By Fr. Ron Will, CPPS.
Welcome to this second episode in a series titled “Encounters of the Fourth Kind.”
If you were with us for the first episode, you probably remember that:
An encounter of the first kind is a sighting of a disk-like object in the distance.
An encounter of the second kind is similar but much closer than the first kind.
An encounter of the third kind is the sighting of non-human beings.
An encounter of the fourth kind is the actual encounter of human beings and
non-human beings.
This series invites you to go deeper in your relationship with God, to plunge into that deeper relationship. It is an invitation to enter the divine embrace.
Last month we entered into the encounter of Mary (a human being), and an angel (a non-human being). It was a very close and a very real encounter.
This series will help us to be open to a personal encounter with the God-man, Jesus Christ, in places where we don’t normally look for him.
I think we all have had experiences of a non-human being that immediately put us in contact with God. For example, I’ve driven through the Rocky Mountains, and I’ve driven through Sonoma, Arizona. I came around a bend in the road, and there was a breathtaking experience of beauty. They immediately put me in touch with God the creator of it all.
We say it was “awesome,” because we are in awe of the God we cannot see, but we are definitely encountering that God.
Or perhaps you’ve walked outside at night, looked up and were suddenly awestruck with the starlight sky and a full moon. I personally can’t look at such a beautiful sky without thinking about God.
I invite you today to take a few minutes right now and recall what happened to Mary after the Annunciation by the Angel Gabriel, when Mary went to visit her cousin Elizabeth.
I invite you to close your eyes for a few minutes, use your active imagination and put yourself in the home of Zachariah & Elizabeth.
In this mediation, you are witnessing a close encounter of the fourth kind. Continue to sit in silence for a couple minutes and experience that encounter yourself.
Then join me again next month, for another close encounter of the fourth kind.
God bless you.
All of the videos in this series can be found here: Encounters of the Fourth Kind.
Never miss an article published on the Renewal Center website: Sign up to receive our newsletters.
[Fr. Ron Will, a Precious Blood priest and spiritual director, is a graduate of Catholic Theological Union and Creighton University’s School of Christian Spirituality. He has a special interest in helping form intentional disciples of Jesus, encouraging others to go spiritually deep-sea diving to explore a deeper relationship with God, and walking with people as they dive into the ocean of God’s mystery actually experiencing God rather than simply dipping one’s toe into the water.]
Visitation of the Virgin Mary, medieval relief on the facade of Basilica of San Zeno in Verona, Italy. Photo 132024490 / Visitation © Zatletic | Dreamstime.com
We’d Like to Hear from You!
We’d like to know what you think about this article. Send us a comment using the form below. Do you have a suggestion? Is there something you want to learn more about? Send us a note.
An Encounters of the Fourth Kind Video
By Fr. Ron Will, CPPS
I’m sure you’ve seen pictures earth taken from outer space. Or gazed yourself upon a full moon. As you admire the beauty of the night sky, allow gratitude to the creator to rise in your heart. This 10-minute meditation invites to experience the awesome beauty of God’s creation.
Immersed in Mass, Encountering God
Each eucharistic celebration is an encounter with Jesus. Attending Mass week after week, year after year, one is tempted to turn on automatic pilot and become numb to that encounter. Awaken your senses and learn how what we do at Sunday Mass relates to the bigger picture of your life.