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 reading is one that we hear in Sunday school. It’s popular and maybe since we know it so well, we don’t always listen closely or reflect on the words as closely as we should. Let’s listen to it again: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed.” How small is a mustard seed? It’s about one to two millimeters, or 0.039 to 0.079 inches in diameter. And while it’s not the smallest seed in the world’s plant kingdom today, we can still grasp the parable. It’s small. But when sowed properly in the field, the mustard seed grew into a mustard bush. How large is a mustard bush? It can have a 20-feet spread on the high end. For an exceptional bush in ideal conditions? 30 feet. The smallest seed planted in the human heart with faith and the Kingdom of God can grow exponentially as large. Jesus brings up the mustard seed a few times in the Bible. He says in Luke 17:6 that if you have the faith of a mustard seed, you can uproot a mulberry tree and plant it in the sea and “it will obey you.” In Matthew 17:20 we are told if we have the faith of a mustard seed a mountain can move. Think of the power of that. The power of the Living Lord in a tiny mustard seed. The power and control and dominion the Lord has over all the earth. Right now is a scary time. There is much chaos, fear, anger and division. Don’t forget that with the faith of a mustard seed, mountains can move. Imagine what the Lord can do around us if we give Him the faith of two mustard seeds. Just two pencil dots on a piece of paper. He has power and He has dominion. Let us increase our faith and trust in 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. Think about your faith, how would you describe it? Is it the size of a mustard seed? Is it a mustard bush? Is it smaller? Is it larger? Where do you want to ask the Lord to move? Be bold. Where do you need your faith to increase? Step #4: Contemplatio / Contemplate In 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. "Faith the size of the mustard seed." "Two mustard seeds." "Increase my faith." "Move mountains." 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, look at your faith, ask the Lord where to you need to increase. Ask Him to move in your life. Write the Lord a letter telling Him these things. 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.
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). For well over a year I had been feeling bogged down by a situation that I had trouble letting go of. I knew it would be best to let go of it, but I was afraid to. There were a lot of conflicting emotions and so much uncertainty. What would happen if I let go? Would I be giving up? Could anything good ever happen to me again?…the questions went on and on. I kept surrendering the situation and prayed frequently for God’s will to be done in my life. I figured if I was “meant” to let go of the situation, God would just take it away or do something better with it. With how much I had prayed about it, I assumed it was just the cross I was being asked to carry at this time in my life. At the end of a novena I was praying to St. Philip Neri, I went to confession and the priest explained more to me about the significance of Pentecost. I hadn’t been praying the ongoing novena to the Holy Spirit for Pentecost with the Church, so the priest advised me to jump in and ask Jesus for anything I need strength for and told me that I would receive it on Pentecost Sunday. (BOLD- I know!) I decided to ask for the strength to let go. I caught up on all the days I had missed and finished out the novena to the Holy Spirit right on time. On Pentecost Sunday, I realized that I felt a sort of weight lifted off of me; however, I was too skeptical to believe I could simply just wake up one day and feel free from a situation that I had been wrestling with for over a year. Days, weeks, and months passed, and my skepticism naturally faded. Of course God is not playing Santa Claus- He isn’t going to give us everything just because we ask, but one thing is for certain- no prayer is ever wasted. Regardless if God says “Yes”, “No”, “later”, or something different, no prayer is ever wasted. Even if we ask God to shower someone with graces and that person refuses to accept them, no prayer is ever wasted. God hears our prayers and does more than we could ever imagine with each and every one of them. I don’t know what exactly God did with all of my prayers and moments of surrendering, but I do know that when I asked for the strength to let go, God blessed me with that grace a hundredfold. Just like Solomon in this reading- God wanted me to ask. Not only did He give me what I asked for so fiercely, He also showed off the beauty of Pentecost, priests, and confession. I have never been so convicted of how much God loves when we spill our hearts and ask Him for what we want. 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 was the last time you asked God for something? Do you trust that God will give you what you need if you ask Him? How can you balance trust in God when you ask Him for something, while also not expecting everything to happen the way you ask? 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." "God, You are good." "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? Click here to pray the Litany of Trust. Bring to God the thing or things you need to trust Him with the most 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 Katie LoBosco, a music therapist for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Cincinnati.
