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When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’ [Luke 20: 19-23]

Find a comfortable position for this time of prayer …

Become aware of your breathing …

Try not to alter its speed or depth … simply notice…

Focus on each breath passing in and out ...

Feel the air as it flows into you … giving you life …

Turn your attention to the gift of each breath, and God who delights in giving you being.

Breathe in God’s life … God’s love for you …

Breathe out all that gets in the way of that love …

Let your attention turn to God and let yourself be loved by God as you are just now.

Ask for what you want from God in this time of prayer.

In your mind’s eye imagine the house where the disciples are… the room in which they have met together … What kind of place is it? … See the doors, windows, and what else do you notice in the room … It is evening. How is the room lit … What noises can you hear? … perhaps people talking in the streets, Roman soldiers marching by or the bleating of animals being herded close by? … Might you notice the smells in this place … perhaps of food or what else…

Now let the whole scene come to life. See the disciples locking the doors … hear them speaking together in the room, perhaps remembering stories from their time with Jesus … What sort of an impression do they make on you?

You are there. What is the atmosphere like as you survey the scene and watch them? … Place yourself in the scene wherever you feel drawn to be and let yourself be involved.

The risen Jesus appears in the room… What do you notice about him? … What might he be feeling as he looks around and sees the disciples locked away …

Now allow the action to unfold … See Jesus show you all his hands and side…. Hear his words ‘Peace be with you’ … feel his breath flow over you all … notice his actions … and your own response…

If there hasn’t yet been an opportunity to talk with Jesus, imagine he now comes and finds you and engages you in conversation. Talk to him about what has just taken place … about what is on your heart. Be in his company.

It’s time to leave that place. You make your goodbyes to Jesus … When you are ready return to this time and place.

We end by saying together:

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen.