Lectio Divina | Daily Catholic Prayer | Gospel Reflections

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Lectio Divina | Daily Catholic Prayer | Gospel Reflections

Welcome to Lectio Divina Reflections. Part of my daily prayer as a Catholic, lectio divina has helped me grow closer to God and to the way that I practice my faith. There are different methods for doing lectio divina that include reading, meditation, prayer, and contemplation. Join me as I use lectio divina as I understand it as a way of reading Scripture and praying through God's word, which leads always into a deeper relationship with him. My hope is that your own practice of lectio divina opens wide for you the door to Christ.

  1. "My heart is moved with pity for the crowd." | Saturday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

    17 HR. AGO

    "My heart is moved with pity for the crowd." | Saturday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

    From the responsorial psalm: "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart. Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants! In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge." A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mark 8:1-10, today's readings) His disciples answered him, "Where can anyone get enough bread to satisfy them here in this deserted place?" Still he asked them, "How many loaves do you have?" They replied, "Seven." In this passage known as the Feeding of the Four Thousand, the words Jesus speaks are as profound as the miracle he performs. What was left over after the miracle also speaks of God's abundant mercy—seven basketsful of fragments. Aware of the physical needs of the crowd following him for three days, Jesus feels great compassion for them, and we hear him say, "My heart is moved with pity for the crowd." His care for them extends beyond their physical presence with him: "If I send them away hungry to their homes," Jesus says, "they will collapse on the way, and some of them have come a great distance." The great distance they have come is an expression of their desire to be with the Lord, to stay with him. All-knowing and ever merciful, Jesus not only supplies them with food to satisfy hunger but with the fulfillment of our deepest longings. God, help me trust that you look to the needs of your people at all times with compassion and mercy. What I tend to think I need during the day turns out to be not a need at all but more the fulfillment of requirements I set for myself. Jesus looks out over the crowd and sees what they need and immediately provides for them. Let me put myself in the sometimes uncomfortable disposition to receive your mercy and be fed by you. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

    2 min
  2. Memorial of Saints Cyril, Monk, and Methodius, Bishop

    1 DAY AGO

    Memorial of Saints Cyril, Monk, and Methodius, Bishop

    From the responsorial psalm: "Blessed is he whose fault is taken away, whose sin is covered. Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt, in whose spirit there is no guile. Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven." A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mark 7:31-37, today's readings) He took him off by himself away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”) And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly. The ears of the deaf man are opened because of the miracle Jesus performs but also because people bring the man to Jesus. Not in isolation, the man experiences the love of others who believe Jesus can restore his hearing and speech. In the first reading, the serpent finds and isolates Eve, effectively dividing her from the union she has with Adam and God and all of creation. In restoring the deaf man, Jesus doesn't merely undo what the evil one did in the Garden of Eden; he restores the man to wholeness in a foretaste of the new creation, the beatific vision in the life of the world to come. Mark tells us that the man's speech impediment was removed and that he spoke plainly. The plain speech that drives the evil one away is one word: Jesus. God, let me see the peace that results from the work Jesus accomplished while on earth and the hope of eternal life in his passion, death, and resurrection. At creation, Lord, you said you found all that you had made very good. Jesus took the deaf man aside, away from others who loved and cared for him, in order to draw him into more intimate union with you. In opening his ears and lips, Jesus restores him to your plan for creation so that all may say of your glory, "He has done all things well." Open our hearts, O Lord, to listen to the words of your Son. Saints Cyril and Methodius, pray for us! Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

    2 min
  3. "Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children's scraps." | Thursday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

    2 DAYS AGO

    "Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children's scraps." | Thursday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

