lectio divina – Page 41

“Your Father knows what you need.” | Tuesday of the First Week of Lent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 6:7-15)

Jesus said to his disciples: “In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Jesus teaches the disciples the prayer known as the Lord’s Prayer or the Our Father. In the middle of today’s Gospel, Jesus prays the Our Father and before and after the prayer, he teaches us two vital lessons: don’t babble in prayer like pagans and forgive others as God forgives us. In the notes of the New American Bible Revised Edition for today’s passage, scholars suggest that pagans babbled because they recited a list of many deities, “hoping that one of them will force a response.” Jesus instead teaches deliberate, quieting prayer that addresses the “Father [who] knows what you need before you ask him.” After praying, Jesus turns to the disciples and says: “If you forgive men their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you.” God shares his mercy in a double way: what he does for us, he invites us to do for others.

God, you know what I need before I ask. That’s a reality in prayer that I might easily take for granted and then go on focusing on my way as the best way, as the answer to prayer. Help me remember the words of your Son: if I open my heart to a disposition of forgiveness, I am open to receiving your mercy and extending it to others. Give me the grace to forgive transgressions rather than hold grudges, to let go of hurts so I can receive your will and be merciful. Have mercy on me, Lord!

From the responsorial psalm: “When the just cry out, the LORD hears them, and from all their distress he rescues them. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves. From all their distress God rescues the just.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“Come, you who are blessed by my Father.” | Monday of the First Week of Lent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 25:31-46)

“Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.”

Jesus speaks to the disciples about his second coming and the criteria for judgment. In his glory, the Son of Man will sit upon his throne, all the angels with him, and all the nations will be assembled before him. “And he will separate them one from another,” Jesus says, “as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.” To the ones who showed mercy to the hungry and thirsty, to the stranger and the naked, to the ill and those in prison, the Lord will say to them: “Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” To the ones who failed to show mercy, the Lord will say: “Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels.” Jesus makes clear beyond question how to treat others. In treating others with mercy, the person we care for, no matter their name, is Jesus: “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.”

God, just as you spoke to the Israelites through Moses, you speak through Jesus, your final and best Word: “Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy.” In showing mercy to others, time after time I come to recognize my shortcomings and turn to Jesus as the perfect model of holiness. How much I need to recognize your mercy, Lord, as I do to others as I would have them do to me. Give me the grace, Lord, to be a brother, to have the opportunity to try again to be holy as you are holy. Show me today and help me see the face of Christ in those who need mercy.

From the responsorial psalm: “Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart find favor before you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“Repent, and believe in the gospel.”| First Sunday of Lent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mk 1:12-15)

After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

Before Jesus came to Galilee, Mark tells us that he was driven into the desert by the Spirit, where he remained for forty days, among wild beasts and tempted by Satan. Angels ministered to him. The Spirit that impelled Jesus brought him to a place of physical isolation from others but in uninterrupted spiritual contact with his Father and the purpose for which he came. The presence in the desert apart from food and family and friends—every human comfort—meant that Jesus could confront Satan in a way that put that part of his mission behind him, breaking from times past and clearing the way for him—true God and true man—to announce that the time of fulfillment had at last come.

God, help me understand the promptings of the Holy Spirit that drove Jesus out into the desert. As part of the fulfillment of his mission of salvation, he faced temptation to take on himself all human temptation. In order to conquer death, he took on the sins of all humanity. In facing temptation and subjecting himself to the test at the prompting of the Holy Spirit, it is the Son of God, the Messiah, the Lord, who returns from the desert and proclaims your kingdom. Give me the grace, Lord, to grasp the big picture and my part in the covenant relationship you have made with your people.

From the responsorial psalm: “Remember that your compassion, O LORD, and your love are from of old. In your kindness remember me, because of your goodness, O LORD. Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“To call the righteous to repentance but sinners.” | Saturday after Ash Wednesday

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 5:27-32)

The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus said to them in reply, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”

After Jesus calls him, Matthew immediately leaves his customs post and follows him. Matthew then gives a large banquet at his house, where many tax collectors gather at table with Jesus and Matthew. The criticism of the Pharisees is aimed at sinners and tax collectors. While Jesus, the divine physician, tells the Pharisees that he has come for the sick, the Pharisees fail to recognize that he includes them among the sick who need a physician. Little is different today when judgment of others comes into play. It’s easy to point out the faults of others, but only with fearless examination do our own deficiencies surface.

