Hello friends and welcome to this Lectio Divina on Psalm 42.
Before we begin I invite you to arrive here,
To take a few moments to settle.
Find a comfortable upright position and maybe closing your eyes and taking some deep wide breaths.
Allow your attention to come to your feet,
That sense of being rooted and grounded,
Supported,
Sustained.
Let your shoulders drop and your body sink.
Welcome the grace to be present here and to receive the gift that these words bring.
The Psalm will be read three times and on this first reading I invite you to simply welcome the words without attaching to any in particular.
As a heart longs for flowing streams,
So my soul for you,
O beloved.
My soul thirst for the beloved,
For the living water.
When may I come and behold your face?
Tears have been my only nourishment day and night.
While friends ask continually,
Why do you seem so lost and forlorn?
All this I remembered as I poured out my soul.
How I went out among the throng,
Proceeding to the house of prayer.
With loud voice we gave you praise and acclamation.
A multitude proclaiming gratitude and joy.
Why are you cast down,
O my soul,
And why are you disquieted within me?
My hope is in the beloved,
My strength and my joy.
O my soul,
Open the door to love.
My soul is cast down within me,
Yet I remember you from my mother's womb to maturity through all the days of my life.
Deep calls to deep at the thunder of your waterfalls.
All your waves and your billows have washed over me.
By day you lead me in steadfast love.
At night your song is within me.
Prayer from the heart of my heart.
I say to the beloved,
The blessed one,
Why have you forgotten me?
Why go I mourning because of the oppression of fear?
As with a deadly wound in my body,
I feel the pain of war and injustice.
While the powerful seem to destroy the innocent,
Seem of no account.
O my soul,
Let not the quagmire of war keep me from radiating your peace.
Your love and light to the world.
My hope is in you,
O spirit of truth.
I pray for you,
O my soul,
That you will be my strength and my guide.
O my soul,
Let us celebrate the oneness of all creation.
On this second reading,
I invite you to notice any words or phrases that capture your attention.
The heart longs for flowing streams,
So my soul for you,
O beloved.
My soul thirsts for the beloved,
For the living water.
When may I come and behold your face?
Tears have been my only nourishment day and night.
While friends ask continually,
Why do you seem so lost and forlorn?
All this I remembered as I poured out my soul.
How I went out among the throng,
Proceeding to the house of prayer.
With loud voice we gave you praise and acclamation.
A multitude proclaiming gratitude and joy.
Why are you cast down,
O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
My hope is in the beloved,
My strength and my joy.
My soul open the door to love.
My soul is cast down within me,
Yet I remember you.
From my mother's womb to maturity,
Through all the days of my life.
Deep calls to deep at the thunder of your waterfalls.
All your waves and your billows have washed over me.
By day you lead me in steadfast love.
At night your song is within me.
Prayer from the heart of my heart.
I say to the beloved,
The blessed one,
Why have you forgotten me?
Why go I mourning because of the oppression of fear,
As with a deadly wound in my body?
I feel the pain of war and injustice,
While the powerful seem to destroy the innocent seem of no account.
O my soul,
Let not the quagmire of war keep me from radiating your peace.
Your love and light to the world.
My hope is in you,
O Spirit of Truth.
Be my strength and my guide.
O my soul,
Let us celebrate the oneness of all creation.
And on this last reading,
I invite you to welcome those words or phrases that captured your attention to bring their gift.
Be attentive to what they invite,
To how they want to minister to you.
As a heart longs for flowing streams,
So my soul for you,
O beloved.
My soul thirsts for the beloved,
For the living water.
When may I come and behold your face?
Tears have been my only nourishment day and night.
While friends ask continually,
Why do you seem so lost and forlorn?
All this I remembered as I poured out my soul,
How I went out among the throng,
Proceeding to the house of prayer.
With loud voices we gave you praise and acclamation,
A multitude proclaiming gratitude and joy.
Why are you cast down,
O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
My hope is in the beloved,
My strength and my joy.
O my soul,
Open the door to love.
My soul is cast down within me,
Yet I remember you.
From my mother's womb to maturity,
Through all the days of my life.
Deep calls to deep at the thunder of your waterfalls.
All your waves and your billows have washed over me.
By day you lead me in steadfast love.
At night your song is within me.
Prayer from the heart of my heart.
I say to the beloved,
The blessed one,
Why have you forgotten me?
Why go I mourning because of the oppression of fear?
As with a deadly wound in my body,
I feel the pain of war and injustice.
While the powerful seem to destroy,
The innocent seem of no account.
O my soul,
Let not the quagmire of war keep me from radiating your peace,
Your love and light to the world.
My hope is in you,
O spirit of truth.
Be my strength and my guide.
O my soul,
Let us celebrate the oneness of all creation.
May blessing,
Hope,
Grace and great love go with you my friends.
Amen.
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