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). When a birthday rolls around in our family, nostalgia hits, and we so often find ourselves sitting around the table sharing fond memories of where we have come. On Pentecost, Our Lord does the same with us through the liturgy. Today, the great birthday of the Church, our Gospel shares a memory that makes up the profound fabric of the Church’s identity (and our identity, as the Church!) in pure Eucharistic fashion. By calling to mind the passage in the Gospel of John which recounts the initial post-Resurrection encounter in the upper room, Christ reminds us how He, Himself, has been transformed in the Spirit, and in doing so, He lays out the aim of the entire Christian life. We as Christians are not just called to witness the Crucifixion and Resurrection that occurs in the joy of Easter, but to LIVE the Crucifixion and Resurrection. How does this occur, one might ask? A look to Pentecost offers perspective… The message of Pentecost is about not just allowing Our Lord to be a part of us, but about allowing Our Lord to truly ANIMATE us. In doing so, like Christ we no longer suffer death, but we are ALIVE in the Spirit. Like the apostles, we are no longer filled with fear, but perfect PEACE. We are no longer crippled by anxiety, but animated by REJOICING. We no longer lock ourselves in, but GO OUT. It is no coincidence that this dynamic of transfiguration is at the heart of a Church which finds its source and summit as human elements are brought to the altar, elevated, and transubstantiated into the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Our Lord. On Pentecost, we see God the Holy Spirit inhabit the apostles in much the same fashion that God the Son truly inhabits us in the Eucharist. With the apostles, today we do not just encounter the breath of the Spirit, but allow the Spirit to breathe in us. Going a step further, Pentecost shows us that the reception of this gift is intended not just to transform, but to multiply. Allowing our Lord to inhabit and animate us naturally gives birth to something good, true, and beautiful. In the case of Pentecost, the apostles received the gifts of the Spirit, and the Church was born, filled with many more gifts. Happy Birthday, Church! We pray that You would give us the grace to accept the gifts of Crucifixion and Resurrection, bear forth fruit, and continue the circle of life in 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. Is the Lord only a part of you, or do you allow the Lord to truly ANIMATE you? Do you try to see Christ in others? Do you see Christ in yourself? How will you continue to live out the Crucifixion and Resurrection? 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. "Christ dwells in me." "Receive the Holy Spirit." "Peace be with you." Step #5: Actio / Act In 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? Truly celebrate today! Celebrate the birth of the Church and the joy that comes from allowing the Lord to animate 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 Antonio Marchi, Program Manager for St. Joseph County Right to Life in South Bend, IN, and Jennifer Marchi, K-8 Resource Teacher at Mishawaka Catholic School in Mishawaka, IN.
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