Special Agape Prayer Practice

For a couple of years, I’ve been developing a form of extended prayer practice using the spiritual power of agape. The last time I reported in this blog on the “agape prayer practice” was in the 7/27/10 posting. I won’t repeat what I said then, but instead will give a brief summary of how the practice has developed since then.

Because I carefully went through all of the scripture references on 7/27/10 (and in many other postings), I won’t repeat that. Instead, I’ll draw out from those scriptures the meaning that applies to agape. This practice involves praying for people, as is recommended in scripture. Specifically, during a time of prayer, I imagine God’s agape pouring into the heart of another person and adding to that person’s well-being.

As St. Paul explained in his letters, the spiritual power of agape flows to us as a gift from God, then agape flows through us out to other people, then to the rest of Creation in patient, kind, caring, compassionate, accepting, loving, respectful, joy-filled ways. Even though we know that the flow does not originate with us, but it helps our faith development to pray that process.

I developed 7 steps with the practice, as I prayed for an expanding list of persons (a few of the steps took a long time to develop, so I didn’t move from step to step until I was fully ready). I’ll now give a general summary that makes this prayer practice available for anyone else to follow.

STEP 1 begins with RECEIVING agape from God. We need to practice becoming fully aware of what agape feels like as it opens us up spiritually and then draws us close to God’s Presence. (Most of the postings in this blog for the last 2 years have been about this step.)

STEP 2 begins the process of SENDING agape to other people. It starts with praying that the feeling experienced in Step 1 happen in the life of a person you feel close to and respect. You should choose a person you deeply want to receive God’s agape in her or his life. Prayerfully feel God's agape flowing into the life of that respected person.

STEP 3 expands the prayer practice to include one more person. You choose to pray for a person who is a dearly beloved friend. Honestly and truly pray for the well-being of that person. Feel the emotion of sharing in agape with that person. Feel the power of agape flowing into the center of that person’s being. Imagine that person being drawn close to and opening up to both the personal Presence and vastness of eternity. Desire that person to find personal well-being and deep sense of peace.

STEP 4 is choosing a neutral person. Honestly and truly pray for the well-being of agape to come into the life of a person who is merely an acquaintance of yours, but who otherwise you are not especially friends with. Follow the prayer process from Step 3 with the neutral person.

STEP 5 is the hardest; you should choose someone who has done something irritable to you, or who might feel hostile toward you (even as an enemy). Practice praying (as in Step 3) for agape for that person until you can genuinely feel the ‘soft, warm,’ comforting feeling of agape for them. Truly pray for the well-being of that person.

STEP 6 is to expand ‘the circle of agape’ out to a group of people; for example, a church or school or family or neighborhood or housing complex. Pray to experience how God sends agape to them.

STEP 7 is to expand ‘the circle of agape’ out and out to ever larger groups; to communities, even to regions of a country, then to nations, then to continents. Eventually, pray for agape to non-human creatures, and finally to all of Creation.

During the next 7 postings, each one will focus on one step.

Of course, these steps are only possible because agape is not originating with you, but is actually the way the divine Presence is made manifest to all that God creates. Obviously, this prayer practice should lead to action -- to the power of agape actually flowing through your life’s work, out to actively helping the lives of people and to the care for Creation.