Lectio Divina Reading

April 21, 2007

Psalm 40

I waited patiently for the Beloved, who heard my cry and came to me.

Love raised me from the pits of despair,
out of confusion and fear,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
There is a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to the Beloved.
May many see and rejoice, may they
put their trust in Love

Blessed are those who make Love their home,
who do not turn to the proud, to those who follow false idols!
O Beloved, how wondrous are your gifts to us;
your thoughts are beyond our imagination.
What joy to live in Oneness with You!
Were we to proclaim and tell of Your beauty and blessed grace,
who could measure it?

Sacrifice and offering are not your desire for us;
for, you have opened our heart’s ear.
Burnt offerings are not required.
My heart affirms my surrender;
in the Book of Life it is written:
“I abandon myself into your hands,
for I love You and wish only to create with You,
O my Beloved;’
For You are the Life of my life forever.”

I tell the glad news of
Love’s way
to all who will listen.
Yes, I raise my voice,
with praise and acclamation.
I tell of Love’s saving grace
within my heart,
I speak of Love’s faithfulness
and healing power.

Purification of Love

Lovingly accept all… God sends us…Jean-Pierre de Causade

Let us supppose…that we, by the grace of God, have had our faith purified and have experienced our hope and trust ripening into love. We know we love God and are seeking not so much his favors, but himself. Would you think that such a strong love still needed purification? Let us look at Mary, the mother of Jesus. One might think that she, at least, was perfect in love and grace from the beginning. But God’s idea of love is different from ours….Jesus says, “Why did you look for me? Didn’t you know ..that I had to be about my father’s business?” Even (Mary) …needed to be reminded by Jesus of the primacy of the Father’s will…When this gospel is proclaimed in the liturgy of the Christmas season, the prayer of the day asks that we be shown, “the good, the acceptable, and the perfect will of God.” This prayer suggests that there are three degrees of submission to the will of God. The good will of God is his will above every other affection. And the perfect will of God is his will above every other love including ourselves.

The Daily Reader for Contemplative Living, pg.115

Lectio Divina for CP Groups
Contemplative Outreach of Dallas