Lectio Divina

by Fr Jean Celestin Ngoma

 

Prayer for Stillness

As I meditate on your Word, O Lord, please illuminate me so that I may better perceive your presence.

Visit my senses; let me see, feel, and hear you in all I am going to read now.

Nurture my soul with the wisdom of the Holy Spirit and guide me in loving and controlling my disordered passions.

 

1. Lectio (Read)

 

Jesus also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt:  “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’  But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

St Luke 18:9-14, ESVUK

 

Silence

 

I choose the sacred phrase “Let me not miss your visitation, Lord” to lead my meditation in the presence of God.

 

 

2. Meditatio (Rejoice and Reflect)

 

In this illumination phase of the Trinity, the Word of God continues to nurture our souls with the divine wisdom of the Holy Spirit, helping us deal with disordered inclinations as mature Christians. As Christians, we are not free from sins of pride, envy, lust, and disordered anger. This is why today’s readings warn us again about the danger of pride that can negatively affect our ascension to heaven.

Against this background, I contemplate the pride of the Pharisees and my own moments of pride.  The Pharisees trusted in their own deeds, and in their pride, they treated others with contempt, as today’s Gospel says.  They were consumed by self-righteousness. Their discontent regarding others' qualities triggered anger and hostility, ultimately leading to wrath against Jesus and their contemporaries.  They coveted the highest level of moral and religious life but could not obtain it; as a result, they envied, fought, and quarrelled (cf. James 4:2).  As influencers of their time, they were loaded with religious convictions and concerns, but they failed to recognize their day of visitation and missed it entirely.

Let me not miss your visitation, Lord.

 

Pause

 

I contemplate a few other dangers that can affect the ongoing divine nurturing of our souls. One of these dangers is the tendency to focus on Jesus solely through His human origins and to admire His miracles and the honour He received from the crowd. By doing so, we neglect His true divine origin, His pre-existence in the Trinity, and forget to welcome Him as a gift—our divine Master who visits us to accompany our soul’s ascension toward God.

Let me not miss your visitation, Lord.

 

Silence

 

I reflect on Jesus’ visitation in the Holy Scriptures and His role in salvation.  Born of the Virgin Mary, He was a carpenter's son.  The word τεκτων (tekton) denotes an artisan, or rather: a joiner.  This echoes Jesus’ visitation role for my soul.  His illumination and visitation are to unite our souls with God and enrich them with divine illumination, echoing our baptism and transformation.

Let me not miss your visitation, Lord.

In Aramaic, the word for carpenter also signifies a wise person.  Jesus embodies true wisdom; in Him, we access God’s insight. Reading the Scriptures with an open heart reveals that Jesus’ teachings were challenging in His time and remain so today.  His command to love our enemies challenges my notions of fellowship and charity.  His teachings still influence us as profoundly today as they did 2,000 years ago and will continue until the Parousia.

Let me not miss your visitation, Lord.

 

 

3. Oratorio (Ask and Pray)

 

Wisdom, one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, is the first and greatest divine gift, leading to humility and true human fellowship.

I wonder: What caused the Pharisees to miss the Lord’s visitation? They followed human wisdom, driven by pride and failing to recognize Jesus’ divine nature. They saw Him merely as Joseph's and Mary's son, disregarding His eternal life with the Father.

 

Pause

 

When did I miss your visitation and illumination, Lord?

I reflect on moments where pride has caused anxiety, shame, and distress in my life.

My insights are not exhaustive, but I realize that sometimes, as a mature Christian, I allow myself to be moved by your visitation without truly changing.

Let me not miss your visitation, Lord.

 

Pause

 

I recognize that not every crisis in my life originates from external circumstances; often, it stems from a focus on temporary earthly events and desires that I sometimes absolutize.  True crises can arise from a lack of trust in God's providence.

I sometimes forget that my crises, worries, and anxieties do not escape God's notice.  His grace is more effective than my problems, and my lack of wisdom often leads to my downfall.  Incarnate wisdom does not lead me to fall; rather, it helps us avoid relying solely on human experience.  This world is filled with idols that even wise and mature Christians can still become enslaved with.

Let me not miss your visitation, Lord.

 

 

4. Contemplatio (Yield and Pray)

 

I now seek to delve into the depth of God’s humility, who became man and chose to identify with humanity.

 

Pause

 

I conclude this meditation with an attitude of adoration:

I adore Jesus who humbled Himself to visit us, enlighten us, and heal our infirmities.

Let me not miss your visitation, Lord.

 

Exit meditation