Hello friends and welcome to this Lectio Divina on part one of Psalm 118.
I invite you to find a comfortable,
Attentive position with your body.
To begin to gather into this moment,
Letting go of the day so far.
And of what's to come.
Let anything that wants to fall away,
Fall away and receive the grace to be here in this moment.
Letting your thoughts recede and becoming aware of your breathing.
Perhaps taking a few deeper wider breaths.
Letting your body sink and release.
Letting your body soften.
And be held,
Opening to the love and compassion of the beloved.
I'm going to read all of part one and then offer a section of it twice more.
On this first reading,
Simply let the words come.
Like a gentle rain falling into your being.
The first part of Psalm 118.
We give thanks to you,
O Beloved,
For you are kind.
Your steadfast love endures forever.
Let every nation proclaim Your steadfast love endures forever.
Let all the people cry your steadfast love endures forever.
Let those who reverence you sing,
Your steadfast love endures forever.
Out of my distress I called upon you.
You answered,
Setting me on a new path.
With you beside me I do not fear.
What can others do to me?
You live within me and answer my prayer as I face the fears that well up from within.
It is better to abandon yourself to the beloved.
Than to trust in yourself alone.
It is better to surrender to love's will than to seek the riches of the world.
When all my fears surrounded me,
I acknowledged your presence within me.
When they surrounded me on every side,
I gave thanks for your companioning presence.
They surrounded me like bees and they threatened to overwhelm me.
In your strong presence I faced them.
Though they arose like an army,
You stood firm beside me.
You are my strength and my song.
You are my counselor and my friend.
On this second reading returning to a few verses taken from that part of the song.
Notice any of these words or phrases that particularly draw your attention.
You live within me and answer my prayer as I face the fears that well up from within.
It is better to abandon yourself to the beloved than to trust in yourself alone.
It is better to surrender to love's will than to seek the riches of the world.
Reading those words one last time.
Welcome the phrases or words that drew your attention.
To bring their gift to speak more deeply.
To bring their invitation and offering.
To notice how you want to respond to them and how they're encouraging you at this moment of your life.
You live within me and answer my prayer as I face the fears that well up from within.
It is better to abandon yourself to the beloved than to trust in yourself alone.
It is better to surrender to love's will than to seek the riches of the world.
Friends,
May you know yourselves held in the love of the beloved.
May you know yourselves companioned,
Held,
Supported.
May you be encouraged and go in great hope.
Amen.
