Lectio Divina Reading
November 30, 2003
Today's Agenda
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- Opening, Psalm 104 - Centering Prayer - Video -- Lectio Divina, Meg Funk (30 minutes) - BREAK - Practice of Lectio Divina |
Opening, Psalm 104
(from Nan Merrill)
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Bless the Radiant One, O my soul! O Heart of my heart, You are so very great! You are clothed with justice and mercy, arrayed in Light as your fine attire. You stretch over the heavens like a tent, your Radiance covering the waters; You shine through the clouds, and ride on the wings of the wind; The wind, like the Breath of Life, carries your Word, Fire refines the dross of our souls. You set the earth on its foundations, strong and secure. You covered it with the deep like a garment, with many waters that life might come forth. At your Word, the waters divided, becoming rivers and lakes and mighty oceans; storms came to ensure the balance and to renew the earth. The mountains rose, the valleys became low in the places that You did appoint. You brought harmony to all the earth, that life might spring forth in abundance. You created springs to flow into the valleys; they flow between the hills. Giving drink to every creature of the field, quenching their thirst as your Living Water quenches ours. With the air, You have given birds their habitation; they sing among the branches. The majesty of Creation is seen throughout the land, the sounds of Creation mingle with the music of the spheres. Through your Word, grass came forth for the cattle, and plants for us to cultivate, That we might have food from the earth, and wine, the fruit of the vine, Oil and healing herbs of many varieties, and bread, our daily sustenance. The tress are watered abundantly and with the sun, provide the air we breathe. Every living creature has its home: the birds nest in trees, the wild goats upon the mountaintop; even the rocks provide protection.
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You created the moon to mark the tides and seasons, the sun, that rises and sets in beauty. In darkness, when night comes, the creatures of the forest roam the earth. They eat their fill, each according to their need; You provide their food. When the sun rises, they disappear from sight and lie sown in their dens. As your people go forth to their work, You are there to guide them.
O You, who know all hearts, how manifold are your works! In wisdom You have created them all; the earth is filled with your creatures. We took to the seas, great and wide, which teem with life innumerable, helping to maintain the balance. O, that we might receive your gifts, taking only what is needed with grateful hearts. All of creation looks to You, to give them food in due season. When we are in harmony with You, the earth provides; yes, a bountiful harvest to be shared with all. When we misuse what You have created for us, we blame You for the famine and destruction that ensues, and feel alienated from You. Even so, You continue to send forth your Spirit, and the earth, though not without turmoil, is renewed. The glory of the Radiant One endures forever, for the works of Love are sure. You are ever-present to us, even as the earth trembles, even as the mountains spew forth ashes and smoke! I will abandon myself into your hands as long as I live; I will sing praise to You while I have breath. May my meditations be pleasing to You, for I rejoice and am glad in You. May all who feel separated from You open their hearts to new Life! Praise the Creator of the Universe! Bless the Heart of my heart, O my soul! Amen. |
Lectio Divina Readings
Psalm 104 (King James Version)
Antiphonally Read (alternate between two groups)
L. Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.
R. Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment, who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:
L. Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:
R. Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:
L. Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed forever.
R. Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.
L. At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.
R. They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them.
L. Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth.
R. He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills.
L. They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst.
R. By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches.
L. He watereth the hills from his chamber: the earth is satisfies with the fruit of thy works.
R. He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;
L. And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart.
R. The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted;
L. Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house.
R. The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats: and the rocks for the conies.
L. He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.
R. Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.
L. The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.
R. The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay down in their dens.
L. Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.
R. O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.
L. So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.
R. There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.
L. These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.
R. That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with food.
L. Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.
R. Thou sendest forth thy sprit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.
L. The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works. He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.
R. I will sing unot the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
L. My mediation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.
R. Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD.
Book of Wisdom (Chapter 7, vs 22-30)
Eulogy of Wisdom
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For within her is a spirit intelligent, holy, unique, manifold, subtle, mobile,
incisive, unsullied, steadfast, dependable, unperturbed, almighty, all-surveying, penetrating all intelligent, pure, and most subtle spirits. For Wisdom is quicker to move than any motion; she is so pure, she pervades and permeates all things. She is a breath of the power of God, pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty; so nothing impure can find its way into her. For she is a reflection of the eternal light, untarnished mirror of God's active power, and image of his goodness. |
Although she is alone she can do everything; herself unchanging she renews the world, and, generation after generation,
passing into holy souls, for God loves only those who dwell with Wisdom. She is indeed more splendid than the sun, she outshines all the constellations; Compared with light, she takes first place, for light must yield to night, but against Wisdom evil cannot prevail. Strongly she reaches from one end of the world to the other and she governs the whole world for its good. |
Lectio Divina
for CP Groups
Contemplative Outreach of Dallas