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). I like to think that I’ve always been a rebel. My family would probably tell you that I’m more stubborn than anything else, but I feel like referring to myself as “naturally rebellious” sounds a bit better, so I’m going to stick with that. Regardless of what you call it, growing up I always possessed a natural inclination to do things differently everyone else. When all of my friends were listening to The Jonas Brothers, I was listening to Simple Plan (10 points to anyone who actually knows who those bands are). When all of my classmates were getting new IPhones, I thought it would be cool and vintage to keep my janky Motorola flip phone. When all of my friends were watching High School Musical…okay let’s be honest I was also watching it, but I wasn’t proud to admit it. You see, I always felt like it was cool to stand up for what I liked and I wasn’t willing to change for anyone. But while my rebelliousness could sometimes be a positive quality, it was also a dangerous one. I might have been quick to stand firm in what I believed in, even in the face of adversity, but I was also quick to harden my heart without really thinking much of it. And while at first I was just hardening my heart to Ugg boots and the Jonas Brothers, it soon became all too easy to harden my heart in more serious areas: in friendships, within my family, and even in my relationship with God. Now whether you’re a rebel or not, we’ve all hardened our heart for some reason or another. Maybe you’ve hardened your heart in smaller ways (like towards the Chicago Cubs because you grew up a White Sox fan), or maybe you’ve hardened your heart in bigger ways (like in your relationship with God, because you’ve been hurt by people you were close to). Either way, hardening our hearts can be dangerous. Just look at the Samaritans from today’s Gospel. The Jewish people had long feuded with the Samaritans. Their hardness of heart towards one another ran so deeply that the Samaritans that Christ and his apostles encountered would not even let them pass through because they were on their way to Jerusalem (where the Jewish people worshiped). These Samaritans rejected the God of the Universe because they were set in their hardened ways. And while it might be easy for me to judge them for that, if I’m being honest, there have been multiple moments in my on life when I’ve done the very same thing. Hardening our heart is easy, but the Lord has not called us to do what is easy, he has called us to follow him, to be like him who’s heart was entirely open, laid bare on the cross for all to see. And today as we spend some time in prayer, let us unite our own hearts to the heart of Christ so that we might never become too hardened to receive him. 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. Invite the Holy Spirit to guide your prayer and then take some time to reflect on the past week. Where can you see that God moved in your life this week (in big or small ways)? Are there any situations/experiences in your life that might have caused you to close your heart off to God? Has there ever been a time when you, like the Samaritans, rejected God because of a hardness of heart? What is one practical thing you can do to be sure that your heart is open and ready to receive Christ, specifically when you go to receive him in the Eucharist? 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. "Jesus, I trust in you." “Love to be real, it must cost—it must hurt—it must empty us of self.” –Mother Teresa "Lord, break my heart for what breaks 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 Lord bear fruit in you today? Throughout the rest of your day, say the words, “Jesus, I trust in you,” in your heart whenever you have a free moment. 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 Lauren Wright, an Adore Missionary and Youth Minister in Rockford, 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). Have you ever had a conversation about faith with someone who isn’t Catholic? Our Protestant brothers and sisters share a lot of beliefs in common with us, even if we don’t agree on everything. I have been to a few different Christian services to see what they are like. Although I missed the True Presence in the Eucharist, there was still something compelling about the service. When I hear the end of today’s Gospel, “Whoever is not against you is for you”, I think of our Protestant brothers and sisters. It can be disheartening seeing so many people in Protestant churches and not as many in Catholic churches. Even though the Catholic Church has the fullness of the Truth, when it comes to bringing people to Christ they are still doing a great and beautiful thing for the Kingdom of God. I heard an analogy in a talk one time comparing the Catholic Church to a giant ship. A great captain sent the ship off to sea with navigation for home and lots of equipment. But eventually, some of the members on the ship decided to go build their own boats and sail home. They had to use the supplies from the original ship to build their boats and ships and take directions from the original navigation. The other boats and ships sail in the same direction as the original ship, for the most part. Jesus founded the Catholic Church and appointed people in charge to lead His followers. All Christians strive for holiness and are on the path to Heaven. Each Christian denomination have some if not a lot of the same structure and tradition, many of which be traced back to Catholic tradition. Unless someone is refuting the Truth of the Catholic Church when they are leading people to have a relationship with Christ, they are for us, not against us. So do not get discouraged if people who do not know the fullness of the Truth but still lead people to Christ. There are many forms of evangelizing working towards building the Kingdom of God. Just remember Jesus’ words: “Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.” 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. Who do you need to reach out to and tell about Christ? Catholic. Why are you Catholic? How would you answer this to another person? How are you striving for holiness? 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 I need you." "For Jesus." "All things are possible for God." 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, pray about how you would answer the question, why are you Catholic? Who are you called to share that answer with today? 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 Denver, CO.
