Welcome into Lectio Divina.
I am reading from Luke 15,
14 through 20.
I am reading from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible.
I will lead you through the passage four times.
After each reading I will give you time to reflect on the reading with a different focus each time.
So before we begin,
Find a comfortable place to sit.
Prepare yourself to receive the Holy Spirit.
Sit upright in a comfortable chair with your feet on the floor and your hands resting comfortably on your lap,
Palms up.
Close your eyes and take a deep breath from your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth.
Focus on your breath and relax your body.
Invite God to be with you in your thoughts.
Imagine yourself sitting in the presence of God.
Remember,
This is a meditation.
It is a time for you to reflect on the text.
If you find your mind wandering,
Gently bring your thoughts back to the reading.
Continue taking deep breaths from your nose and exhaling slowly through the mouth.
As I read this passage through the first time,
Listen for patterns,
Images and ideas.
Listen as if you were listening to someone read a personal letter addressed just to you.
Listen for words or phrases that speak to you.
When he had spent everything,
A severe famine took place throughout that country,
And he began to be in need.
So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs.
He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating,
And no one gave him anything.
But when he came to himself,
He said,
How many of my father's hired hands have bread enough and to spare?
But here I am dying of hunger.
I will get up and go to my father and will say to him,
Father,
I have sinned against heaven and before you.
I am no longer worthy to be called your son.
Treat me like one of your hired hands.
So he set off and went to his father.
But while he was still far off,
His father saw him and was filled with compassion.
He ran and put his arms around him and kissed him.
As you continue to breathe deeply from your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth,
I will read through this passage again.
I invite you to recall anything that stood out to you during the first reading.
Is this something that you can connect to your life?
Use your imagination to paint a mental picture of the text.
Place yourself in the text and engage all your senses.
What do you experience as you sit in this passage?
When he had spent everything,
A severe famine took place throughout that country,
And he began to be in need.
So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs.
He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating,
And no one gave him anything.
But when he came to himself,
He said,
How many of my father's hired hands have bred enough and to spare?
But here I am dying of hunger.
I will get up and go to my father and will say to him,
Father,
I have sinned against heaven and before you.
I am no longer worthy to be called your son.
Treat me like one of your hired hands.
So he set off and went to his father.
But while he was still far off,
His father saw him and was filled with compassion.
He ran and put his arms around him and kissed him.
Continue breathing slowly through your nose and exhaling from your mouth.
As I read this passage the third time,
Reflect on all the thoughts,
Feelings,
Actions,
Fears,
Convictions,
And questions you have experienced up to this point.
Offer these to God in prayer.
Praise God for who God is.
When he had spent everything,
A severe famine took place throughout that country,
And he began to be in need.
So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs.
He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating,
And no one gave him anything.
But when he came to himself,
He said,
How many of my father's hired hands have bread enough and to spare?
But here I am dying of hunger.
I will get up and go to my father and will say to him,
Father,
I have sinned against heaven and before you.
I am no longer worthy to be called your son.
Treat me like one of your hired hands.
So he set off and went to his father.
But while he was still far off,
His father saw him and was filled with compassion.
He ran and put his arms around him and kissed him.
As you continue your slow,
Deep breathing,
I will read this passage through the fourth and final time.
Sit in silence in the presence of God.
Be still and know that God is God.
Simply sit and allow yourself to feel God's presence and tender love that wraps around you and embraces you.
When he had spent everything,
A severe famine took place throughout that country,
And he began to be in need.
So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs.
He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating,
And no one gave him anything.
But when he came to himself,
He said,
How many of my father's hired hands have bread enough and to spare?
But here I am dying of hunger.
I will get up and go to my father and will say to him,
Father,
I have sinned against heaven and before you.
I am no longer worthy to be called your son.
Treat me like one of your hired hands.
So he set off and went to his father.
But while he was still far off,
His father saw him and was filled with compassion.
He ran and put his arms around him and kissed him.
As you continue to breathe slowly,
I invite you to think about your experience with God during this exercise.
Ask yourself four questions.
What did you learn from or about God?
What did you learn about what God thinks of you?
What does God want from you?
What action steps,
If any,
Can you take out of conviction from this lesson?
May you feel the presence of God throughout your day today.
Amen.
