OLDER LECTIO DIVINA

“For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last."

It’s not about me. The quicker I notice that, the happier I will be. The sooner I can realize that it doesn’t matter if I get ahead, it doesn’t matter what other people think of me, the better off my day will be. And it does take daily reminders, because there’s this constant fear in the back of my mind that says I’ll be left behind. Being left behind in the race of life is not as bad as being dismissed by Jesus, though. He tells us to store up our treasures in heaven, treasures such as the virtues–because those last while the things the world tells us to chase after really do not. We will be looked down upon for upholding the values Jesus teaches, but we will have this reassurance in our souls that runs deeper than anything the world can give us. It’s that deeper meaning we’re all after, and that’s what Jesus offers.

PRAY

Dear heavenly Father,

When I come to you humbly, you remind me who I am. You remind me of the simple moments when there was just you and me, and I did not care what the world thought. Bring me back to those moments so I can recognize you for who you really are, and so you can recognize where I am from. I don’t want to come from a place of sin anymore. Show me the way back to your kingdom and help me build it up here on earth so more people can proclaim that they come from
there when they reach the gates of heaven. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen

"I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!”

“Jesus!? You want to set the world on fire? What on earth do you mean?” That’s my first thought upon reading this as a responsible adult who is generally opposed to pyromaniacs. But then again, Jesus’ message still burns within me despite my inclination to resist reckless behavior. He is not encouraging reckless abandonment of the world, but he is encouraging abandonment of it. In fact, that seems to be a central theme to the entire gospel: Cast away your concerns for the
earth. “Store up your treasures in heaven,” as we heard in last week’s Gospel. As dramatic and radical as Jesus’ teachings may sound sometimes, he definitely is consistent, nonetheless. Don’t cling to this world. It will pass away. It will go up in flames. All of this will perish. Keep your eyes on heaven. Learn the biblical virtues at any cost: charity, faith, hope, justice, temperance, fortitude, and prudence. These are treasures in heaven. Jesus wishes everything in this world would go up in flames because of how much it all distracts us from these treasures, from love for him.

PRAY

Dear God,

While I struggle to leave this world and all of its pleasures behind, I am encouraged by your message because the world also often disappoints. It promises one thing and then gives something else, or takes away what it gave. You are not like that. You are an abundant font of grace that seeks nothing in return but love and gratitude. Even those things are gifts from you, because you are their ultimate source. So, help me to cast aside everything I treasure in this world, even my loving relationships–because if I do not put you first then even the love I have in those relationships is disordered. I ask for the strength to do your will, because it is so contrary to earthly wisdom.

Give us each day our daily bread

We get from prayer what we put into it. If we pray daily, Jesus will give us what we need daily. Also, the connection to the Eucharist here is clear. Does this mean we should go to Mass daily? It wouldn’t hurt. There is probably no better way to pray than by praying with the whole Church in the very presence of Jesus and then actually receiving the Daily Bread from heaven, Christ himself. But “daily bread” in the way it is used in the Lord’s Prayer could also mean our daily needs, since bread is the most staple part of our daily diet. Prayer is one of those daily needs. So by simply praying every day we are helping God sustain us. You may think it is impossible to help God with anything, but we can help him help us. Because he respects our free will, he is not going to come to our aid if we don’t ask him to. The central message of Christ’s instructions regarding prayer is to ask God for help. Just ask and he will provide, but if you don’t ask he will not provide. That is why prayer is so important.

PRAY

Lord,

I want to find you, but so often I look in the wrong places. With your grace, show me how to love you better, how to pray better. Great teacher, I am asking for your guidance and I am confident you will provide it. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

There is a need for only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.

 There is so much truth and so much wisdom in these final sentences that I can only summarize it all. That “one thing”, the “better part” and the fact that it will not be taken from her are the subjects of books that could fill a library. One could say the entire spiritual tradition of the saints comes down to that one thing. Priests and religious have devoted their lives to that “better part”, leaving behind all other parts in their lives. What is that one thing? What is that better part? Some say it’s the presence of God. Others say it’s a relationship with God. Still others say it’s both. Can we be in his presence without having a relationship with him? Can we have a relationship with him without ever being in his presence? Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist has been adored for ages, but many people have a relationship with him without even believing in the Real Presence, do they not?  Here we have Mary in the presence of Jesus, sitting there beside him with the intent to strengthen her relationship. Many of us sit in his presence at church and don’t really work on improving our relationship with him. And some of us try to improve our relationship with him without spending time in his presence. Perhaps that is what Martha was trying to do. She was trying to draw closer to Jesus by serving him, which–in any other circumstance–would be fine, but when Jesus is there with her, the better thing is to just be with him.