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). “Comparison is the thief of joy.” -Theodore Roosevelt Have you ever been on a team where someone cares more about their individual performance than the success of the team? It doesn’t matter if it is a sports team, a band, or a even a group project, when someone puts themselves before the team, everyone loses. We see a similar thing happening in all the readings today, but especially in the first reading from Numbers. Moses is the leader of the Israelites at this point, in every aspect. He is the prophet and the guide. Then, one day, Eldad and Medad began to speak about God in ways only Moses and the people who had gone up the mountain with him had before. Some of the people got nervous, thinking Moses would be upset. Let’s pause there for one second. How would you feel if you were Moses? Would you care about the fame and the glory more, or would God’s message truly be your desire? Moses, for all of his flaws, has a really humble heart here. He doesn’t care about his own glory at all. He rejoices that the Lord is speaking through other people in his tribe. He wants God to be glorified not himself. This is a huge deal. Could you imagine how joyful our lives would be if we stopped getting jealous when other people outshine us, and rejoiced in their achievements instead? Let us no longer compare ourselves to others; that only leads to hatred and despair. Instead, let us rejoice in the gifts God gave us, and equally rejoice in the gifts God gave our neighbor as well. This is all for the glory of God, not us. AMDG - Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam - To the Greater Glory of God. 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 react when people around you do things that are really good? Why do you think you react that way? In what ways can you celebrate the achievements of those around you, not comparing yourself with them or competing with them but instead knowing that we are all collaborating with the same goal in mind? How are you currently seeing God's glory made manifest in your life and the lives of those around 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. "All for Your glory." "I praise You, God." "Come, Holy Spirit." 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? Do something that wakes you up spiritually, for at least 15 minutes. This could mean 15min of praise and worship, or 15min in adoration, or 15min reading the Bible, etc. Whatever you do, be intentional with your relationship with God. Let that 15min be a shot of caffeine for your soul. Smartphone Lock Screen The 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 Sean Norris, a theology teacher at JSerra Catholic High School in Orange County, CA.
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). “God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life.” These words that begin the Catechism of the Catholic Church reveal the very beginning of our story. We need to always begin moments of prayer, and even each day, with the recognition that God planned to have us share and partake in his perfect, blessed life. However, when we reflect on the fact that God has called us to this great love, we sometimes forget how the plan actually played out. It’s easy to forget that God, in his plan of goodness, sent his only begotten son, Jesus Christ, to take on our sins and draw us into the life of the Trinity. He achieved this by sacrificing himself to pay our debt. It’s easy to forget that because of Jesus Christ, we have been saved from death and free for all eternity to participate in the great love of God! This reading today helps us to never forget exactly how important the Incarnation of Jesus actually is. We were all born in a world where Jesus already came and took on human flesh. We never knew a time when we did not have the promise of eternal life; we never knew a time when we were all waiting for a Savior to come and rescue us. Israel was not always as fortunate as we are today. The reading from Zechariah reminds us of the hope and anticipation that Israel once had for their Savior. They never forgot the story- they never forgot the great love of God that He has shown to us by taking on our flesh. What this reading reminds us of is that God’s perfect plan to help us share in his blessed life hinged upon the Incarnation. Jesus didn’t take on flesh and become like us in all things but sin for no reason; he did it to draw us into the Divine life of God! Today, we have a chance to reflect on God’s plan for us- the plan that is fulfilled in Christ’s drawing us into the love of the Trinity. Pray for the same hope that Israel once had and to always remember the plan that God fulfilled in his Son. 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 often do you consider God's plan of love? Do you see yourself as part of this plan of love? Do you trust that God has good plans for you? How can you grow in trust? 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. "You are love." "You have the perfect plan." "Dwell within me." 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 time in prayer to meditate on God's plan of salvation. Think about how much love God has shown you through His loving sacrifice. Talk to God about His plans and ask for His help to follow them. 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 Adam Smyth, a high school youth minister at Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish in Ellicott City, MD.
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