CARPE VERBUM
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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). Today's First Reading is a watershed moment in the early Church in many ways. The Church in the first years after Jesus' death and resurrection is growing rapidly as the disciples take the Gospel with them to the world. In this story we have Peter, the one on whom Christ had built His Church, being led by God into Caesarea and meeting there a Gentile man. While in Caesarea, Peter preaches, and the Gentiles begin to experience the Holy Spirit in profound and radical ways, and so Peter has them all baptized. This story is important for a bunch of reasons. First of all, the order of things is pretty curious. We understand that the Holy Spirit comes to people through Baptism, wherein we are baptized into Christ and receive an indwelling of the Spirit. In this story, though, the Holy Spirit proceeds baptism, coming to these people who have not received the Sacrament (remember this point). This story is also and mainly interesting because of the fact that these people were not Jewish people. Up until this point, the Church had specifically understood that baptism and life in Christ were for Jewish people, God's chosen people, who were living according to Jewish law and now could live in Christ (while still under Jewish law). These people are going to pose a question, as they are not living the law as the Jews believe it needs to be lived, and so the Apostles will have to wrestle with how to minister to these people. God knows all things, including the hearts and minds of each of us. God knew that, because Peter and the apostles understood the Gospel as meant for the Jews, and these people were Gentiles, having these people baptized would not have been what the Apostles would have done. Instead of waiting for them to figure this out, though, God has another plan: He sends His Spirit in powerful and radical ways that they could not imagine. Peter, led by the Spirit, then responds to what God is doing, as the Church always does: She interprets and points out for the people that which God has done and is doing in the world. Brothers and sisters, we worship a God on this Sixth Sunday of Easter who is not done acting in powerful and radical ways. God does not act in ways that show favoritism or partiality, but rather He offers and abundant outpouring of the Spirit to all who believe. May you and I today encounter the grace of the risen Christ and let His love deeply penetrate our hearts and our lives as we continue to live in this Easter joy. 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. In what ways have you limited the work God wants to do in and through you? How do you need the Holy Spirit today? Are you boldly asking God for the great gift and the grace of the Spirit in those areas of your life? In the last two weeks of Easter, how can you concretely choose to live in Easter joy in new and real ways? 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. "Come, Holy Spirit." "I need You, Lord." "Guide my life." 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? Find a concrete way to love someone you don't normally interact with. Reach out to someone who is an outcast, be kind to a sibling you don't get along with, or find someone else in your life who you know and can share God's love with, knowing that He doesn't show partiality in who He loves. 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 Jason Theobald, Director of Youth Ministry at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Huntley, IL.
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). More than anything in this life, I want to be loved. I want to be loved by my family and friends, and I want to be loved, above all, by God. For this reason, I think there has always been a part of me that has been a “people-pleaser,” and therefore, when I find out that someone isn’t pleased with me for any reason, there is a part of my heart that breaks. There’s a part of me that finds the thought of someone not liking me unbearable. Now I don’t think anyone particularly enjoys being hated or disliked, yet Jesus reminds us that it’s okay sometimes. Sometimes, being hated means we are actually doing something right. If Jesus, the Son of God, was persecuted to the point of being crucified, what exempts us from undergoing similar persecutions? Now I certainly hope that none of us are actually crucified; however, we also know that Jesus tells us that in order to be His disciple, we must pick up our cross daily. The cross is not light, but the Lord has chosen us out of the world to have the privilege of carrying it alongside Him. May we pray for those who hate us and persecute us because they are in need of love and conversion too. St. Paul, who we read about in today’s first reading, persecuted and killed hundreds of Christians before his conversion, and then by the Lord’s grace and mercy, he converted and brought many more people into the Church. Once we come to know Christ, everything changes. We can no longer hate; we can only love. 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 are some ways you deal with persecution for your faith right now? How can you work to face it with more love? What fears are holding you back from giving your heart and life more to Jesus? How can you encourage those being persecuted for their faith? 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. "Come Holy Spirit." "Jesus, I love You." "Give me Your strength, Lord." 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? Be bold. Live your faith. Love people. People may push you away and some may even hate you, but meet everyone with love and most of all, live in God's love. 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 Maggie Overbeck, Assistant Director of Youth Ministry at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Huntley, IL.
