Hello and welcome.
My name is Nicho and this is a Lectio Divina meditation from the Gospel of John using the First Nations version of the Bible.
This is track eight in an ongoing series.
Each track is a moment to slow down,
Receive the words of Christ,
And return to your quiet center.
But before we begin,
Let us start with a short prayer.
Great Spirit,
Open our hearts to your Son's words today.
Let them wash over us like morning light,
Gentle,
Radiant,
And full of truth.
Prepare a quiet space within us,
So we may receive your presence in stillness.
Amen.
A reading from the Gospel of John,
Chapter 14,
Verse 1 to 27.
His followers hung their heads as his word sank deep into their hearts.
Creator sets free,
Jesus,
Gathered them together,
And had them sit down in a circle like an eagle gathering her young under her wings.
He spoke softly but clearly to them.
Do not let your hearts fall to the ground,
He encouraged them.
Trust in the Great Spirit and trust in me.
My Father's lodge has room for everyone.
If this were not so,
Then why would I tell you that I'm going to prepare a place for you?
When I'm finished,
I will come back to you,
So that you will always be with me.
You already know the path to where I'm going.
Looks like his brother,
Thomas,
Interrupted and said,
Wisdom Keeper,
If we do not know where you are going,
How can we know the path?
I am the Great Spirit's pathway,
The truth about who he really is,
And the life of beauty and harmony he offers to all.
There is no other guide who can take you to the Father.
To know me is to know my Father,
So from now on you know him and have seen him.
Friend of Horses,
Philip,
Said to him,
Wisdom Keeper,
Show us the Father,
And that will be enough.
Friend of Horses,
Philip,
Creator Sets Free,
Jesus,
Said,
How long have you walked with me,
And still you do not know me?
How can you say,
Show us the Father?
The ones who have seen me have seen the Father.
Do you not believe that the Father is in me,
And I am in the Father?
The words I speak to you are not my own.
It is the Father speaking in me.
Trust in me,
For I am the Father and he is in me.
Or at least trust in the works my Father does through me.
I speak from my heart.
The ones who trust in me will do the same things I do,
And even greater things,
For I am going away to my Father.
When you ask the Father for anything,
Ask it in my name,
Representing who I am.
When you ask for anything in this way,
I will do it to bring honor to my Father.
If you love me,
You will walk in my ways.
I will ask the Father to send one who will always walk beside you and guide you on the good road.
He is the Spirit of Truth,
The one this world is not able to accept because it does not see or know him,
But you know him,
For he is with you now and will soon be in you.
I will not leave you like a child with no parents.
I will come back to you.
Soon this world will no longer see me,
But you will see me,
Because I will live again,
And you will also live.
When that day comes,
You will know that I am in the Father,
That you are in me,
And that I am in you.
The ones who walk in my ways and stay true to my message love me.
They will be loved by my Father,
And I will love them and show them my true self.
Speaks well of Judas,
Not the one who betrayed him,
Asked,
Wisdom Keeper,
How will you show yourself to us and not the rest of the world?
I will show myself to the ones who love me and are staying true to my teachings.
They will be loved by my Father,
And we will come and make our home in and among them.
The ones who do not return my love will not walk in my message.
This message is not only mine,
It is from my Father,
The one who sent me.
I have told you these things while I'm still with you,
But there is still one whom the Father is sending to represent me.
He will walk beside you and be your spirit guide.
He is the Holy Spirit,
Who will be your Wisdom Keeper,
And will help you to remember all that I have told you.
Take a moment now to let these words sink deep into your heart.
No need to intellectualize,
To know.
Just let these words be,
As you prepare to hear these words in yet another way.
Do not let your hearts be afraid.
Trust in Creator and trust in me.
There is room in my Father's lodge for all.
I go to prepare a place for you.
And I will return to bring you there myself.
I am the path you walk,
The truth your heart can trust,
And the life your spirit longs for.
No one comes to the Father except through me.
To know me is to know the Father.
I am in Him,
And He is in me.
The words I speak come from Him.
The works I do are His.
If you walk my path,
You will do even greater things.
For I will send you a Helper,
The Spirit of Truth,
Who will live with you and within you.
I will not leave you like orphans.
I will come to you.
Even when the world no longer sees me,
You will know I am near.
If you love me,
You will walk in my ways,
And the Father and I will make our home in you.
My peace I leave with you,
Not as the world gives,
But a deep peace that calms the spirit.
So do not let your heart be troubled.
Do not be afraid.
Where do you sense fear or trouble in your heart?
Can you offer it to the One who gives peace not as the world gives?
How might you open more fully to the Spirit Helper,
Who lives within and walks beside you?
What would it mean for you today to live as if the Father and Son have made their home in you?
Take a few moments now in silence to reflect upon,
Digest,
And let this passage sink deeper into your body,
Into your mind,
Into your soul.
O Christ,
You are the way beneath our feet,
The light within our path,
And the voice calling us home.
Draw us into the union you share with the Father,
Deep,
Holy,
And unbreakable.
Help us trust your promise even when we do not understand the road ahead.
We choose to follow.
We choose to rest.
We choose to believe.
Amen.
As you carry this peace into the rest of your day,
Remember you are not alone.
The Father and the Son have made their home in you,
And the Spirit walks with you and within you still.
In our next meditation,
We will listen to the words of the True Vine who calls us to remain in Him,
To abide in love,
So that our hearts may bear fruits that last.
May you return with an open heart as we continue this journey through the Gospel of John.
Thank you for being here.
Live like dust,
Lit by fire.
Nicho
