Lectio Divina

by Fr Jean Celestin Ngoma

 

A Prayer of Preparation

 

Almighty God,

to whom all hearts are open,

all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden:

cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,

that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name,

through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

 

 

1. Lectio (Read)

 

“But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 

“But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.  Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:  concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;  concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer;  concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.  When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.  All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you."

St John 16:5-15, ESVUK

 

 

2. Meditatio (Read and Reflect)

 

I once again meditated on the many key "guarantees" or gifts that Jesus has promised His followers.  I contemplate how Jesus has surrounded us with countless gifts.  His sacrifice and His Paschal Mystery (His death, resurrection, and ascension to heaven) provide us with covenantal and legal assurance of God’s promises for us.  We have received immeasurable gifts from the Trinity.  Our Lord and Master has given us these gifts to lighten our burdens.

 

Silence

 

We are aware of some of our worries, whether they stem from anxiety and envy fuelled by the allure of the unattainable, toxic productivity, multifaceted fears, or other concerns.  Our Lord Jesus’ departure to heaven was a deliberate move to set everything in motion for us. He had to go so that the Paraclete could come.

 

Pause

 

I meditate on the “source-river” analogy in the economy of salvation.  I imagine the Father as the source from which all things spring.  The same source shares all its water with the river that is the Son and the Spirit.  Between the Father, Son, and Spirit, there exists an outward-reaching bond of love that draw them together in a perfected unity.  Thus, only love can enable me to share in the Trinitarian divinity and join their saving mission for humanity.

 

Silence

 

I creatively write the following words:

Dear omnipresent God, Your law of love brings us closer to Your Son and to the Spirit.  Imbued by Your love, You have inwardly imparted in our hearts a channel through which we can communicate with Your Son without any spatial movement or restrictions.

Dear Lord Jesus, You are guiding us towards heaven to prepare a place for us.  We are grateful for the love of the Spirit that You promised and brought into our lives.  Your ascension into heaven has filled our hearts with spiritual gifts from the kingdom, bringing us closer to God than ever before.  Please unite us all in one universal Church, just as You did at the Wedding at Cana.

Holy Spirit, You are the "seal," indicating God's divine commitment to us as His creatures.  You are the assurance, the guarantee of our salvation.  It is You, the Holy Spirit, who is the down payment of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of the Father’s glory (cf. Ephesians 1:14).

 

 

3. Oratorio (Reflect and Ask)

 

What do You want me to understand, Lord?

What should I pray for now?

Following Saint Augustine’s advice, I want to pray for a happy life.

I believe that, under normal circumstances, I should start my prayer with a smile, even if there is no reason to do so.

I refuse to begin my prayer with a gloomy face and expect a “happy life” as an outcome.

 

 

4. Contemplatio (Ask and Yield in Prayer)

 

I yield before the Lord, presenting my fears and anxieties.

 

Silence

 

God has inwardly imparted His divine love into our hearts.

This love is poured out through the Holy Spirit.

I stand on this promise of God; this promise can never fail.

God’s gifts are real, and I have accepted them in faith.

Sins may attempt to obscure them, but God’s love is more pervasive than my sin.

Let me practice God’s gifts to me during this week,

much like learning a language or a sport.