Step #1: Lectio / ReadClick the link below or open your Bible to the passage and read through the reading at least once, paying attention to what is happening in the text. Step #2: Meditatio / MeditateUse the following meditation to help you reflect more deeply on the Scripture (you may want to read the passage again). The healing in today’s Gospel is not particularly unique or special, and in the context of the story is a secondary aspect compart to Jesus’ teaching about the Sabbath and the Pharisees defiance. The Greek used to describe the man’s ailment hints that it was a long-term condition. It’s not really clear why this man should be specially singled out on this occasion. However, I invite you to put yourself in this man’s position in this reflection. You probably wouldn’t care much about the squabbles of the religious leaders, even though you would have been a Jew in the synagogue. You are resigned to your fate and have likely lost hope for any sort of cure. A withered hand would have been nearly impossible to move and quite painful when if it was. A man, who seems to be causing trouble, comes in and invites you to come out to stand in front of the religious leaders and others who had come to hear the word on the Sabbath. You normally fly under the radar, but you don’t want even more trouble. You aren’t really paying attention to their exchange, but you hear this man everyone is watching discuss “doing good”. Dare you hope he’s talking about you? That’s when he turns, angry with the crowd, yet looking lovingly at you. “Stretch out your hand,” he commands. Your heart sinks. Doesn’t he know how hard this will be? Doesn’t he understand how much it will hurt even if you can extend your emaciated arm? If he wants to heal you, why doesn’t he just do it, and then you can extended your arm as far as you’d like? However, there is something about this man, something interiorly that is driving you make the effort. With grimacing and immense struggle, you move your arm towards him, and suddenly you feel it be strengthened and restored. Your heart fills with gratitude and you use your healed arm to hug the man who made you whole. God will often ask us to go through pain, to use the weakest parts of our being to do his work. We want to reason with God and tell him that if he just takes away the weakness, we can do what it wants. But God wants to enact healing at our very weakest points, the points we recognize and are embarrassed by. And it really does make sense – God shows the extent of his power to all and you learn to rely even more on him. If we put forth effort, God will do the rest. He never commands us without enabling us. This week, identify one of those weak, withering points in your life and be encouraged by the man in the synagogue to stretch out through the pain towards the healing promised by Jesus. Step #3: Oratio / PrayThese questions are to be used to talk to God; have a conversation with the Lord about these questions and what is going on in your heart as you pray today. Am I actually open to the healing that you have to offer? What pain am I resisting giving to you? Step #4: Contemplatio / ContemplateIn this step, you listen. Stop talking, let God speak to your heart. You may repeat one of these short phrases to focus your mind on the Lord. Give me strength, Lord. I am yours. Step #5: Actio / ActIn light of today's reading and your time spent in prayer with the Lord, what concrete action or actions will you take to let this encounter with the Lord bear fruit in you today? Write down today 3 areas of your life that you feel need healing and invite Him into those places. Smartphone Lock ScreenThe following image is here for you to save and use as a background or lock screen on your smartphone or device to help you carry today's Lectio Divina with you the rest of the day  Today's reflection was written by Kevin Gregus.
