Lectio Divina

Pause

 

As I enter prayer, I pause to be still.  I breathe slowly, re-centering my five senses upon your presence, O God.  I want to be completely transformed into your divine mercy and to be your living reflection today.

 

Pause

 

1. Lectio (Read)

"But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbour?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead.  Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.  He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.  And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’  Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbour to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

(St Luke 10:29-37- ESVUK)

 

Silence

 

• I choose to rejoice and meditate on our Lord Jesus Christ’s question: "Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbour?"

 

My refrain would be: Reset my heart so that I may feel all the sufferings of my neighbour.

 

• As I prayerfully ask God to continue to speak to me through this phrase, I ask God to help me understand the meaning of true love, true friendship, true neighbourliness, true citizenship, and above all the meaning of His mercy.

 

 

2. Meditatio (Rejoice and Reflect)

 

• Applying the five senses and my memory I visualise and listen to the actors of the text.

I see the man going down from Jerusalem to Jericho. Going down makes me think of descending, going from a “level A" to a lower "level B".  I see the man later being diminished by bandits.

• The man started a journey of suffering and contingencies.  I saw the man leaving his home happy, stable, and firm, enjoying the social rank that he deserves. Then suddenly, he was taken down by robbers.

• He came across violent robbers. Using my mind, I theorised robbers as bandits, unfriendly people, disturbers, unethical traders, all those who increase human suffering and misdirect society and force it to devolve to places it doesn't want to go.

•  I depict in my mind the Good Samaritan, coming down the same road, he saw a dying man in pain, crying for help. Upon a closer look, he sees that he's not really his “countryman” and that the law does not require him to help foreigners… but he firmly decides to go beyond the law and acts as a good neighbour.

• I contemplate the priest and the Levite who also were going down that road. But wanted to satisfy the law, and refused to help the man in pain. Mercy, not blood, affinity and the law, makes someone a neighbour.

 

Reset my heart so that I may feel all the sufferings of my neighbour!

 

• I contemplate Jesus’ face teaching me about his divine mercy:  I am called not only to reproduce the behaviour of the good Samaritan man but also to identify myself with the person in need - the one lying and dying on the road- It means that I need sometimes to accept the help coming from my fellow human beings. The help that I receive from my fellow humans is part and parcel of God’s mercy and providence.

 

Reset my heart so that I may feel all the sufferings of my neighbour!

 

 

3. Oratio ( Ask)

 

• I ask myself how I would be treated if I found myself in the same situation as the man in pain. Would I be treated by the rule of love/mercy or the rule of the law?

 

Silence

 

God, I know You inhabit the wilderness places. Open my eyes to see You here and my ears to hear Your voice when I need Your divine mercy. What do You want me to know more about Your mercy?

 

Pause

 

• The man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho. Even if His going down to Jericho made him experience one of the worst forms of torture and suffering, I note that this unfortunate incident allowed him somehow to experience true friendship and love.

 

Pause

 

• Has there ever been a time when I was suddenly and unexpectedly rejected?  Diminished?  When I find myself isolated and in crisis, where would my help come from?

I lift up my eyes to the hills.

From where does my help come?

My help comes from the Lord,

who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved;

he who keeps you will not slumber.

(Psalm 121:1-3, ESVUK)

 

Pause

 

 

4. Contemplatio (Yield and pray)

 

My memory is full of images of His compassion towards me, my mind full of their meanings, and my heart is now loaded with hymns of thanksgiving.

 

But silence my body and mind now, O Lord, now…

 

I now choose to rejoice and pray in the words of Sr. Faustina, using my five senses:

 

Help me, O Lord, that my eyes may be merciful, so that I may never suspect or judge from appearances, but look for what is beautiful in my neighbours' souls and come to their rescue. 

Help me, that my ears may be merciful, so that I may give heed to my neighbours' needs and not be indifferent to their pains and moanings.

Help me, O Lord, that my tongue may be merciful so that I never speak negatively of my neighbour, but have a word of comfort and forgiveness for all.

Help me, O Lord, that my hands may be merciful and filled with good deeds, so that I may do only good to my neighbours and take upon myself the more difficult and toilsome tasks.

Help me, that my feet may be merciful, so that I may hurry to assist my neighbour, overcoming my own fatigue and weariness. My true rest is in the service of my neighbour. 

Help me, O Lord, that my heart may be merciful so that I myself may feel all the sufferings of my neighbour. May Your mercy, O Lord, rest upon me.   

(cf. Sr. Faustina, Diary)

 Amen.

 

Exit meditation using Psalm 121 (ESVUK)