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). I have always loved the Scripture from today’s Gospel reading because it seems to highlight the reality of the Apostles' humanity. So often we put these early followers of Christ up on a pedestal, which can make it feel almost impossible to follow in their footsteps. But the petty drama we see them entering into today reminds us that we don’t have to be perfect to follow the Lord. What I find struck me most as I read through this passage today wasn’t just the humanity of the Apostles, but Jesus’ response to them. We find James and John’s mother approaching the Lord, asking that he would give her sons a place of honor at his side. (Which I just love so much because what a classic mom move. I can just imagine James and John’s reaction, “Mom stop, you’re embarrassing us in front of our friends!” Such a funny image. But sorry, I digress.) And the Lord, he doesn’t respond by rebuking her genuine desire for her sons to have what is best for them; instead, he offers a gentle warning that perhaps the reality of what she’s asking for may not come to pass exactly as she imagines it: “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?” Strong words from our Savior who is preparing to lay down his life for those he loves. I am reminded today that so often I ask the Lord for what I do not understand. I am so convinced that I know what’s best for me, that I know how to satisfy the desires of my heart, but the Lord has challenged me today to reflect on all the times where that has turned out not to be the case. The Lord alone knows how to fulfill the desires of our hearts, and that often looks different than we expect it to. Let us ask the Lord today for the grace to surrender to his will and to trust that he alone knows how to satisfy our hearts. 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. Which person in this story do you most relate to right now? The apostles' in a petty argument? The mom asking for her kids? The other apostles, watching the whole scene unfold? What are the things in your life that you are asking God for right now? Are there any of them that you might simply be misunderstanding what he is doing? Ask him for the ability to see more clearly with his perspective on your situation! How can you more fully surrender to the Lord today, knowing that he knows the desires of your heart better than you 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 long for you, Lord." "Jesus, I trust that you know my heart." "I surrender to 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? Write down one of your worries, prayers, or desires you are bringing to the Lord today and put it in your Bible or another safe place. Look at again next week and see where the Lord is working in your life. 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, a Youth Minister in Illinois.
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 #2: Meditatio / MeditateUse the following meditation to help you reflect more deeply on the Scripture (you may want to read the passage again).
When it comes to gardening- are you someone who puts in the work and remembers to water your green pals or are you like me…someone who struggles to keep a succulent afloat? Any plant I have owned - dead. gone. dry. One summer I had a job on my college campus as a groundskeeper. Although my experience of landscaping was nothing compared to tending a field of crops, it did allow me to have a deeper appreciation for all who work their land. It takes hard work and motivation to grow any plant with rich soil, which will give way to a beautiful thing- a fruitful harvest.
In our Gospel today, Jesus shares the parable of the Sower and the seed. Our hearts are the type of soil in which the seed of God’s message of love can be planted. I wonder what kind of terrain I have set for myself to hear the word of God so as to grow in virtue and be spread to help plant seeds of God’s word. I like to think that I have worked hard to maintain rich soil in my heart, but to be honest, it tends to be more of a rocky, thorny ground. Maybe that is something you have drawn to reflect on as well. Maybe your path is covered by insecurities and fear that take shape like thorns and the garden of your spiritual journey is overgrown and neglected. Maybe you’ve been overwhelmed by the hurts of our world, especially during all this craziness of the year 2020, that your path with God has boulders or poison ivy covering it which makes it easier to get off of the trail. It takes time and hard work to till the soil to receive God’s truth. When we become lazy in our prayer lives or entering into the Sacraments, His truth falls on rocky, un-sturdy ground, resulting in His word to not be absorbed and therefore to wither and die. As you can imagine it was not earth shattering to learn the reason behind why I could never keep my plants alive- because I was a lazy sower. I ‘d forget to water or take proper care of my plants. It can be easy to be a tired Catholic and forget to water our faith life. But let us remember that we are not called to be on our path with Christ alone. The guidance of tending to our spiritual growth is found in our communities, our parishes, and the Saints. When a vine grows it extends upwards in a circular motion reaching for something to attach to for support. The Kingdom of God is our goal and as we grow in virtue with one another, we are all called to put in the work that will allow for the small seeds of God’s truth to grow, blossom, and be spread to all we encounter. Let us roll up our sleeves, be okay with the dirt on our hands, and work hard to till the soil of our hearts so we can be spread into the world by the Divine Sower to bear a fruitful harvest for the glory of His Kingdom. 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.
Are you afraid of getting messy as you explore your faith/
What kind of soil are you for receiving the word of God? How are you tilling the soil in your own life and in 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.
"Help me prepare to receive you."
"I want to grow." "Help me love deeper." 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?
Plant something today. Use it as a reminder for yourself to till the soil of your faith this summer. When the plant is a little dry, water it - and remind yourself to water your faith too!
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 Katy Praetzel, a worship leader in Pittsburgh, PA. 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. |
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