The Welcome Prayer

I spoke about “The Welcome Prayer” in my sermon on August 13^th. I learned about this prayer during a recent continuing education retreat at Sacred Heart Monastery in Cullman, Alabama. Someone asked me to put a synopsis of the Welcome Prayer in the newsletter so here goes.

An energetic New Yorker named Mary Mrozowski is the founding genius behind the Welcome Prayer which is a Christian prayer that deals with afflictive emotions such as anger, pride, greed, lust, and even physical pain.

There are three steps to the Welcome Prayer. First, become aware of an emotion rising within and focus on the feeling it brings. Try to determine which emotion you are feeling and name the emotion if you can. Now welcome God into the feeling. For instance, if the feeling is anger, slowly and gently say, “Welcome anger. Welcome anger. Welcome anger.” Stay with the emotion you are feeling – sort of like kneading a charley horse in your leg – going back and forth between “focusing” on the feeling and “welcoming” God into the feeling until the knot begins to dissolve of its own accord. Stay with the feeling and do not be in a hurry to dismiss it. When you are ready to let go of the feeling, say something like “I let go of my anger,” or, if you prefer, “I give my anger to God.” The Welcome Prayer is a spiritual technique that helps us fulfill the Apostle Paul’s admonition in Ephesians 4:26 which instructs us to “be angry but do not sin.”

For a more complete description read the chapter titled “The Welcoming Prayer” written by Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault in her book Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening which can be ordered online at www.amazon.com. My sermon called “The Welcome Prayer” is available online at jonbsermons.blogspot.com.

Peace,

Jon B.