Lectio Divina

One thing have I asked of the Lord,
    that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
    and to inquire in his temple. (Psalm 27:4).

 

 

1. Lectio (Read)

 

“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you.  Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap.  For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

St Luke 6:36-38, ESVUK

 

Silence

 

I want to draw closer to God during this Trinity season.  I choose the phrase “let God remain God” to guide my thoughts in the presence of God during this meditation.

 

2. Meditatio (Reflect)

 

I contemplate the love of God and reflect on the fact that the God I serve is the same God who cares for prisoners and sinners, etc.  He provides abundantly for everyone—both the good and the bad—because “He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45).  The words of Jesus encourage me to consider others’ opinions and beliefs, steering me away from the self-satisfaction exhibited by the Pharisees, which is not part of the love of God in Christ.
Let God remain God.

I also contemplate God’s image as depicted in Exodus 34:6, which underscores His attributes and the characteristics of His love: He is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, kind, and true.  He forgives those who transgress against Him because His law is one of love.  God also punishes the guilty and addresses our iniquities, as well as those of our ancestors.  I understand that forgiveness, as a characteristic of God, should guide my attitude toward others.
Let God remain God.

 

Pause

 

 

3. Oratorio (Ask)

 

I reflected on the reasons I should refrain from making “final judgements”.

 

As a Christian, I am called to be humble and not to make final judgments about others.  Judges, before pronouncing a sentence, have a complete understanding of the offense and the circumstances leading to it.  I am not a judge; I cannot make a final judgment because I don’t know why people behave in certain ways.  I am unaware of the circumstances surrounding specific behaviours or actions, nor do I know the depths of people's hearts.  This serves as an invitation for me to remember and to say, Let God remain God.

 

Pause

 

My duty as a Christian is to love—nothing more.  This duty, which is imposed on me, does not include making final judgments about others, for judging is God’s realm.  Let God remain God.  The warning of Prophet Isaiah echoes in my mind: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, (…) my ways are higher than your ways” (cf. Isaiah 55:8-9). I reaffirm: Let God remain God.

 

Pause

 

In silence, I now wish to join all the saints in asking the Lord for the grace of mercy, purification from judgment, and the strength to fight against pride. This week, I want to engage in what the late Pope Francis called a “therapy of hope” to help me not get discouraged in my healing journey of ascension to heaven.  I want to allow today’s Gospel to help me re-examine my life, confront my pride, and challenge my pursuit of self-satisfaction.

 

Silence

 

In the morning and during the day, I want to ask God to ignite a desire within me to love those who do not share my faith or opinions, as well as those I believe have distorted God’s true religion.

• I will ask Jesus to bring about the healing and freedom I need so that I can say to Him: "Stay with me now, Lord, so that I may learn to love differently and engage in the search for myself and others, increasing joy, rest, and fellowship in the life of heaven" (cf. David Phillips).

At noon, I will reflect on a few obstacles in my soul that hinder me from fully experiencing God’s love and mercy in my life, which I believe need the Lord’s attention.  In the evening, while at work, I want to examine any judgments and backbiting I may have directed toward others and the wounds they have created within me.

• I will make sure that every time I make a judgment during this week, I should also express its antidote, a divine blessing.  My prayer intention will be to ask God to give me a "merciful" tongue, so that I may reduce speaking ill of others.

At night, before I sleep, I will engage in a dialogue with Jesus, as He encourages the opening of the heart through words.

• I will somehow try to answer the same question Jesus asked the disciples on the road to Emmaus: " “What is this conversation that you are holding… as you walk" (Luke 24:17 ).  I will share my fears and my sadness as the disciples of Emmaus did.

Finally, in a Thanksgiving prayer, I will recall all the graces I have received from Him and say, Let God remain God.

 

 

 

4. Contemplatio (Yield and Pray)

 

As I yield to God, letting Him remain in my life today, I acknowledge that He is God.

 

Pause

 

I reflect on how He created me out of love and the gifts I have received from Him.

I repeat : Let God remain God.

 

Pause 

 

I write down a simple and personal hymn of Prayer to Jesus:

 

Your love, O Jesus my God, transforms my life daily.

It opens my heart to be more compassionate and aware of others’ suffering.

Your love enables me to embrace vulnerabilities, sharing in joy and sorrow.

You are compassionate, gracious, and slow to anger.

You express kindness and forgiveness while rebuking evil and loving the sinner.

This love replaces my memories of iniquities and fears with the joy of my restoration in Christ.

Always remind me that You are undeniably the Lord of my life, now and forever.  Amen.

 

Exit from meditation.