Lectio Divina Reading
April 27, 2003
Theme: Watered Gardens
John 20:1-31
The Empty Tomb
1Early on the first day of the week, while it
was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had
been removed from the entrance. 2So she came running to Simon
Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They
have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put
him!"
3So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4Both
were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb
first. 5He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying
there but did not go in. 6Then Simon Peter, who was behind him,
arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7as
well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was
folded up by itself, separate from the linen. 8Finally the
other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw
and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from
Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)
Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
10Then the disciples went back to their homes, 11but
Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look
into the tomb 12and saw two angels in white, seated where
Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
13They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?"
14"They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and
I don't know where they have put him." At this, she turned around and
saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
15"Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is
it you are looking for?"
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him
away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him."
16Jesus said to her, "Mary."
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!"
(which means Teacher).
17Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet
returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am
returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' "
18Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I
have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things
to her.
Jesus Appears to His Disciples
19On the evening of that first day of the week,
when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the
Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with
you!" 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and
side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has
sent me, I am sending you." 22And with that he breathed on
them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive
anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are
not forgiven."
Jesus Appears to Thomas
24Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the
Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25So the
other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!"
But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and
put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will
not believe it."
26A week later his disciples were in the house again, and
Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood
among them and said, "Peace be with you!" 27Then he
said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your
hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."
28Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
29Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have
believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
30Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his
disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31But these are
written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and
that by believing you may have life in his name.
Suggestions for Prayer (a)
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Go for a walk. Pause to look at the many green things that are a part of the spring earth. If you find flowers or buds on trees, take time to touch them. Let them "speak " to you about hope, newness of life. Return and let one of the spring things you have seen speak to you in your journal.
Reflect on the months that have passed since last Easter. Think about the soil of your soul. Where have you been open? Where have you been closed? Make a list of these situations. Ponder the two lists. What do the tell you about your inner life?
Look at the inner garden of you life. Where do the waters of life flow freely? Where do you see signs of growth, birth, hope , change, nurturing? How is God coaxing life out of you? What is being raised to life in you?
Be aware of open things during this month: open doors,
open windows, driving down open roads, coffee cups open to receive that
warm brew, open boxes, jars, and other containers, hearts open to
receive you with love, eyes open to see wonderful things, mouths open to
receive nourishment, books open for learning.
Each evening take a few moments to ponder you openness during the day.
How aware were you of open things? How aware were you of your own inner
openness? How did you respond to challenges to be open that may have
arisen during the day?
(a) From "May I Have This Dance" by Joyce Rupp