Read the following slowly and aloud if possible:
Joan Chittister writes in Praying with the Benedictines, “Prayer is what links the religious and the spiritual, the inner and the outer dimensions of life. Every spiritual tradition on earth forms a person in some kind of regular practice designed to focus the mind and the spirit. Regular prayer reminds us that life is punctuated by God, awash in God, encircled by God. To interrupt the day with prayer-with any centering activity that draws us beyond the present to the consciousness of eternal truth-is to remind ourselves of the timelessness of eternity. Prayer and regular spiritual practices serves as a link between this life and the next. They remind us of what we are doing and why we’re doing it and where our lives are going. They give us the strength of heart to sustain us on the way. When life goes dry, only the memory of God makes life bearable again. Then we remember that whatever is has purpose.”
From the Prologue to The Rule of St. Benedict, “This, then, is the beginning of my advice: make prayer the first step in anything worthwhile that you attempt. Persevere and do not weaken in that prayer. Pray with confidence, because God, in his love and forgiveness, has counted us as his own sons and daughters.”
Benedict gave us the practice of Lectio Divina, Holy Reading. Eugene Peterson has given us contemporary words of Read, Think, Pray and Live as the movements for Lectio. Each element has a purpose, but the elements weave and warp into each other. Lectio is a whole practice, just as a weaving made up of hundreds of individual threads is a whole.
Our 2nd tool is to practice lectio with a bit of scripture. Here are the movements:
Read: thoughtfully, leisurely faithfully, outloud, slowly.
Think: Peterson writes, “ each subtle, significant, powerful word of Scripture is meant for you. One word may speak today and another tomorrow…so listen. (Interestingly “listen” is the very first word that Benedict writes in his Rule!)
Pray: Rest in God. Sit, journal, pray aloud, pray silent, pray with the scripture, dance, listen.
Live: Unless we live in God’s word, we miss the whole point.
The scripture today is Psalm 100. I’d love to hear from you about the ways God is speaking through the scripture today.
Read
Think
Pray
Live
Remember to practice The Examen tonight. Ignatius would instruct his priests when they were overwhelmed with their responsibilities they could take a break from everything, except the examen!
Resources:
Peterson, Eugene; The Message Remix: Solo; Navpress, Colorado Springs, CO, 2007.
DeBona OSB, Guerric; Praying with the Benedictines, A Window on the Cloister; Paulist Press; New York, 2007.
The Benedictine Handbook, Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota, 2003.
The joy of the Lord is everywhere and available to me in ALL my circumstances. What a promise! What assurance! What hope! How is it that I would despair? I dwell in His pasture no matter what my current position or dwelling may be. His hand created me in my mother's womb.
ReplyDeleteMy sister and I will be traveling to Calif. next week to take our mother's ashes to be be buried along side our dad. I sit here right now, close to those ashes, realizing my earthly parents no longer exist. Their physical love couldn't remain for eternity. The womb in which God knit me together is now but ashes. But because of Ps. 1, I have a promise that the very One that created me, now miraculously dwells within my heart. That His love is forever with me. That I have a hope that I will be reunited with my earthly parents. WOW!!! Gladness, singing, joy, thanksgiving, praise! I'm going to try and memorize this scripture.
I have been troubled by the state of our nation and worried about what kind of world my grand children will have to face. I desire to be aware of the world happenings but want to turn the fears into praise and thanksgiving to a Savior that PROMISES to lovingly care for His own! That all generations will be safe in His pasture. I pray that His Spirit will enable me to demonstrate lovingkindness so I may live day to day in remembrance of Him. That my actions and words will encourage my children and grandchildren to seek Him and that the little ones will meet Him and invite Him into their hearts. For then they too will be safe in His keeping, dwelling in His pasture! I will stand on His promises for it is everlasting to all generations. Thank you Lord Jesus!
Blessings to you Ellen!
Oops. I meant Ps 100.
ReplyDeleteShout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
ReplyDelete2 Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
This is such a beautiful scripture - so upbeat, happy, positive and reassuring. It is comforting to know that His love for us, for me, endures forever and ever. He is steady, consistent, reliable, nearby. One day, we will enter his gates with singing and thanksgiving....something to look forward to.