CARPE VERBUM
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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 is one of my absolute favorite passages in Scripture. Both the story of the woman with the hemorrhage and Jesus raising the little girl speak to my heart in a profound way. Let’s just take a minute to recognize the incredible mercy Jesus gives to the people in this passage. He is first approached by Jairus, the father of the little girl who is dying, who begs and pleads, asking Jesus to heal his little girl. The begging and pleading of that father is his prayer, that is him bringing his worries and fears to the feet of Jesus. Jairus gives us the perfect example of what it looks like to pray with expectant faith. And you guys, he was desperate! His daughter was dying! I can’t imagine the heartbreak, the discouragement, the pain he had to be in, and he went to Jesus trusting that He would cure her, even after he had heard that his daughter had already died. His faith remained and he trusted, and what happened? “He took the little girl by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha Koum,’ which means, ‘Little girl, I say to you, arise!’ “ This! This was the result of bold prayer, of expectant faith, of trust in the Lord! Jesus took that little girl by the hand and raised her from the dead. We see Jesus working in a similar way with the hemorrhaging woman. Twelve years: twelve years she was sick, twelve years she went to doctor after doctor spending all the money she had. Twelve years she spent trying to get better only to end up getting worse. If I were to picture myself in that situation my faith would be gone. To just “hear” about someone like Jesus, I would be incredibly skeptical. But what does she do? The same thing as Jairus. She reaches out, quite literally, in faith and trust, and believes Jesus will heal her. She didn't need words to be bold and faithful like Jairus- her actions were enough. One of my favorite lines in this passage is, “She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your afflictions.’ “ Take a minute, put yourself in one of these situations...how would you feel? Me? I would be hopeless. I would be completely discouraged. I’d be falling into despair. Both of these stories show someone who has done everything they can. There is nothing left that any other human being could possibly do for them and where do they end up? At the feet of Jesus Christ, bringing their fears, their worries, and ultimately, their bold and honest prayers. Jesus Christ is their hope. They didn’t wait until Jesus cured them or performed a miracle to have that hope. They approached Jesus boldly, with expectant faith, and with trust in His ability to heal their afflictions. At their lowest they found hope in Jesus Christ. Friends, let’s try and imitate that in our lives. Let’s not fall into despair, but, at our lowest moments, let’s fall down before Jesus telling him the whole truth, letting that be our prayer, and having faith that the love of Jesus Christ has the power to heal us from our afflictions. 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 I prayed with the same expectant faith of Jairus? Do I struggle to have this level of trust? When I'm faced with despair, hopelessness, or pain, do I turn to Jesus? How is my relationship with the Lord strengthened by these moments? Do I believe that Jesus has the power and the desire to heal me? How has Jesus healed me in the past? 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." "Come and heal me." "Help me lay down my every burden." 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 clear with the Lord today and trust in his desire to heal you- take one thing you are struggling to hand over to the Lord: a relationship, someone you're having a hard time forgiving, a tough family situation, etc. Trust that God desires to heal you and take a step out in faith to trust in his power and love. 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 Anna Roche, the High School Youth Minister at St. Thomas the Apostle in Crystal Lake, IL. 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." Comments are closed.
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