Lectio Divina

by Fr Jean Celestin Ngoma

 

Prayer for Stillness

Still my anxiety, my heartaches, my worries, and stop me from always being outside the present moment.

Let each day’s worries be sufficient onto themselves.

Give me the grace to know that you have pronounced my name in love, that my name written in heaven, that I am free to live without anxiety.

(Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM).

 

 

1. Lectio (Read)

 

On the third day, there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus was also invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not come yet.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.”

St John 2:1-11, ESVUK

 

Silence

 

I choose the sacred phrase “Give me the grace to know that my name is written in heaven, that I am free to live without anxiety” to help me remain in the presence of God during my prayer.

 

 

2. Meditatio (Rejoice and Reflect)

 

I rejoice while reading the word of life from today’s Gospel.  I thank God for this spiritual and therapeutic word, which helps me remain in His presence this week.

 

Pause

 

I try to recall back in my mind the retreat I did in the Holy Land together with a group of Italian pilgrims in a Franciscan monastery.

I reminisce about how blessed I was to visit the Church in Kafr Kanna (Cana), where the wine miracle took place.  I imagined being there again in that “Wedding Church in Cana”.  What crossed my mind during that time?

I marvelled to visit the place because of my strong belief that whatever Jesus assumed was blessed.  Whatever Jesus touched and wherever he walked was blessed.  Jesus elevated and sanctified human experience.  Nothing is outside of God’s redemptive power, even the joy we share together as brotherly love and parties.

I remember seeing the earthen jars, which I believe are displayed in the aisle of the Church. I have a vague remembrance of what I saw that day, except the very spiritual remembrance of it, which remains lucid in my mind.

Jars and the wine symbols make me meditate not only on the joy that wine may give while consciously and moderately taken, but above all, they echo the heavenly Agape and the joy of the kingdom.  Jesus gives His joy unconditionally and selflessly.  Above all, He sacrificially died for us.

The first miracle of Jesus happened during a celebration in Cana. Joy, the inner and lasting happiness only experienced through faith in God, is the first gift we receive from Jesus.

 

Pause

 

Saint John  16:22 reminds us that nothing will take that joy away from me.  It is an everlasting, unshakable joy. The joy will be fulfilled in Heaven when I see God face to face, the beatific vision…

 

Silence

 

I contemplate the attendants of the party, the host and make a list of invitees.  The mother, father and relatives of Jesus were there.  I learn from biblical commentaries that Jesus’s friends happened to be there too:  Andrew, John, Peter, Philip, Nathanael, and probably James.  The joy of heaven here on earth is somehow experienced through sharing our gifts, our joy, our presence to others.  This echoes fraternal love and the victory over the dominion of sins, jealousy and conflicts.

Give me the grace to know that my name is written in heaven, that I am free to live without anxiety.

 

 

3. Oratorio (Ask and Pray)

 

All those thoughts cross my mind while re-examining my experience in the Church in Kafr Kanna.

I travelled to the land of my Lord Jesus to do a discernment in my life as a priest.  I wanted to become a better priest, rather than a more fulfilled and joyful priest.

The jar of my life that time was full, and I felt heavily burdened by so many things.  I was barely reaching the limits of what I could bear as a young priest.

Give me the grace to know that my name is written in heaven, that I am free to live without anxiety.

 

The host ran out of wine: what are the sorrows in my life that need to be transformed into joy?

Before the Canaan experience, I ran out of support and felt lonely. Anxiety and loneliness invaded my body and mind.  During that time, I felt so sad and unfulfilled as a priest.  I prayed to God to help me become a happier and fulfilled priest.

I pray to Jesus: Give me the grace to know that my name is written in heaven, that I am free to live without anxiety.

 

 

 

4. Contemplatio (Yield and Pray)

 

I will  immerse myself in what Jesus promises me, making the scene "live" in my mind this week.

 

Silence

 

I say to Jesus: Give me the grace to know that my name is written in heaven, that I am free to live without anxiety.

 

Silence

 

I pray to Jesus not to seek extraordinary miracles or mystical experiences during this week.

I simply want to ask His divine help to remain where He expects me to be.

The only source of my joy is my love for Him (or “the only source of my joy is loving him).

The source of my joy is keeping His Father’s commandments.

 

I say to Jesus: Give me the grace to know that my name is written in heaven, that I am free to live without anxiety.

 

Exit meditation in silence