Lectio Divina Reading

March 15, 2007

Lectio Divina. John 12:35-36

Jesus then said:
The light will be with you only a little longer now. Go on your way while you have the light, or darkness will overtake you, and nobody who walks in the dark knows where he is going. While you still have the light, believe in the light so that you may become children of light. Having said this, Jesus left them and was hidden from their sight.

Experience Paradox

Jesus teaches by word and example. In the crib he has only a few boo-hoo's
to offer; nothing intelligible. Here is the first paradox: infinite power
is power-less. But be careful! This child, so tender and mild, is dynamite.
What the child in the crib teaches by example and which he later
speaks about undermines our personal attitudes, value systems, and
behavior. The teaching of his example, vastly more powerful than all of
Jesus' words put together, culminates in the cross, the ultimate
powerlessness. It is the movement of human consciousness into unlimited
being. This is the example this wisdom teacher invites us to emulate . . ..
In the teaching of Jesus, true power is powerlessness. The greatest
security is to have none. The purest hope is in the midst of hopelessness.
True faith is full of doubts. And true love is nothing but service and,
indeed, service unto death.

-- Thomas Keating, "Reawakenings"

The Basic Practice

Attention is also known as mindfulness, awareness, concentration, recollection. It is a primary practice, and not just alphabetically. We must stay alert or we risk missing critical elements of the spiritual life — moments of grace, opportunities for gratitude, evidence of our connections to others, signs of the presence of Spirit. The good news is that attention can be practiced anywhere, anytime, in the daily rounds of our lives.

Begin by doing one thing at a time. Keep your mind focused on whatever you happen to be doing at the moment. It is through the mundane and the familiar that we discover a world of ceaseless wonders. Train yourself to notice details.

Lectio Divina for CP Groups
Contemplative Outreach of Dallas