Lectio Divina - Aug 23, 2013

Today we have many beautiful Scriptures to meditate upon in the Daily Readings.  Difficult to choose one.  In the first reading however, Ruth said to Naomi:

 Ruth 1:16  “Do not ask me to abandon or forsake you!For wherever you go, I will go, wherever you lodge I will lodge,your people shall be my people, and your God my God.”

Let us pray:
Dear Lord,

I want to be this courageous.  To give myself so completely and to behave so selflessly.  Ruth, conscious of Naomi's old age and abandonment, would not leave her side until she could be assured of Naomi's welfare.  Dear Lord, grant that we may be blessed with the courage of our sweet Matriarch, Ruth, wife of Boaz, mother of Jesse from whose line our Lord was born.

We ask this in our Lord Jesus' name.

Amen!

Lectio Divina Aug. 22, 2013

Today is the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

Instead of taking a reading from the daily readings of the Mass, let us take a reading which directly speaks of our ladies Queenship:

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Revelation, Chapter 12:1

The Woman and the Dragon.1^* A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman^* clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.^a

Ask yourself these questions:

 Four questions of Traditional Lectio Divina

1.  What does the text say?

The text says that St. John the Evangelist saw Mary in heaven and that she is crowned with twelve stars.  That means that Mary is the Queen of Heaven.

2.  What does the text say to you?  How does it affect your life?

Mary is the Mother of Jesus Christ.  And Mary is my mother by virtue of the fact that I have the Gospel of Jesus Christ on my lips all the time  (See verse Rev 12:17).   Therefore, I know that I have an advocate in heaven who loves me like my own mother.

3.  What do you want to say to God about the text?

I want to thank God on three levels.  I want to thank God the Father for creating my Spiritual Mother  immaculately.  I want to thank God the Son for selecting my Spiritual Mother to be His mother and for humbling Himself to be conceived in her womb.  And I want to thank God the Holy Spirit for making her His spouse thus conceiving the Son of God in her womb and giving Him to the world for salvation from our sins.

4.  What difference does this verse make in your life?

The virgin Mary was continually united with the Holy Spirit from conception.  Therefore, I am reminded to continually seek to be united to God in my life.  

Savouring Lectio Divina
Rest on the phrase, let the text penetrate your heart, let it soak into you and enjoy it.

THE CATENA LEGIONIS

(Make the Sign of the Cross)

Antiphon. Who is she that comes forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army set in battle array?

v. My soul glorifies the Lord.*
R. My spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.
v. He looks on His servant in her lowliness;*
henceforth all ages will call me blessed. 

R. The Almighty works marvels for me.*
Holy His name!
v. His mercy is from age to age,*
on those who fear Him. 

R. He puts forth His arm in strength*
and scatters the proud-hearted.
v. He casts the mighty from their thrones*
and raises the lowly. 

R. He fills the starving with good things,*
sends the rich away empty. 

v. He protects Israel His servant,*
remembering His mercy,
R. The mercy promised to our fathers,*
to Abraham and his sons for ever. 

v. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit..
R. As it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. 

Antiphon. Who is she that comes forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army set in battle array?

v. O Mary, conceived without sin.
R. Pray for us who have recourse to you. 

Let us pray.
O Lord Jesus Christ, our mediator with the Father, Who has been Pleased to appoint the Most Blessed Virgin, Your mother, to be our mother also, and our mediatrix with You, mercifully grant that whoever comes to You seeking Your favours may rejoice to receive all of them through her. Amen.