Isaiah,
Chapter 41, verse 22-23
22 Let them draw near and foretell to us what
it is that shall happen! What are the things of long ago? Tell us, that we may
reflect on them and know their outcome; Or declare to us the things to come, 23 tell what is to be in the future, that we
may know that you are gods! Do something, good or evil, that will put us in awe
and in fear.
This verse is Isaiah’s indictment
of Babylonian gods that is patterned on a legal trial, in which they are
challenged to prove power over events of history and so justify their status as
gods. Christ at his coming did show his power as God by his healings and
miracles but still the Jews did not believe because their mind was trapped by wrong
thinking. If we are to follow Christ we must know His thinking.
Today let us reflect on
Christ’s mind given in the gospel.
“To you who hear I say, love your
enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for
those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the
other one as well, and from the person, who takes your cloak, do not withhold
even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes
what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to
you. For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even
sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to
you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. If you lend money to
those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners
lend to sinners, and get back the same amount. But rather, love your enemies
and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be
great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the
ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as also your Father is merciful.
“Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be
condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to
you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be
poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be
measured out to you.”
John 3:16
God
so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son; so that everyone who
believes in him might have eternal life.
A few years ago I was
assigned jury duty and while on the way to the court I saw spray painted John 3:16 and I thought I know that
verse and said it in my head. That morning at court my group was not selected
for the morning session and we were released for lunch. I thought maybe today I
will skip lunch and go to the Basilica for Mass. I had for some time now been
very unhappy with my place of employment and thought perhaps the Lord will give
me some direction. The Basilica was the same church that Saint Pope John Paul
II said his Mass in Phoenix when he was there. To my surprise the Mass was a
memorial Mass for the anniversary of the death of Saint John Paul II and the
reading during the Mass was John 3:16. I said to myself recognizing the Holy
Spirit, “Speak Lord your servant is listening”. I thought well I am unhappy at
work and John Paul II was a great teacher perhaps I am to become a teacher
again. I immediately went over to the Diocese office to pursue a teaching job
but the doors were locked. I thought ok Lord maybe not and started walking back
to the courthouse for the afternoon session. On the way my mind was filled with
questions about where the Lord is taking me when all of the sudden a bum walked
up to me and handed me a “Chick” publication. I opened it and the first verse I
seen was John 3:16. Ever since that day I still am looking for what the Lord
was trying to tell me that day. Perhaps it is simply. I love you. Love and be
loved.
Bible Study[1]
The Bible is a weapon and
in the hands of the untrained, “You could shoot your eye out kid”. Therefore
the Bible should be handled with care. We should approach scripture reading in
light of the liturgy and church Dogmas. “Dogma is by definition nothing other
than an interpretation of Scripture.”(Pope Benedict XVI) Dogmas are the Church’s
infallible interpretation of Scripture. In the 1970’s the Catholic Church
revised its lectionary—the order of scriptural readings for the Mass. The
readings now unfold in a three-year cycle and include almost all the books of
both testaments of the Bible. The great thing about lectionary is that it
presents the scriptures and also teaches us a method of understanding the
Scriptures: Showing us a consistent pattern of promise and fulfillment. The New
Testament is concealed in the Old, and the Old is revealed the New. Perhaps a
good practice would be for us to read the daily scripture in the lectionary;
maybe even before Mass.
Lectio Divina[2]
"Lectio Divina",
a Latin term, means "divine reading" and describes a way of reading
the Scriptures whereby we gradually let go of our own agenda and open ourselves
to what God wants to say to us. In the 12th century, a Carthusian monk called
Guigo, described the stages which he saw as essential to the practice of Lectio
Divina. There are various ways of practicing Lectio Divina either individually
or in groups but Guigo's description remains fundamental.
- He said that the first stage is lectio (reading) where we read the Word of
God, slowly and reflectively so that it sinks into us. Any passage of
Scripture can be used for this way of prayer but the passage should not be
too long.
- The second stage is meditatio (reflection) where we think about the text we have chosen and
ruminate upon it so that we take from it what God wants to give us.
- The third stage is oratio (response) where we leave our thinking aside and simply let our
hearts speak to God. This response is inspired by our reflection on the
Word of God.
- The final stage of Lectio Divina is contemplatio (rest) where we let go not only of
our own ideas, plans and meditations but also of our holy words and
thoughts. We simply rest in the Word of God. We listen at the deepest
level of our being to God who speaks within us with a still small voice.
As we listen, we are gradually transformed from within. Obviously this
transformation will have a profound effect on the way we actually live and
the way we live is the test of the authenticity of our prayer. We must
take what we read in the Word of God into our daily lives.
These
stages of Lectio Divina are not fixed rules of procedure but simply guidelines
as to how the prayer normally develops. Its natural movement is towards greater
simplicity, with less and less talking and more listening. Gradually the words
of Scripture begin to dissolve and the Word is revealed before the eyes of our
heart. How much time should be given to each stage depends very much on whether
it is used individually or in a group.
The
practice of Lectio Divina as a way of praying the Scriptures has been a
fruitful source of growing in relationship with Christ for many centuries and
in our own day is being rediscovered by many individuals and groups. The Word
of God is alive and active and will transform each of us if we open ourselves
to receive what God wants to give us.
[1]
Hahn, Scott, Signs of Life; 40 Catholic Customs and their biblical roots. Chap.
16. Bible Study.
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