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). Two days ago hundreds of thousands of people joined together and marched in Washington DC; next Saturday tens of thousands will march in San Francisco, and during that week long stretch, from East coast to West Coast thousands of little lives will be lost in the span of the two events. Why? All because of what tomorrow marks. It marks the 45th anniversary of Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, the tragic decisions of the Supreme Court back in 1973 which permitted taking the life of an unborn child in the womb. The safest place in the world for a child, has also become the most dangerous place in the world for a child. Here it is...the invitation as we celebrate this 3rd Sunday of Ordinary time is to recognize the importance of our voice, just like Jonah and the disciples. Some went and are going to witness at the Marches for Life; some are going to courageously witness on the front lines at abortion clinics; some are going to help out at pregnancy centers and hospitals to educate and assist mothers; and some will challenge others to look at their stances on life issues, especially in the political circles. Whatever it is, one thing must be consistent of us all, each one of us has a voice, and each of us are called to use our voice to proclaim the beautiful gift of LIFE, because when we use our voice for LIFE, we use our voice for 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. How can you courageously witness to the gift of life? How can you use your voice to proclaim the gift of life? What message do you feel the Lord calling you to share, even if it is not popular or is difficult to share? Whom do you feel the Lord calling you to share the Gospel with? 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 after me." "I will make you fishers of men." "Repent, and believe in the Gospel." 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? Proclaim LIFE today with your words and with you actions. 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 Robert Blood, seminarian of the Diocese of Rockford.
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). You are called, by name, to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. You have been called, by name, for a mission; the mission to make more disciples. This is not something to be taken lightly and a call we must respond to. Christ has summoned you to the mountain top and is asking you, "Will you follow me? Will you make disciples for me?" This is the call for all of us. I don't know what that mountain top experience was or is for you, but if you are reading this I hope you have had a profound encounter with Christ that felt like you were at the mountain top with Him. If you haven't yet, that is okay, I am sure you will if you keep your heart open, because He wants to encounter you even more than you want to encounter Him. Regardless of what your encounter was, is, or will be, Christ is calling you asking you to be His disciple. The question is simple, the calling is hard. But it is not just a general calling, it is a specific calling for you and me. He calls me by name; He calls you by name. We can no longer wait around for someone else to answer the call. We must become His disciples and then help others become disciples as well. You are called, by name, to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. It's time to respond and live it. 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 was your mountain top experience with God, the moment you could feel God's presence more than any other? How are you currently responding to the individual call Christ has for you to be His disciple? How can you respond to this call better? 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. "Here I am Lord." "Come Holy Spirit." "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? Say yes to being a disciple today. Make the steps to move from a passive follower to a true disciple of Jesus 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 Sean Norris, Youth Minister at Our Lady of the Wayside Parish in Arlington Heights, 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). Friendship is one of the most beautiful things we have in this world. Friendship brings us joy, security, and accountability; all of which are necessary for us to live and grow as humans. There are many people in our lives who we may consider friends, but there is another level of friendship that we share with a much small circle of people. These people truly help define who we are; for better or for worse. Take a minute and think about your closest friends. Why are they your friends? What are some of the ways they positively influence you and maybe even negatively influence you? What about your best best friends, the 2 or 3 you are absolutely closest to? Why are you so close? In today’s first reading, Jonathan literally risked his own life by standing up to his father for his friend, David. Jonathan was the son of the king with everything to lose, but his friendship with David was more important. Jesus says, “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). There is joy on both sides of this kind of friendship. To be loved by a friend so much is an honor and a gift that can’t even be put into words. I am so thankful for the people in my life that I know love me this much. I am literally brought to tears thinking of the gift of their love and friendship. The ability to care about and love someone enough to lay down your life for them is the way our hearts were designed to love our friends. The ability to love a friend like this is just as life giving as receiving that love. Be a true friend today. Love your friends with your whole heart, risking everything, and let them love you in return. St. Thomas Aquinas has some really good thoughts on friendship and I encourage you to read some of his work, especially the parts about friendship. He talks about the purpose of friendship is to bring the other to heaven and how much joy we can get from these authentic relationships. But I want to leave you with one last quote as we reflect on our true friendships and the gift those people are today: “There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship.” - St. Thomas Aquinas 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 are your closest friends? Why are you so close? What are some of the ways they positively or negatively influence you? How do you influence your friends? How do you treat your friends? How do they treat you? Do you love each other with a Christ-like love? Are you willing to lay down your life for your friends'? Do you see your friends as a gift from God? Are you a gift to them? How can you grow to love them better and more purely through Christ and accept their love in return? 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. "Thank You." "Help me to love better." "You are my best friend." 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 a true friend today. Love your friends with your whole heart, risking everything, and let them love you in return. 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 Sean Norris, Youth Minister at Our Lady of the Wayside Parish in Arlington Heights, 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). This weekend I was completely touched by this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9z-dMQjRBE) of actor Jim Caviezel surprising students with a Spirit-filled speech at the FOCUS leadership conference in Chicago. The actor who portrayed Jesus in “The Passion of the Christ” and stars as Luke in an upcoming film called “Paul, Apostle of Christ” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaK-lbhhx_M) started his speech to a room that could have heard a pin drop: “The name Saul means great one. The name Paul means little one. By making this film, I learned that by changing one little, one tiny letter, we can become great in the eyes of God. It requires us to be little, if we wish to be great. This is the way of the saints. This is the way of the holy. And this is the way Saul became St. Paul.” In today’s 1st reading, we encounter another Saul in the Old Testament. He has doubts and lack of courage as he tells David not to go up again the Philistine and fight him, as David is still “a youth.” But David has faith in the Lord, and has experienced the Lord’s mercy and love before, so he trusts and is courageous in the face of danger. "The LORD, who delivered me from the claws of the lion and the bear, will also keep me safe from the clutches of this Philistine,” David told Saul. David did conquer the seasoned Philistine, Goliath – and he did it without a sword. His faith in God – his rock in battle – saved him. I wonder what Saul’s response would have been in the beginning of this reading if he were not Saul, the King from the Old Testament but Paul, the apostle and saint from the New Testament with great faith in the Lord. Would he have doubted David’s ability to slay the Philistine? Perhaps. But he also would have had a great confidence that the Lord was with David - David who was choosing to be little and let the Lord be great. As Jim Caviezel so beautifully tells us at the end of his speech: “Saul means great one. What does Paul mean? Little one. So if we wish to be great in the eyes of God …” We need to be little. 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 is God calling you to become "little" in your life currently that He can be great in and through you? How can you be like St. Paul and David, trusting in the Lord and letting Him lead you, instead of like Saul in this moment where he fears and does not trust? David conquered Goliath through his great faith that God was with him always. In what ways might God be asking you today to take courage and faith in His presence in your life and His promise of faithfulness 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. "You are strong in my weakness." "I am ready to be little." "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? Find a concrete way in your daily life today to choose to be little instead of great. Maybe you can help someone in the hallway who dropped something, but not so that people notice what you did. Maybe after school today you can help a young sibling with their homework. Whatever it is, choose to be 'little' today by serving and loving others and letting God work through you, not so that you get any glory for what you've done. 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 Andrea Scott, a writer and editor based in Washington, D.C.
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