Lectio Divina

What is lectio divina?  According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, CCC 2708, “Meditation engages thought, imagination, emotion, and desire. This mobilization of faculties is necessary in order to deepen our convictions of faith, prompt the conversion of our heart, and strengthen our will to follow Christ. Christian prayer tries above all to meditate on the mysteries of Christ, as in lectio divina or the rosary. This form of prayerful reflection is of great value, but Christian prayer should go further: to the knowledge of the love of the Lord Jesus, to union with him.”  The five steps of lectio divina include: 

  • Reading. Read a passage slowly and carefully within the bible. 
  • Meditation. Thinking deeply or dwelling upon a spiritual reality within a text. 
  • Prayer. Having a loving conversation with God.
  • Contemplation. Resting in Gods presence.
  • Action. Go and do likewise.

Meditation for Palm Sunday Yr. B, March 23, 2024 – On this day the Church celebrates Christ’s entrance into Jerusalem to accomplish his paschal mystery. Accordingly, the memorial of this event is included in every Mass, with the procession or solemn entrance before the principle Mass,  with the simple entrance before the other Masses.  The Solemn entrance (but not the procession) may be repeated before other Masses that are usually well attended.

Blessing of Psalms and procession into Church.

1st Reading: Isiah 50: 4-7, “My face I did not shield from buffets and spitting knowing that I shall not be put to shame.”

Responsory: Psalm 22: 8– 9, 17–20, 23-24, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

Reading of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ  Mark 14: 1–15, 47

The triumphant entry to Jerusalem. St Andrew of Crete tells us: “Come, and as we make our way up to the Mount of Olives, let us meet Christ, who is returning today from Bethany, and of his own will makes haste toward his most venerable and revered passion, whereby he will bring to fulfillment the mystery of the salvation of mankind”

Jesus, is with his disciples. And many other travelers who witnessed the resurrection of Lazarus were journeying to Jerusalem for the ‘Passover’ celebrations.  It was probably at Bethphage, near Jerusalem, that Jesus acquired a simple donkey, an animal which from the time of Balaam, was used for travel in Palestine. The atmosphere was of triumphant jubilation.

Luke tells us in Chapter 19:37-38: “At the decent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!  Peace in the heavens and Glory in the highest!’”

Jesus made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem and today, He wants to enter into my heart and soul. He wants to be close to me in all the circumstances of my human life today and every day.

Jesus proceeds down the slope from the Mount of Olives, He sees the whole city of Jerusalem and is moved to tears at the sin, ignorance and blindness of the peoples. “Would that even today you knew the things that make for peace!   But now they are hid from your eyes.” Luke 19:42 Jesus weeps over the impenitence of the people, how eloquent His tears, they are full of mercy, over the city which has rejected Him. Will I reject Him also?  How am I responding to to the countless promptings of the Holy Spirit, who seeks to make me holy in any and all of my daily activities?

Also in Jerusalem I see Mary, who wants to be close to her Son, This will be the last Passover and the first in which Jesus is both the Priest and the Victim. May Mary be close to me and all of us, as we celebrate this Passion Week.  May she help us to contemplate the Passion, Death, and Resurrection, of Jesus, who willingly suffered the incomparable torture of Crucifixion, so as to  give us the gift of “Eternal Life.”  SM