    From the responsorial psalm: "Behold, thus is the man blessed who fears the LORD. The LORD bless you from Zion: may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life. Blessed are those who fear the Lord." A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mark 7:31-37,today's readings) The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, "Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs." She replied and said to him, "Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children's scraps." Then he said to her, "For saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter." Wherever he goes, Jesus cannot escape notice, even among the Gentiles. People come to him from all sides, as the woman in today's Gospel does for the sake of her daughter. In responding to the woman, Jesus refers to the claim of the Jews that they first receive his ministry as God's chosen ones. But for the mother who sees the suffering of her daughter, that claim does nothing to hold her back. Jesus gives her the opportunity to demonstrate the depth of her faith expressed in desperate need. Similarly, in the first reading from Genesis, we see the dignity of Adam and Eve standing before God in complete reliance on him, both naked yet feeling no shame. Jesus invites us to come to him with the same dignity, in complete recognition of all he can do for us in his mercy as our Lord and creator. God, just as the woman approached Jesus, aware of her otherness but in great need, I ask for the grace to do the same. In willing to do anything to restore her daughter's health, the mother had heard of Jesus and simply fell at his feet on meeting him. Help me today put to work the exemplary persistent faith of the woman and her holy fear and reverence as she knelt before you. At creation, "The man and his wife were both naked, yet they felt no shame." In humility and childlike trust, let me remember to come to you throughout the day, to come with persistence, and to plead that your will—which is love—be done for me and others. Blessed are those who fear the Lord! Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

    2 min
  4. "Evils come from within and they defile."| Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

    3 DAYS AGO

    "Evils come from within and they defile."| Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

    From the responsorial psalm: "Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD, my God, you are great indeed! You are clothed with majesty and glory, robed in light as with a cloak. O bless the Lord, my soul!" A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mark 7:14-23,today's readings) “But what comes out of the man, that is what defiles him. From within the man, from his heart, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.” After the Pharisees criticize the disciples of Jesus for not following Jewish traditions of purification, Jesus tells the disciples, "Nothing that enters one from from outside can defile that person." From the heart come a host of evil thoughts and actions, extending all the way back to original sin in the Garden of Eden. What defiles, Jesus tells us, is not what enters the stomach but what enters the heart and comes from within. This is why baptism and repentance are necessary to restore us to God, because God restores us to the truth. The Gospel acclamation for today is: "Your word, O Lord, is truth; consecrate us in the truth." What we once took for ourselves from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, Jesus gives us abundantly through the sacraments—the embodiment of his passion, death, and resurrection. God, in recognition that what defiles comes from within, flood me with your grace and mercy today. Left to myself, I have nothing; you are the source of every good gift. The vices that come from my heart have no place to hide in the dark but are scattered by the light of your face. Help me call to mind that after looking on everything you made, you found it very good. Be with me today, Lord. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

    2 min
  5. "You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition." | Tuesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

    4 DAYS AGO

    "You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition." | Tuesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

    From the responsorial psalm: “When I behold your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you set in place—What is man that you should be mindful of him, or the son of man that you should care for him? O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!” A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mk 7:1-13, today’s readings) He responded, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts. You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” The Pharisees observe that the disciples of Jesus eat their meals with unwashed hands and fail to purify themselves after coming from the marketplace, according to Jewish tradition. In questioning Jesus about this, they point out that the disciples are not followers of the tradition of the elders. Jesus’ response cuts to the heart of the issue as he quotes Isaiah to reveal their oppressive teaching and deep-rooted hypocrisy. He criticizes the Pharisees for allowing traditions to undermine God’s inherently good commandments through their strict adherence to rituals. Intentions matter; in prayer and ritual observance, where do we find God except in hearing and doing his will, inclining our hearts to his decrees? God, your law is rooted in love, mercy, and justice. Through the person of Jesus, you give us every one of these gifts—not a set of prohibitions or obligations but a call toward the good to build relationship with you and others in a way that corresponds to your will. When Jesus says the Pharisees nullify your word and that they “do many such things,” give me the grace to recognize the ways I turn away from you and your word. When I am tempted to think that those who set aside your commandments and instead upheld tradition lived and died a long time ago, guide me to the realization that I myself have done the same and will do the same again. From Genesis, I read: “God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good.” Guide me, Lord, to see as you see. Blessed Virgin Mary, pray for us! Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

    2 min
  6. “That they might touch only the tassel on his cloak.” | Memorial of Saint Scholastica, Virgin

    5 DAYS AGO

    “That they might touch only the tassel on his cloak.” | Memorial of Saint Scholastica, Virgin

