Yesterday I had a touch of "lectio" without a Bible in front of me. Having spent a fair amount of time with Scripture over the years, I'm privileged to now have some key chapters committed to memory. Memorization is something I'm glad to have in my "box of prayer tools" when I find myself with time to pray but no access to a Bible. Like once when I was lying in an MRI tube!
With a bit of time to myself (yesterday) but no Bible at hand, I began praying with lines I'd memorized from John's Gospel. When I came to John 1:5, where it speaks of the Light shining on in darkness, a darkness that has not overcome it, I felt a touch of peace. No matter what darkness may seem to be around - in the world, the media, in my life, in the lives of friends or family - the Light of Christ is shining in the very midst of it. I was struck by the words "in darkness." Darkness may indeed be lurking, but His Light is there.
It was a simple exchange, a conversation between my Lord and me... but lectio does not have to be complicated. Day to day interactions between loved ones are generally not complicated either; sometimes it's wonderful to just bask in each other's presence.
"Today
I sat quiet and just opened up to some scripture," wrote one of our friends who is practicing Lectio with us, "staying with words
from a commentary on the
scripture that I was reading.... to 'bask in His Love.' I
reflected on these words......so I basked in His Love.....like a cat
basking in the Sun of a Winter Day!" - Anita
It was a simple exchange, a conversation between my Lord and me... but lectio does not have to be complicated. Day to day interactions between loved ones are generally not complicated either; sometimes it's wonderful to just bask in each other's presence.
"Today
I sat quiet and just opened up to some scripture," wrote one of our friends who is practicing Lectio with us, "staying with words
from a commentary on the
scripture that I was reading.... to 'bask in His Love.' I
reflected on these words......so I basked in His Love.....like a cat
basking in the Sun of a Winter Day!" - Anita
"I found myself with a few quiet moments this afternoon," wrote our friend Rose. "so I
decided to try a little lectio. I found a nice sunny spot on the front
porch where I could soak up the sunshine. I closed my eyes, placing
myself in the presence of God, feeling His presence in the warmth of the
sun. I picked up my missal and read the readings for today's Mass.
Nothing in the Epistle struck me; but, oh the Responsorial and the Gospel. The Responsorial was the Psalm about 'Lord, you know me. You know
when I sit and when I stand. You knit me in my mother's womb.'
That was followed by the Gospel story of Mary and Martha. WOW! Did all
of this ever speak to me right now, right where I stand spiritually. I
felt like God was saying, 'I know all about you. I know how
busy you are. I know all that you do. I know it is good to cook and
clean and do all that you do but can't you give me a little Mary time?'
So, I gave God a little Mary time. And it was wonderful. I ended my
prayer time by taking a nice long walk back to the woods, praying a
rosary along the way, singing hymns on my way back. I arrived back home
totally refreshed and ready for two little granddaughters to come play
with me for a couple of hours. What a blessed afternoon. I think I will try to really involve myself in Lectio for the Year
of Faith." - Rose With these beautiful experiences in mind, I will quote something written on this blog back in March, when I spoke of "the dazzling simplicity of Lectio. It does not have to be complicated. It is God meeting man, God speaking to man. It is the written word of God becoming a fresh, vital, personal, breathed-forth-for-me-at-this-moment word of God. It is loving, intimate, real. It is when inspired words of God ring from the page or out of the mouth of a reader and are spoken to ME, here and now. It is my response to the Voice of God as I thank, talk with, love, adore."
May He continue granting us graces to thank, talk with, love, adore.
To continue this "Day of Lectio," click here
