Burning Hearts

4/26/2020

Step #1: Lectio / Read

Click 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.

Luke 24:13-35

Step #2: Meditatio / Meditate

Use the following meditation to help you reflect more deeply on the Scripture (you may want to read the passage again).

Prayer is a loving conversation with the One who loves us deeply and eternally. This lover desires us more than we can ever desire Him. Therefore, He lives right within us and makes our hearts His abode within. According to Saint Augustine, "God is closer to us than we are to ourselves". He knows us more that we know ourselves.

“Were not our hearts burning within us while He spoke to us..." says the two disciples who encountered the Lord Jesus after His resurrection. Those words came out of their mouth after they had invited the Lord to stay with them since the day is almost done. So the Lord stayed with them; blessed, broke and gave bread to them the same way they experienced it in the upper room.

Let us invite the Lord, and say, stay with us Lord, stay with me Lord. Let us recognize His presence within us, loving us, consoling us, strengthening us amidst all the dangers. Those who invite the Lord in and recognize Him are those who in turn experience and say, “were not our hearts burning within us while He spoke to us..."

Step #3: Oratio / Pray

These 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.

Have you ever had a moment when your heart was burning for Lord, but you did not realize it until later?

How can you be more aware of the Lord's presence in and around you today?

In what ways might the Lord be trying to speak to you right now?

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.

"Here I am Lord."

"Jesus I Trust in You."

"Come Holy Spirit."

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?

In this difficult time, we will use our Action step each day to join with people around the world in praying for an end to the pandemic of the Coronavirus, for the healing of all those affected, and for the comfort of all those who have lost a loved one. The prayer below is from Archbishop José H. Gomez, President of the USCCB in his reflection and prayer during coronavirus:

Holy Virgin of Guadalupe,
Queen of the Angels and Mother of the Americas.
We fly to you today as your beloved children.
We ask you to intercede for us with your Son,
as you did at the wedding in Cana.

Pray for us, loving Mother,
and gain for our nation and world,
and for all our families and loved ones,
the protection of your holy angels,
that we may be spared the worst of this illness.

For those already afflicted,
we ask you to obtain the grace of healing and deliverance.
Hear the cries of those who are vulnerable and fearful,
wipe away their tears and help them to trust.

In this time of trial and testing,
teach all of us in the Church to love one another and to be patient and kind.
Help us to bring the peace of Jesus to our land and to our hearts.

We come to you with confidence,
knowing that you truly are our compassionate mother,
health of the sick and cause of our joy.

Shelter us under the mantle of your protection,
keep us in the embrace of your arms,
help us always to know the love of your Son, Jesus. Amen.

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 Fr. Ervin Caliente, priest of the Diocese of Rockford.

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.

CARPE VERBUM