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Chapter 6 Formation Prayer

The document provides a reflection on chapter 6 about formation prayer. It discusses how formation prayer is a process of transformation to conform to the image of Christ through communion with God and dying to our own image. It is not about perfection but progress in the spiritual life. The reflection also discusses how we are like clay being molded by God and gold being refined through trials. Proper formation requires embracing God's will through humility and finding impact through small daily acts of faith like St. Therese of Lisieux. The reflection is personal about beginning the journey as a seminarian to be molded back to Christ's image over 34 years.

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Ryan Tristan Ocido Digan
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179 views2 pages

Chapter 6 Formation Prayer

The document provides a reflection on chapter 6 about formation prayer. It discusses how formation prayer is a process of transformation to conform to the image of Christ through communion with God and dying to our own image. It is not about perfection but progress in the spiritual life. The reflection also discusses how we are like clay being molded by God and gold being refined through trials. Proper formation requires embracing God's will through humility and finding impact through small daily acts of faith like St. Therese of Lisieux. The reflection is personal about beginning the journey as a seminarian to be molded back to Christ's image over 34 years.

Uploaded by

Ryan Tristan Ocido Digan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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A Reflection on Chapter 6:

FORMATION PRAYER
Ryan Tristan O. Digan
October 10, 2018

We are now going deeper and deeper towards the understanding of our own self in relation

to prayer. After Five chapters of moving inward, it is important also to talk about what do we hope

for or what do we aspire for in this journey. “The primary purpose of prayer is to bring us into

such a life of communion with the Father that, by the power of the Spirit, we are increasingly

conformed to the image of the Son. This process of transformation is the sole focus of Formation

Prayer” We are leaning towards the image and likeness of Christ. But we need to die first of our

own image of ourself, it is a conversion and it is a process. “When I speak of Formation Prayer, I

am talking not about perfectionism but about progress in the spiritual life,” according to Richard

Foster. Man falter sometimes, hence the importance of this prayer and since it is a process, it is a

two-way process, this is what Richard Foster tells us, there is an active side of pursuing God. “We

are sojourners seeking a city whose builder and maker is God. We are a pilgrim people on a journey

of faith. We are working out our own salvation with fear and trembling. We are exercising

ourselves unto godliness.” Since our effort is not enough, and we are weak in the sight of God, so

He also is working on our formation, we are also being pursued by God. God is also working in

us, we are just like the warm clay in the hands of the Master Potter.

As I reflect on this chapter, I realized more than the warm clay being molded by God, we

are actually gold that is being tested by fire, and the end product would be God’s wonderful

masterpiece. However, the process is not soft and easy. Just like gold, we are also to undergo fire

– that is, there would be a lot of temptations and persecutions along the way. The fire can be akin

to the trials and sufferings that we encounter each day, but that is necessary for us to grow and

mature with our faith.


Richard Foster cited an example of the Twelve Steps of Saint Benedict into humility.

“Several of Benedict’s steps focus on our relationship with God: Have a constant reverence for

God before our eyes; reject our own will and desires and, instead, do God’s will; confess all of our

evil thoughts and all of our evil actions to the Lord” – this will help us as we participate in the

formation process of ourselves. Likewise, Foster also made mention about “The Little Way” of St.

Thérèse of Lisieux. That is, in our own little ways, we can create an impact to the process of

changing ourselves into the image and likeness of God. St. Thérèse seemed to be reminding us not

to get discouraged in our everyday task however small it is so long as we put Christ in the middle

of our work, we can be assured that God is smiling on us.

As I began my journey as a Seminarian, I realized that we are called as formants because

we are now being molded back to the image and likeness of Christ. For 34 years, I had been so

worldly and I asked myself then, was Jesus happy with what I have accomplished in life after 34

years? I was struck and silent. Being in the seminary is not a guarantee that I can consider myself

right away as holy, however, this is process of “formation.” It is not easy, there are a lot of

struggles, but I think these are all necessary and part of the formation to purify my intention and

my whole self as preparation for the mission ahead.

The song that I chose for this chapter is “Manatili Ka” and the lyrics goes like this:

“Manatili ka kahit sandali, hihilumin Koa ng iyong hapdi.

Bakit lagi nang nagmamadali? Di malilisan ang ‘yong pighati?

Isaysay sa ‘Kin lahat mong pait, bubulungan ka ng ‘sang oyayi.

Kailan titigilan ang ‘yong katatakbo? Kailan pipigilan pagpasan mo sa mundo?

Manatili ka kahit sandal, buuin muli ang ‘yong sarili,

Magtiwala ka’t tayo’y magwawagi. Ang pulang ulap ay mahahawi.”

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