Step #1: Lectio / ReadClick the link below or open your Bible to the passage and read through the reading at least once, paying attention to what is happening in the text. Step #2: Meditatio / MeditateUse the following meditation to help you reflect more deeply on the Scripture (you may want to read the passage again). The anchors of ships have always fascinated me. Whether I’m up close on a tour of an ancient boat – like in Plymouth – or watching a movie where the anchor is thrown overboard to secure the ship, I’m fascinated by the role that an anchor plays in the life of a ship and that it actually works. There is more than one kind of anchor, but both kinds serve related purposes of securing the boat either in times of calm or danger. An anchor can play the simple role of keeping a ship secured in harbored, or it can play a more dramatic role of helping a ship to survive in troubled waters while it waits for help or for danger to pass. The anchor is a sign of hope and security for the boatman of any age. The anchor was a favorite symbol of the early Church because of its real-world ties to hope and security. In the book of Hebrews, the author takes up this image of an anchor and uses this as a metaphor for encouragement to the Christian community both then and now. “This we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and firm, which reaches into the interior behind the veil where Jesus has entered on our behalf as forerunner.” Our anchor is Jesus who is both God himself and proof of God the Father’s fidelity to his promise to humanity. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection serve as the anchor of our faith and the ground of our hope that, as Hebrews says, if he is the forerunner then we, who run behind him, will also share in his glory when our earthly lives have ended. This faith is not flimsy, but is a strong anchor that helps us stay secure in calm waters, and safe in troubled ones. There are times when we can feel adrift – in life and in our faith. Today’s readings remind us that this feeling of being adrift causes us to forget that, in reality, our souls – our mini boats – are never without an anchor who is Christ. He longs to hold us firm, to keep us secure, and to wait with us until the storm has passed. Let us pray today with the image of the anchor as a symbol of both our faith and of Christ, inviting the Lord to speak to us through this metaphor for wisdom to navigate either the calm or troubled waters of today. Step #3: Oratio / PrayThese questions are to be used to talk to God; have a conversation with the Lord about these questions and what is going on in your heart as you pray today. What or who is the anchor of my life? How can I hold onto you as an anchor? Step #4: Contemplatio / ContemplateIn this step, you listen. Stop talking, let God speak to your heart. You may repeat one of these short phrases to focus your mind on the Lord. Lord, hear my prayer. Holy Spirit, you are welcome here. Bring me peace. Step #5: Actio / ActIn light of today's reading and your time spent in prayer with the Lord, what concrete action or actions will you take to let this encounter with the Lord bear fruit in you today? When feeling overwhelmed or stressed today, try to remember where your peace comes from by saying, "Lord, you are an anchor for my soul". Smartphone Lock ScreenThe following image is here for you to save and use as a background or lock screen on your smartphone or device to help you carry today's Lectio Divina with you the rest of the day.  Today's reflection was written by Jon Polce, S.J.
Step #1: Lectio / ReadClick the link below or open your Bible to the passage and read through the reading at least once, paying attention to what is happening in the text. Step #2: Meditatio / MeditateUse the following meditation to help you reflect more deeply on the Scripture (you may want to read the passage again). It is not a question of IF we fast but WHEN we fast. In the bible, fasting is put in a good light; there are many examples of people fasting and many comments about how to fast. Even in this gospel reading, Jesus did not exempt his disciples from ever fasting, but rather said the time for them to fast is when he is no longer with them. Like our biblical examples of Moses and Elijah, we fast to prepare and purify ourselves before entering the presence of God. We fast an hour before receiving the Eucharist and we fast during Lent leading up to Easter. Fasting is a form of self-denial and it helps us to detach from our earthly ways. This does not mean that what we are fasting from is always bad, but fasting helps us remember the One who gave us those wonderful gifts that we are fasting from. Our earthly things aren’t needed in heaven, so fasting is also preparing our hearts for eternal life in Christ. So often it is easy for us to think of fasting as a nuisance or just an obligation given to us by the Church. Have you ever so conveniently saved your favorite fish or pasta recipe for one of the Friday’s in Lent? When we “fast” without a true and honest sacrifice, what form of self-denial and earthly detachment are we accomplishing? It is not bad to enjoy foods we eat on days we are fasting, but it is important to ensure that we are not simply compensating for whatever we have given up. What we do when we compensate like this works against the purpose of fasting. Fasting is a beautiful and profound form of prayer. When our