Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent

12/16/2020

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 7:18B-23

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).

In today’s Gospel, John the Baptist sends two disciples to ask Jesus if he is the one who is to come. Jesus responds by inviting the disciples to share with John the miracles they have seen and what they have heard Jesus say. But before He lets them go, Jesus ends by saying, “Blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.”

This line struck me as kind of funny when I first read it, but I’m sure there were just as many people back then as there are today that found Jesus’ words and actions offensive. One wrong move in our modern culture and Jesus probably would have been “cancelled.”

Jesus was and is fully Himself - the Son of God - at every moment, and He never strays from that. He knew that the miracles he was performing and the words he was speaking were radical and that they would probably upset some people. Even when people did not like him and spoke poorly of him and eventually even executed him, Jesus never lost sight of his mission or his identity as the Son of God.

Jesus models for us what it means to be who God created us to be. Unlike Jesus, we are not both fully man and fully God. However, each one of us is created in the image and likeness of God, and each one of us is an adopted son or daughter of God by virtue of our baptism. How often do we truly embrace that? How often do we hide or change ourselves to fit in with the crowd or avoid conflict or confrontation?

God did not create us to be liked by everyone, but He did create us to love everyone, even our enemies. That is our mission - to share the beauty of Christ’s love with each person we encounter, without the fear of offending anyone and knowing that we are truly blessed to know Christ’s love.

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.

Am I confident in who God created me to be?

Have I embraced my identity as a beloved son or daughter of God?

Am I scared to share my faith with others? Do I tend to hide or change myself to please others?

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.

"I am a child of God."

"I am loved by God."

"I am blessed."

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?

Be yourself, and be confident in who God created you to be!

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 Maggie Super.

CARPE VERBUM