Where Are You, Jesus?

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. 

John 20:11-18

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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).

​“Where are you, Jesus?” 

This is a question I’ve asked plenty of times in my life, and maybe you can relate. So many times I struggle to see where God is and how he is moving in my life and I’m driven to despair and cry out with this very question. Any number of situations can lead to us failing to recognize where God is in our lives, whether it’s pain, sorrow, struggles, misunderstanding, or any other thing that pulls our attention away from him. 

Today, as we continue the celebration of Easter, we see Mary Magdalene facing a similar situation. She comes to the tomb of Jesus, the one who saw her for who she really was and forgave her of her sins, called her into a new life, and shared the intimacy of his divine love. While she sits at the tomb and weeps, not finding Jesus’ body, she is in the same situation many of us face and cries out in her heart, “Where are you, Jesus?” Our situations may not be exactly the same, emotionally, as sitting in front of Jesus’ tomb and not finding his body, but it’s still the same for so many reasons. 

When we encounter times in our life when we are looking for Jesus in the place we expect him to be, he can often surprise us and reveal where he really is through an intimate moment like we see in the Gospel. So often we try to find Jesus where we expect him to be— whether that’s in the midst of suffering and pain, or even in the good moments. Today, Jesus is revealing that he is bigger than our expectations and our anticipation. He is Lord and he is always with us, even when we fail to see him at first. 

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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.

Where do I see God working in my life right now?

How do I let my expectations or anticipation get in the way of seeing God working in my life?

In what ways do I need to see that God is with me right now?

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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.

"Where are you, Jesus?"

"Help me see your love."

​"Jesus, I trust in you."

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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?

Ask God to surprise you today. When you approach him in prayer, looking for him in specific ways, ask him to surprise you by showing you where he is working that you don't already see.

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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.

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Today's prayer was prepared by Adam Smyth, the Life Teen Coordinator at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in the Woodlands, TX.

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.