Lectio Divina

by Fr Jean Celestin Ngoma

 

 

 

1. Lectio (Read)

 

“On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”  When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

St John 20:19-23, ESVUK

 

Silence

 

What is the sacred word, concept, or phrase that comes to your mind after reading the text? I am touched by the following words: “On the evening of that day…” I close my eyes and, in silence, I repeat the sacred words in my head: “Yes, I will call upon your name.”

 

 

2. Meditatio (Reflect)

 

As I prayerfully asked God to speak to me through this passage, I found myself meditating on the initial words, “On the evening of that day.” Jesus appeared and revealed Himself to His disciples as the Savior of that “evening” in their lives. This is the same background that the first Christian community and our fathers in Faith faced while experiencing their faith in the resurrection of Christ. Persecution was a common variable that tested their Faith in the resurrected Christ. A good reminder for us today, isn’t it?    

The contemporary crosses we Christians must bear should not discourage us; rather, they should become opportunities to savour the ongoing presence of the resurrected Jesus in our lives. As Saint Paul writes: “...so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:7).

“Yes, I will call upon your name.”

 

I understand from this text that Jesus' appearance, just as it was during His resurrection, is offered to me amid the dualities of evening/day, good/evil, or light/darkness. This leads me to meditate on the intersection between the beauty of the light in the book of Genesis and Jesus Christ, the light that illumines our lives.

Christ’s resurrection and the ongoing presence of the Holy Spirit continuously renew the world with the same creative and generative light by which God created it. Our fears, as well as the tribulations of the world, will not deter God’s will. Our driving force lies in our faith in the resurrection of Jesus, which provides us hope for eternal life and sustains our belief in God’s ultimate goodness and promise to eliminate evil. This grounds my motivation for discipleship; no matter how dark our world may be today, God's goodness will always prevail.

“Yes, I will call upon your name.”

 

 

3. Oratorio (Ask and Pray)

 

I now greatly rejoice in the Lord, though for a little while I may still experience the suffering of Christ through various life trials (cf. 1 Peter 1:6).  “Yes, I will call upon your name.”

 

Pause

 

I contemplate the locked doors of the upper room, joining the disciples in thanking Jesus for the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The doors were closed, allowing the good Lord to speak to them in spirit and truth.

How did my Lord enter the house which is my heart?

He has a resurrected body; nothing prevents His inward movement in my heart, enabling Him to whisper the truth with wisdom and love.

 

What about my closed doors?

 

I meditate on my closed doors. I know most of them.

I also know who can guide me on the way forward.

Jesus gives me the keys to the Kingdom to open new opportunities.

His keys are seeds of faith, love, and patience engraved in my heart through His resurrection.

If David received the key to the stronghold of Zion, Jesus holds the key to the stronghold of death.

Jesus has the key to unlock everything that brings spiritual death to my soul.

Matthew 16:19 echoes in my mind: “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven…”

 

Which doors am I called to unlock in my life this week?

 

Lord, help me reflect on my thoughts and behaviours.

Help me identify the recurring fears that affect my new life, my well-being, and my relationships with others.  “Yes, I will call upon your name.”

 

 

4. Contemplatio (Yield and Pray)

 

And now in silence, lead me, Lord, into the divine richness of your goodness as I listen to your Son, Jesus Christ, who, through His ascension into heaven, becomes my advocate; vouching for me and pleading my cause before you.  "Let me now l call upon your name.”

 

Silence

 

You have revealed to me, Lord, that:

The evening can come,

Doors can be shut,

Yet celebrating your resurrection and your post-Easter appearances gives me firm assurance in the Spirit.

As Saint Luke puts it, “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28).

Yes, I will call upon your name.

I will stand up and lift my head,

Call out against evil,

and Celebrate in your name because my redemption is near.

 

Pause

 

I pray:

 

Make me strong again through your favour and grace. 

Bring to fruition all that you have given me to do in the upcoming weeks.

Give me a heart of wisdom to hear your voice, and then make my footsteps firm.

 

 

Pause

 

Exit meditation using Psalm 23