God, just as Jesus your Son called Levi to follow him, you call me also to follow you. If all I can remember throughout the day is the voice of Jesus saying “Follow me,” I have the hope of walking in your truth and trusting in your mercy. On paper, this is all too easy. I know I will forget you time after time in the events of the day and the people you place before me. Give me the grace to hear your voice today when I begin to turn away. I know you always hear me, just as you reveal to Isaiah in the first reading: “Then light shall rise for you in the darkness, and the gloom shall become for you like midday.”

From the responsorial psalm: “Have mercy on me, O Lord, for to you I call all the day. Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“And then they will fast.” | Friday after Ash Wednesday

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 9:14-15)

The disciples of John approached Jesus and said, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches the meaning of fasting. In fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies and practices, the coming of Jesus represents the beginning of a new era. A common practice in the Jewish tradition, fasting was a way to show repentance and preparation for the coming of the Messiah. Jesus, the Bridegroom, is present among his disciples, so the time to fast hadn’t yet come. However, the time would come for fasting, for his passion, death, and resurrection. “The days will come,” Jesus says, “when the bridegroom is taken away . . . and then they will fast.” The Lord reveals to Isaiah in the first reading what fasting is: “Sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own.”

God, help me understand the meaning of fasting as Jesus teaches it. Among the disciples, Jesus was a source of joy and consolation. The Messiah had come and was among them. In the time of his passion, the disciples mourned his loss. But now, after the time of his suffering and death, Jesus is present in his word, through his resurrection, and in the sacraments of the Church. Give me the grace, Lord, to fast during Lent in a way that strengthens my love for your presence. In detachment and self-denial, nourish me now with your presence, and prepare me for your resurrection in the Easter joy that is to come.

From the responsorial psalm: “Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“What profit is there for one to gain the whole world.” | Thursday after Ash Wednesday

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 9:22-25)

Then [Jesus] said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?”

In today’s Gospel according to Luke, the transfiguration of Jesus occurs immediately after this passage. So in speaking of the daily task of Christians, Jesus refers also to his own passion, death, and resurrection. Jesus first announces to the disciples his suffering, death, and resurrection and then turns to speak to all of denying oneself and picking up one’s cross. In the paradox of dying to self to live in Christ, Jesus is the template; he goes first for the sake of all of us. To follow Jesus is to choose life, to heed God’s voice, to be obedient to the Father’s will. As Moses said to the Israelites: “Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the LORD, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him.”

God, help me today to choose your will out of love for you. In that love, give me strength in choosing to deny myself to live in Christ. Keep me alert to the needs of others, aware of my imperfections that prevent me from seeing you present in that moment. Give me the grace, Lord, to recognize your will, to be fully aware of it, and to choose to accomplish it. Be my constant help!

From the responsorial psalm: “Blessed are they who hope in the Lord. He is like a tree planted near running water, that yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade. Whatever he does, prospers.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“When you fast, do not look gloomy.” | Ash Wednesday

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 6:1-6, 16-18)

“When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.”

“Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart.” These words from the first reading invite the people of Israel to fasting and prayer as a way to return to the LORD. In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to the disciples about what we have come to know as the three pillars of Lent: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. With your whole attention focused on our Father, Jesus tells us, pray, fast, and give alms without drawing attention to yourselves so that “your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.” The desire to please God in a genuine way becomes the means to return to an intimate relationship with him. So Lent begins. As Saint Paul says, Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

