Lectio for chapter 5

Bible candle2Isaiah 42:1-4

Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen, in whom my soul delights;

I have put my spirit upon him;
he will bring forth justice to the nations.

He will not cry or lift up his voice,
or make it heard in the street;

a bruised reed he will not break,
and a dimly burning wick he will not quench;

he will faithfully bring forth justice.
He will not grow faint or be crushed
until he has established justice in the earth;

and the coastlands wait for his teaching.

 

 

Lectio for chapter 6

loaves and fishesMark 6:30-44

Contemplation with Scripture*

step one

I prepare myself for prayer.
I remember that God is here with me.

step two

I read the gospel story:

Jesus said to them, ‘Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.’ For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves.

Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

When it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, ‘This is a deserted place, and the hour is now very late; send them away so that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy something for themselves to eat.’ But he answered them, ‘You give them something to eat.’

They said to him, ‘Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread, and give it to them to eat?’ And he said to them, ‘How many loaves have you? Go and see.’ When they had found out, they said, ‘Five, and two fish.’

Then he ordered them to get all the people to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and he divided the two fish among them all. And all ate and were filled; and they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand.

step three

I picture the place where the story takes place.
I ask God to speak to me through the story.

step four

I imagine that I am one of the people in the scene.

What do I see?
What do I smell?
What do I feel?
What do I taste?
What do I hear?

I remain there in the scene.

conclusion

I respond to God in my own words.
I take time to rest in God.

 

loaves small

* Adapted from
YOU: Prayer for Beginners and Those Who Have Forgotten How
by Mark Link, S. J.

Lectio for chapter 7

Feeding of Judas Matthew 26:17-22 * *

Contemplation with Scripture

step one

I prepare myself for prayer.
I remember that God is here.

step two

I read the gospel story:

On the first day of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?”  He said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, “The Teacher says, “My time is near; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.”  So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal.  When it was evening, Jesus took his place with the twelve; and while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” And they became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another, “Surely not I, Lord?’ (Matthew 26:17-22)

step three

I picture the room where the story takes place.
I ask God to speak to me through the story.

step four

I imagine that I am one of the people at the table.

What do I see?
What do I smell?
What do I feel?
What do I taste?
What do I hear?

I remain there in the scene.

conclusion

I respond to God in my own words.
I take time to rest in God.

* * Feeding Judas, a woodcut by P. Solomon Raj (from The Christian Century, February 17, 2016).  A Lutheran pastor, Raj is director of St. Luke’s Lalitkala Ashram in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India.

Lectio for chapter 8

heart fire Psalm 51

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your loving-kindness; *
in your great compassion blot out my offenses.
Wash me through and through from my wickedness *
and cleanse me from my sin.
Against you only have I sinned *
and done what is evil in your sight.
And so you are justified when you speak *
and upright in your judgement.
Indeed, I have been wicked from my birth, *
a sinner from my mother’s womb.
For behold, you look for truth deep within me, *
and will make me understand wisdom secretly.
Purge me from my sing, and I shall be pure; *
wash me, and I shall be clean indeed.
Make me hear of joy and gladness, *
that the body you have broken may rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins *
and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in my a clean heart, O God, *
and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence *
and take not your holy Spirit from me.

Lectio and meditatio 1
*  Read the passage slowly, silently or aloud, and take a few minutes for silent reflection.
*  Now identify a word or phrase that catches your attention.
*  In your journal, write down any words that touch you.

Lectio and meditatio 2
*  Read the passage slowly a second time, and again take a few minutes for reflection.
*  Ask yourself, “How does this passage speak to my life today?”
*  Write down your response.

Lectio and meditatio 3
*  Read the passage a third time, and once again take a few minutes for reflection.
*  Ask yourself, “What do I believe God wants me to do or be? Is God inviting me to change in any way?”
* Write down your response.

Oratio and contemplatio
*  Conclude with prayer (not a prayer of words, but a time of remaining open to the Spirit who has spoken to you through the Scripture).
*  You may wish to write down thoughts, images, and insights that came in your time of prayer.

Lectio for chapter 9

VISIO DIVINA
‘Holy  Reading’ Using a Work of Art *

Road to Emmaus Bonnell
Luke 24:13-35
(The Road to Emmaus, by Daniel Bonnell)

 

Lectio Divina, an ancient monastic practice, is a meditative way of reading Scripture.  Visio Divina is another way of holy ‘reading’, opening up God’s message through art.


Practicing ‘Visio Divina’

Lectio:  Read  the picture slowly and quietly. Give it time to open up in you.

MeditatioReflect   upon what the picture is saying to you – and what you want to talk to God about – because of what the picture suggests or represents.

OratioRespond   by writing down what has entered your spirit.  Now circle a word or phrase from what you have written.

ContemplatioRest  with your word or phrase, allowing the Holy Spirit’s wisdom to speak to your spirit.

*  Adapted from Rita King, “Praying with Icons and Images: Visio Divina”