Lord God,

Help me to not be a busy-body, but to know when to serve you. Help me also to not be idle in my worship, but to know when it is best to just be in your presence. Your presence is efficacious. It is our life source, the font of goodness and holiness. This will never be taken from us, if we abide in you and you in us. Help us to notice the better part, and to let your presence take precedence in our lives when we pray and when we serve others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
I often do the same thing! I ask questions to try to confuse the simplicity of Jesus’ teachings, questions that are not hard to answer. My reason gets the best of me as I think it is more valuable than simple charity. Who is my neighbor? Anyone God puts into my life who needs help. My life is a story, and I am the main character. God gives me many opportunities to do the right thing, to share the grace he gave me with others. These opportunities often come in the form of neighbors crossing my path. It may be the person next door. It may be the friend or relative going through a bad break-up. It may be the fellow parishioner who has huge medical bills from a bad accident.

Dear Lord,
Help me to be the Good Samaritan for everyone I meet. Help me to put their needs before my own and treat them as I would like to be treated. Because you are so good to me, I find the strength to be good to others. Teach me to pass on the love you give. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

The simplicity of discipleship in Christ is important to remember, because it’s tempting to get bogged down by the worries of “doing it right” by today’s standards. Some people who want to follow Christ more fully may think they need to enter religious life, or join an order, or get a degree in theology, or at least some kind of certificate saying they’re legit. While all of these things could be good, we’re all called to follow Christ in unique ways. So go as you are and proclaim the kingdom of God, no prerequisites required. 

Lord Jesus,

I know I am unworthy of your gifts and your calling to spread your kingdom. It is by sheer grace that I have been given the mission to evangelize. That is my calling as a baptized Christian though. Give me the wisdom and courage needed to bring more souls into your kingdom. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

“Lord, let me go first and bury my father….  “first let me say farewell to my family at home.”

The key word in both of these excuses is “first”. The First Commandment is to put nothing before God, not even family. It’s hard to put God before even family. Sometimes I even feel justified putting my family before my commitments to God. But a true disciple of Christ knows we cannot rightly serve anyone unless we serve God first. If I put anything before God, my motivations will be disordered, my love misplaced. God is the source of love, so it makes the most sense to go to him first in order to receive the proper stores of love to serve others.  

PRAY

Lord Jesus,

Help me to be your true disciple, putting you before everything–even loved ones. The way to follow you will be countercultural. It will be weird to other people. It doesn’t matter, because you alone have the words of eternal life, so I will do what it takes to stay close to you. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. 

In this passage, Jesus fulfills the promise God made through the prophet Isaiah when he said, “I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:19). Even when our situation seems most bleak, if we have faith in God he will provide whatever it is we need to get through.

Dear Jesus,
In the Holy Eucharist, you provide sustenance for our exiled journey back to you. Here on earth, we only get pieces and glimpses of your glory. We only have five loaves and two fish, and it’s not enough to sustain us. What little faith we have, we give to you so you can multiply it. Show us how heaven is all around us and how you will provide us with everything we need, so we can live a life devoted to you and spread your kingdom in this world. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Scripture is the Word of God, and the Word is Christ. The truth in Scripture are passed down to us through Tradition, and Tradition is guided by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit takes from the Word and declares it to each new generation of Christians. The Source is always the same. The truth doesn’t change even as the language used to convey it changes. The Holy Spirit transcends human language, but the human spirit that is following Christ will recognize its voice in every age no matter what form it takes. The Spirit will choose voices in every generation to pass on its truth. It is our mission as Christians to offer our lives in service to this truth. Many people stray far from the inheritance given to us through Christ and the Spirit, and think they can form their own version of the truth. It doesn’t work. We can draw from the abundant well of life given to Jesus, but if we try to do things our own way we will reach a dead end. We know we are in Christ when the deeper we draw from his well the more truth and life we find.

Holy Trinity,

You are the God of love, truth and everything I seek. Thank you for your providence. Forgive me for the times I have failed to have faith in you. I ask for the grace to see you in everything I do, everywhere I go. You are the cornerstone that provides a strong foundation, and the mystery that keeps us intrigued and searching to keep life interesting. Help me to see you and never get bored of searching for you. You are so much more than I can ever imagine. Show me how to dive deeper into that belief. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.