From the Pastor’s desk— January 12, 2025

Dear Parishioners:

Last week I told you that we are now praying with the bible at the start of staff and council meetings. Today, I’m sharing with you how we pray with a simple step by step process. That way you can start on your own or with a group of friends. This is an ancient prayer practice called Lectio Divina, or “Divine Reading.” Here is how you do it:

Choose a short passage from scripture (Our staff uses the Gospel reading from the coming Sunday)
Read the passage aloud and think quietly for a few minutes about what it says.
Read it again, listening to a word or phrase that stands out to you.
Think about something that happened in your recent past that the word or phrase reminds you of, think about what God is saying to you about it.
Repeat 3, but now think about what God is saying to you in the present moment.
Repeat 3, but now think about what future action God is calling you to do.
Talk with God about his mission and make a commitment to some action.

Don’t forget to begin with a prayer asking the Holy Spirit to help you hear God’s message for you(“Come Holy Spirit and help us to receive what the Father wants for us as we read the Word.”) and to conclude with a prayer of thanksgiving for this time with the Word(Thank you, Holy Spirit, for helping us in this time of prayer, please remain with us through the day). If you are praying with a group, pause after each time to think (also called “meditating”) and invite everyone to share their insights.

To receive the most from this prayer, it’s important to pay attention to the past, present and future reflections, because this is about what God is doing in your life. It’s not just a thinking exercise to learn information. God wants to be part of your life and move forward with you. Lectio Divina is meant to move us forward day by day in our relationship with God.

Fr. Joseph