Welcome friends to this Lectio Divina on Psalm 116.
Taking a deeper,
Wider breath as you settle and get comfortable.
As you simply let yourself be here with nothing to achieve.
No demands.
In this moment,
Simply being here.
Attentive to these words.
Open to receive their gift,
Their promise,
Their love.
How do you arrive into this space today,
Beloved?
How is your heart these days?
How is your spirit?
Take a few moments to connect with yourself.
Acknowledging what life is like for you.
At this time.
The presence of love is here.
Holding you.
Seeking you,
Loving you.
Open to receive that presence through these words.
I'm going to read the whole psalm once and then return to a few verses twice more.
Psalm 116 Receive my love,
O Beloved,
You who hear my voice and my supplication.
You incline your ear to me,
And I call upon you with trust both day and night.
When the snares of fear encompass me,
When the pangs of loneliness envelop me.
I suffer distress and anguish.
Then I call upon you,
My rock.
You come to my aid.
Your strength upholds me.
Gracious are you,
Just and true,
Heart of all hearts,
You are merciful and forgiving.
You preserve the simple.
When I am humbled,
You lift me up.
Return,
O my soul,
To your rest.
For you,
O loving friend,
Bestow grace upon grace,
A balm for my soul.
You raise me up to new life.
You dry my tears and guide my feet on straight paths.
Now I walk hand in hand with love in the land of the awakened ones.
I keep my faith even in times of great turmoil.
I invite others to awaken to the joy of your presence.
What shall I render to you for all your goodness to me?
I will drink the chalice of love and praise you,
Who have done wondrous things.
I will bear witness to you,
O Bread of Life.
In the presence of all the people.
Precious to you are all whose will decreases,
Who abandon themselves into your will.
O beloved,
Consider me your friend.
I long to co-create with you,
For you have loosed the bonds of fear in me.
I will offer to you the gift of gratitude and acknowledge your loving presence with joy.
I will bear witness to you,
O giver of life.
In the presence of all the people in the sacred altar of my heart in your midst oh beloved.
Praises be to you,
For you dwell within the heart of everything.
You you you you you on this second reading,
Returning to just a couple of the verses from this psalm.
Noticing any of these words or phrases that particularly capture your attention.
You raise me up to new life.
You dry my tears and guide my feet on straight paths.
Now I walk hand in hand with love in the land of the awakened ones.
You Listening to those words once more,
Welcoming the ones that are resonating,
Are landing,
Are offering you their gift,
Their encouragement,
Their hope.
You raise me up to new life.
You dry my tears and guide my feet on straight paths.
Now I walk hand in hand with love in the land of the awakened ones.
You Beloveds,
May you be raised up to new life.
May your tears be dried and tended to.
May you find yourself walking along a straight path.
May you know ever more deeply that you walk hand in hand with love.
And you are accompanied by the awakened ones.
Amen.
