Step #2: Meditatio / MeditateUse the following meditation to help you reflect more deeply on the Scripture (you may want to read the passage again).
Happy Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows! Today we celebrate our Blessed Mother, the woman whose 'yes' paved the way for our salvation. Today we remember the woman who, when she presented her young child in the temple, was told her heart would be pierced with a sword – and had it come true. Today we celebrate the woman who, at her moment of greatest pain, watching her Son, the only begotten Son of God, be crucified on the cross, was given to all of us as our mother. Think about that moment beside the cross. Jesus, dying a painful death, looks down and sees only a remnant of those who have traveled with him. In the middle of that crowd is John, the beloved disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and Jesus' mother, Mary. In the midst of his pain, he offers them comfort; what comfort does he offer? Each other. In the midst of our great sorrow, Jesus offers us a mother. This mother is a mother who knows our pain, knows our hurt, and is seated in a place of honor as the queen-mother in heaven right now just waiting to intercede for us and lead us to her Son. No matter what we're going through, the sinless mother who raised the Son of the Father and watching him go to the cross knows how to stand along side of us and mother us, to care for us, to be with us in our pain and offer us comfort. Today, on this feast day, let's remember the sorrowful mother, not to enter into sadness but to realize that, in the midst of the saddest and most terrible moment in the history of the world came our freedom, our life, and our salvation. As with yesterday's Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, today we rejoice; for in the terrible bloodiness of the cross and the horrible sorrow of our Blessed Mother came the reconciliation we all needed in order to experience eternal fulfillment and joy. Happy feast day, friends. Let us journey into the heart of the sorrowful mother and there find her Son, the one for whom we long in the depths of 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.
How have I said 'yes' to God recently? How can the example of the Blessed Mother help encourage me to be more willing to say 'yes' to God? Where in my life do I need to experience consolation and comfort right now? How can Mary come alongside me and help me? How am I looking to Mary as not only Jesus' mother, but my mother? How can I grow in my imitation of Mary and my relationship with her? 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.
"Mary, lead me to your Son." "Pray for me, most holy Mother of God." "Jesus, I long for 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?
Take some time today to honor the Blessed Mother- with a rosary, with lighting a devotional candle at your local parish, bringing flowers to a grotto, or some other Marian act of devotion. When you honor Mary, ask for her intercession to help draw you to the foot of the Cross alongside her- united in love of Jesus. 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 Jason Theobald, Executive Director of Carpe Verbum. 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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