Christian Meditation Groups - Sharing the Gift

A PEARL OF GREAT PRICE
Laurence Freeman, OSB

Again the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for
fine pearls; when he finds one of great value he goes and
sells everything he owns and buys it. (Matthew 13:45)

HARING THE GIFT

At a certain point in your own practice of meditation it dawns on you that you

have indeed received a pearl of great price. Your Martha has stopped

complaining about Mary. You see that being comes before doing and gives all

doing the character of love. Still you may feel uncertain and cautious about

taking the next step. After all, you will say, ‘I’m not a guru. I don’t know much

about it anyway. And on top of that I’m not very good at it. I can’t teach anyone

else’. These thoughts are a good sign that you probably are ready to share the

gift. But how to begin?

The very first step is most likely becoming comfortable to bearing witness to the

reality of your own practice. This hardly means taking on any kind of in-your-

face evangelical fervor. Sometimes you meet someone who shares him or herself

with you more deeply than usual and you think ‘maybe they would be

interested in meditation’. So mention it. Or someone asks you why you seem a

little easier to get on with than before. Tell them. Or you’re staying with friends

and you need to get away for half an hour to meditate before the evening

socializing. Explain where you’re going. All this is a matter of discretion, of

course. Fortunately meditation cultivates discretion and good judgment.

Starting a group is a step further. Again you may feel hesitation. ‘I’m just a

beginner,’ you will say. John Main says we are all always beginners. ‘But I’m not

a teacher,’ you will say. Yes but Jesus is. You have only to worry about being a

disciple. Seeing yourself as student, a disciple of Christ who teaches you by

meditating in you, with you and for you, is all the qualification you need to go

ahead. Jesus encouraged his disciples to teach ‘in my name’, which means in his

presence and with his spirit. You need to be humble, but never afraid.

Furthermore you have a community and a tradition to support and help you.

F irst step s : First obstacles

A PEARL OF GREAT PRICE

SHARING THE GIFT OF CHRISTIAN MEDITATION BY STARTING A GROUP

THE WORLD COMMUNITY FOR CHRISTIAN MEDITATION