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). "God, what have you done for me lately?" I don't think many of us would ask God this question outright, but our hearts certainly want to at times. Whenever prayer grows dry, whenever we are suffering, or whenever we have a heartfelt prayer that has seemingly gone unanswered, we can fall into this trap. We ask, "God, are you even there?" We can become increasingly irritated with God. We pray less and eventually we stop praying. Even though the Lord is so close to us, even though he is there whenever we call on him, we get lost in a cloud of our own frustration. This doesn't have to be the case. There is a remedy in your memory: "Be earnestly on your guard not to forget the things which your own eyes have seen, nor let them slip from you memory for as long as you live." Look back on your faith journey. Let yourself reenter those memories of consolation. Look back on all that God has done for you. This will draw you out of the fog of the present moment. It will renew the hope within you. "God has done so much for me in the past, maybe he has a plan for me right now. Maybe He can bring me through this as well." Perhaps you need a break from the present moment. Let your memory remind you that God is a God that does not change. Even if things are confusing right now, his love for you is constant. Remember all that God has done for you, and you will be set free. 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 is causing me to be frustrated with God right now? What memories of the Lord bring me consolation? Where has the Lord been working in my life and in my heart so far this Lent? 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. "Bring me consolation." "Do not let me forget the work you have done." "God never changes." 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? Take some time to walk back through your past couple years in your mind (maybe you have a prayer journal you want to look back through!), and use this time to remember and reflect on the ways the Lord has been working in your life and brought you to this point in time. 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 Fr. Anthony Sciarappa who was ordained in 2016 and is a priest of the Diocese of Pittsburgh.
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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