God, help me today consider how to put into practice prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Every year Lent comes, and I find myself in the midst of it without fully participating in the opportunity to connect more deeply with you. The interior life of the spirit that Jesus calls the disciples to is a universal invitation to see you as my Father and do what pleases you. A spiritual return to you doesn’t isolate me from those around me but reinvigorates how I respond to them—the poor, those in need of prayer, and emptying of self through fasting. Give me the grace to take the gifts of sacrifice you give me and make them the means of returning to you with my whole heart.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“Do you still not understand?” | Tuesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mk 8:14-21)

“And do you not remember, when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?” They answered him, “Twelve.” “When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?” They answered him, “Seven.” He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

Having only one loaf in the boat with them, the disciples realize they have forgotten to bring more bread. Jesus takes the opportunity to teach them something new in the wake of encountering the Pharisees who asked him for a sign. “Watch out,” he tells them, “guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” The disciples are unclear about what Jesus tries to convey, so he reminds them of the miracles they have just witnessed. How God works in our lives, how well he provides for us each day, is easily forgotten, and he prompts the disciples to call this to mind. “Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord,” we hear in the Gospel acclamation. As a way to love him, Jesus emphasizes trust in the Father, discernment, and avoidance of false teachings.

God, help me understand what the disciples also had trouble understanding: you ask me to trust you, you will provide for my needs, and you alone are the Lord, the Most High, the source of all truth. At the start of each day, the greatest uncertainties cause the greatest apprehension. Even as the disciples were literally in the boat with Jesus, they worried about how they would provide for themselves. Help me today recall the miracles writ large you have performed as well as the ones revealed in secret, as it were, through careful reflection. Another loaf of bread is not difficult to go out and get; trust in your mercy is a lesson learned over and over, the hard way. I believe, Lord; keep me in your truth.

From the responsorial psalm: “When I say, “My foot is slipping,” your mercy, O LORD, sustains me; When cares abound within me, your comfort gladdens my soul. Blessed the man you instruct, O Lord.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“Why does this generation seek a sign?” | Monday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mk 8:11-13)

The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with Jesus, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. He sighed from the depth of his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” Then he left them, got into the boat again, and went off to the other shore.

The Pharisees approach Jesus and ask for a sign from heaven to prove his authority, and Jesus sighs over their lack of faith despite their witnessing his previous miracles and teachings. Aware that they are testing him, Jesus puts the question to the Pharisees why this generation seeks a sign. What matters, Jesus suggests by asking this, is faith and trust in him rather than seeking signs as the sole basis for belief.

God, help me trust in your presence without the need for signs. Even more, help me remember you in the midst of the day, when communication with you becomes sparse. I imagine Jesus turning back to the Pharisees to answer them as he go into the boat. He questions them not out of annoyance but of love for them. He gave a deep sigh when he asks why they seek a sign. Strengthen my confidence in you, Lord, in the hidden works you perform each day and in the ones I overlook that are right before my eyes.

From the responsorial psalm: “You are good and bountiful; teach me your statutes. Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

“I do will it. Be made clean.” | Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mk 1:40-45)

A leper came to Jesus and kneeling down begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.” The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.

“I do will it. Be made clean.” These words of Jesus to the leper reveal the Father’s will for all of his people. Leprosy was not part of God’s plan for humanity. Illness, disease, and death were not part of God’s plan. With a compassionate touch, Jesus heals the leper, showing his divine authority over human illnesses, isolation, and sin—and through his death and resurrection—even death. Jesus sternly warns the leper not to tell anyone about this miracle. Instead, he tells him to be obedient to Mosaic law in regard to the treatment of leprosy, which the first reading gives us a glimpse of. Instead, the man tells everybody he encounters; as a result, Jesus is unable to go unnoticed, and people come to him from everywhere.

God, help me understand today’s Gospel. Although from a time long ago and a place far away, Jesus’ treatment of the leper is living and effective today because he lives today and is truly present. The healing of the leper is not isolated in time and space, Lord, but is your mercy expressed here and now. Your will is to restore me to wholeness, to reconcile me to you. I want to fix in my mind the words of Jesus to the leper: “I do will it. Be made clean.”

From the responsorial psalm: “Blessed is he whose fault is taken away, whose sin is covered. Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt, in whose spirit there is no guile. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.