturgy – an Interior Liturgy – a work of God in the soul, in seven stations forming the soul to the love and the will of God.  Thus we pray the prayer as it is given us:

Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
Amen

The Interior Work of the Prayer

The Our Father is a prayer answered in grace – in seven stations, in seven petitions – forming us into the love and the will of God. The stations form the soul from the last of the petitions to the first:

• The 1st station, the Station of Deliverance:
“Deliver us from evil.”

• The 2nd Station, the Station of Trial:
“Lead us not into temptation.”

• The 3rd Station, the Station of Mercy:
“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

• The 4th Station, the Station of Consecration at the Altar:
“Give us this day our daily bread.”

• The 5th Station, the Station of Consecration in Suffering:
“Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

• The 6th Station, the Station of Ecclesial Communion:
“Thy kingdom come.”

• The 7th Station, the Station of Personal Communion:
“Hallowed be thy name.”

The Three Movements of the Liturgy

The Interior Liturgy of the Our Father is a liturgy also that flows through three movements – just as our Holy Liturgy of Mass flows through three movements. In the Holy Liturgy of the Mass, we have:

1. The Liturgy of the Word – a movement of conversion – prayers, readings and homily ordered to our conversion, and
The Liturgy of the Eucharist, including:
2. The Consecration at the Altar – a movement of consecration – bread and wine become Christ, our Eucharist, and,
3. The Holy Communion – a movement of communion – Christ our Eucharist is given to the people.

So also in The Interior Liturgy of the Our Father, we have three movements:
1. The First Movement of the Interior Liturgy is a Liturgy of the Word. The call is to repentance, to conversion, to prepare to meet Christ in Communion.

•The 1st station, the Station of Deliverance:
“Deliver us from evil.”

•The 2nd Station, the Station of Trial:
“Lead us not into temptation.”

•The 3rd Station, the Station of Mercy:
“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

2. The Second Movement of the Interior Liturgy is also a Liturgy of Consecration, but at the altar of the heart. At the altar of the heart, the prayer is for Christ, and the call is to consecration to Him.

•The 4th Station, the Station of Consecration at the Altar:
“Give us this day our daily bread.”

•The 5th Station, the Station of Consecration in Suffering:
“Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

3. The Third Movement of the Interior Liturgy is also a Liturgy of Communion. The call is into communion in Christ with persons here on earth, and communion in Christ with God in heaven, the Holy Trinity.

•The 6th Station, the Station of Ecclesial Communion:
“Thy kingdom come.”

•The 7th Station, the Station of Personal Communion:
“Hallowed be thy name.”

The Seven Sacraments of the Liturgy

The Interior Liturgy of the Our Father is a liturgy that flows through seven Sacraments, each station like a sacramental corresponding to its unique sacrament, each preparing us for the grace of the Sacrament, Christ.

The 1st movement, of conversion:

•The 1st Station, the Station of Deliverance:
The petition is, “Deliver us from evil.”
The sacrament of the 1st Station is Baptism, which delivers us from evil.
•The 2nd Station, the Station of Trial:
The petition is, “Lead us not into temptation.”
The sacrament of the 2nd Station is Confirmation, which strengthens us for trial.
•The 3rd Station, the Station of Mercy:
The petition is, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
The sacrament of the 3rd Station is Reconciliation, which brings us mercy.

The 2nd movement, of consecration:

•The 4th Station, the Station of Consecration at the Altar:
The petition is, “Give us this day our daily bread.”
The sacrament of the 4th Station is Eucharist, which brings us the Bread of Life.
•The 5th Station, the Station of Consecration in Suffering:
The petition is, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
The sacrament of the 5th Station is the Anointing of the Sick, which unites our suffering to the suffering of Christ, who did the Father’s will on earth as in heaven.

The 3rd movement, of communion:

•The 6th Station, the Station of Ecclesial Communion:
The petition is, “Thy kingdom come.”
The sacrament of the 6th Station is Holy Orders, which gives the priesthood of the kingdom begun here on earth.
•The 7th Station, the Station of Personal Communion:
The petition is, “Hallowed be thy name.”
The sacrament of the 7th Station is Matrimony, which makes of two persons, one, as the Holy Name is the Name of Three Persons in One.

After this Introduction, you are ready to begin the meditation on the Seven Stations of the Interior Liturgy…..

Move to 1st Station of Interior Pilgrimage