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). Today’s Gospel is the summation of how we are to live as Christians. How cool would it have been to hear Jesus say directly to you that he is your friend? I get goose bumps just thinking about it! Jesus starts and ends the Gospel with the same message – “love one another as I love you.” And this isn’t a suggestion – he commands it! This means we are to love everyone whether we know them, like them or agree with them. So, how do I love the girl who insulted me, that guy who just cut me off on the road, that annoying person in my class, that parent who is a little over the top at games, that guy who everyone avoids at work? Only through God’s grace can you truly love as he asks us to love. And you can only get that grace by building a humble and loving relationship with Him and through the blessed sacraments. I know this to be true because 5 years ago, I had NO faith. Even though I was Confirmed Catholic, we didn’t practice when I grew up and as an early adult I stopped altogether. But by the grace of God, he found me where I was and lit me on fire. I feel as if He is talking directly to me when He says, “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain.” (Squirrel moment – he changed me so much that I left my 20-year executive career in corporate America to become an Author and Speaker inspiring people to enrich their lives through faith and prayer.) So, how do I know this is happening? I can feel it. I can physically, emotionally, spiritually FEEL him change my heart and the more time I spend with Him, the more He increases, and I decrease. It is supernatural, I cannot describe it in English words the joy and love He is building inside me. Let me tell you, it was not overnight, He worked on me for a while. In the beginning of my faith journey I noticed that I would react to someone quickly and bark out some snide remark and then I would catch myself. I would try to apologize after I already said my horrible thought. But at least I was noticing that I wasn’t loving one another as He loves me. Then after a few years, I would notice my thought before I said it. I would think to myself, “You know, that person has his own cross he is bearing, be compassionate.” I would stop my comment before I said it, but I still had the thought. Over the past couple years since I have developed a much deeper relationship with God and the sacraments, He has softened my heart to the point that the unloving thought doesn’t even enter my mind most of the time! And if it does, it is only for a brief moment. Try it! The more time you spend with the Lord building your own, unique loving relationship together, the more He will give you the grace to live as He commands. He will help you love one another - every single person on this planet- as He loves you. And it is a wonderful way to live… 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. How do you think your life would be richer if you love as God loves? Have you asked him to soften your heart, so you can be the best witness of Jesus? Knowing that Jesus is your friend, and that He chose YOU, should you be spending more time with Him so you can receive more graces and do more for Him on this earth? Jesus can you show me ways to love as you love? 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. “If today I hear God’s voice, harden not my heart.” “Jesus, please give me the grace to love like you.” “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. Today, spend some time in Adoration with Jesus or go to daily Mass to receive him in the Eucharist. If you do not have Adoration, stop by the church and spend some time in front of the Tabernacle. Just make an effort to physically be with him and ask him to help you love like He loves. 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 Kendra Von Esh, a Speaker and Author, inspiring others to lead with compassion and enrich their lives through faith and prayer.
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). “Remain in my love.” This is what Jesus tells us today in the Gospel. “Remain in my love.” But what does that mean? To remain means to stay put. When we remain in God’s love, that means that we stay wrapped in the amazing love God has for each of us. How do we remain in God’s love? Jesus tells us that too: “keep my commandments.” Why do we have these commandments anyway? Why does the Church give us so many rules we have to live by? Doesn’t that make life less fun?! I have questioned this in my own life and have listened to talks about describing why we have them. Here's what I've come to know: these commandments are given out of love for me. The commandments are not harsh rules given so we don’t have fun in this life. On the contrary, Jesus tells us that if we do this our joy will be complete. Jesus wants us to have true joy in our lives! It’s true that I’ve never killed anyone, so I’ve kept the 5th commandment! However, following the commandments is not always that easy. We are all sinners in need of God’s mercy and love to save us. Although the commandments seem pretty straightforward and easy to follow, they are the umbrella in which our sin falls under. When we do our best to follow the commandments, our joy is truly complete because we remain in God’s love. We are sinners and we will fail, but God knows we are not perfect. God wants us to be perfect, but He also knows we can’t do that on our own (that is why we have the sacrament of confession). We should not be discouraged by this, however, because God wants us to lean in closer to Him so He can help us on this journey. The commandments are one way that he shows us His love. By giving us the commandments, He is saying that living your life this way will bring you closer to me. following the commandments is not earning His love, instead they are how we grow our relationship with Him. From personal experience, when I do not pray or follow the commandments like I should, my life feels like chaos. I don’t really understand how it works, but I have found when I make time for God, God makes time for everything else in my life. The world around us is spinning pretty fast and it seems time goes by faster each year. If I do not slow down and take the time to remain in God’s love, I will not attain true and lasting joy. 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. When I am in a state of grace how is my life? Do I feel more joyful? Is it easier to stay close to God when I am in a state of grace? God gave me the 10 Commandments as a way to let me know His love for me, just like my parents have rules for me (curfew, don't touch a hot stove, etc.). Do these commandments make me feel loved? Why or why not? How is the joy that God offers me different than the joy the world offers? 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 want to remain in your love." "As the Father loves me, so I also love you." "My joy is complete." 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 is the last time you made a good examination of conscience? Try to make one today. (If you don't have one you like, you can use this one). If you need to try and go to confession today (or this week) so you can experience God's love and mercy. 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 Kayla Essner, a high school Math teacher in Cape Girardeau, MO.
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