A Simplified Form of Lectio Divina

A simple form of Lectio Divina with the regular reflection

on the readings of the day on Sundays.

Lectio Divina is Latin for divine reading, spiritual reading, or holy reading,
and represents a traditional Christian practice of prayer and scriptural reading
intended to promote communion with God and to increase in the knowledge
of Gods Word. Pope Benedict XVI encourages the practice of Lectio Divina: The
diligent reading of Sacred Scripture accompanied by prayer brings about that
intimate dialogue in which the person reading hears God who is speaking, and in
praying, responds to him with trusting openness of heart (cf. Dei Verbum, n. 25). If
it is eectively promoted, this practice will bring to the ChurchI am convinced
of it a new spiritual springtime.
The Four Simple Steps:
LECTIO (READ): is slow, reverent, and repeated reading of the suggested biblical
text (careful reading). TASTE the words, understand the Text.
WHAT DOES THE TEXT SAY?
MEDITATIO (REFLECT): is entering into the truth of the text. CHEW the word;
printed word becomes the Word of God. WHAT DOES THE TEXT TELL ME?
ORATIO (PRAY): is the first prayer which comes from meditation-adoration,
thanksgiving, repentance, petition. TALK to Jesus, the Living Word.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO TELL GOD IN YOUR PRAYER?
ACTIO (ACT): is making fruitful in our lives what the Word has taught us, resolution
on how you will live out Gods message concrete plan of action: simple, doable;
who, when, etc. RESPOND to the Word. WHAT DOES THE TEXT WANT ME TO DO?
JAN 07 Sunday
SOLEMNITY OF THE EPIPHANY
OF THE LORD
Psalter: Proper / (White)
1st Reading: Is 60:1-6
Arise, shine, for your light has come. The
glory of Yahweh rises upon you.
Night still covers the earth and gloomy
clouds veil the peoples, but Yahweh now
rises and over you his glory appears.
Nations will come to your light and
kings to the brightness of your dawn. Lift
up your eyes round about and see: they are
all gathered and come to you, your sons
from afar, your daughters tenderly carried.
This sight will make your face radiant,
your heart throbbing and full; the riches of
the sea will be turned to you, the wealth of
the nations will come to you.
A multitude of camels will cover you,
caravans from Midian and Ephah.
Those from Sheba will come, bringing
with them gold and incense, all singing in
praise of Yahweh.
2nd Reading: Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6
You may have heard of the graces
God bestowed on me, for your sake. By a
revelation, he gave me the knowledge of
his mysterious design.
This mystery was not made known to
past generations, but only now, through
revelations, given to holy apostles and
prophets, by the Spirit. Now, the non-Jews
share the inheritance; in Christ Jesus, the
non-Jews are incorporated, and are to
enjoy the Promise. This is the Good News.
Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13
Lord, every nation on earth will
adore you.
Read: Isaiah prophesies about
the dawn of the Light of the
nations. Paul speaks of the
great revelation of the Mystery
that offers redemption to
all, Jews and Gentiles alike.
Matthew narrates the visit of
the Magi, guided by the Star,
to the babe of Bethlehem, the
Light and Desire of the nations.
Reflect: Why did the Star in the
East lead the Magi via Herods
Palace? Couldnt have the Star
guided them straight all the
way to Bethlehem? Perhaps it
was part of Gods grand design
that the way of the Magi should
include a stopover at Herods,
announcing the Good News to
his household as well. Like the
sower who lets the seed fall
on rocks and thorny bushes.
You are beginning a year-long
journey today. If your journey
does not go like a straight
arrow, but involves detours, do
not panic God has a reason to
take you through such terrain.
Just do not lose sight of the
Star. And do not forget to sow
the seed of Gods Good News
whichever terrain the Star takes
you through.
Pray: Lord, give me the grace to
keep my eyes fixed on your Star
throughout this year and walk
the path it leads me through.
Act: Bless ahead: Say a prayer of
blessing for all the people you
would be meeting this year.
Gospel: Mt 2:1-12
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in Judea, during the days of king
Herod, wise men from the East arrived in Jerusalem. They asked, Where is
the newborn king of the Jews? We saw the rising of his star in the East and
have come to honor him.
When Herod heard this he was greatly disturbed, and with him all
Jerusalem. He immediately called a meeting of all high-ranking priests and
teachers of the law, and asked them where the Messiah was to be born.
In the town of Bethlehem in Judea, they told him, for this is what the
prophet wrote: And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are by no
means the least among the clans of Judah, for from you will come a leader,
one who is to shepherd my people Israel.
Then Herod secretly called the wise men and asked them the precise
time the star appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem with these instructions,
Go and get accurate information about the child. As soon as you have
found him, report to me, so that I, too, may go and honor him.
After the meeting with the king, they set out. The star that they had
seen in the East went ahead
of them and stopped over
the place where the child
was. The wise men were
overjoyed on seeing the
star again. They went into
the house, and when they
saw the child with Mary,
his mother, they knelt
and worshiped him. They
opened their bags and
offered him their gifts of
gold, incense and myrrh.
In a dream they were
warned not to go back to
Herod, so they returned
to their home country by
another way.

They saw the child with

Mary, his mother.
JAN 08 Monday
FEAST OF THE
BAPTISM OF THE LORD
Psalter: Proper / (White)
1st Reading: Is 55:1-11
2nd Reading: 1 Jn 5:1-9
Gospel: Mk 1:7-11
He [John] preached to the people,
saying, After me comes one who
is more powerful than I am; I have
baptized you with water, but he will
baptize you in the Holy Spirit.
At that time, Jesus came from
Nazareth, a town of Galilee, and was
baptized by John in the Jordan. And the
moment he came up out of the water,
heaven opened before him, and he saw
the Spirit coming down on him like a
dove. And these words were heard from
heaven, You are my Son, the Beloved,
the One I have chosen.
Human freedom and Gods law meet and are
called to intersect, in the sense of man's free
obedience to God and of God's completely
gratuitous benevolence towards man. Hence
obedience to God is not, as some would believe,
a heteronomy, as if the moral life were subject
to the will of something all-powerful, absolute,
extraneous to man and intolerant of his freedom.
Veritatis Splendor, No. 41
Is 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6
You will draw water joyfully
from the springs of salvation.
MY THOUGHTS ARE NOT
YOUR THOUGHTS,
MY WAYS NOT YOUR WAYS
T here are many incidents
in the Gospel when Jesus
illustrates that his thoughts
and his ways are not those of
his disciples or of the world at
large. He taught the mothers
of the sons of Zebedee the
futility of aspiring for high posi-
tions near the seat of power. He
chided his apostles for sending
children away for such is the
kingdom of heaven. He called
Peter, satan for dissuading him
from undergoing his suffering
and death. In the washing of
the feet, he demonstrated the
main function of power which
is service!
If we are honest with our-
selves we have to admit that
we tend to think as the world
thinks. So we sympathize with
the elder son rather than with
the Prodigal Son. We attend
to agree with Martha in her
complaint. We find it difficult
to forgive and almost impos-
sible to love our enemies. Truly
becoming a true Christian is a
gradual and sometimes painful
process of transformation of our
perceptions, of our judgments,
of our values and attitudes.
JESUS OUR BROTHER, TEACH
US TO THINK LIKE YOU DID AND
HELP US TO WALK IN YOUR
WAYS.