Lectio Divina

What is Lectio Divina? While reading sacred scripture, read the words with a love and sense of discovery until something seems to strike home. Sit with the passage as one would with a good friend- not just thinking or analyzing, but instead remaining in a quiet, listening spirit, so the word can nurture and challenge you.

Call to Prayer “Let us take a moment in the midst of all our activity to prepare ourselves for prayer.”

The Word of God Choose one of next Sunday’s readings. One person reads the scripture aloud as others are attentive to a word, phrase, or theme that is meaningful to them. Allow for a minute of silent reflection. Have another person read the same scripture a second time. Excerpts from SNOW FALLING ON SNOW Copyright 2001 by Robert J. Wicks Used with permission of Paulist Press www.paulistpress.com

Faith Sharing Begin with an open ended question such as “What strikes you from this reading?” and/or you can use the “Reflection Question” found on our website or bulletin. Allow time for reflection & sharing.

Closing Prayer At the end of the faith sharing, invite participants to pray aloud for any particular petitions or praises they may have. Feel free to close with: The Lord’s Prayer or Spontaneous prayers or a faith-based song.

Reflection Question for Sunday, February 12, 2012
Pay attention to the interplay between the 1st reading and the Gospel. Moses lays down the rules for dealing with lepers - “he shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp.” What happens to Jesus after he heals the leper in the Gospel?

Reflection Question for Sunday, February 5, 2012
Peter’s mother-in-law... another person Jesus healed on the Sabbath because she was there and needed his touch. (Notice that everyone else waited until after sundown when it was “legal” to be healed.) Jesus ministers to Peter’s mother-in-law and then she ministers to him. (Then the fever left her and she waited on them.) All is gift given to us to be shared. What are some ways the Lord has healed you for service to the Kingdom?

Reflection Question for Sunday, January 29, 2012
God promises a prophet for his people, for they had grown fearful of hearing him directly. Skim the Old Testament: all the prophets speak what God has given them. He has placed his word in their mouths (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel), or the prophecy begins “the word of the Lord came to . . ” But our God always delivers far more than we expect or imagine. Jesus does not simply repeat God’s word – he IS the Word. He astonished and amazed his first hearers. What amazed you in today’s Liturgy of the Word?