Lectio Divina. for the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy. Praise the Lord, for God is good! God s mercy endures forever.

Transcription

1 Lectio Divina for the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy Praise the Lord, for God is good! God s mercy endures forever. (Ps 136:1) New American Bible 2015 by Benet A. Fonck OFM

2 Methodology for the Lectio Divina on Mercy For using this methodology it will be necessary to have: a) the given quote from Sacred Scripture for the month; b) the assigned prayer for the month; c) a means of taking notes,, that is: 1. either a journal or notebook or piece of paper and with a writing instrument (pen or pencil) 2. or an ipad, tablet, or other computer device with note-taking taking capabilities. Introduction: Pray together: Most high, glorious God, enlighten the darkness of our hearts and give us right faith, firm hope, and perfect charity, with wisdom and insight, O Lord, that we may know and do your holy and true will, as we listen to your Word and put it into practice. (Lk 11:28) Amen. Phase 1: (St. Francis of Assisi) 1.1 Read the given text from Sacred Scripture slowly and in silence. 1.2 Think for a few moments about the meaning of the text for you. 1.3 Write down in your journal a word or phrase or thought that jumped out at you when you read the text. 1.4 Pause momentarily for silent reflection or prayer. Phase 2: Read the text again, this time out loud, either alone or as part of a group. 2.2 This time underline the words and phrases of the text that struck you or jumped out at you. Are these the same words or phrases as those you copied into your journal? What is the Spirit revealing to you at this time? 2.3 Using your journal or the piece of paper, explain why the words and phrases impressed you and how they apply to your spiritual experience of receiving mercy and sharing mercy. You may write your impressions ions as prose or poetry, or sketch them, find an image or photo to illustrate them, select or compose a song or song-refrain to express them, or create a gesture or dance to embody them. 2.4 Pause momentarily for silent reflection or prayer. Phase 3: Read the text for the third time, again aloud. 3.2 Think for a few moments about the meaning of the text for you. 2

3 3.3 Share with those in the group what the text says to you about mercy. (If you are working alone, then share your thoughts by contacting someone by phone or or text or by Facebook or Twitter or other means of social media.) 3.4 Using your journal, write your own simple one-sentence prayer that results from your reflection on mercy through the given quote from Sacred Scripture. 3.5 Pause momentarily for silent reflection or prayer. Phase 4: All pray together: Show us, Lord, your mercy; grant us your salvation. (Ps 85:8) 4.2 Share your own one-sentence prayer. 4.3 Pray together the assigned prayer for the month (given at the end of the scriptural passage for the month). 4.4 Conclude with the following prayer: Merciful Father, by the power of your Holy Spirit we ask you: open our eyes to discover your mercy; sensitize our ears to hear your words of mercy; clear our minds to understand your mercy; soften our wills to seek your mercy; prepare our hearts to ask for your mercy; loosen our tongues to thank you for your mercy; liberate our spirits to receive your mercy; free our feet and our arms to share your mercy with others. Let us enfold others in mercy as you enfold and hold us forever in a mercy that raises us up to bask in the loving kindness of so good a Father. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 3

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5 Scripture Reading for June: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for us, and holy is his name. His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him. He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy, according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever. (Lk 1:46-55) 34

6 Assigned Prayer for June: L: (Sir 51:49) L: Now consider what God has done for you, and give thanks with full voice. Bless the Lord of righteousness, and exalt the King of the ages. In the land of my captivity I give thanks, and declare his power and majesty to a sinful nation. According to your heart do what is right before him: perhaps there will be pardon for you. (Tob 13:6b) L: As for me, I exalt my God, my soul exalts the King of heaven, and rejoices all the days of my life. Let all sing praise to his greatness. (Tob 13:7) L: O Lord, God of heaven, great and awesome God, you preserve your covenant of mercy toward those who love you and keep your commandments. (Neh 1:5) L: You are a God of pardons, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in mercy; you did not forsake them. (Neh 9:17) In your great mercy you did not forsake them in the desert. The column of cloud did not cease to lead them by day on their journey, nor did the column of fire by night cease to light for them the way 35

7 by which they were to travel. (Neh 9:19) L: In the time of their oppression they would cry out to you, and you would hear them from heaven, and according to your great mercy give them saviors to deliver them from the power of their enemies. They cried out to you, and you heard them from heaven and delivered them according to your mercy, many times over. (Neh 9:27,28) L: In your great mercy you did not completely destroy them and you did not forsake them, for you are a kind and merciful God. Now, therefore, O our God, great, mighty, and awesome God, you who in your mercy preserve the covenant, take into account all the disasters that have befallen us. (Neh 9:31-32) L: You are righteous, O Lord, and all your deeds are just; all your ways are mercy and truth; you are the judge of the world. (Tob 3:2) L: May the Lord of heaven show you mercy and grant you deliverance. (Tob 6:18) 36