    From the responsorial psalm: “Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD, my God, you are great indeed! You are clothed with majesty and glory, robed in light as with a cloak. May the Lord be glad in his works.” A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mk 6:53-56, today’s readings) They scurried about the surrounding country and began to bring in the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. Word of Jesus spread quickly throughout the whole region. In Gennesaret, as soon as people realized Jesus set foot on the shore, they begin to bring their sick to him. Not long before, on his way to heal Jairus’s daughter, a woman came to Jesus only to touch his cloak and was healed. Perhaps people heard this story told and began to hurry to get their sick loved ones to Jesus as soon as he was present. Mark tells us this about the places Jesus visits: “Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak; and as many as touched it were healed.” Jesus rewards the great faith these people act on with teaching and healing, bringing them to wholeness in this life while preparing them for life in the world to come. God, help me rest today in the true hope and consolation of Jesus Christ your Son. “Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom and cured every disease among the people,” the Gospel acclamation says. Time after time, Lord, let me come to you to hear your word and to know genuine gratitude for all your good gifts. In receiving you in the Eucharist, I begin to perceive the peace the people experienced as you healed them of their illnesses. Stay with me, Lord; make me whole. Memorial of Saint Scholastica, pray for us! Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

    2 min
  7. "Put out into deep water." | Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    6 DAYS AGO

    "Put out into deep water." | Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    From the responsorial psalm: "Your right hand saves me. The LORD will complete what he has done for me; your kindness, O LORD, endures forever; forsake not the work of your hands. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord." A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 5:1-11,today's readings) After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch." Simon said in reply, "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets." When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. Luke describes the calling of the first disciples, namely Simon Peter, James, and John. Commenting on this passage, Saint John Paul II said, "Do not be afraid. Do not be satisfied with mediocrity. Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." By saying this, he reminded us that God continually calls us to live a deeper, more purposeful life. Simon Peter's response to Jesus is an example of faith and humility; an experienced fisherman, Peter would have known well when and where to catch fish. Returning to the shore, Peter professes Jesus as Lord, not fit to be in his presence. Jesus says to him, calling him to his mission of evangelization: "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." God, help me understand that you dwell in depth and mystery yet are ever present in the sacraments of the Church, especially in the real presence of the Eucharist. My own will, like Peter's, moves from what it knows and toward what it knows. Give me the grace to hear and understand your will in the depth of my heart and then act on it. Guide me away from the mediocrity of determining that my life's purpose is self-circumscribed. From the deep, unseen places where you are and through the body and blood of Jesus, guide me toward accepting your will and doing what you ask of me. Make clear to me, Lord, what it is you wish me for to do. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

    2 min
  8. "All that the Lord in his pity has done for you.” | Monday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

    FEB 2

    "All that the Lord in his pity has done for you.” | Monday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

    From the Gospel acclamation: "A great prophet has arisen in our midst and God has visited his people." A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (today's readings) As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed pleaded to remain with him. But Jesus would not permit him but told him instead, “Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you.” Following the calming of a storm at sea, Jesus and the disciples arrive at the region of Gerasenes and encounter a man possessed by demons. Living among the tombs and restrained by chains and shackles he smashed, the demon-possessed man meets Jesus at the shore. Night and day, Mark tells us, the man cried out and bruised himself with stones. Recognizing Jesus by name, the demons identifying themselves as Legion, beg Jesus not to torment them. Granting their request, Jesus sends the demons into a nearby herd of pigs, which immediately rush down a steep bank into the sea. The man returns to his right mind, and the witnesses and nearby townspeople beg the man to leave, who first attempts to go with Jesus and then travels to the Decapolis to proclaim what Jesus has done for him. The people are amazed, and word of Jesus begins to spread. Sometimes life would have us living among tombs, possessed by inner demons. If Jesus drove out Legion, he can drive out any of those who name themselves or any who dwell in us in anonymity. "Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord." God, stay beside me this moment and throughout the day as I meditate on the power of Jesus Christ your Son to name and cast out any evil within me. Thanks be to you, Lord, for the gifts of baptism and reconciliation and the true food and true drink of the Eucharist. Jesus commanded the possessed man to do one thing. Let me open my heart in gratitude to his command and find joy in it: “Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you.” Help me remember your compassion, Lord, as I place my trust in you. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

    2 min
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About

Welcome to Lectio Divina Reflections. Part of my daily prayer as a Catholic, lectio divina has helped me grow closer to God and to the way that I practice my faith. There are different methods for doing lectio divina that include reading, meditation, prayer, and contemplation. Join me as I use lectio divina as I understand it as a way of reading Scripture and praying through God's word, which leads always into a deeper relationship with him. My hope is that your own practice of lectio divina opens wide for you the door to Christ.

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