Lectio Divina (english) - Pentecost
Lectio Divina (Español)
Lectio Divina - The How to Do
Since the word is such an integral part of formation in the Catholic Church, the following is a method of reading the Bible that allows the reader to encounter it as God’s word for the reader. It is an invitation to encounter God through reflection on the word.
The following method is an ancient method, lectio divina, an ancient practice of meditating on the Scriptures.
- Set aside about 15 minutes each week.
- Before the Sunday liturgy, slowly contemplate on the Scriptures for the coming Sunday (the gospel first, then if time permits the other readings) as a means of communion with God.
- This prayerful reflection will help you prepare to fully encounter the sacramental presence of God in the Sunday proclamation of the Scriptures.
Lectio (means reading or listening).
Sit down in a comfortable, quiet place. Begin with a prayer or a litany that you can recite repeatedly until you become quiet and settled, such as ―Lord, have mercy, Christ, have mercy, Lord have mercy.
Listen for the still, small quiet voice of God, God quietly touching your heart.
Be silent before God.
Slowly, purposefully read each paragraph of the Scripture text. Listen for a word or phrase that God might be quietly speaking to you. What word or phrase touches your heart?
Meditation
Once you have found a word or phrase that speaks to you, ponder it in your heart.
Take it in; allow it to wash over you. Allow it to interact with your thoughts and desires.
Allow the word or phrase you chose to become God’s word for you, a word that touches you in your innermost spiritual being.
Prayer
Enter into conversation with God. Offer every part of yourself, even the part you think God is not interested in, even the parts you do not like about yourself.
Give permission for the word you have been given to change you, to transform your heart, to touch you at the deepest level of your being. Bring your most painful experiences into the word God has given you. Allow God’s healing word to heal you.
Contemplation
Rest in God’s presence and God’s loves embrace.
Be quiet before the God who knows you most and loves you best. Enter into silence, let go of your own words.
Just enjoy being in the presence of God.
Before you leave this prayerful encounter with God, ask God to help you experience his sacramental presence on Sunday when this word is proclaimed again in the Eucharistic liturgy.
Ask him to more deeply open your eyes and your heart to the Scripture’s power to transform you.
Ask God to help you more fully enter into the conversation with God and his people.
Ask God to show you how to become a better disciple.
Action
Ask God to show you what action, change of behavior he is asking you to consider as a result of praying, listening, and reflecting on his word in the liturgy and with others.
*****Credit for material presented above goes to Mary Birmingham****
Pentecost
First Reading
Acts 2:1-11
They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak.
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles
When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled,
they were all in one place together.
And suddenly there came from the sky
a noise like a strong driving wind,
and it filled the entire house in which they were.
Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire,
which parted and came to rest on each one of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
and began to speak in different tongues,
as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.
Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven
staying in Jerusalem.
At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd,
but they were confused
because each one heard them speaking in his own language.
They were astounded, and in amazement they asked,
"Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans?
Then how does each of us hear them in his native language?
We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites,
inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia,
Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia,
Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene,
as well as travelers from Rome,
both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs,
yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues
of the mighty acts of God."
The word of the Lord.
Reflection Questions
_ Why is the wisdom literature still relevant for our contemporary culture?
_ What is wisdom and why do we need it?
_ Where in your life is Lady Wisdom needed? What can she offer you at this time your life?
_ Who is the wisest person you know and why did you choose that person as example of wisdom?
_ In what way does this reading from Proverbs reveal the Trinity?
_ What is the good news in this reading?
Second Reading
Romans 8:8-17
Those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans
Brothers and sisters:
Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
But you are not in the flesh;
on the contrary, you are in the spirit,
if only the Spirit of God dwells in you.
Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
But if Christ is in you,
although the body is dead because of sin,
the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,
the one who raised Christ from the dead
will give life to your mortal bodies also,
through his Spirit that dwells in you.
Consequently, brothers and sisters,
we are not debtors to the flesh,
to live according to the flesh.
For if you live according to the flesh, you will die,
but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body,
you will live.
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear,
but you received a Spirit of adoption,
through whom we cry, "Abba, Father!"
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit
that we are children of God,
and if children, then heirs,
heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ,
if only we suffer with him
so that we may also be glorified with him.
The word of the Lord.
Reflection Questions
Are you inclined to think that following the Law is going to insure your salvation?
What are some of the characteristics of people who believe that the Law will save
them? How do such people behave as a rule? Why is Paul so insistent that the
Law does not save? What is the danger in thinking that it does?
We are created in the image of God and God sees an intrinsic goodness within us.
If God asked you to describe what is good about you, how would you respond?
What evidence is there in your life that the Holy Spirit lives within you?
Sequence
Veni, Sancte Spiritus
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
And from your celestial home
Shed a ray of light divine!
Come, Father of the poor!
Come, source of all our store!
Come, within our bosoms shine.
You, of comforters the best;
You, the soul's most welcome guest;
Sweet refreshment here below;
In our labor, rest most sweet;
Grateful coolness in the heat;
Solace in the midst of woe.
O most blessed Light divine,
Shine within these hearts of yours,
And our inmost being fill!
Where you are not, we have naught,
Nothing good in deed or thought,
Nothing free from taint of ill.
Heal our wounds, our strength renew;
On our dryness pour your dew;
Wash the stains of guilt away:
Bend the stubborn heart and will;
Melt the frozen, warm the chill;
Guide the steps that go astray.
On the faithful, who adore
And confess you, evermore
In your sevenfold gift descend;
Give them virtue's sure reward;
Give them your salvation, Lord;
Give them joys that never end. Amen.
Alleluia.
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Gospel
John 14:15-16, 23b-26
The Holy Spirit will teach you everything.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John
Jesus said to his disciples:
"If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
And I will ask the Father,
and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always.
"Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.
Those who do not love me do not keep my words;
yet the word you hear is not mine
but that of the Father who sent me.
"I have told you this while I am with you.
The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name,
will teach you everything
and remind you of all that I told you."
The Gospel of the Lord.
Questions for reflection
_ How do we experience the presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of the community today?
_ What is the evidence that the Spirit is at work in the lives of people in their parish?
_ What evidence is there in your life that the Spirit of God is alive and working in your life?
_ What is the message of love of Jesus in the Gospel?
_ How are you currently living Jesus' message of love at home, work and play? What is needed to grow in your love life?
_ If someone told you that you are a loving person, what does that mean for You? What is a person who loves?
_ What do you expect when Jesus tells us to love? Why conduct such emphasis on the need to love?
_ When you love difficult people? Have you ever loved someone when was difficult to love? What they teach in the implications of love as Jesus loves us?
_ What does the phrase, love recognizes love mean to you?
_ Jesus wants us to love as he loved us'unto death. He paid the price of mercy " In other words, for the love and mercy for us that he gave his life. How are he called to give their lives for others and therefore live as Jesus taught us to live?
_ How, if any, are you aware of the Spirit who dwells in you? How could be more aware?
_ If the Spirit of God dwells in your heart, what are the implications for the way you live your life? What behaviors would you change?
_ If you knew that Jesus was coming to their home to you, I would you want to change in your heart before you invited to your house?
_ Other topics may also choose - choose the scope and sequence chart and create your own statement of connection. The following statements do the appropriate connections between the doctrinal issue they have chosen and the the liturgy of the day.
_ Jesus wants us to love as he loved us'unto death. He paid the price of mercy "
In other words, for the love and mercy for us that he gave his life. How are he called to give their lives for others and therefore live as Jesus taught us tolive?