heart’s intention is to deny ourselves of something good, we are creating more space in our heart for God to dwell. The disciples did not fast when Jesus was with them because it was a joyous time- God was dwelling in their midst! Although it is not Lent, consider even a small form of fasting to prepare your heart for God in this ordinary time. Challenge yourself to see fasting as something desirable; embrace fasting for the true purpose it serves. Step #3: Oratio / PrayThese questions are to be used to talk to God; have a conversation with the Lord about these questions and what is going on in your heart as you pray today. Why is it hard to give up something you love? Why are there times to fast and times to rejoice? What can be learned in the times of fasting? How does fasting bring us closer to Christ? Step #4: Contemplatio / ContemplateIn this step, you listen. Stop talking, let God speak to your heart. You may repeat one of these short phrases to focus your mind on the Lord. "Prepare my heart." "Help me embrace the fast." "I fast for you." Step #5: Actio / ActIn light of today's reading and your time spent in prayer with the Lord, what concrete action or actions will you take to let this encounter with the Lord bear fruit in you today? There’s a time to fast and a time to feast. Like the disciples in the Gospel, it is good to recognize this difference. Fasting is a beautiful and underused form of prayer, which is not just for Lent. Learn to love fasting instead of just seeing it as a nuisance, and put it into practice. What is one thing you can fast from today? You can fast from sweets, or coffee, or Snapchat, or Instagram, or gossip, or perhaps something else. Use this fast as a sacrifice to bring you closer to the Lord. Smartphone Lock ScreenThe following image is here for you to save and use as a background or lock screen on your smartphone or device to help you carry today's Lectio Divina with you the rest of the day.  Today's prayer was prepared by Katie LoBosco, a student at the University of Dayton studying Music Therapy. If you have anything you'd like our team to pray for, please go to the page of our website called "Prayers" and let us know how we can pray for you today.
Step #1: Lectio / ReadClick the link below or open your Bible to the passage and read through the reading at least once, paying attention to what is happening in the text. Step #2: Meditatio / MeditateUse the following meditation to help you reflect more deeply on the Scripture (you may want to read the passage again) Have you ever borrowed something from someone else and felt a real desire to take extra special care of it? Maybe it was a friend’s iPod, or your parent’s car, or a neighbor’s leaf blower when yours was on the fritz. You likely felt a sort of heightened need to ensure you handled it with care while you had it. You didn’t want to damage it out of respect for the person who loaned it to you. The second reading from St. Paul today is basically describing the same thing about us. Our very bodies are from God, and belong to God. It is wise for us to view ourselves as the stewards of this gift God has given us while we are here on Earth. We should care for our bodies as if they were on loan to us from God. As St. Paul writes, “Your bodies are members of Christ … whoever is joined to the Lord becomes one Spirit with Him”. He continues by saying “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?” These statements are a magnificent reminder to us that we have a responsibility to God to treat our bodies with respect and love, to see them as His and to live our lives as if we are borrowing a prized possession of a dearly loved friend or family member. And why is all of this true? St. Paul points out, “…you have been purchased at a price, therefore glorify God in your body”. We must not lose sight of the fact that our bodies and our souls, eternally linked, have been granted salvation through the debt Jesus gladly paid for us on the cross. We belong to Him forever. Step #3: Oratio / PrayThese questions are to be used to talk to God; have a conversation with the Lord about these questions and what is going on in your heart as you pray today Do you treat your body with the respect and dignity it deserves? How can you do this better? How can eating well and taking care of your body help you grow spiritually? How can you glorify God through your body? What are some practical things you can do? Step #4: Contemplatio / ContemplateIn this step, you listen. Stop talking, let God speak to your heart. You may repeat one of these short phrases to focus your mind on the Lord "I am Yours, Lord." "Thank you Jesus." "Jesus, I trust in You." Step #5: Actio / ActIn light of today's reading and your time spent in prayer with the Lord, what concrete action or actions will you take to let this encounter with the Lord bear fruit in you today Take care of your body because it is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Let this great gift for God help you glorify God. Eat better, work out, sleep, stay pure, do all you can to respect this gift that is so intimately connected to your soul. Smartphone Lock ScreenThe following image is here for you to save and use as a background or lock screen on your smartphone or device to help you carry today's Lectio Divina with you the rest of the day  Today's prayer was prepared by Jim Lundgren.
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