Opening Prayer:
Saving God, you set your heart on us and made us your own. May we listen with the ear of our hearts to the many ways your Word and your love will be present to us and formed in us this day. We ask this through Jesus, the Word made flesh. Amen. (The Work of God)
Psalm for the Week: Psalm 1
Scripture for the Day: Joshua 1:1-9
Reading for Reflection:
If scripture is to become my teacher, I must put on each story like a robe to be worn, identifying with the characters, walking in their shoes, feeling with their hearts. (Seasons of the Heart by Macrina Wiederkehr)
The practice of lectio divina (sacred reading) guides us to the inner work that brings about transformation. It requires a deep listening to the Word planted in our souls. It summons us to a tender abiding in the hidden mystery of God. It asks of us a patient waiting for God’s personal revelation of truth to us. It draws us into a loving romance with the One who rules the world from the throne of our hearts. It encourages in us a joyful expectation of the healing touch of the Beloved. A deep listening! A tender abiding! A patient waiting! A loving romance! A joyful expectation! These are the warm invitations of this gentle way of being with the Word of God. The gift of this intimate way of praying does not come in one sitting. It is a daily discipline requiring faithful practice.
Long ago when I was a novice in monastic
life, I would get up before the crack of dawn and trudge sleepily to our
monastery chapel to pray the Divine Office with my sisters. Together we would climb through the Psalms:
praising God, rejoicing, pleading, complaining, yearning, crying out, thanking.
In our daily classes we were assured that
if we were faithful to the Word we would be drawn more deeply into relationship
with God, making our morning treks to the chapel a delight. In our daily pondering of the Scriptures, we
were asked to listen with the ear of the heart. It was all very romantic at first, but the
crack of dawn began coming too soon. The
romance wore off. I am happy to say that
now, in my middle years, the romance is returning. I am beginning to see lectio divina as
a way to romance the Word.
When you romance the Word, you pursue the
Word as it pursues you. You ponder it,
pray it, sing it, study it, love it. You
treasure it as Mary treasured the mysteries unfolding in her life (Luke
2:19-20). Listen to it with the ear of
your heart. Cling to it as to a beloved. Cherish it.
Become a home for it. (The Song of the Seed by Macrina
Wiederkehr)Reflection and Listening: silent and written
Prayer: for the church, for others, for myself
Song for the Week: Lord, Speak to Me
Lord, speak to me that I may speak
In living echoes of Thy tone;
As Thou hast sought, so let me seek
Thy erring children lost and lone.
O lead me, Lord, that I may lead
The wandering and the wavering feet;
O feed me, Lord, that I may feed
Thy hungering ones with manna sweet.
O teach me, Lord, that I may teach
The precious things Thou dost impart;
And wing my words, that they may reach
The hidden depths of many a heart.
O fill me with Thy fullness, Lord,
Until my very heart o’erflow
In kindling thought and glowing word,
Thy love to tell, Thy praise to show.
Just as Thou wilt, when, and where,
Until Thy blessed face I see,
Thy rest, Thy joy, Thy glory share.
Lord, speak to me that I may speak
In living echoes of Thy tone.
Closing Prayer:
O Lord, Thou didst strike my heart with Thy Word and I loved Thee.
~St. Augustine
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