Lectio Divina
We have been pondering about Lectio Divina, the ancient Benedictine way of approaching Scriptures. Today, I would like to invite you to look at a Gospel passage by spending more time on the first step or movement than you usually would do:
After each sentence, pause, re-read it and ask God to let images rise up inside of you. There is an endless supply of images inside of each of us. We store images of what we have seen and what we imagined. There are numerous images presented to us on TV every single day. Images speak to us, stir something within us. They cause different emotions and reactions. Whatever images the following Gospel verses evoke for you, know that God speaks to you through images as well. If they are stirred up through Scriptures, they have their own stories to tell. Maybe they want you to make connections, heal painful memories and images of the past, or underscore some important new movements of the Spirit inside of you.
After each sentence, pause, re-read it and ask God to let images rise up inside of you. There is an endless supply of images inside of each of us. We store images of what we have seen and what we imagined. There are numerous images presented to us on TV every single day. Images speak to us, stir something within us. They cause different emotions and reactions. Whatever images the following Gospel verses evoke for you, know that God speaks to you through images as well. If they are stirred up through Scriptures, they have their own stories to tell. Maybe they want you to make connections, heal painful memories and images of the past, or underscore some important new movements of the Spirit inside of you.
In Wednesday's (February 19) Gospel (Mark 8:22-26) , Jesus is interacting with a blind man:
They came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village; and when he had put saliva on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Can you see anything?” And the man looked up and said, “I can see people, but they look like trees, walkiTng.” Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he looked intently and his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Then he sent him away to his home, saying, “Do not even go into the village.”
They came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village; and when he had put saliva on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Can you see anything?” And the man looked up and said, “I can see people, but they look like trees, walkiTng.” Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he looked intently and his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Then he sent him away to his home, saying, “Do not even go into the village.”
Take note of all your images. Record them in your journal. Prayerfully reflect on each one. Write, pray, invite God to speak to you now.
Here is an image that arose for an artist about the healing of the blind man. Stay with this picture. Does it express anything of what your own images did?
If you like to journal about your prayer, draw your own images or find pictures that express your own. Paste them into your journal.
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